[LM_NET] How Children Search the Internet with Keyword Interfaces

[Blythe Allison Bennett <babennet@SYR.EDU>]

http://www.cs.umd.edu/localphp/hcil/tech-reports-search.php?number=2009-04

Druin, A., Foss, E., Hatley, L., Golub, E., Guha, M., Fails, J., Hutchinson, H. 
(February 2009)
How Children Search the Internet with Keyword Interfaces
HCIL-2009-04

    Children are among the most frequent users of the Internet, yet searching and 
browsing the web can present many challenges. Studies over the past two decades on 
how children search were conducted with finite and pre-determined content found in 
CD-ROM applications, online digital libraries, and web directories. However, with 
the current popularity of the open Internet and keyword-based interfaces for 
searching it, more critical analysis of the challenges children face today is 
needed. This paper presents the findings of our initial study to understand how 
children ages 7, 9, and 11 search the Internet using keyword interfaces in the 
home. Our research has revealed that although today's children have been exposed to 
computers for most of their lives, spelling, typing, query formulation, and 
deciphering results are all still potential barriers to finding the information 
they need.


Blythe Allison Bennett
Assistant Director, School Media Program
Director, Summer Institute
School of Information Studies, Syracuse University
114 Hinds Hall
babennet@syr.edu
(315) 443-5445




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