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Dissertation Information for Scharlotte Saxon

NAME:
- Scharlotte Saxon

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- Florida State University (USA) (1997)

ADVISORS:
- Elisabeth A. Logan

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Thomas L. Hart
- Donna Nudd
- Ronald D. Blazek
- Eliza T. Dresang

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: Seventh-grade students and electronic information retrieval systems: An exploratory study of mental model formation, completeness and change

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate mental model formation, completeness and change in a naturalistic learning environment in which a purposive sample of 51 seventh grade students interacted with three retrieval systems over a thirteen week term. Students produced a verbal and pictorial learning log entry following interaction with each system and most participated in a structured interview as a culminating activity.

The study found that the task (requirements and topic concerns), the system (database features, functions and animate notions), feedback (information structure and user choices), and the information seekers (prior knowledge and skills) were factors influencing model development. A mental model completeness scale assessed students' awareness of databases (contained information, were limited, organized, and contained multiple databases) and the search features of retrieval systems (online help, term matching, different search types, and restriction/broadening). Aggregates of individual ratings established a group profile showing that students had more extensive awareness of the database than the system's features. The completeness scale assessed subjects' understanding of desired system-user interactivity level: the GenieFind notion (user asks:system gets); stimulus/response reactions (user/system respond to each other); negotiated dialog (user controls). All students evidenced the GenieFind notion, but 76% also evinced the negotiated dialog concept at some time.

The presence of change in the model state was suggested by the retention of naive concepts simultaneously while holding a more appropriate search or system notion.

Two substantive grounded theories are proposed. The first asserts that the combined developmental factors of the task, system, and system outcomes constitute a learning laboratory in which almost all of these naive users' understanding of searching and systems is encountered, both promoting and constraining model building. The second theory is that the interactivity level is a better construct for a mental model than the rest of the completeness scale, as it accounts for the dynamic quality inherent in user-system interaction.

MPACT Scores for Scharlotte Saxon

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:05:26

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Students under Scharlotte Saxon

ADVISEES:
- None

COMMITTEESHIPS:
- None