Finding, understanding and learning

Abstract

We present our ongoing efforts on the development of a search environment tailored to 6-15 year-olds that can foster learning though retrieval of materials that not only satisfy the information needs of users but also match their reading abilities. You Understood.me is an enhanced environment based on a popular search engine specifically designed to help students deal with search for learning tasks, and allow teachers to track their progress. An initial assessment conducted on You Understood.me and well-known (children-oriented) search engines based on queries generated by K-9 students, showcases the need for this type of environment.