Secondary History Teachers’ Online Resource Search Behaviors: Research Findings Ward Mitchell Cates Paige Hawkins Mattke Lehigh University

Need for Study MARKET ANALYSIS Identify the Discrepancy TEACHER SURVEY NeedsAssessment Searching for resources within schools Go to Internet Use standard search engine Turn to online history databases Open Educational Resources (OERs) What’s actually happening?

Identify the discrepancy TEACHER SURVEY Needs Assessment Teacher Survey 1.how helpful or useful features/functions of databases 2.how often online, how successful in finding resources 3.how willing to participate in community-supported resource activities

Methodology Population US public high school history teachers, all 50 states Sample 1250 randomly selected teachers’ names and addresses Instrumentation 18-item survey with Likert-scale and open-ended items Cronbach’s alpha for Likert scale items was.86 Data Collection Iterative gathering, confirmation and replacement process SurveyMonkey -invitation , 2 follow-ups Response rate Initial rate = 252 (20%); Adjusted rate = 237 (19%) Average reported years teaching: 14 years Analyses Quantitative analysis Qualitative analysis

Findings Finding 1. A large majority searched for OERs online (mean= 4.37) Finding 2. Nearly half spent 30 minutes or less searching online (mean= 3.32) Finding 3. About two thirds used databases more often than infrequently (mean= 2.99) Finding 4. More than two thirds frequently found resources (mean= 3.87 ) Reported Search Behaviors

Findings Finding 5. Nearly two thirds adopted technology ‘sooner’ (mean = 3.58 ) Finding 6. Nearly three quarters modified OERs frequently (mean = 4.00) Finding 7. Just over three quarters self-rated as skilled OER adapters (mean = 3.34) Reported Tech Skills

Finding 8 – Derived three positive user profiles. ₊Rated OER adaption skill as very highly skilled or highly skilled ₊Indicated modified OERs very often or often ₊Rated technology adoption rate as ‘sooner’ ₊Found what looking for online very often or often ₊Searched online databases very often or often ₊Spent more than 30 minutes online searching for OERs Searched online very often or often Persistent Explorer Successful Finder Confident Tech User

Finding 8, (cont’d)- Identified three opposing profiles. Searched online infrequently or never ⁺Spent 30 minutes or less online searching for OERs ⁺Searched on online databases infrequently or never ⁺Found what they were looking for online infrequently or never ⁺Rated their technology adoption rate as ‘later’ ⁺Indicated they modified OERs infrequently or never ⁺Rated OER adaption skill as somewhat skilled or not skilled at all Less Confident Tech User Less Successful Finder Less Persistent Explorer

Findings of Usefulness and Helpfulness Finding 9 Confident Tech Users rated only one database feature or function as significantly more useful than Less Confident Tech Users did. Supporting Analyses More useful to display the number of reviews by reviewers [F (2,2160= 3.246, p=.041]

Findings of Usefulness and Helpfulness Finding 10 Successful Finders rated certain search functions significantly more helpful than Less Successful Finders did. Supporting Analyses Visible search functions on all pages more helpful [F(2, 226)=5.387, p =.005] Search topics offered more helpful [F(2, 222)=4.138, p= 0.017] Check boxes and drop- down menus more helpful [F(2, 227)=5.882, p=.003] Being allowed to choose results display more helpful [F (2, 231)=4.240, p=.016]

Teacher rating of usefulness/helpfulness Mean rating- 5=extremely helpful/useful, 4=very helpful/useful, 3=helpful/useful, 2=somewhat helpful/useful, 1=not helpful/useful Finding 11a- < half of databases offered features /functions that support location and use of resources. Database offerings # of databases out of 25 (% of sample) Offering search topics or categories12(48%) Check boxes/drop downs10(40%) Visible search on all pages11(44%) Help with historical thinking5(20%) Help with alternate search strategies 9(36%) Help modifying resources0(0%) Help with identifying relevant content 0(0%) Finding 11b- Notable mismatches between teacher high ratings and databases offerings.

Finding 12 Successful Finders and Confident Tech Users reported they were significantly more willing to participate in community- supported resource activities than Less Successful Finders and Less Confident Tech Users did. Supporting Analyses More willing to create a username and password [F (2, 227)=3.131, p=.046] More willing to create public profile [F (2,221)=3.188, p=.043] More willing to indicate search and content preferences when creating profile [F(2,227)=6.055,p=.003] More willing to evaluate how well databases met needs and how to improve [F(2,227)=9.889, p=<.000] More willing to rate resources in follow up [F(2,228)=5.038, p=.007] Findings of Willingness to Participate

Finding 13a- Very few databases offered community-supported resource activities. Teacher Rating of Willingness Mean rating- 5= extremely willing, 4=very willing, 3=willing, 2= somewhat willing, 1=not willing, Database Offerings # of databases out of 25 (% of sample) Evaluate database resources based on instructional need 2 (8%) Create a username and password1 (4%) Reviewer-provided public profile1 (4%) Create a public profile1 (4%) Indicate search and content preferences in creating profile 0 (0%) Rate resources in follow-up 0 (0%) Finding 13b- Wide discrepancy between community activities offered and teachers reported participation willingness.

Implications for Database Designers 1.Find ways to identify different users types (F8) Username and password/user account/profile Users indicate preferences to create profile Analytic system tracks users’ search behaviors 2.Design search engines that help all users (F10 & F11) Different levels of simplicity or power Add dedicated search area to all pages Lots of variety of search engine tools 3.Consider rethinking how databases offer help (F9 & F11) Sprinkling help throughout system Add more about teaching history Allowing users to help each other

Implications for Database Designers, (cont’d) 4.Create databases that encourage community participation (F12 & 13) Ratings/evaluation space on individual resource pages Link ratings to User-community Resource page Allow users to rate each other 5.Protect community space from trolls & spammers (F12 & F13) Username and password, possibly no anonymous posts Entry field with a graphic password Moderator

Questions Paige H. Mattke