Bridging social and private interactions: Collaborative Information Retrieval in K‐12 learning contexts

Abstract

AbstractUntil recently, most models of information seeking and retrieval did not take into account other searchers or peers in the social/organizational environment (Wilson, 1999). Donald Case's (2007) survey of research on information seeking, needs and behavior further illustrates this omission: in the research literature, other persons are portrayed as sources of information, but not actively involved in the search process as collaborators. The concept of Collaborative Information Retrieval (CIR), on the other hand, identifies that peers and other human intermediaries play an important role in information behavior, both in formal and informal contexts. Researchers have documented the presence of collaboration in student information behavior in school libraries; however, the CIR concept has not been directly explored in K‐12 education. The study of CIR in K‐12 education may illustrate ways to improve the efficacy of our instructional programs in information literacy, as well as suggest requirements for the design of information systems and services.