From information to knowledge: charting and measuring changes in students' knowledge of a curriculum topic

<br><b>Introduction.</b> This research sought to investigate how school students build on their existing knowledge of a curriculum topic and transform found information into personal knowledge, and how their knowledge of this topic changes. <br><b>Method.</b> Th...

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Main Author: Ross J Todd
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Borås 2006-01-01
Series:Information Research: An International Electronic Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://informationr.net/ir/11-4/paper264.html
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author Ross J Todd
author_facet Ross J Todd
author_sort Ross J Todd
collection DOAJ
description <br><b>Introduction.</b> This research sought to investigate how school students build on their existing knowledge of a curriculum topic and transform found information into personal knowledge, and how their knowledge of this topic changes. <br><b>Method.</b> The qualitative study involved 574 students from Grades 6 to 12 in 10 New Jersey schools. The context for data collection was an instructional programme framed by Kuhlthau's information search process. <br><b>Analysis.</b> Data were collected through surveys at the initiation, midpoint and conclusion of the instructional programme. The instruments sought to measure changes in knowledge, specifically in relation to substance of knowledge, structure of knowledge, amount of knowledge, estimate of extent of knowledge, and label of knowledge. <br><b>Results.</b> It was possible to operationalise knowledge change in terms of substance, amount and structure of knowledge, and user-centreed perceptions of knowledge growth. Additive and integrative approaches to knowledge development were identified. <br><b>Conclusion.</b> Students came to know more about their topics, and perceived that they knew more as they progressed through the task. However, students seemed more oriented to gathering facts and knowing a set of facts, and accumulating these in an additive manner, rather than building complex, integrated and abstract knowledge representations.
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spelling doaj-art-723d9a14e7a8439e8318b1f5d7df84562025-02-02T15:48:20ZengUniversity of BoråsInformation Research: An International Electronic Journal1368-16132006-01-01114264From information to knowledge: charting and measuring changes in students' knowledge of a curriculum topicRoss J Todd<br><b>Introduction.</b> This research sought to investigate how school students build on their existing knowledge of a curriculum topic and transform found information into personal knowledge, and how their knowledge of this topic changes. <br><b>Method.</b> The qualitative study involved 574 students from Grades 6 to 12 in 10 New Jersey schools. The context for data collection was an instructional programme framed by Kuhlthau's information search process. <br><b>Analysis.</b> Data were collected through surveys at the initiation, midpoint and conclusion of the instructional programme. The instruments sought to measure changes in knowledge, specifically in relation to substance of knowledge, structure of knowledge, amount of knowledge, estimate of extent of knowledge, and label of knowledge. <br><b>Results.</b> It was possible to operationalise knowledge change in terms of substance, amount and structure of knowledge, and user-centreed perceptions of knowledge growth. Additive and integrative approaches to knowledge development were identified. <br><b>Conclusion.</b> Students came to know more about their topics, and perceived that they knew more as they progressed through the task. However, students seemed more oriented to gathering facts and knowing a set of facts, and accumulating these in an additive manner, rather than building complex, integrated and abstract knowledge representations.http://informationr.net/ir/11-4/paper264.htmlThis research sought to investigate how school students build on their existing knowledge of a curriculum topic and transform found information into personal knowledgeand how their knowledge of this topic changes.
spellingShingle Ross J Todd
From information to knowledge: charting and measuring changes in students' knowledge of a curriculum topic
Information Research: An International Electronic Journal
This research sought to investigate how school students build on their existing knowledge of a curriculum topic and transform found information into personal knowledge
and how their knowledge of this topic changes.
title From information to knowledge: charting and measuring changes in students' knowledge of a curriculum topic
title_full From information to knowledge: charting and measuring changes in students' knowledge of a curriculum topic
title_fullStr From information to knowledge: charting and measuring changes in students' knowledge of a curriculum topic
title_full_unstemmed From information to knowledge: charting and measuring changes in students' knowledge of a curriculum topic
title_short From information to knowledge: charting and measuring changes in students' knowledge of a curriculum topic
title_sort from information to knowledge charting and measuring changes in students knowledge of a curriculum topic
topic This research sought to investigate how school students build on their existing knowledge of a curriculum topic and transform found information into personal knowledge
and how their knowledge of this topic changes.
url http://informationr.net/ir/11-4/paper264.html
work_keys_str_mv AT rossjtodd frominformationtoknowledgechartingandmeasuringchangesinstudentsknowledgeofacurriculumtopic