Moving Beyond Venn Diagrams: Using Concept Mapping to Visualize the Search Strategy Process Allison King, Andrew Todd &

1. Moving Beyond Venn Diagrams: Using Concept Mapping to Visualize the Search Strategy Process Allison King, Andrew Todd & Barbara Alderman, University of Central Florida – Southern Region ACRL 13th National Conference, March 30th 2007

2. Our Challenge

3. Our Challenge- Faculty Request • As part of a larger research effort, Dr. Kathleen Bell, Associate Professor, Department of English, Orlando, asked us to create a script for a library research “game” that could be incorporated into her online writing class, ENC3311, Advanced Expository Writing

4. Our Challenge – The Assignment • Students are asked to find information on an issue with a global perspective. The example used was CITIZENSHIP.

5. Our Challenge – Primary Goal • The library research game would introduce students to the wide assortment of information available that specifically addresses the course assignment.

6. Our Challenge – The Foundation • Dr. Bell provided us with samples of how students are currently thinking. The students recorded where they would begin a search, what paths they would take, and what sources they would use in their investigations. We converted these textual explanations into graphical info-paths to better understand their current logic.

7. The Foundation – Student Thought Processes

8. The Foundation – Student Thought Processes

9. The Foundation – Student Thought Processes

10. Our Brainstorming

11. Our Brainstorming – Questions Asked • How should we arrange information – according to form or according to topic? • How should we present the search strategies and resource information – using standard flowcharts, concept maps, mind maps, or another method of visual representation, such as cluster diagrams or tree graphs? • flowcharts are diagrams that show the sequence of operations or a process • concept maps are diagrams that show the relationships between concepts, ideas, etc. • mind maps are diagrams of activities, ideas, etc., that are linked to a central point • How should we deliver our “script” for conversion to a game – Word, PowerPoint, or other commercial/free software?

12. Our Brainstorming

13. Our Brainstorming

14. Our Brainstorming

15. Our Brainstorming

16. Our Brainstorming

17. Our Preliminary Decision

18. Our Preliminary Decision – The Content • Paths would start with the type of information being sought: • Personal Narratives • Legal Research • Public Opinion/Facts/Statistics • Summary Information • International Information • Dictionaries, Etymology, and Related Terms

19. Our Preliminary Decision – The Content • Basic Information and Specialized Services would be presented separately (and not integrated/repeated with resource information): • Remote Access • Search Strategies • Finding Scholarly Articles • Evaluating World Wide Web Sites • Interlibrary Loan • Finding Full Text and SFX • Citation Management Software & MLA Format

20. Our Preliminary Decision – The Content • Resources presented would be electronic, primarily: • Electronic Books • Subscription Databases • World Wide Web Sites

21. Our Preliminary Decision – The Content • Information provided for each resource would include: • Overview/Summary of the source • Sample Searches • Screen Images • Example Results

22. Our Preliminary Decision – The Presentation • Flowcharts typically present a process as a linear top-down graphic. Relationships are not usually provided but process procedures are depicted by standardized flowchart symbols. We did not believe a flowchart would give us the flexibility to present the multiple options desired.

23. Our Preliminary Decision – The Presentation • Mind Maps generally radiate from a central point. One of the main objectives of this exercise from a variety of different viewpoints and branch out in a number of different ways, covering multiple paths in no particular sequence. Consequently, mind maps were eliminated from consideration.

24. Our Preliminary Decision – The Presentation • Concept Maps met our requirements. They allow us to present the information we wanted to present in a manner that allowed for clarity and flexibility. It was important that our presentation was understandable to the individual who would create the “game.” A concept map with well-thought-out relationships fulfilled this need.

25. Our Preliminary Decision – The Mechanics • Creating a concept map, using the familiar software package, PowerPoint, would be tedious and cumbersome for us. The slide show feature does not adequately demonstrate relationships. We could manually cut out slides and paste them in an arrangement of our choice but there was no flexibility for change or further manipulation.

26. Our Preliminary Decision – The Mechanics • Off-the-shelf software, such as Inspiration, Smart Ideas, Visimap, Topicscape, and Decision Explorer usually come with a cost.

27. Our Preliminary Decision – The Mechanics • IHMC Cmap Tools, a powerful and free software program, was selected to create our concept map. Cmap features include: • ease of use • flexible • options to add graphics and external links • roll over options • it was created by a research institute affiliated with UCF

28. Our Preliminary Decision – The Mechanics • Most of the other free software programs for mapping that we found focus on the creation of mind maps.

29. Our Preliminary Decision – The Mechanics Concept map created using CmapTools Software http://cmap.ihmc.us/

30. What Next ?

31. What Next? – The “Game” Plan • Would involve collaboration to incorporate a Library Research “Game” into an online writing class assignment • Pre-Test for Assignment • Students would be asked to record how they intend to find information on a topic, such as GLOBAL PEACE

32. What Next? – The “Game” Plan • Library Research Instruction would be presented in a “Game” format • The “game” would involve the creation of an avatar • The avatar could play the role of the librarian • The avatar could play the role of the student • The “game” would involve more than 10 possible paths to information (most likely beginning with electronic books, subscription databases, and WebSites)

33. What Next? – The “Game” Plan • The “game” would include pop-up questions to assess student knowledge • Correct answers to research-related questions would earn the student a trinket • Students would successfully complete the library research “game” after earning a pre-determined number of trinkets and would then move to the next level (the post-test)

34. What Next? – The “Game” Plan • Post-Test Assignment • Students may be asked to find a certain number of citations pertaining to the same topic as the pre-test • Students may be asked to find a certain number of citations and record their search strategy process • Student search activities may be automatically recorded (if a controlled environment can be created)

35. What Next? – The “Game” Plan drawings created by Eileen Jolley

36. Presented by: • Allison King (aking@mail.ucf.edu) • Andrew Todd (atodd@mail.ucf.edu) • Barbara Alderman (balderma@mail.ucf.edu) University of Central Florida – Southern Region BCC/UCF Joint Use Library 1519 Clearlake Rd Cocoa, FL 32922 The handout and PowerPoint presentation will be available through the UCF Regional Campus Libraries page: http://library.ucf.edu/brevard/presentations.asp