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Amazon Alexa is a voice-controlled application that is rapidly gaining popularity. We examined user interactions with this technology, and focused on the types of tasks requested of Alexa, the variables that affect user behaviors with Alexa, and Alexa’s alternatives. The data about Alexa usage were collected from 19 participants via the online questionnaire and diary methods over the course of several days. The results indicate that across all age groups, Alexa was primarily used for checking weather forecasts, playing music, and controlling other devices. Several participants reported using Apple Siri and Google Now applications in addition to Alexa for similar purposes except for controlling other devices. Alexa uses over the weekends were more frequent than on weekdays, but its overall usage tended to decrease over time. The users reported being satisfied with Alexa even when it did not produce sought information, suggesting that the interaction experience is more important to the users than the interaction output. More work is required to understand whether users treat Alexa and similar voice-controlled applications as primarily a traditional information retrieval system, a casual leisure system, a control interface for smart home devices, or, simply, a new toy.

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We investigated the role of subjective factors in the information search process. Forty-eight participants each conducted six Web searches in a controlled setting. We examined relationships between subjective factors (happiness levels, satisfaction with and confidence in the search results, feeling lost during search, familiarity with and interest in the search topic, estimation of task difficulty) and objective factors (search behavior, search outcomes, and search-task characteristics). Data analysis was conducted using a multivariate statistical test (canonical correlations analysis). The findings confirmed existence of several relationships suggested by prior research, including relationships between objective search task difficulty and the perception of task difficulty, and between subjective states and search behaviors and outcomes. One of the original findings suggests that higher happiness levels before and during the search correlate with better feelings after the search, but also correlate with worse search outcomes and lower satisfaction, suggesting that, perhaps, it pays off to feel some "pain" during the search to "gain" quality outcomes.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand young children’s knowledge of visual literacy elements as well as their ability to comprehend newly introduced visual literacy concepts. The study also examined existing support for visual literacy programs from parents and educators. Design/methodology/approach The study explored the knowledge of basic visual literacy elements of young children enrolled in two private schools in the New York City metropolitan area. The authors interviewed 17 children, aged four to six years old, about fine art paintings using a semi-structured interview format. Children’s responses were qualitatively analyzed to determine their initial level of visual literacy and their ability to learn and retain the concepts of visual literacy after receiving basic instruction. The children’s educators and parents completed online questionnaires that were quantitatively analyzed to determine their level of support for visual literacy programs. Findings The findings show that young children exhibited extensive knowledge of simple visual literacy elements (color, shape, line), and limited understanding of more abstract elements (perspective and salience). Children’s knowledge of visual elements improved after instruction. Parents and educators expressed support for incorporating visual literacy instruction in early childhood education. Research limitations/implications The study relied on a sample of children and adults drawn from two private schools. The sample’s demographics might have affected study findings. More studies are needed using a larger and more diverse sample. Practical implications The study suggests that young children are ready to receive instruction on visual literacy elements using art images. Children reacted positively to the images and were engaged in the discussions about them, supporting the use of fine art paintings as an instrument to introduce visual literacy concepts to young children. Survey of children’s parents and teachers indicated strong interest in, and support for such programs. Social implications With the increase of visual information production and consumption, it is important to introduce visual literacy early in life. The study advances research in methods for developing visual literacy instruction for young children. Originality/value There are no previously reported studies that have examined pre-kindergarten children’s knowledge of basic visual literacy elements and reactions to visual literacy instruction.

Intelligent personal assistants (IPAs), such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri, Microsoft Cortana and others, offer an example of an emerging technology with an uncertain adoption path. Evidence on how users adopt this technology is scarce, often anecdotal, and usually focuses on private uses and contexts. We conducted a study to examine Amazon Alexa adoption in a public common area of an iSchool. The study data were obtained from Alexa logs, observations of the public space, an online questionnaire, and interviews with students. Overall, IPA adoption trends among students were similar to adoption trends in the broader population and included using IPAs primarily at home for weather checks, quick references, setting an alarm/timer, and other requests. However, in a public academic setting, user interactions with Alexa were primarily characterized by questions about Alexa's features, “opinions,” and rhetorical or mindless questions or requests. Such interactions might be explained in light of the device's novelty, user curiosity, and the anthropomorphizing of Alexa. Many participants ignored the device due to the lack of need to interact with it, lack of awareness, or perceived awkwardness of using it in a public space. The findings could be used to inform improvements of Alexa's features, educate potential adopters about its current functionality and limitations, and inspire directions for future research.

We analyzed mood changes before, during and after online information search and examined effects of search tasks' type on the mood. Searchers' mood was measured using the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). Search tasks were characterized by the topic, sequence in a search process, difficulty level, and searcher's interest in a task. Our analysis indicates that participants' mood remained stable during the course of the search and was not affected by the search task topic, sequence in a search process, difficulty level and searchers' interest level. Our findings suggest that searching is a complex experience and factors outside of the search task domain may contribute to searcher's mood.

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