Children's perceptual cognitive factors in book selection and metadata schema: Pilot study

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand children's perceptual cognitive factors and processes during book selection. Moreover, this study aims to explore how the perceptual cognitive factors can be described in a metadata schema for children's libraries. The study contributes to the improvement of Knowledge Organization Systems (KOS) reflecting children's perceptual cognition. Current Knowledge Organization Systems (KOS) in most school and public libraries are minimally specialized for children. Most school and public libraries have been using the standard KOS, e.g., AACR2, DDC, LCSH, Sears Subject Headings. These KOS usually focus on describing characteristics of information and targeting adult user groups. However, children perceive, categorize, and name information in a different way than adults do. Due to the lack of consideration of children's cognition in KOS, children have trouble in searching for information. Therefore, it is necessary to examine how well current KOS consider children's cognition. In KOS, metadata elements correspond to conceptual aspects of information. Consequently, the study suggests how conceptual aspects of information based on children's perception can be represented in metadata elements.The findings of this study identify 14 emergent facets of information through various factors of information during the perceptual cognitive process in book selection. These factors and facets are re-analyzed within a Knowledge Organization theoretical context. This study suggests multiple characteristics of perceptual cognitive processes: 1) two different types of processes: PAL (Paying Attention by Looking) and BAR (Being Aware by Recalling); 2) direct and indirect factors of resources; and 3) concrete or abstract factors. Lastly, this study discusses how these perceptual cognitive factors can be represented in metadata schema.

How can i find a doggy book?: Children's cognitive processes of physical characteristics of books

“…Participants were asked to think aloud while selecting books in libraries by interacting with a friend. The findings of children's cognitive factors and facets show results similar to a pilot study by Beak () and Reuter's (2007b) study in general. The cognitive facets identified by Beak () range from characters, illustration, familiarity, series, story, subject, difficulty, engagement element, basic bibliographical information, recommendation, genre, and novelty to physical characteristics.…”

Organizing and Describing Information for Children

“…According to Beak (2012Beak ( , 2014, "there is no specialized metadata schema that describes children's resources that also is developed by children" (2014, p. ii). The International Children's Digital Library schema draws on research about how children select books, but children were not directly involved in the process of generating the schema (Druin, 2005).…”

Where is Childrens’ Voice in KO?

“…However, Beak and Olson (2011) pointed out the problems of describing nonbibliographical information in a note field in relation to a browsing search. Beak (2012;2014a) studied children's book selection behaviors in order to develop child-driven metadata elements. Children in her studies perceive different elements of books such as illustrations on a book covers, physical characteristics, or characters.…”

“…It is clear that there are big gaps between children's languages and cognitive process and languages of KOSs. Many previous studies regarding children's information-seeking behaviors have pointed out children's different information behaviors from adult's information seeking behaviors (Beak 2012;2014a). Third Space is supposed to bridge between children's information seeking behaviors and information.…”