Effects of information organizing tools on searching information and presentation activity:

Analysis of book review presentation lesson

Abstract

The present study examined effects of information organizing tools on studentsʼinformation searching and presentation. In Japanese language lesson, 7th and 8th grade middle school students (N＝77) were told to give a presentation (“show and tell”)about their favorite books. The students were assigned to two different conditions:(a) divergent condition:students used mind-map to search information diffusely,and (b) convergent condition:students used category sheet(a tool to classifyinformationin 4 categories to do convergent search. Comparing conditions using studentsʼoutputs,students in the divergent condition searched more information and compared more information than students in the convergent condition. On the other hand,students in the convergent condition could achieve information searching in a short amount of time. These results suggest that information organizing tools define leanersʼdirections of information searching,and effect on presentation.