[ PRACTICAL SCHOOL GUIDE ]
Choosing search for school materials
Select search behavior based on document type and question.
The idea
Select search behavior based on document type and question.
Classroom example
Exact keyword search may find a named policy clause; semantic search may help when a student describes an idea with different words. Test both on the same collection.
Try this next
Use this checklist for choosing search for school materials.
- List common query types
- Measure supported answers and misses
- Keep a manual route to the source
Test with questions people actually ask
Build a small search set from teachers' recurring questions. Include a known title, a concept expressed in different words, and a question that should have no result. This reveals more than searching for a word that appears in every document.
Try it with your class
- Keep the expected source for each question.
- Try both precise and ordinary-language queries.
- Open the result and check its context.
- Repeat with a student account.
Review the result
Review relevance and access together. A search result is not a success if it is the wrong version or if the learner should not be able to see it.