From Tool to Teacher: Rethinking Search Systems as Instructive Interfaces
arXiv:2601.08035v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Information access systems such as search engines and generative AI are central to how people seek, evaluate, and interpret information. Yet most systems are designed to optimise retrieval rather than to help users develop better search strategies or critical awareness. This paper introduces a pedagogical perspective on information access, conceptualising search and conversational systems as instructive interfaces that can teach, guide, and scaffold users’ learning. We draw on seven didactic frameworks from education […]