Stickipedia: A Search Engine and Repository for Explanatory Analogies

Abstract

Sticky learning refers to learning that is retained by a learner over a long period of time. Explanatory analogies are often used by good teachers to explain complex concepts in a sticky manner. Such analogies explain an unfamiliar target concept by mapping it onto a more familiar source concept. However, the use of analogies in teaching and learning often relies on the imagination of individual teachers or the initiative taken by students in finding them. In this paper, we present Stickipedia, an analogy search engine that automatically retrieves analogies populated on the internet for a searched target concept. Based on a student survey, we also suggest attributes of analogies which could aid students in choosing the analogies they prefer. We populate some of these attributes in Stickipedia for the retrieved analogies.