A few weeks ago, in an effort to get teachers and students to broaden their online search/research horizons, I proposed taking a one week hiatus from Google search. A few colleagues joined me in my quest, a few questioned my rationale, but the overwhelming response was “good luck with that!”. Now that my generally “Google free” week has passed (yes, I did fall off the wagon a few times), I thought I’d pass along a few resources that helped ease my withdrawal symptoms.

Big Engines: Ask.com

Among the various “Big Engine” tools, Ask.com is my personal favorite. Although searches often returned only half as many results as Google, they were highly relevant (Ask uses a different method for compiling results than Google) and included news and images when applicable. The option to expand/narrow/refine the query based on suggested keywords was very helpful and would be especially beneficial to younger and/or inexperienced searchers. Like Google, Ask.com offers advanced searching and the option to “create an account” that includes a number of personalized features. On the whole, Ask.com is a viable (albeit slightly limited) full-fledged web search engine.

Visual Search: Quintura

Taking the idea of suggested keywords a step further, Quintura’s “See and Find” approach to searching presents results as lists and tag clouds. Search results can be embedded (see the interactive JFK example below), shared via email, or saved locally as an .html file without the need to create an account. Younger students may wish to try Quintura for Kids (based on Yahoo Kids) for a simpler, more kid-friendly interface. Although it lacks the power of Google or Ask.com, Quintura’s visuals are a great way to begin the search/research process.

Meta Visual Search: Kartoo

Kartoo is a visual meta search engine that presents results on a “map.” As explained on their Help page, “As soon as you launch a search, Kartoo analyses your request, questions the most relevant engines, selects the best sites and places them on a map. In this map, the found sites are represented by more or less important size pages, depending on their relevance. When you move the pointer over these pages, the concerned keywords are illuminated and a brief description of the site appears on the left side of the screen.” Because Kartoo is a meta engine, it doesn’t lack for results, but it takes a bit to get used to the map interface.

Image Search: FlickrStorm and Flickr CreativeCommons Google touts its image search as “The most comprehensive image search on the web.” Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better, however, particularly when it comes to students observing Copyright and Fair Use. FlickrStorm and Flickr CreativeCommons image search simplify the process of locating high-quality photographs for classroom use. For those unfamiliar with the various types of Creative Common licensing, the Flickr CC site offers a straight-forward explanation on the main search page.

Lessons Learned

My few moments of weakness notwithstanding, it is possible to survive a week (or more) without Google. The question for many, though, is why bother? The short answer is that while Google is for all intents and purposes the search engine, it is not always the best search engine. Students may not know enough about their topic to identify the relevant keywords; Ask.com, Quintura, and Kartoo can help them define and refine their queries. Images are plentiful online, but Google image search will not help students learn what is and is not permissible to use and/or repurpose; understanding CreativeCommons is an essential 21st century skill.

Quitting Google altogether is not practical, but the search tools I’ve listed are worth a look and have a place in the teaching-learning process. Sites like NoodleQuest can help students find the right tool for the research task, and Google’s often-neglected advanced search should be an integral part of the “Googling” process. The next time you need to look something up, treat yourself and try a different tool; you might be surprised at what you find…and what you learn about effective search/research strategies.

Posted: 06|16|08 at 8:21 pm. Filed under: Applications.
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