Visual+Search+Engines

** Visual Search Engines **
Are you frustrated with “googling” on Google; bored with Bing? Then have a look at these visual search engines. They provide a visual way of searching the web. You can view a webpage without going onto it. Some of the search engines provide word clouds of key words to support your search efforts and can be effective in helping students to narrow their searches. These search engines are great to use on an interactive board. Make sure that you check the safe search settings are activated before using with students.

** Viewzi ** - []
Viewzi provides many different possibilities to display your results it uses simple text, showing a photo tag cloud, and more. Results can be also customized A parental filter is also available.
 * Put into action: ** great for changing between text and visual. It would be ideal for using in brainstorming big ideas or wonderings as it offers 16 different ways of searching and could promote other ideas.

** Quintura for Kids ** - []
] Quintura for kids provides a word cloud of keywords. Words that aren’t relevant can be removed. There are icons on the search page that link to sports, animal, music, games searches and more. Word clouds can be imbedded onto wiki’s and blogs.


 * Put into action: ** This search engine is ideal for primary aged children. The word clouds provide keywords and associated words to a search. This will support and extend children when they are “finding out” and challenge them to think (and search) more broadly.

** Search Cube ** - []
Search-cube allows the user to rotate a cube with website links on it. You can view the content of the website without having to leave the search page.


 * Put into action: ** Search-cube is very interactive and is great to use on interactive board. It gives a simple summary of the website and is great for finding images and video.

** Boolify - ** []
Boolify is interactive and teaches effective search strategies. There are lessons on evaluating websites and other information sources, using basic Boolean search operators (And, Or, Not), refining search results and using advanced Google features


 * Put into action: ** Boolify helps teach students about web searching. It shows them visually what they are searching for. Use it for independent or small group work teaching the skills of refining searching and introducing simple Boolean language.

** Eyeplorer - ** []
Eyeplorer allows students “explore and process knowledge.” Search results are displayed onto a color wheel of information. This is in categories shows snapshots of relevant websites.


 * Put into action: ** Get students to hover over the different areas of the color wheel, they get a sentence or two about their subject. There is a notebook where students can drag and drop facts that they want to remember.

** RedZ ** -[]
RedZee is a visual search engine that shows search results in a carousel you can navigate back and forth right inside your browser window.
 * P **** ut into action: ** This type of visual search can be good for students deciding on what websites to view. They can gauge at a glance if it is a suitable reading age, or whether it has the graphics and information that they are looking for before leaving their browser.