Odvard Egil Dyrli on visual search tools: Grokker and related tools are transforming online research.Although school district Web sites often include links to the popular text-based search engines Google and Yahoo, growing numbers are including new visual search tools that are redefining online research. For example, California's Orange County Department of Education promotes Grokker as a tool that "transforms your computer into a visual research and learning station, so you can work smarter and faster." Similarly, Phyllis Gardner, technology coordinator in Virginia's Richmond Public Schools This school division contains public schools serving the independent city of Richmond, Virginia. It is occasionally described locally as Richmond City Public Schools to emphasize its connection to the independent city rather than the Richmond-Petersburg region at large or the rural says Grokker is one of her "top 10 sites you can't live without." Nevertheless, most educators know little about the visual search tools and are uninformed about the advantages they bring to teaching and learning. More than 550 million searches are launched across the Internet each day, and 85 percent of these are done with the "big four" search tools, that also include AOL (A division of Time Warner, Inc., New York, NY, www.aol.com) The world's largest online information service with access to the Internet, e-mail, chat rooms and a variety of databases and services. Search and MSN Search MSN Search was a search engine by Microsoft that comprised a search engine, index, and web crawler. As of September 12, 2006, MSN Search is now Live Search. This offers users the ability to search for specific types of information using search tabs that include Web, news, images, . However, relying on text-based search tools to find information among billions of Web pages can be a frustrating frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: process that requires the use of several search engines--since indexing "spiders" track different areas of the Web-and repeated trials with various search terms. But since text-based search engines report results as lists of hundreds, thousands and even millions of hits, and do not group related items, it is easy for school users to be overwhelmed o·ver·whelm tr.v. o·ver·whelmed, o·ver·whelm·ing, o·ver·whelms 1. To surge over and submerge; engulf: waves overwhelming the rocky shoreline. 2. a. and miss key resources. When a simple search on the topic "teacher recognition programs" generates 200,000 links, users seldom look beyond the first few pages of results. Grokking the Web High-speed Internet See broadband. connections have now opened the door to intensive online applications that display results through physical representations--maps, constellation charts, tree diagrams or two-dimensional shapes--and group results into easily accessible subtopics. Therefore, users do not have to page through interminable in·ter·mi·na·ble adj. 1. Being or seeming to be without an end; endless. See Synonyms at continual. 2. Tiresomely long; tedious. in·ter lists to find resources, and instead simply click on topics in the visual displays. And, since the major visual search tools are also "meta-search" engines, deriving content from multiple sources simultaneously, users gain the bonus of broader information pools. One of the most amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. examples is Grokker--the name is derived from the Robert Heinlein science fiction novel term "grok" that means to understand through intimate and exhaustive knowledge--originally a fee-based desktop tool that was recently released in a free Web-based version. To use the Grokker site you must have the latest software from Java.com, then all you do is enter a search phrase and click the Grok button. Search results are displayed by categories in colorful circles that can be clicked to drill down to subtopic sub·top·ic n. One of the divisions into which a main topic may be divided. circles until squares are displayed that represent individual Web resources. For example, the phrase "curriculum supervision" can be grokked to categories that include curriculum evaluation, teacher education and staff development. Grokker maps can be saved, edited and e-mailed to others, and used in applications such as sending information to department heads and assignments to students. Try it. Related visual search tools include Vivisimo, a combination text/visual search tool that groups items into topic folders, Clusty that compiles information clusters that are accessed by clicking on icons displayed for every item, and KartOO that shows results in a tree of interrelated in·ter·re·late tr. & intr.v. in·ter·re·lat·ed, in·ter·re·lat·ing, in·ter·re·lates To place in or come into mutual relationship. in folders and documents. There are also other visual tools such as NeMsFree that presents world news in onscreen on·screen or on-screen adj. & adv. 1. As shown on a movie, television, or display screen. 2. Within public view; in public. maps, and Visual Thesaurus where selections are made by clicking on word constellations. Tapping Visual Power Visual learners comprise slightly more than half of the population, so the use of visual information display tools makes online teaching and learning more effective. But the graphic representation of content is also a powerful way to communicate with all learners and brings dimensions to schools that have never before been possible. This year make sure your staff and students are informed about the power and excitement of the new online visual display tools. Web Resources * Grekker www.grokker.com * Vivisimo vivisimo.com * Clusty clusty.com * Kart00 www.kartoo.com * NewslsFree www.newsisfree.com * Visual Thesaurus www.visualthesaurus.com Odvard Egil Dyrli, dyrli@uconn.edu, is senior editor and emeritus professor of education at the University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut is the State of Connecticut's land-grant university. It was founded in 1881 and serves more than 27,000 students on its six campuses, including more than 9,000 graduate students in multiple programs. UConn's main campus is in Storrs, Connecticut. . |
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