Google Search

The Google Search app is one of the world’s premiere search engines converted into app form. With the Google Search app, users can search the Internet using key terms to find documents, articles, websites, images, videos, and much more. Users also have the ability to specify the type of search to be conducted. For example, users can run a search of the Web, Images, News, Videos, Shopping, Blogs, Discussions, and Books. Plus, Google Search automatically retains users’ prior search terms, and upon entering a new term, Google pulls up similar queries previously searched by other users.

Instructional Ideas

1. Prior to assigning a research project, students can be taught how to use the Google Search app to locate important and relevant information relating to the project. For example, the teacher could engage students in an activity to demonstrate to students how search results can be affected by using “and” in place of “or” in search terms, and how using quotation marks with specific terms can help students locate more relevant matches.
2. Teachers can have students use the Google Search app for an activity in which students are to search for information and then identify and categorize websites by whether or not they are credible resources. Next, teachers and students can discuss why some websites are credible and others are not.
3. When students are studying a specific topic (e.g., historical topic, author, scientific principle, mathematical concept), the topic can be entered in the Google Search app as a search term. The class can then discuss the different websites and documents that are reported by the app. Some discussion questions could include:
   1. What information is presented by this website/document?
   2. What is the quality of the information presented?
   3. What information presented by this website/document is new and what information is review?

   A1. Rigor
   A2. 21st Century Skills
   A3. Conn. to Future Learning
   A4. Value of Errors
   A5. Feedback to Teacher
   A6. Level of Material
   A7. Cooperative Learning
   A8. Accom. of Individual Diff.

   B1. Ability to Save Progress
   B2. Platform Integration
   B3. Screen Design
   B4. Ease of Use
   B5. Navigation
   B6. Goal Orientation
   B7. Information Presentation
   B8. Media Integration
   B9. Cultural Sensitivity

   C1. Learner Control
   C2. Interactivity
   C3. Pace
   C4. Flexibility
   C5. Interest
   C6. Aesthetics
   C7. Utility

   Screenshots

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Screenshots