All Search Engines in One HD

All Searches in One HD is a search-engine app. Users are able to enter a keyword and search Google, Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, and Wikipedia simultaneously. By tapping the icons on the bottom of the screen, users are able to switch between the different search engines. When users find information or a web page that they wish to share, users can tap the “share” button (the button with the right-facing arrow coming out of the box) on the bottom menu bar, and they will be able to share the link over email or text. Additionally, from All Searches in One HD’s main screen, users can choose the “Background Searching” and “Load Links in Safari” options. The “Background Searching” allows the app to search and load results at the same time, which means users can search quicker. The “Load Links in Safari” means that when users click a link of interest they found while searching, the link will open in Safari instead of in the All Searches in One HD app.

Instructional Ideas

1. When locating information for a research project, teachers can have students start by searching for specific keywords, names, terms, and events using this app. Next, teachers can require students to email themselves the top three links, which can be saved and then later cited as part of a research assignment.
2. Teachers can have students compare the quality of the different search engines. To do so, teachers can have students search using a common phrases such as “apple tree,” “George Washington,” or “World War II.” Students can compare how the different search engines list the results. Teachers can then lead a class conversation about which search engine is the best by asking: (1) What is the difference between how the search engines report the results? (2) Which information do you find most useful? (3) What is the difference in the type of information reported by Wikipedia versus Bing or Yahoo? (4) Google is currently the most popular search engine. Based on this activity, why do you think that is so?
3. Teachers can have students find the reliability of information using this app. To do so, they can enter in a search term. Next, they can compare the information reported by the different search engines to see if there is consistency or contradictions in the search results. If the search engines report the same findings, that would suggest consistency. If the search engines report different information, it implies that there is contradictory information.

Screenshots

Screenshots