Search Engines & Kids: Who gets it?

What to ask to get to the answer - every search engine has its own method

On the heels of sending out tips for "getting the search results you want" I came across a great article in the New York Times ... talk about esp.

"Helping Children Find What They Need on the Internet" by Sefanie Olsen (NYT 12/26/09)

It's tough enough for adults to get the search results they are looking for, imagine what kids could produce when they start writing questions in search boxes, long or short. Rather than developing a stand-alone child-proof search product, Google and other companies have decided to enlist kids to make existing search tools more kid-friendly, effective and I hope safer for children AND adults.

Bing uses more imagery than other search engines (incl. Google) leading to faster search results - very popular among young people. Bing's use by Internet searchers age 2 (!) to 17 has increased by 76% since May '09. 2-Year olds searching - this just blows my mind!

Google's "Wonder Wheel", launched in May '09, is a graphical search tool designed to make browsing easier. You can find it under "show options" on the search results page.

A 13-year old, self-proclaimed power searcher who participated in a children's web search research project a couple of years ago, has come up with his own idea. "I think there should be a program where Google asks kids questions about what they're searching for," he says, "like a Google robot."

Google et al, get it?

"Little Kids, Big Opportunities"

The following is a "Comment" reflection on Kelly Hines' video presentation
"Little Kids, Big Opportunities" - 1 of 50 presentations @ K12 Online Conference 2009 - "Bridging the Divide".
Click here to view Kelly's presentation and to access her Conference page with links to presentation resources and other information.


Dear Kelly,

As I watched your K12 Online Conference presentation "Little Kids, Big Opportunities" I immediately thought about hijacking a staff meeting to share it with others. Amazing how much information you packed into 19.7 minutes! The overview webs, quick-start tips, your lesson ideas, they all clearly project the educational and motivational power of the coolWeb 2.0 tools you selected for this presentation. Needless to say, they have all landed in my personal tech tool box!

Although I have used Wordle for a while you taught me something new. Thanks to your "public gallery" saving tip I will no longer take screen shots when I want to post Wordles on my blog(s) - I now know how and where to get an embed code. Comics.com is on my list of new tools to use with ELL students. Also, I can't wait to play with Wallwisher - I want to introduce this virtual sticky-note "parking lot" app at one of our staff meetings. And as for Edmodo, well, say no more ... who needs Wikis and Twitter when Edmoto seems to have it all. Intuitive and safe - definitely worth exploring.

Speaking of powerful, a brilliant move on your part to preface the meat of your presentation with comments and concerns about Web 2.0 tools and the 12-and-under age user group. The Conference offers a global forum to call for Internet citizenship and children's safety, to mention CIPA, the new Federal Children's Internet Protection Act, and to suggest that click-happy and readily agreeable users take "Terms of Agreement"seriously! In doing so you have sent a very strong "call before your dig" and "do you really know what you're agreeing to" message to technology facilitators and educators, students under and over 13 years of age, and parents all over the world. Yes, skipping over the tedium of reading the small print of User Terms of Agreement produces instant results, "That was easy! But to just dive into new Web 2.0 apps by simply clicking on the "I Agree" button can have serious ramifications especially when young children are involved. Just last week, the use of GMail by children "under 13" outside school domains was the very topic of a group discussion during our "Teaching & Learning with 21st Century Technology" class with Alice Barr. How timely.

You have managed to make your "Small Kids, Big Opportunities" presentation more than just a "nuts and bolts" guide for new Web 2.0 tools. Through creating this video and by sharing lesson resources on the K12 Online Conference site you have gifted your audience (me) with a much appreciated and very meaningful instructional tool for promoting responsible and safe use of ALL new and exciting 21st Century tools in classrooms all over the world.

Thank you so much!

Janny
Technology EdTech
Portland, Maine