The top five search tools for finding Flickr images are designed to help teachers and students locate just the right image for use in any subject area and project. Without these tools, finding the right image on this image hosting site is often an impossible, or at least a tedious, task. The value of this site is its ability to provide digital pictures which are often impossible for a teacher to obtain any other way.
Like everything else on the internet, trying to find something is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. This is where the top five search tools become valuable resources for teachers and students trying to find images. These search engines are specifically designed to search the more than three billion pictures on the Flickr hosting site.
Search Engine Tools: Finding the Right Digital Image
These search engine tools are invaluable for teachers who want to use digital pictures in support of problem solving, project based learning, modeling, art, digital storytelling, historical events, projects, and a host of other educational teaching and learning experiences.
Tag Galaxy – is a search engine tool which provides an exceptional visual experience when searching for images. Searches begin with entering an initial keyword or tag related to desired search, for example “algebra.” This tag will appear as an image of the sun in the solar system, with planets circling the sun. Clicking on this sun displays all the images related the search tag.
After clicking on the sun image sphere, all the Flickr digital pictures related to the “algebra” tag appear. The sphere can be rotated in any direction to find a possible image. Clicking on a selected image provides a preview and an additional click leads to the web page containing the desired image.
An advanced search feature is available by selecting one of the planets circling the sun. Each planet shows an additional keyword or tag related to the initial search tag. Clicking on this planet narrows the search to fewer related images. Continuing this advanced search technique will narrow the search for a more efficient search.
Flickr Related Tag Browser – is a site that offers the ability to surf Flickr's keywords or tags. These tags, or keywords, are used to classify images in the database. This search engine tool also provides a list of related tags, based on clustered usage analysis.
To begin a search, type in a keyword or tag related in the search box. A search results in an image box containing an initial 30 images, which is surrounded by a cluster of over 20 related keywords or tags. Selecting one of these related tags results in another 30 digital pictures in this refined search. Search refinement can continue as necessary.
Picishare – is a search engine tool which provides a good alternative to using standard digital image search tools. Basic searches begin with typing a specific keyword or tag in the search box. Another feature allows sorting of digital pictures found by the search engine by relevance, interesting, date taken, or date posted with up to 100 items per page. Selecting an image to preview leads to the Flickr page containing the image.
Image Search: Finding Flickr Images and Pictures Based on Interests
Often a search is based on specific interests, topics, and ideas for use in the classroom. This is where the following two search engine tools support teachers and students searching Flickr for these pictures.
LiteFlickr – begins with showing the most interesting items uploaded on Flickr for the current day. A search box permits a search for a specific keyword or tag. An initial 80 images appear which can then be sorted by recent, interesting, and relevant items related to the search. Clicking on the next button allows viewing an additional related 80 items.
Multicolr Search Lab – offers the ability to search through 10 million of Flickr’s most interesting and creative commons pictures based on color. This is ideal for art classes or any other subject in which color specific images are needed. To begin a search, select a color or multiple colors from the site’s color palette. An initial 50 items appear which visually represent the color selected, with more available by clicking on the next button.
According to the Educause Learning Initiative (February, 2008), Flickr affords an opportunity for teachers and students in any educational endeavor to use images in projects which require the use of digital images for visual learning. This is why these top five search engines tools are invaluable. They help teachers and students avoid the tedious and often impossible task of finding pictures to support their teaching or learning on the internet.
David R. Wetzel - Dr. David Wetzel's experience includes more than 25 years in continuing, adult, and teacher education.
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