Last December Google launched a realtime search element that displayed realtime updates within standard search results. Today, Google launched a stand-alone realtime search engine. Google Realtime Search is a stand-alone realtime search engine that draws its results from social networking sites as well as other news sources.

There are a couple of features in Google Realtime Search that should prove to be useful. First, you can refine your search results by time (go back an look at what was being said 12 hours ago) and by location. The other useful feature is a the “conversations view” of results. Conversations View will enable you to see the entire progression of a conversation on a social networking site without having to click through a series of links and updates. Learn more about Google Realtime Search in the video below.

Applications for Education
Google Realtime Search could be a great resource for anyone that has a current events component in his or her curriculum. When a story breaks, have your students look at how quickly a story develops on the web by monitoring the updates to Google Realtime Search results.

Here are some related items that may be of interest to you:
Real-Time Search Options
Collecta, Real-time Search, and Professional Learning
Free 33 Page Guide – Google for Teachers