instaGrok
instaGrok is an online research tool that allows users to search for interactive mind maps on a topic. Searching for mind maps is a simple process, just type your enquiry into the search bar and the mind map loads up. You are then able to to interact with the mind map selecting certain areas of text to expand on them and get further information. An example can be seen to the right of me interacting with an instaGrok on climate change.
instaGrok is a free tool to use, with the option of creating a general account. Specific teacher and student accounts can be created, however this is a paid feature and in my opinion the benefits that come from it are not worth paying for. |
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This tool could be used in the classroom to give students an introduction to a topic and start engaging them in the topic. It is more visually appealing than conducting a google search however some of the information may not be relevant for all users (eg. use of US currency in information).
instaGrok is an interesting tool, one that expands on previous research methods of doing a web search and getting information from there. In my opinion it does not however expand enough on these previous methods of web searches to make them irrelevant, therefore I would not use it in the classroom as the main method of searching for information. It does have another interesting feature of including quizzes (example to the right), which may be useful to complete following looking through an instaGrok mind map to ensure that relevant information has been gathered. In regards to the SAMR model, instaGrok would be in the augmentation category as it expands on previous methods of gathering research, however without the tool students can still access all the information presented it would provide the students. instaGrok would fit in the remember category of Bloom's taxonomy as students gain information from the mind maps and remember the information in the quizzes. |