instaGrok: Research with Connections

Despite the issues you all know I've had with Google especially on one notable occasion in the past, I use Google services continually, including Gmail, maps, and calendar, of course. To 'Google' something has somehow become a verb, and the reach of Google services into our lives seems to be continually extending. It is amazing.

BUT... I'm pleased to report to you a truly interesting research approach that doesn't involve starting with a Google search. I just bumped into a new research tool that resembles a concept map. instaGrok is a web resource as well as an iPad app. Here is the 'grok' of the results of a search on "apples."

Then, you can click on the central idea for info and links shown below.

You can also click on any of the associated ideas to deepen your grok and follow its associations.



Further, there is a difficulty setting so that students can choose the approximate 'level' of their grok. Here's the same search set to the easiest setting.

I also consulted with Tennye C. about the idea, and she provided couple of endorsements (see below) and recommended especially for students to see connections among ideas.

Link 1

Link 2

I haven't used this yet in the classroom, but I plan on teaming it up with EasyBib (I prefer the web resources to the iPad app) for my Economics of Personal Finance juniors and seniors. I'm thinking that the structure and detail of EasyBib (and its citation tools) will pair interestingly with the more free flowing 'groks.' They can do their initial idea exploration using instaGrok and then use EasyBib to actually gather their resources, citations, and paper outline.

Wish us luck!

On a related but separate note, my class of 19 students is considering publishing their findings in an social media setting rather than a more formal iBook. I'd be grateful if anyone has experience or ideas about this to share!