Visualize ideas, concepts and relationships -
In Diagram View, students create graphic organizers, which is a core element of visual
learning, to analyze, compare and evaluate information. They quickly brainstorm
new ideas with the RapidFire tool, search the symbol collection to find images
to represent any concept, and insert and play multimedia files. To show
relationships between ideas, students link symbols and add words to further
clarify meaning.
Improve writing proficiency -
As they start the writing process, students use visually integrated notes to
expand topics and switch to Outline View to further develop their ideas. The
integrated Word Guide helps students choose words with more precision, and a
contextual spell checker automatically identifies misspelled words. To finalize
projects, students can transfer to their favorite word processor or transform
their work into a web site with the Site Skeleton export tool.
Plan and organize projects -
Inspiration helps students organize information, develop thinking skills and
demonstrate knowledge. Drag-and-drop actions and hyperlinks make it easy to
gather research and connect to files and web resources. As students develop
their projects, they use AutoArrange to automatically format their diagrams.
Inspiration Web Resources -
- More than 1 million symbols
- 50+ Curriculum Packets
- On-demand training videos
What's New in Inspiration 8?
- Keyword search for symbols - Quickly find symbols to better express ideas and represent concepts by searching with keywords. Inspiration provides more than 1,000 symbols, plus access to more than 1 million additional symbols through Inspiration Web Resources.
- Enhanced export and transfer - Easily and efficiently turn Inspiration documents into robust final projects with new export and transfer capabilities. New options in the Site Skeleton® export let students incorporate symbols, video and sound in web pages. With added transfer options, students can choose just the information they need to finalize assignments in their favorite word processor.
- Word Guide - Write with clarity and build vocabulary using the Word Guide, an innovative dictionary and thesaurus. Information—including parts of speech, definitions and synonyms—is displayed in a familiar way to help students quickly find and choose words with precision.
- Auto spell checker - Improve spelling skills and streamline the writing and revision process with a contextual spell checker. Misspelled words are automatically identified in both the Diagram and Outline Views so students can quickly correct errors.
- Inspiration Starter screen -
Quickly begin projects or access training and teaching resources from the
Inspiration Starter screen.
- AutoArrange - Organize ideas effortlessly with AutoArrange. Students more efficiently add content and develop their projects, using AutoArrange to automatically format their diagrams as they work.
- Brainstorming - Capture ideas quickly with the enhanced RapidFire® tool. Students choose to add ideas that link automatically to a symbol or to add unconnected ideas that they can later associate and link.
- Custom symbol libraries - Help students focus on learning by providing symbols specific to their assignments. Using Inspiration's Template Wizard, custom symbol libraries can be saved and shared with template files or teachers can limit student access to symbol libraries.
EnableMart Case Studies: Inspiration Software (PDF - click here)
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Compatibility -
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Inspiration uses integrated Diagram and Outline tools to create graphic organiers, develop ideas and expand topics into writing. - A rich resource for students and teachers.
- Over 60 templates available.
- The Site Skeleton export seamlessly converts outlines and diagrams to web pages.
- More than a million symbols to choose from.
- Over 50 curriculum packets designed for language arts, social studies or science.
- Training videos available on demand.
- Innovative dictionary and thesaurus helps students find the perfect word.
- Rapidfire Tool helps students capture ideas quickly.
Visually represent ideas -
Inspiration's Diagram View makes it easy to express ideas, discover
relationships and develop new thoughts and perspectives.
In the Diagram View you can:
- Brainstorm ideas quickly with the RapidFire® tool. Capture thoughts with or without automatic links to symbols.
- Represent thoughts and information with pictures, images, words and multimedia-such as QuickTime® movies and MP3 files. Find just the right image from Inspiration's library of 1,000+ searchable symbols or insert a graphic from Inspiration's online symbol collection, containing more than 1 million illustrations and photographs.
- Show relationships among ideas with the Link tool. Explain relationships by adding text directly on the links.
- Explore ideas, record research and begin writing with visually integrated notes. New drag-and-drop capabilities make it easy to quickly gather research.
- Differentiate among ideas and groups with colors, shapes, patterns and fonts.
- Manage notes, audio and subtopic information with Quick Controls.
- Organize ideas effortlessly using the Arrange tool or use AutoArrange to automatically format diagrams as you work.
- Plan projects and track ideas using the Checklist feature.
In Outline View, you can:
- Organize ideas and arrange thoughts by dragging subtopics. Diagram View updates automatically.
- Add new topics to further develop ideas.
- Manage notes, audio and subtopic information with Quick Controls.
- Develop topics into written reports using notes text. Students can add up to 15 pages of notes text for each topic.
- Plan projects and track ideas using the Checklist feature.
Develop ideas and organize writing easily with intuitive toolbars -
(Diagram Toolbar)
(Outline Toolbar)
(Formatting Toolbar)
Major Inspiration functions are at students' fingertips with our smart toolbars. No need to memorize keyboard shortcuts or search through menu items to find features — just click on the toolbar and keep working! Plus, the fully indexed and searchable help system provides answers to Inspiration-related questions.
Jumpstart projects with templates -
- Start assignments quickly with inspiring templates that offer frameworks for gathering information and organizing ideas in language arts, science, social studies, thinking skills and planning topics.
- A wealth of ideas from across the curriculum inspires students and teachers to plan, organize and create.
- Template Wizard - Create customized visual learning activities! The Template Wizard gives teachers step-by-step help for designing templates to support any curriculum area. Custom libraries may also be created and saved with templates for sharing with other computers. Teachers can also limit the symbol library for targeted study.
- Flexible template access - Use and share templates with ease! Templates can be stored and launched from any location, making them readily available for students and teachers.
Integrate
video and sound -
Use multimedia to create more engaging and informed projects. Students
insert and play video and sound, such as QuickTime®
movies and MP3 files, right in Inspiration. Students can also record their
own audio and attach it to a symbol or topic.
Students write with clarity and build vocabulary using the Word Guide, an innovative dictionary and thesaurus. Information—including parts of speech, definitions and synonyms—is displayed in a familiar way to help students quickly find and choose words with precision.
Connect directly to research and information sources -
Enrich Inspiration diagrams and outlines by adding hyperlinks that
connect to other documents, including web sites, Inspiration documents and
files created in other programs. This provides students with a simple way to
gather research and keep their work and materials together.
Turn Inspiration documents into robust final projects -
- Export Inspiration diagrams and outlines to continue working on projects in word processing documents, PowerPoint slides and graphics files.
- Use the Site Skeleton® export to seamlessly convert outlines and diagrams to HTML and incorporate the diagram's symbols, video and sound into web pages. Each symbol becomes a separate web page, complete with appropriate hyperlinks. Inspiration even creates a site map.
Get more visual learning power with
Inspiration Web Resources -
Use Inspiration with an Internet connection to seamlessly access
these additional complimentary resources:
- More than 1 million symbols -
Students better demonstrate their understanding and communicate their ideas by including symbols in their projects. An online Inspiration symbol collection, containing more than 1 million searchable illustrations and photographs, offers safe image choices for any topic.
- 50+ Curriculum Packets -
Curriculum Packets help teachers effectively integrate visual learning techniques as they address multiple learning styles. Each comprehensive online Curriculum Packet provides an integrated unit plan with multiple templates and exemplars. Each of the 50+ Curriculum Packets offers standards-aligned supplemental instructional units for high-school level language arts, social studies or science.
- On-demand training videos -
Learn how to use Inspiration and complete projects efficiently with on-demand training videos. These online videos cover Inspiration's most commonly used features.
Teacher
Resource Book -
The Thinking Classroom: Using Inspiration®
to Meet Curriculum Standards is designed to support teachers as they
help students develop their critical thinking strategies. Each of the book's
six sections focuses on a fundamental thinking skill, and includes an
overview of the cognitive strategy and its application in the major
curriculum areas: language arts, science and social studies.
"Inspiration 8 is more user-friendly, more interactive and much more connected to other learning resources. This software will help our students use graphic organizers to process new skills and enhance our teaching processes."
- Karen Littlefield,
Instructional Technology Coordinator - Mid-Del Schools, Midwest City, OK
"Inspiration just gets better and better. This program now covers much more educational territory. The added curriculum units will help educators realize its value for presenting and organizing information. This is a great teaching tool as well as a wonderful learning and thinking tool for students."
- Shelley Popson Ardis, Educational Technology Specialist -Resource
Materials and Technology Center: Deaf/Hard of Hearing, St. Augustine, FL
"Inspiration is the one piece of software my district can’t live without. It has proven to be a valuable tool in fostering students’ critical and creative thinking skills."
- John Blaser, Technology Integration Specialist - Eastchester Union Free School District, Eastchester, NY
