Inspiration®
It is arguable that the use of technology in the classroom really improves student learning. It is proven that the use of graphic organizers in the classroom does improve student learning and comprehension. There are tools on the market that boast their ability to inspire and create visual learning. One of the most widely used tools is that of Inspiration and Kidspiration. These pieces of software provide multiple ways to utilize graphic organizers to improve student learning. This manual is designed to help you use these programs in your classroom.
Getting Started in Inspiration
When you open Inspiration, the program opens with a start up menu that allows you to choose where you want to start. The most common starting point in Inspiration is in Diagram View. Once in Diagram view, you can immediately start creating your concept map, web, or graphic organizer. In the center of the page is the Main Idea symbol. To get started, all you need to do is double-click in the main idea bubble and enter a topic.
Basic Functions in Inspiration: Diagram View
The Diagram toolbar
The Create tab allows you to create links between your main idea and its supporting ideas. Upon clicking the Create button, a new bubble will open for you to enter text.
The Rapid Fire tool is similar to the create tool but functions a little bit differently. If you type in the main idea bubble your content and then click on the Rapid Fire tool, each item you type after the red lightning bolt will appear as its own bubble. This is a simple way to quickly capture ideas.
The following is a chart made using the rapid fire icon from the main idea, “all about me”, and the “places I like to visit” bubbles.
The Link tool allows you to create connections and relationships between ideas. To create a link, follow these directions:
1.Select the bubble you would like to use to be the starting point for your link.
2.On the Diagram toolbar, click the Link button to turn on the link tool.
3.Click on the symbol where the link will end. A link with an arrowhead pointing to the symbol will appear.
4. Click the link button again to turn off the Link tool.
The Note tool allows you to expand ideas and begin the writing process within your diagram. To add a note, select the bubble you wish to add a note to and a small text box will appear below the symbol.
After typing in the note text box, you can close the note, move it to another location on the symbol or to an open place in the diagram. To do this, select the note and drag it to its new place on the diagram. To close the note tool, click the box in the upper left hand corner of the note. This will close the text box and put a small note symbol in the upper right hand corner of the bubble.
Adding a hyperlink to a diagram is another option Inspiration provided. You can integrate internet resources as well as documents created with Inspiration or another application into a diagram.
To add a hyperlink select the bubble you wish to use as a link. Then, click the Hyperlink tab. From the pop-up menu, select the type of link you wish to create, say okay, and the link is complete.
The word guide is a great feature to help students as they create maps in Inspiration. They can use the word guide to get definitions of words, plug words into their maps or as a thesaurus.
Adding an unconnected symbol using point and type
Sometimes you want to add an idea but you are not sure where it belongs in the diagram. To add an idea to the diagram click in the open area and start typing. An unconnected bubble is automatically added to the diagram.
Replacing a symbol with one from the Symbol Palette
Once you get some ideas down, it is easy to replace a bubble already in the diagram with a symbol from the symbol palette. Inspiration offers over 1,300 colorful images including photographic quality and animated symbols. The symbols are organized into categories and libraries.
To add a symbol:
1.Select the bubble you would like to replace with a symbol.
2.Click the Selection library button on the Symbol palette to scroll through the menu options.
3.Select the symbol you wish to use and it will replace the bubble.
The Formatting toolbar
The Position tool allows you to change the position of your diagram in the window. Click the hand icon and then move it into your diagram. Anywhere you move the hand, the diagram will follow. To turn this tool off, click on the hand tab again.
In Inspiration, you can change the color of each of the bubbles in your diagram. To change the color of an existing bubble, select that bubble and then go to the format tool bar icon. Use your mouse to click on the color option (The default is generally green or yellow) and the color menu will appear. Select your preferred color from the menu and the color of your selected bubble will change.
You can not only change the color of an individual bubble, but can change the color default for all the text bubbles in your diagram. First, select the Set Default button. Next, select the color fill you would like to change on the formatting toolbar. The third step is to select the Apply Default option from the same button as when setting the default. From this point on, all your text bubbles will have the new default color.
Changing the view scale
Enlarging or shrinking the view allows you to work with specific parts of your diagram or to see the entire screen at one time. To see more of a diagram you zoon out and to see more, you zoom in. You can zoom in and out to specific percentages.
The tall mountains allow you to zoom in while the small mountains let you zoom out.
Basic Functions in Inspiration: Outline View
Inspiration allows you to view your diagram in outline view, as a text document. To access the outline view of your diagram, click the Outline tab in the diagram tool bar.
In outline view, it is possible to add a new Topic to your diagram. To add a topic, click on the outline in the area you wish to add a topic. Then, click the topic button and Inspiration inserts a new topic and automatically assigns it a prefix.
Adding a Subtopic to your diagram works in the same way as a topic. When you add a subtopic, Inspiration automatically indents it one level below the selected topic and assigns it a prefix.
The left and right arrows in the Outline tool bar allow you to adjust the position of a topic. To do this, select a topic and use one of the arrow tools to change its position.
To add a Note in outline view first select the topic you want to expand on. Then, click on the note tool and type the text you wish to incorporate into the diagram. When you add a note, a note quick control appears in the Note Control Column to the left of the topic.
Setting topic defaults
You can set the defaults for any or all topic levels and notes. The default options include font, text size, text color, and other style choices.
To set the default, first select one of your topics, preferably the first topic. Next, on the formatting toolbar, select the Topic Default button .
When the Topic Default menu appears, you can use it to make all of the necessary default changes to your diagram. You can make changes to the Topic Levels, and make all of the font changes. The default changes you make will then appear on your diagram as it is in outline view.
When you switch back to diagram view by clicking the diagram tab the changes will be visible there as well.
Printing a diagram
When you print from Diagram view, the default is to “fit to 1 page,” which automatically sizes the diagram to fit on one page. If desired, this can be adjusted so the diagram prints full size on multiple pages.
To print your diagram:
1.On the File menu, choose Page Setup. Here, you set up the diagram layout, determine margins, headers and footers, and preview your diagram before viewing.
2.Make your selections and then choose Print Preview to preview your work.
3. Click Print to print your diagram.
Transferring to a word processor
When you are ready to finalize your work for publication, you can easily transfer it to a word processor. First, you will click the transfer button in the toolbar.
Inspiration then automatically launches your preferred word processor (Microsoft word or Appleworks) and transfers your work. The new document retains the look and structure of your Inspiration outline. When transferring from the Diagram View, a picture of the diagram also appears.
Exporting the diagram
Once you create a diagram or an outline, you can export it for use in a variety of other programs. On the file menu choose Export and make your selections.
Export Diagrams to the Web
1.Switch to Diagram View.
2.Choose Export from the File menu.
3.Select HTML as your export option and click Save.
4.Name your file and click Save.
Export Outlines to the Web
1.Switch to Outline view.
2.Choose Export from the File menu.
3.For larger outlines, select HTML-Multiple Web Pages. Otherwise, select HTML-Single Web Page.
4.Select Table of Contents to have Inspiration created a hyperlinked table of contents at the top of the page. Click Save.
5.Name your file and click Save.
Export to Power Point
1.Switch to Outline view.
2.Choose Export from the File menu.
3.In the Export choices, click on MS PowerPoint RTF. Click and tell it where to save.
4.Close Inspiration and open up that file you just saved.
5.In PowerPoint, go to Format, apply design, and make other changes such as transitions and custom animation.
Kidspiration®
Kidspiration was created for learners in grades K-5. In Kidspiration, students build graphic organizers that incorporate images, text and spoken words. This software has ready made templates and easy to use interfaces that are great learning tools for young students and fun for adults, too. This short instructional manual is intended to give a very brief overview and introduction of Kidspiration.
Getting started with Kidspiration
When you first open Kidspiration, you are greeted by the main menu and the many options in the program. A student can start a new diagram, write an outline, or use one of the activity templates for a specific assignment in class. To select any of these options, simply click the picture icon and begin.
Creating a diagram with Kidspiration
The format of Kidspiration looks and functions in a very similar manner to Inspiration. There are however a few key differences.Kidspiration does not have a rapid fire option for quick brainstorming.
The Add Symbol button lets you add symbols to your diagram one at a time. If you want to add 2 symbols to your diagram, click the button twice.
The Symbol Palette lets you add symbols to your diagram. You can choose from the symbols that are visible on the palette or from the many menus.
The left and right arrows let you scroll through all the image libraries within Kidspiration. By clicking the down arrow, you have access to a list of all the libraries within the program.
The Symbol Maker tool give students the opportunity to draw their own symbols and images to include in their diagram. Here students can exercise creativity or use the pre-made stamps to create a graphic organizer work of art.
Working with the writing tool
To access the Writing View in Kidspiration either select the icon from the diagram tool bar if you are already in the program or if just opening Kidspiration, or select the writing icon from the main menu.
In the writing view, the ideas in your diagram are organized from top to bottom with your main idea at the top. Each idea appears as its own piece of lined paper. Any symbol that has been added to the diagram appears on the text line next to the subject.
Students can write sentences, ideas, and thoughts page as well as add additional ideas using the add idea button. To change the level of hierarchy in the writing view (main idea versus sub-idea) use the left and right arrows next to the add idea button.
How to publish from Kidspiration
It is possible to print a documentfrom the writing view. To do this, first select the publish button from the main tool bar. Next, select where you would like the document to publish, either in Microsoft Word or Appleworks. Kidspiration will automatically open the program you selected and deposit your diagram onto a new page. From here you can print, save for a webpage, or make any additional changes you would like to make.
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Inspiration and Kidspiration 10/06