This document discusses using Inspiration concept mapping software in education. It provides examples of how Inspiration could be used for science, writing, reading and math lessons. It outlines the materials, technology and facilities needed, and how concept maps or research papers created in Inspiration could be shared or transferred. Potential challenges for students are discussed along with benefits such as helping with the research process, organization and presentation skills. Two detailed lesson plans are provided showing how Inspiration could be used to create a research paper or food web diagram. Finally, relevant resources and references are listed.

1. Inspiration Concept Maps as a innovative tool
EDU 709
Summer 2012
*

2. *
Inspiration is a software that allows
teachers and students to express
their creativity through building
concept maps or electronic graphic
organizers.

3. *
I decided to research on the benefits of using
electronic graphic organizers in the classroom. I
enjoy creating graphic organizers for my
education, so why not provide opportunities for
my students to tap into their creative side and
learn simultaneously.

4. *
*Science Lessons-classifying
organisms
*Writing Lessons-friendly letter
*Reading Comprehension lessons-
study guide
*Math lessons- plots and graphing

5. *
*inspiration software
* computers
* internet service access and books
for research
* technology lab
* library
* smart board or white board with
projector

6. *
• Option 1: Inspiration users can
share with each other. So, in
order for a transfer to be
possible, one must have the
inspiration software.
• Option 2: Once saved as a word
document, the finished product
can be shared via e-mail, weebly,
wiki, or classroom website

7. *
• Students can fall into plagiarism
if not taught the boundaries
• students can use unreliable
resources if not given examples
of websites to use
• Students can become frustrated
if inspiration tools aren’t
modeled by the teacher

8. *
• The visual organizer helps make the
research process easier
• the project can be used as a guide for
student presentations
• teaches great research and
organizational skills

9. *
*Brief Description:
*Students can organize and write a
research papers using sources from
the internet or books
*They will strengthen their writing
process skills through planning,
revising, editing, and rewriting
*Learners will produce and share
their completed research project on
the internet

10. *
• Familiarize themselves with the
inspiration software by creating a
book report for practice which
can be used as an example for
students
• Upload the research paper
organizer template and practice
using the key features

11. *
• Students will build a diagram, outline their research,
and publish their work
• The students will choose a historical figure to do
research on
• Students will begin searching on a search engine,
database, or books about their topic, as they find
sources, students may hyperlink the sources into the
organizer using the hyperlink tool
• As students are finishing up the research process, they
can begin creating questions and answers about the
topic. This step will help them develop a thesis
statement
• Students will then start adding subtopics under topics
from their research by typing words in the bubbles
within the Research Paper organizer
• Students will collaborate with others to revise and edit
their work
• Learners will then publish their work through a
newspaper, website, wiki space, e-mail

12. *

13. *
• Brief Description:
• Students will create visual food webs
to help them understand the basic
ecology of how nature is connected
through food chains.
• Students will analyze the relationships
between animals and how they eat
which binds animals together.
• Students will present their project to
the class which will prove
understanding of their visual food
diagram.

14. *
• Teachers need to familiarize
themselves of how to use the
food web template from the
inspiration software.
• It will be helpful if they present
their own example of a
completed food web to the class
before students begin working on
the project.

15. *
• The students will choose their own ecosystem to
create a visual representation of food webs, such
as marine, rainforest, forest, and desert.
• Students will research and gather pictures about
their ecosystem
• Learners will create a food web by using the link
tool to represent the feeding relationships
between the organisms
• As they find information and pictures, they will
continue building their food web until completed
• Lastly, they will present their project to their
classmates using the presentation manager, they
can also share their project using the transfer
tool in order to make it a word processor
document

16. *

17. * http://www.inspiration.com
* Inspiration Software
*

18. *
• http://www.inspiration.com/
• http://www.inspiration.com/Resources/Case-
Studies
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspiration_Soft
ware
• Baxendell, Brad, W. (2008) Consistent,
Coherent, Creative: The 3 c’s of graphic
organizers. Teaching Exceptional Children Vol.
35, pp. 46-53
• Pictures taken from Microsoft Word