Inspiration is a good program and after using it I can see all the applicable uses for it in a school setting. Initially I had some difficulties because I wanted to learn how to use InspireData, seeing as how I want to teach math. After several attempts of arguing with computer lab workers, I could not get the administration’s approval to download the program, so I just used Inspiration. It was fairly easy to use after playing around with the program for a while and watching tutorials on Atomiclearning. I believe the students would really like Inspiration. First off, kids usually get excited any time they get to use technology to assist them in completing an assignment, and any time you can intertwine technology with your core content, it is a bonus. Also, every kid learns differently and Inspiration incorporates a number of different learning styles.
One great project I had envisioned for a middle school math class was with InspireData. You could give the students different number sequences and they have to decipher the algebraic equation. Once the students had a good understanding of how to solve these problems, I would have them each create their own to further deepen their conceptual understanding. If I wasn’t in an only mathematics setting I would have the students create a family tree. Inspiration allows students to clearly map out each generation and add any interesting notes about each person. A well thought out and detailed family tree is a project that every student may not appreciate at the time, but somewhere down the road they will be glad mean old Mr. Ludwig made them complete the assignment.
This is a diagram I created in Inspiration to show the relationship between all real numbers. Somewhat of a elementary lesson, but it really reinforces real numbers, which can be difficult to understand, but much easier with pictures.
Atomiclearning.com is an excellent website and I have already recommended it to several other educators. The tutorials are easy to follow, clearly spoken, and you can watch every step of the process. The tutorial topics are easily searched and each topic is broken down into subtopics. So instead of watching an hour long tutorial on powerpoint, a teacher can learn just the stuff they don’t know by watching three 5min videos. This would be a great learning tool for the older teachers who shy away from technology. This way they could teach themselves about computers, programs, etc, and can learn at their own pace.
iMovie is a sweet program that is user friendly and easy to use. It’s a program that if you fool around with it enough, you can teach yourself and the more you fool around with it the more efficient you will become. I love how all of the related programs work together with such ease. I showed my movie to a couple of different people and they didn’t believe that I created THE BEST MOVIE EVER!
Atomiclearning.com is an excellent website and I have already recommended it to several other educators. The tutorials are easy to follow, clearly spoken, and you can watch every step of the process. The tutorial topics are easily searched and each topic is broken down into subtopics. So instead of watching an hour long tutorial on powerpoint, a teacher can learn just the stuff they don’t know by watching three 5min videos. This would be a great learning tool for the older teachers who shy away from technology. This way they could teach themselves about computers, programs, etc, and can learn at their own pace.
iMovie is a sweet program that is user friendly and easy to use. It’s a program that if you fool around with it enough, you can teach yourself and the more you fool around with it the more efficient you will become. I love how all of the related programs work together with such ease. I showed my movie to a couple of different people and they didn’t believe that I created THE BEST MOVIE EVER!
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