Inspiration Software
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Inspiration Software, Inc. develops and publishes visual learning software for educators, students and business professionals. Based in Beaverton, Oregon, the company's products are currently in use in at least 60% of U.S. school districts, according to the market research firm QUality Education Data. part of Scholastic. Visual learning is a proven method in which ideas, concepts, data and other information are associated with images and represented graphically. Webs, concept maps, idea maps and plots, such as stack plots and Venn diagrams, are some of the techniques used in visual learning to enhance thinking and learning skills. Their Inspiration 8 software runs on Windows and Mac OS X[1]
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[edit] History
Inspiration Software was founded in 1982 by Donald Helfgott and Mona Westhaver. Originally focused on business software products, the company's first product was for the CP/M operating system to help systems analysts build products to meet business needs. Next, the company released a line of products for the Tandy Model 100, the original notebook computer, used primarily by outside sales staff, writers and editors.
[edit] Software Products
[edit] Inspiration
| Inspiration | |
|---|---|
| Developed by | Inspiration Software, Inc. |
| Latest release | 8.0 / February 2006 |
| OS | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows |
| Genre | Visual learning, Organization |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | Main Inspiration Page |
The visual learning software tool Inspiration was developed and is published by Inspiration Software, Inc., located in Beaverton, Oregon. While it is predominately used in the classroom by students in grades 6 through 12, many adult learners, as well as educators and other professionals, find it useful for a variety of tasks including web site planning and project management. It is most widely known for its use in building graphic organizers, such as concept maps, diagrams and webs, which is done in its Diagram View interface. The second of the two interfaces is Outline View, a traditional hierarchical outline format. Although you can work in either view independently of the other, work done in Diagram View also transfers to Outline View, and vice-versa. Usage in the classroom in cross-curricular, and the company provides many extras in the form of examples and templates for using this tool in various subject areas by grade level. Options to export to HTML and word processor formats, and incorporate AV elements exist.
Inspiration is compatible with Macintosh and PC operating systems.
In 1987, the first version of Inspiration was released for the Apple Macintosh in 1988. Subsequent releases included a Windows version, major upgrades and a native Japanese version on both platforms.
In 1996, Inspiration began marketting to educators and students. Inspiration 5.0 Education Edition was released in 1997 and was marketed towards grades 6-12.
In 2005, Inspiration 7.6 and Kidspiration 2.1 were released to support emerging classroom technologies like interactive whiteboards and Tablet PCs, and Inspiration for Pocket PC was released to run on the Pocket PC handheld platform.
In February 2006, Inspiration 8 was released, featuring expanded visual capabilities, increased support for writing and easily accessible resources for curriculum integration.
A version for Palm OS has been available since 2004.
[edit] Kidspiration
| Kidspiration | |
|---|---|
| Developed by | Inspiration Software, Inc. |
| Latest release | 3.0 / January 2008 |
| OS | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows |
| Genre | Visual learning, Organization |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | Main Kidspiration Page |
Targetting younger students in kindergarten through 5th grade, a spinoff named Kidspiration was released in January 2001. Kidspiration 2 followed in 2004.
The visual learning software tool Kidspiration is published by Inspiration Software, Inc. and is used primarily by students in kindergarten through 5th grade to build graphic organizers such as concept maps, diagrams and webs. Students combine pictures, text and spoken words to represent thoughts and information. Compatible with Macintosh and PC operating systems, Kidspiration was developed to help younger students develop early literacy skills and more advanced students to improve comprehension skills and better organize ideas for writing.
Kidspiration can be used across all subjects, including reading and writing, science, social studies and math. Kidspiration has two primary interfaces, Picture View and Writing View. Students work in Picture View to create graphic organizers to brainstorm and organize ideas and explore relationships. Then, students can switch to the integrated Writing View to expand their ideas with words. Tools such as the SuperGrouper, which allows any symbol to become a shape that designates a group, and Symbol Maker, which allows students to draw and paint their own symbols, offer younger students simpler ways to represent ideas and relationships visually. Projects can also be transferred with one click to a word processor, including AppleWorks, Microsoft Word and Scholastic Keys.
[edit] InspireData
A new product called InspireData joined the company's visual learning software offerings in July 2006. Originally funded under a grant from the National Science Foundation, InspireData was developed by TERC, a leading educational research and development lab committed to improving mathematics and science teaching and learning, and published by Inspiration Software. Intended for grades 4-12, InspireData is a tool for investigating, manipulating and analyzing data in science, mathematics and social studies.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] Reviews and Guides
- MacWorld article on Inspiration 7 [10]
- Mel Levine, All Kinds of Minds [11]
- Golden Triangle PC Club review of Inspiration 7 [12]
- University of Wisconsin List of Uses for Inspiration [13]
- SuperKids Software Review of Inspiration [14]
- Learning Village review of Inspiration [15]
- Innovation Tools review of Inspiration [16]
- LD Resources on Inspiration [17]
- From Now On, education technology journal review of Inspiration [18]
- ISTE book about using Inspiration in writing [19]
- School District web sites about using Inspiration:
- Computer-based study strategies using Inspiration [23]
- ERIC (http://eric.ed.gov) paper on Concept Mapping in the Classroom with Inspiration Software [24]
- University of Calgary professor's essay on using Inspiration [25]
- Education Oasis review of Inspiration [26]
- MacWorld review of Inspiration 6 [27]
