Rubric for Graphic Organizers - Inspiration Diagrams

The following projects are examples of how to use Inspiration® and Kidspiration® with multiple curricular areas, and also showcase the features and skills introduced in the popular UW-Stout online class, Inspiration® and Kidspiration^TM: Tools to Increase Reading Comprehension.

Examples of Inspiration® and Kidspiration^TM Projects

Join other educators and learn how to create Inspiration® and Kidspiration^TM projects to use with your students.

What was the most meaningful and useful for you during this online workshop...

"I REALLY liked the fact that I could work at my own pace, in my own home, without the hassle of buying books and materials. I also liked the frequent communication from my peers and professor. It made my first online course experience a good one. I also liked how the class was laid out so that we always knew where we were going and EXACTLY what was expected of us. "

"I learned so much about what other teachers are doing and what they are discovering about Inspiration software! Most of all, I learned some interesting tricks about using the software that I would have never figured out on my own! I liked learning how to import pictures from other sources and bring in digital pictures from my hard drive to create better looking organizers."

"The rubrics were succinct and to the point. I felt it served as a wonderful guide in telling the participants what was expected of them for each module."

"I have learned so much, and I have now made a friend with this software. It is one of the best organizational materials I have seen, and I recommend that everyone try it. Besides, it is an online course, and I think that is a definite plus when it comes to taking college classes! No one has to drive to a school, find parking, and buy books. It is great. "
K-1 teacher from Japan

" I absolutely loved the class! If fit my needs perfectly, and I love being able to be home and work at my convenience. The course was extremely well designed, and I appreciated the flexibility I had to tailor my work to my professional situation. I will definitely be telling my staff about this class, and the online experience in general. This is certainly the way to go for technology learning."
Assisted Learning teacher from Marshalltown, Iowa

"Learning to use Inspiration has already changed my thinking about the manner in which I present several different units in my curriculum. I will incorporate the ideas and maps I developed in this class to help students better understand their own knowledge, to offer an alternative method to text based notetaking and to encourage classroom teachers to collaborate on specific units of instruction."

"Excellent sources for professional reading to develop a philosophical foundation to support the use of the software."

"I loved all of the tips classmates shared for using the software, the brainstormed list for uses of the software and the exchange of ideas for classroom applications. Wonderful professional interaction with peers."
Elementary media specialist from Avondale, Pennsylvania

"Using this software for parent conferences and lesson plans will be the most useful."

"Thank you very much for giving me such a wonderful learning tool and greatly improving my teaching skills."
Elementary art teacher from Manchester, Iowa

"I liked the encouragement from the instructor, and I liked the overlap of the activities from module to module. It helped to reinforce the concepts."

"Be prepared to look at your teaching style from a different perspective, because if you want to utilize what you learn in the course, your teaching role will change."
High school AP physics teacher from Arlington Heights, Illinois

"I liked the fact that we explored all facets of this software thoroughly. I also liked being exposed to the practical applications of the software."

"The discussion board gave me an opportunity to engage in professional discussions with other educators. It also gave me an insight into problems/solutions that prevail in other districts."

"The rubrics/evaluation process was extremely fair. I especially liked the fact that the instructor's response was quick, specific and detailed. "

"I have truly enjoyed learning the software and collaborating with everyone in the class. It has truly inspired me to find new ways to enhance my teaching! Thank you for being a patient instructor and truly being a "guide on the side"!"
Fourth grade teacher from Alliance, Ohio

"Using features that I did not previously have experiences with: moving groups of symbols, creating new symbol libraries, labeling links, etc."
Area Education Agency consultant from Bettendorf, Iowa

"It was very user-friendly. Karen provided good support to questions and problems. It was well-designed, which made it easy to complete assignments and follow directions. The information was very useful."

"It provided a new twist to teaching and presenting information. It was practical and easy to adapt to what we do."

"This course has been a real positive and meaningful experience for me. Thanks for all of the information and support."
Elementary principal from Roseville, Ohio

"You will use software you might currently have but haven't thought of all of the ways you could use it. I had this software on my computers at school and wasn't using nor promoting it. With this class, I had the time to try new things, get some great ideas from my classmates on how it could be used with the teachers throughout my building, and I am excited to go back in the fall and introduce it. "

"I really enjoyed talking with classmates from all over the world. We brought different perspectives, goals, and interests to the table. I think our discussions were richer because of that. I liked being able to post something to the group and having a different person respond each time."
Middle School media specialist from Des Plaines, Illinois