INSPIRATION
Today in the workshop I used a program Inspiration to create a mind map about 'My Family'.
As shown above, Inspiration software developed programs for brainstorming, thinking and organising ideas. The program Inspiration for educators and students is a great tool to use in the classroom to introduce visual learning, that is; a teaching and learning style where ideas, data and other concepts can be associated with images and techniques. Visual learning can provide a great mode of learning for those students who do not benefit from kinesthetic learning or auditory learning. Visual learners benefit greatly when they are able to create and see graphs, concept maps and idea maps which Inspiration provides for students.
Creating diagrams such as the one above can help students to come up with a simple concept and extend their ideas by simply adding on pictures and labels. The zoo mind map above demonstrates how easy it is to create great work with just the click of a mouse. Students can expand their thinking by drawing in arrows to link their ideas to the main concept. Having the visual information infront of them helps them to create what they may find to be a complex set of thoughts into a clear and concise visual map. I believe that every teacher should introduce this form of learning in their classroom as I will be in mine.
