Webspiration
2. URL of the Tool
http://www.mywebspiration.com/
3. Please select the one, primary category for this tool:
Creativity, Thinking/Problem Solving Tool, but is also a collaboration tool and creates interesting visuals for presentations
4. Please describe this tool in your own words in about 250 words.
Webspiration is an online program for creating visual representations of processes and relationships. Using Webspiration, you can create bubble diagrams, flow charts, concept maps, process flows. In addition, Webspiration contains templates for making written outlines for planning, study guides, papers, reports, etc. The two formats, written and visual, are integrated, so your work can be switched between the two formats automatically.
Webspiration includes a number of templates to help the user(s) get started or to provide ideas. Many of the templates are situation specific, for example, there are templates for organizing ideas to generate scientific hypotheses. This template contains fillable boxes that contain prompts to suggest ideas to the user.
Another template example for showing concept relationships.
Many editing tools are available to change the appearance of the document. The document is stored on the Webspiration server and are secure. Documents can be downloaded as a Microsoft® Word document, or as Google Docs™
Documents can be worked on collaboratively. Invitations are sent to collaborators via email and collaborators have access and editing rights to the document(s).In addition, other people can be invited to view but not have editing rights. Documents can be worked on simultaneously by multiple users. Webspiration automatically switches documents between active and inactive states if two users are working at the same time so that the edits do not conflict. Up to 25 people can work on a document at one time. There is a chat function so that users can converse at the same time they are editing documents.
Webspiration is currently being offered in a free Public Beta version, and user feedback is being requested. Currently no date has been set for end of the beta test, but eventually a subscription price will be charged. An Beta version for classrooms is set to launch in the Fall of 2010.
5. What do you need to know before using this tool?
The tool is user-friendly, but takes some practice to learn and use efficiently. Webspiration would be difficult for a novice computer user to pick up quickly. Competence with word processing or presentation programs would be very helpful in learning Webspiration.
6. What do you need to have before using this tool?
Computer with internet connection.
7. How do you use this tool?
1. Go to the Webspiration website at http://www.mywebspiration.com/.
2. Click the sign-up button and create a free account by entering a valid email address, creating a password and supplying minimal personal information (name, organization and occupation).
3. Once an account is created, or the user logs in a Launch screen opens. Several options are available. New documents can be created by clicking on one of the options, Diagram, Outline, or Templates buttons. Previously created documents can be opened using the Open button.
4. A new window opens with examples and templates. Clicking on an example or template opens a preview of that template in the right hand window (blue box). Previously created documents can also be accessed with the Document tab (red box).
5. You can also access the Help function from the Launch page or from the create documents page.
6. For a written explanation of how to create documents, go to:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5972037_create-graphic-organizer-using-webspiration.html
For a great YouTube video with an example of creating documents, go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S-rBfW-dXA
Or view my example and scenario below in the teaching example.
8. Please create an example with this tool and either embed in your blog or submit the URL.
See above and below.
9. Please describe a scenario of how you might use this tool in a teaching environment (about 500 words).
Courses for graduate students in biomedical sciences are often taught by a group of professors who each deliver one or more lectures. Webspiration would be a terrific tool for course planning. The course director would create an outline and send invitations to all other lecturers who could fill in their part of the outline. Planning meetings for course organization could be done remotely. Each participant could alter the outline on his or her own schedule, or groups could meet online and work together.
Webspiration documents can be hyperlinked to one another, so each instructor can create outlines for their own lecture(s) and hyperlink them to the original document. Instructors can also create other Webspiration documents that could be hyperlinked to the outlines for individual lectures. During the class session, students can be invited as viewers and can access the important documents for the whole course.
click here for screencast: http://screencast.com/t/ZDBkNTEwYTYt
For additional examples:
http://mywebspiration.com/classroom-examples/educators
10. What are the advantages of using this tool in a teaching environment?
- Students can brainstorm with one another on projects when not physically together
- The nature of the tool (visual representations) encourages creative thought
- The ability to hyperlink documents allows interconnected concepts or plans to be expanded and detailed
11. What are the disadvantages of using this tool in a teaching environment?
- While relatively user-friendly, Webspiration requires some study to become skilled at its use.
- Webspiration will soon be a subscription service, rather than a free web 2.0 tool.
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