Getting Digital with Diagrams

Most of the hands on activity this week in class revolved around the Inspiration software which is used to create digital diagrams and outlines. This software allows you to create a web diagram linking different subtopics and themes to a major topic. The software comes full of pictures that can be used to enhance your digital diagram, as well as a way to add notes to each "bubble" that provides further information on the topic. In the software you can also hyperlink phrases or themes to take the user to a website with further information on the subject. Of course when this is done it is important to make sure the website is reliable. Here is a screenshot of the digital diagram I created on World War II:

This was probably one of my favorite programs that we have used this year. It was simple and easy to use and with a little tinkering, could be spaced to look really good. Each "bubble" only contains a couple words maximum, but the note feature alleviates this. This tool is super useful in my opinion. In a classroom with an interactive whiteboard the digital diagram can be displayed and notes and links within the web can be accessed as the subject is approached. In instances where students have computers with them they can use the diagram as supplement to instruction following along and using the extra information given while studying. Even without the software the screenshot of the image is a successful basic study tool, linking topics and subtopics together. I see a lot of uses that can come out of the Inspiration software.