Assignment 3 - Web 2.0 Tools for Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Name of the Tool: Webspiration

URL of the Tool: http://mywebspiration.com/about/details

Please select the one, primary category for this tool: Creative Thinking and Problem Solving Tool

Please describe this tool in your own words.
Webspiration is currently a Beta software that you can use to organize and expand ideas individually or as a group. It is a web-based visual tool that focuses on mind mapping, outlining, and brainstorming.

For those who are familiar with maps such as Inspiration or Kidspiration, the Inspiration team is the ones who introduced the online version called Webspiration. In Webspiration you can do the following:

• Create graphic organizers and diagrams to help your students think visually.
• Use outlines to get organized with students assignments, reports, and other documents.
• Collaborate with students anytime and anywhere.

Webspiration is fairly a new online web 2.0 tool that can benefit teachers, trainers, and students to think and learn visually when studying, planning, and organizing projects and documents.

What do you need to know before using this tool?

• How to build a hierarchy or flowchart.
• How to outline a document.
• The order or connections to the topic and the supporting details.
• Knowledge of how web 2.0 software can be used and shared in the classroom.

What do you need to have before using this tool?
An outline of the Presentation Standards and supporting details of what you would like to connect to the topic.

How do you use this tool? WEBSPIRATION INSTRUCTIONS BELOW
Step 1
Go to myWebspiration website and log in to your account (please sign up first to become a member).

Step 2

Click on the orange button that says "Launch Webspiration". You will see this link in the top right corner of the page and directly under the "My Account" and "Sign Out" options.

Step 3
Click on the "Diagram" link. You will be prompted to add a name to the document. Type in the subject of the lesson, then click the save button when done.














Step 4
Webspiration will automatically fill the oval with the name of the document. Click on any of the symbols in the dialogue box to the left side of the screen. This symbol will emerge in the diagram where ever you position your mouse.
Repeat this process so that there are as many bubbles or boxes as there are headings in the lesson. The symbols can be arranged around the main subject bubble by dragging them with the mouse. Add text to the symbols by clicking in them and then typing.

Step 5
Click on the border of the main topic. A pattern of squares and diamonds will appear. Click on the diamond that is closest to the first heading in the lesson. A transparent arrow head will appear. Do not let go of the left button. Instead, drag it to the first text box and repeat this process.













Step 6
Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the subheadings and their supporting details.

Step 7
The newly created graphic organizer can be used in your classroom by printing it out or by pulling it up with your classroom computer and projecting it on to the screen.

Please create an example with this tool and either embed in your blog or submit the URL.
http://mywebspiration.com/view/490941a10cd2





Please describe a scenario of how you might use this tool in a teaching environment.
There are many different situations that transpire when training city employees. Here are several examples of the main problems that occur during the final step of approving a presentation for city meetings:

• The presenter (city employee) did not create the title to be bold and increase or decrease the title font size to 40.
• The presenter (city employee) did not create the text to be bold and increase or decrease the text font size to 30.
• The presenter (city employee) did not know how to create the red box around the title and text box.
• The presenter (city employee) used more than two font sizes in the Master Slide.
• The presentation for the city meeting is turned in too late or is not placed in the appropriate folder.

When dealing with multiple presentations, it can be very stressful to check each presentation before setting up a meeting because it could be more than ten presenters that are presenting a presentation during a City Council, Planning & Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment and Sugar Land Development Corporation meeting (just to name a few).

My responsibility during these meeting is to keep calm and make sure each presentation is in the correct standards and guidelines. This is very important the public will be sitting in the audience watch the meeting live and on the Internet and television, so it is very imperative to make sure each slide is large enough and legible to view.

By creating a simple diagram for the city employees to view as a reminder on SLIC Intranet (Sugar Land Information Center), may resolve the common problems that occur during the training stages of designing, editing, and formatting a presentation.

What are the advantages of using this tool in a teaching environment?

• As a student gets older, Webspiration can help them to take control of organizing their own learning.
• Teachers/trainers can create maps and invite students to collaborate and fill in information needed.
• Free software with nothing to download.

What are the disadvantages of using this tool in a teaching environment?

• The public has access to view your files.
• Can be restricted in the school districts.