Topic outline

  • General

    ActivInspire Course 2011

    The ActivInspire Training course was run by me in 2011.  The accompanying notes and flipcharts (originally available on the intranet) are reproduced below.  While the flipcharts were designed to be used in a training session, some of the pages might serve as useful starting points for your own flipcharts, or simply as examples.  The notes are probably of more value as they are fairly extensive.

    This material is currently being remixed and rehashed to create a more pick-and-mix approach to learning ActivInspire.

    D. Bigmore

    This training programme is designed to help people create better flipcharts in ActivInspire. It starts with some basics, to give those moving from ActivPx the opportunity to orientate themselves. Then it introduces some hints, tips and techniques, as well as some warnings, about using many of the common features of ActivInspire. Finally, it covers the more advanced features that will hopefully make your flipcharts easier to use, more fun and useful.

    The overall aim of the programme is to give you the know-how to create useful, efficient and reusable resources within ActivInspire.

  • Migration from Px

    Target Audience

    For those either still using ActivPx or who have recently moved to ActivInspire and find it confusing.

    Objectives

    • Identify the various parts of the ActivInspire screen
    • Understand profiles and how to switch between them
    • Know the difference in location, appearance and function of tools and features between Px and ActivInspire

    Summary

    This is very much a “beginner” level session, designed to introduce ActivInspire to those who have little or no experience of using it (although experience using an interactive whiteboard is assumed!). It starts with a tour of the various parts of the ActivInspire screen, which can seem a little overwhelming at first. You’ll see how to rearrange parts of it, and be introduced to ActivInspire’s Profile system (covered in more depth in a later session) to quickly change the layout of tools and windows. You’ll also see the similarities and differences between many of the common tools and features on Px and ActivInspire.

  • Beyond the Whiteboard 1: Building Blocks

    Target Audience

    For those who, at the moment, tend to use their interactive whiteboard as little more than a non-interactive whiteboard.

    Objectives

    • Understand how to use the icons that pop up around objects on the page, and be aware of their idiosyncrasies.
    • Understand how to use some of the more useful parts of an object’s context menu.
    • Understand how to use Shapes and Connectors, and their limitations.
    • Create reusable flipcharts that simplify arrangement of content (suitable for class discussions, sequencing, constructing specialised diagrams, etc.).

    Summary

    This session shows how to manipulate, edit and otherwise rearrange annotations and shapes, which are the basic building blocks of ActivInspire’s flipcharts. You’ll learn about a few “bugs” to watch out for. Finally, you’ll see how to use shapes in combination with a couple of advanced features to create “fuzzy felt” and “notelets”, which can make arranging content much easier. This can be put to a myriad of uses, such as constructing specialised diagrams, organizing notes from a discussion, putting a sequence into the correct order, rearranging algebraic expressions, etc.

  • Beyond the Whiteboard 2: Media & Gadgets

    Target Audience

    For those either still using ActivPx or who have recently moved to ActivInspire and find it confusing.

    Objectives

    • Understand how to import pre-existing content, such as PDF files, PowerPoints and media files (sound, graphics, video), and what you can (and can’t) do with them.
    • Know where to find ActivInspire’s built-in gadgets and how to use them.
    • Know how to use the Resource Browser to locate backgrounds, gadgets, etc.
    • Understand how to insert links to files and web sites within a flipchart.

    Summary

    While the previous session dealt with basic objects, this one focuses on more dynamic objects and features, such as media files and gadgets. You’ll look at loading in your own images, videos as well as using the supplied backgrounds, grids and artwork, and using the snapshot tool to capture parts of the screen. You’ll also learn how you can import documents such as PDFs and PowerPoints, and zoom in on them using Page Zoom (slightly improved from the Px version), as well as adding frivolity with animated page turns. You’ll look at some of the available gadgets, from protractors, compasses and dice, to random number generators, timers and ticker tape (one method for displaying objectives).

  • Advanced Whiteboard 1: Layers & Magic Ink

    Target Audience

    For those who wish to move beyond the basics, and make their flipcharts more interactive, engaging and efficient.

    Objectives

    • Understand the concept of ordering and layers within ActivInspire, and how it affects the movement and interaction of annotations, shapes and other objects.
    • Know how to use the Object Browser to select and reorder objects, as well as hide or lock them.
    • Use Layers to create custom “reveal” tools, without the Magic Ink tool.
    • Understand how the Magic Ink tool works, and use it to create “reveal” tools and “scratch-off” panels.

    Summary

    The first part of this session focuses on the Object Browser, which can be used to select objects and alter the order they appear on the page. It is also the only way to override ActivInspire’s arrangement of particular object types into four “layers”. This gives greater control over the appearance of flipcharts, and allows for some interesting tricks. Magic Ink is a special tool that “hides” objects on the top layer, allowing objects beneath to show through.

  • Advanced Whiteboarding 2: Profiles & Customisation

    Target Audience

    For those who wish to move beyond the basics, and make their flipcharts more interactive, engaging and efficient.

    Objectives

    • Understand how to customise the appearance of flipcharts and toolbars.
    • Know how to create user-defined buttons to launch frequently used programs and files.
    • Understand how to create a new profile to store the preferred settings.
    • Understand how to use the Action Browser, to create quick access tool buttons and customised buttons.

    Summary

    This session is about making ActivInspire easier to use. The profiles supplied with the software allow you to switch between different layouts depending on your circumstances. But you can further customise these to suit your own preferences, and store them in your own profiles. Additionally, you can create your own buttons that can start up software or load files (similar to that shown in “Media & Gadgets”, but attached to the toolbar, not a particular flipchart page). The Action Browser allows you to create buttons that can be placed on a particular page to easily activate a particular tool or function.

  • Advanced Whiteboarding 3: Introduction to the Property Browser

    Target Audience

    For those who wish to move beyond the basics, and make their flipcharts more interactive, engaging and efficient.

    Objectives

    • Become familiar with the layout and workings of the Property Browser.
    • Understand how properties relate to other tools and icons.
    • Understand how using properties can make flipcharts easier to create and maintain.
    • Understand how to create and customise a background grid.

    Summary

    Anyone who has dabbled in any level of visual programming may be familiar with properties, but that shouldn’t put off anyone who hasn’t from attending this session! Properties are just the various settings for each object, and control their behaviour, appearance, etc. Many things properties can do have already been covered in previous sessions; the advantage in using the Property Browser is it allows greater precision and control over objects. There are also features that cannot be accessed any other way, such as labels. This session also looks at the Grid Designer.

  • Advanced Whiteboarding 4: Containers & Restrictors

    Target Audience

    For those who wish to move beyond the basics, and make their flipcharts more interactive, engaging and efficient.

    Objectives

    • Understand how to turn objects into containers, and set up objects to be contained.
    • Know the pitfalls in using containers.
    • Understand the rotation and movement limits that can be placed on objects.
    • Know how to temporarily deactivate interactive settings while editing flipcharts.

    Summary

    Continuing the exploration of the Property Browser, this session looks at the more powerful controls, containers and restrictors. Containers allow an object to contain other objects, following certain rules. Many people find them difficult to set up, and at least one aspect of their behaviour can cause confusion – learn what that is so you don’t get tricked by it! In ActivInspire terms, restrictors are settings that limit how an object moves, but limits can also be placed on how it rotates. Finally, learn how to temporarily switch off the many interactive elements you’ve added to make editing easier.