1. technology and computing
2. programming languages
3. javascript

‘
Basics of
ActivInspire
Course Instructor:
Ashley Witman
witman@wlake.org
Handbook by Heather Hamker
Flipchart by: Ashley Witman
1 credit class
1
Table of Contents
Topics
Page #
Module 1: “Breaking it Down”
Dashboard Breakdown
4
Inspire Settings
Layout Tab
7
Commands Tab
8
User Defined Buttons
14
Settings Tab
16
Module 2: “Where Did it Go?!”
Design Mode vs. Presentation Mode
18
Menu Bar
19
Browsers
Page
22
Resource
24
Object
29
Notes
31
Properties
32
Action
38
Drag and Drop
Voting
Object Edit Box
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40
42
2
Topics
Page #
Module 3: “Actions And Other Ideas”
ToolTip
44
Hide & Show
46
Grouping
48
Group & Pulley
49
Magic Ink
52
Using Colors
54
Layering Objects
56
Module 4:
Inserting Media
58
Inserting Sound
64
Inserting a Weblink
68
Course Objective: By attending this course, you will have learned the basics to
ActivInspire and be able to use the software in your classroom and be able to
create flipcharts.
Course Requirements: In order to earn a credit for the class, you must attend
class each day and have a flipchart to show by the end of the week. Your
flipchart can be as basic or elaborate as you choose.
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Module 1: “Breaking It Down”
Dashboard
ActivStudio 3 Dashboard
ActivInspire Dashboard
Click this box if you want the dashboard to pop open on start up
4
To open up Inspire in Primary, click here.
The dashboard breakdown:
Quick links to flipcharts
Immediately opens desktop flipchart
Immediately opens the ExpressPoll
Goes directly to Promethean Planet
Quick links for Profiles, device registration, and
updating software
Opens Promethean’s Web Support
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Unless you are getting
lessons from a Smartboard
website, you won’t use this
link.
Import a Powerpoint
presentation from this link.
Actions from your
powerpoint s are disabled
in a flipchart.
Open a flipchart already
saved from this link.
If you are creating a new
flipchart, you can click on
this link to open a blank
flipchart page.
Settings
This is the section that used to be the Studio Settings, Toolstore, and Customize
in ActivStudio 3. All sections have been condensed into one area found under
File.
LAYOUT Tab
You may use already created toolbars or customize toolbars for different
content areas by clicking on the Profiles drop down menu.
How large do you want the icons on your toolbar?
The main toolbox can be docked at the bottom,
top, left, or right of your program. It can also be
floating as in ActivStudio3.
You can easily switch between profiles by
clicking this icon on your toolbar.
What are the different Profiles created already?
“At The Board”
“Authoring”
This profile was
created with
the basic tools
that you would
need while
using a
flipchart during
a lesson. If you
write and erase
and use a few
basic tools, this
is the profile to
use.
This toolbox has
been expanded
to include the
Text tool, along
with some user
defined buttons
in the third
column. When
creating
flipcharts, this is
a quick toolbox
to use.
“Language
Arts”
The language
arts profile
includes more
writing tools
like the Text,
Handwriting
Recognition,
Tickertape, on
screen
keyboard,
and spell
check.
“Math”
The math
profile
switches to
include more
math tools
such as the
ruler,
protractor,
calculator,
dice, and XY
origin.
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COMMANDS TAB
The Command Tab used to be called the “Toolstore.”
To create a profile, start with any created profile.
Open a
profile
Save a
changed
profile
Save a
new profile
1.
Delete a
profile
2.
3.
4.
Undo
changes
Adding tools to your toolbox:
1. Click on the tool that you want to add.
2. Click on “Add” at the bottom of the menu box.
3. IF you want to move the tool on the toolbox, click “move up” or “move
down.”
4. Don’t forget to click “Done” when you have made your changes.
** When creating a new profile, click “Save As” before changing your
toolbox and change the name of the profile. That way you won’t change
an already created toolbox when clicking “Done.”
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Some of the basic tools:
Old
Look
New
Look
Old
Look
Desktop Annotate
New
Look
Tools
Previous Page, Next Page
Start/Stop Voting & Express Poll
Pen
Old: eraser
New: Magic Ink
Highlighter
Text Tool
Page Reset
Fill Tool
Clear Tool
Tickertape
Undo/ Redo
Page Zoom
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New Tools
Desktop Tools – You will use this wheel when working on a program other than Inspire or
if you want to take snapshots of pictures online.
Promethean Planet
Keyboard
Go back to Inspire
flipchart
ExpressPoll
Screen Recorder
Camera
More Tools
New Tools:
Eraser- it actually erases!
Shapes Tool- This replaces the pen modifier (right clicking on the pen)
Connector
Insert Media from file
Page Browser (The “old” page selector and organizer combined.)
Math Tools
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USER DEFINED BUTTONS Tab
User defined buttons are programs that you use along with a flipchart (Word,
Excel, pdf file, etc). These programs will show up in the third column on your
toolbox.
To add a User defined button, go to the settings and click “User defined
buttons.” You will probably get nothing showing in Button properties, so click
“Program/File” in the Type box and then click “add,” you should then be
looking at the screen below.
Step 1: Make sure the Type
selected is “Program/File”
1.
2.
Step 2: Search your computer
for the file you want to select.
3.
Step 3: Label the file in “Tooltip”
In order for your User Defined File to show up in the third column, make sure the “roll
in” box for main toolbox is unchecked in the Layout tab.
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SETTINGS Tab
The setting tab is similar to the Studio Settings in AS3. What can you do in
“Settings”?
 Apply settings to ActiVote or Expression questions. (Learner Response System)
 Set the clock tool to analog or digital. (Clock Tool)
 Set the Spotlight and Reveal tool colors. (Effects)
 Set the Resource Library to display as a grid or list. (Flipchart Objects)
 Change the default web browser page. (Online Settings)
 Enable the spell checker (spell checker)
 Set the colors for your math tools, select a calculator, or set dice speed. (Tools)
 Choose to use the system keyboard or Inspire keyboard. (User Input)
 Change recording settings when making flipchart recordings. (Recordings)
 Set the World color and default page scale. (Flipchart)
 Show or hide the sound controller. (Multimedia)
 Set visible objects in Design Mode. (Design Mode)
“Profile and Resources”
will most likely be set by
the district tech office.
This area tells Inspire
where your resources
are located.
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MODULE 2: Where did it go?
Design MODE vs. Presentation MODE
Some people created flipcharts in design mode in ActivStudio. Design mode
would turn off all actions while you worked. In Inspire, you can toggle between
design mode and presentation mode with one click.
Presentation Mode- Blue Star
Design Mode- Red Star
If your actions are not working on the page, check the upper right hand corner
of your screen to make sure you are working in Presentation Mode.
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Show Desktop
19
Menu Bar
Flipchart
Sizing
BE CAREFUL! The red X in the upper
right hand corner will close down
Inspire and will not ask you if you are
sure you want to exit.
Multiple flipcharts
can be opened
at once and
tabbed along
the top. To close
the flipchart,
click the x on the
tab.
Toggles between
full screen and
Windows mode.
Keeps track
of all open
flipcharts.
RESOURCE BROWSER
The “Resource Library”
is no longer called a library and no longer
contains only your resources. It is now called a Resource Browser and contains
EVERYTHING!
Page Browser
(Page Selector &
Organizer)
Object
Browser
Properties
Browser
New Item!
Resource
Browser
Page Notes
Browser
Voting
Browser
New Item!
Actions Browser
(Resource Library)
On the next pages, we’ll go through each browser and how what it contains.
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Page Browser
The Page Selector and Page Organizer in ActivStudio are now called the Page
Browser. In this browser you can maneuver through your flipchart or rearrange
flipchart pages.
You can
shrink or
enlarge the
size of the
browser by
grabbing the
side of the
browser and
dragging.
Move the slider up to
create smaller
thumbnails or to use the
browser as a page
organizer.
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Within your page browser, is another drop down menu for each flipchart page.
This menu will allow you to alter the flipchart page or flipchart with ease.
Adding a blank page
between pages in easy
by clicking on “Insert
Page”
If you need to
duplicate a
flipchart page,
click here.
Delete a flipchart
page.
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Resource Browser
The Resource Library from ActivStudio is now called the Resource Brower.
My
Resources
Shared
Resources
Other
Resource
Folder
Browse to
another
folder
Search
The view shown above is in List View. See the next page to view it in Grid View.
24
In Grid View, you can see more of your resources. Let’s look at the items on this
browser more closely.
This button will Roll Up the
top half of the browser, so
you can view more
resources at once.
Toggles Transparency
or
In ActivStudio
this was a box at
the bottom of
the library.
Rubber Stamp
Select an image and
stamp it on your page
multiple times.
25
Here’s how to change the view mode to grid each time you open up Inspire.
First, go to File and then Settings
Then follow the steps below.
1
2
3
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You can also change the view directly from you Resource Browser.
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OBJECT BROWSER
The Object Browser is new to Inspire. In the Object Browser you can actually see
which objects are located on which layer of the flipchart. You can then easily
move an object to a different layer while in the Object Browser.
Here’s a screen shot of a flipchart page with the Object Browser
open.
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Here’s an up close look at the Object Browser for the previous page.
These objects are
locked on the flipchart
page. To unlock, click
on the lock next to the
object. You can also
lock all objects on the
page by clicking
“Locked” once.
These objects are hidden
on the page and set to
be revealed at a later
time.
Notice that all the layers are separated in the Object Browser along with each
object on that layer. Any object that is locked on the page shows up with a
lock next to it. Any hidden objects show an eye with a red X.
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Notes BROWSER
By clicking on the
“Format Toolbar” you
will open up the text
formatting options such
as font, size, color, and
alignment.
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Property broWser
The Property Browser can be overwhelming when it is first opened. Here’s the
breakdown of each section:
The Identification tag contains the
name, any keywords associated
with that object, and whether it is a
question, option, or label.
The Appearance tag shows you
which layer the object is on and its
level of visibility.
The Position Tag basically
tells you where the object
is located on the flipchart
page as well as its size.
From this menu, you can
invert, angle, reflect, or
lock down the object.
Continued….
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You can add labels to your
objects from this tag. Labels
allow you to name an object
and have the label be attached
to that object without grouping.
This is also where you can
create a ToolTip (see Actions).
Containers can now be
made in one window!
The Rotate Tag allows you
to set mobility preferences
to an object. You can set
the object to rotate in a
certain direction and also to
rotate around other objects.
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Restrictors allow you to set
an object to move on a
certain path, block other
objects, or set sizing
preferences.
Miscellaneous contains the background
properties of the object. Do you want a
certain color or background of the
object to be transparent? You can also
set Drag a Copy to be “True” and make
infinite clone of that object.
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Action Browser
You can set an object to contain
an action by selecting an image
and clicking on the action you
want it to contain.
Once you’ve set an action to
an object, don’t forget to
click “Apply Changes”
otherwise your action will not
be set.
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New! Drag and Drop Feature
You can now drag an action
out of the Drag and Drop
menu right on top of an image
and the image will contain that
action. Or just drag the action
out of the Drag and Drop
menu right onto your flipchart
and the action will be there
ready to click.
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VOTING BROWSER
In this box you can register your voting devices and keep track of the results.
Switch to ActiVotes
Use Expressions
Toggle to anonymous voting
Device Registration
Assign students to
devices. This is also
where you can
create multiple
classes using one set
of devices.
After voting, results will show up
under this heading.
Vote Settingsclick the box if
you want the
results shown
after each
question.
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Object Edit
ActivStudio 3 Object Edit Box
3.
9. 10. 8. 6. 7.
4.
Inspire Object Edit Strip
1. Freely
Move
3. Object
Edit
Menu
2. Rotate
Object
5.
Group
4.
Transparency
Slider
7. Send
Backward
6.
Send
Forward
9. Increase
Object
Size
8.
Duplicate
10.
Decrease
Object
Size
The highlighted numbers on the ActivStudio 3 object edit box correspond to
their new icons in Inspire.
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What’s New?
 The Freely Move icon is now on your object edit strip instead of on the
object itself.
 The Rotate Object is also on the object edit strip instead of located on the
object.
 All of the editing tools (cut, paste, copy, delete) and the properties icon
are now located in the Object Edit Menu.
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