Getting Started

Provided by the Center for Teaching Excellence

In this document, we will go over some of the basics of ActivInspire. Though basic, these need-to-know things will help later on when creating flipcharts. Discussed in this Document will be the: ActivPen, the Toolbar, the Browser and some of its contents: Page Browser, Resource Library, Object Browser, and Notes Browser.

The ActivPen is used at the board when writing or interacting with the board and/or materials on the ActivBoard. Figure 1, to the left, labels the specific components of the pen in order to assist you in using the pen with the ActivBoard. Some Hints are provided in Figure 1 to avoid difficulties when using the ActivPen.

Figure 1

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 Figure 2 shows an overview of the Browser and the Sub- Browsers within. The sub- browsers include: The Page Browser, Resource Browser, Object Browser, Notes Browser, Properties Browser, Actions Browser, and the Voting Browser. All of the sub-browsers and Figure 2 their contents will be discussed in this document; however, the Voting Browser, Properties Browser, and Actions Browser will be discussed in future documents. Notice the Toolbox Options. Under this menu, the user will be able to move the toolbox for the Page Browser to a desired place on the page. There is also a Toolbox Option in the top right-hand corner of the selected page. The icon for Toolbox Options looks like the Figure to the left of this text.

Figure 3

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The Page Browser icon looks like three pages; one on top of the other, each page having a flower on it. Just like the following figure: The Page Browser displays the pages of the Flipchart. You will be able to Re-order the pages, to do this simply click and drag the thumbnail of the page where desired. It helps to re-size the thumbnails before moving. The thumbnail slider is displayed in the bottom right- hand corner of the Page Browser (see Figure 4).

As you will see on the Page Browser menu in Figure 3, you will be able to insert a page or question, set the background, and etc.
Figure 4

You will notice in Figure 5 to the left that the icon for the Resource Library looks like a directors clapboard with a musical note on top of it.

Figure 5

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 You will be able to find a range of backgrounds in the Resource Library. Backgrounds will appear behind anything else on the page. There are also a number of pre- created activities and pages to help the user create their own activities based on the already created page.

Object Browser
The Object Browser icon looks like the image to the left of this text. In the object browser, you will be able to layer the objects being used in each flipchart page. An object can be anything: image, text, or shape. Layering simply means that the top object will be shown over a bottom object. The Multi-function Toolbar appears when you click on an object. You will be able to make whichever changes you would like to the picture or object. Figure 6 to the left shows the different actions that can be used on the object toolbar.

Figure 6

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Moving or resizing what is referred to, as a pick-up boxes is pretty simple. Figure 7 to the left shows what the circle will look like for changing the size or for changing the size but keeping the proportions.

Figure 7

Notes Browser
The icon for the Notes Browser is the following icon: Some uses of pages notes are: 1. Remind yourself of key questions to ask students. 2. Type a list of vocabulary to add to the page. 3. List how to use the flipchart, if you want to share or reuse the flipchart.

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The Toolbar
The Toolbar is shown below in Figure 8. Most of the tools are self-explanatory; however, the following three are very important: 1. Desktop Annotate Allows the user to see the Desktop and create a Flipchart as if it were on the desktop. 2. Changing Profiles As a default, the Profile is set to the Authoring mode, which means the user is creating and/or editing the flipchart. However, the Profile may be changed to At the Board. This is simply viewing the Flipchart as if it were a slideshow. The user may also either change or create their own settings to be displayed under Profiles. This can be done by going to Edit > Profiles (or Ctrl+J). 3. Power Tools The Power Tools menu is shown below in Figure 9. You will notice that it has some similarities to the Toolbar. However, the Power Tools menu allows the user to add more tools to the Toolbar.
Figure 9 Figure 8

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