Cerritos College Education Technology Program Gets Helpful Donation from Inspiration Software

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 27, 2008

Media Contact: Aya Abelon, Public Affairs: (562) 860-2451 ext. 2287

NORWALK, Calif. – August 27, 2008 - Inspiration Software, an award-winning educational software company, recently donated 56 volume licenses to the Cerritos College Education Technology Program (EDT) under the company’s Grant Licensing Program.

The donation included 28 volume licenses for the company’s Inspiration 8 software and 28 volume licenses for their Kidspiration 3 software. The donation is worth $2, 585.

The college’s EDT Program teaches current and future educators how to successfully use technology in the classroom and how to “deliver technologically innovative programs and curriculums to a diverse student population.” A number of the courses are Inspiration software based.

Inspiration 8 software is used by teachers of grade 6 and up to help students improve their critical thinking and writing skills. The program allows students to learn how to brainstorm, research and write reports.

Kidspiration 3 is for younger students. Teachers of K thorough grade 5 implement the software to help them teach reading, writing and math. It allows students to learn words and numbers through visual stimulation.

The college already had 20 copies of the Inspiration software before the donation, but no Kidspiration software. The donation of Kidspiration will allow students who plan to teach younger children gain hands-on experience with more relevant software.

“In the past I could not justify purchasing the Kidspiration software for only a few projects that might be done by only a handful of teachers,” said Dr. Cynthia A. Alexander, Department Chair of Educational Technology.

The grant will also give more students in the EDT Program access to the software by allowing more computers in the ASC lab and another student computer lab to have the programs installed.

It is important for teachers to have experience using Inspiration programs. According to one study done by Quality Education Data, more than 60 percent of school districts in the U.S. use Inspiration software in the classroom.

The Cerritos College EDT Program uses specialized training courses to help teachers and future teachers increase their knowledge of computer-based learning tools and invent new ways to deliver instruction. The curriculum consists of more than 34 one to three-unit courses. The majority are online courses designed to allow students to complete them at a time that is convenient. EDT faculty are technology professionals who are dedicated to helping educators take charge of their professional development and meet the changing instructional needs of the 21st century. EDT offers both an Associate degree program and a certificate program. For more information about EDT please contact Dr. Cynthia Alexander by phone at (562) 860-2451 extension 2794 or by email at calexander@cerritos.edu.

###