What Do We Know About Amazon Inspire?
It’s almost here- the Amazon Inspire! This open education resource tool will be making a splash in classrooms around the United States and changing the way knowledge is shared. We’ve discovered all the ins and outs of the Amazon Inspire to share with you the pros, the cons, and everything else in between.
Amazon Inspire Features
At the time of its launch, the Amazon Inspire will include these great features:
- Smart Search: ability to search for resources based on grade level, district, or educational standards. Users can filter the search by choosing 10 criteria to find their exact needs.
- Collections: Users can place searched resources into groups- collections- name the collection and share it with other users.
- Simple Upload: ability to drag and drop files into the database. Share, edit files, name, and publish uploaded content within minutes.
- Reviews: Users can review the uploaded content within Amazon Inspire so other users can find out if the content will suit their needs.
- Accessibility Support: There are built in accessibility features in the Amazon Inspire such as the users being able to easily navigate with popular screen reading applications.
Pros
The Amazon Inspire is a leader in the online educational resources platforms. This project has opened up a world of information and educational tools sharing and this is just the beginning. With a recent launch in beta stage, the Amazon Inspire is already showing users how incredible it can be. A short list of pros for the Amazon Inspire includes:
Sharing Educational Resources Online
One of the greatest features of the Amazon Inspire is the ability to share educational tools and resources with other users online. It is easy to use and users can upload information for students and educators from kindergarten level all the way to grade twelve. Educators from across the United States can benefit from the plethora of educational tools and resources that are uploaded.
Time Saving
Users are able to save so much time with the Amazon Inspire. With the features in place such as smart search, accessibility support, and collections, you can find all the sources you need in one place- and in just a few short seconds.
No Cost to Users
For all users it is free to upload and to use. The fact that the Amazon Inspire includes a wide range of educational sources and tools for no cost to any users is attractive for many public schools and homeschool environments.
Excellent Contributors
While the Amazon Inspire encourages uploads and information sharing from educators, there are also outside contributors with exceptional reputations. Some of the current contributors include:
- U.S. Department of Education with College Scorecard
- Folger Shakespeare Library
Cons
Although the pros heavily outweigh the short list of cons, there are a few factors that need to be considered and these might affect the ability to use the great features of the Amazon Inspire in the first place. A list of the cons include:
Must have Education Background to Use
The Amazon Inspire is only available for use by educators or educational institutions. At this stage, Amazon Inspire is in Beta and those interested in using the program must request access from Amazon directly.
Limited Availability
While the Amazon Inspire is still in the Beta Stage, it is only available in the United States. It will initially launch in larger states such as California and New York and will not be available for the remaining states until after the initial launch. It is not confirmed whether or not the Amazon Inspire will become available for international users.
In the end, the Amazon Inspire will be a game changer for information sharing and educational tools and resource sharing for educators and educational institutions. It will only be a matter of time before classrooms across the United States, and eventually, the globe, include this awesome technology within the curriculum.
Laura Carter has decent experience in educational field. Right now she works with dissertationwritingservices.org. She’s keen on academic and creative writing and passionate about language learning. Follow @carterlaura15 to hear more from her!