Student cohort: Applied Social Care students
The findings from both the pre- and post-demonstration questionnaires indicate a consistently positive attitude towards mind mapping, with a measurable improvement in students’ perceptions after being introduced to Inspiration software. 26 students completed the questionnaire, prior to the demonstration, 85% of students reported that they had heard of mind mapping, and 77% had previously used it. However, most of this experience was based on traditional pen and paper methods. This suggests that students already had a solid foundational understanding, making them well prepared to transition to a digital tool.
In terms of attitudes before the demonstration, 50% (13 out of 26) of students stated that mind maps definitely help with studying, while the remaining students largely selected “maybe,” with very few negative responses. This indicates that although students were generally open to the benefits of mind mapping, a significant proportion had not yet fully recognised its effectiveness as a learning strategy. The data highlights an opportunity for digital tools to strengthen these perceptions (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Student responses to” Do you think Mind Maps can help with studying a topic?”
This image, Student responses to” Do you think Mind Maps can help with studying a topic? was created by Elaine Kelly on behalf of TUS, using Napkin AI and is licensed CC0.
Following the demonstration, responses from 17 students showed a clear shift towards more positive and confident attitudes. However, 9 of the 26 students present in the class did not submit responses to the post-questionnaire. The most popular feature identified was the ability to create mind maps to organise ideas, with many students also selecting additional features such as templates and visual elements (e.g. images) as beneficial. In terms of usability, the majority of students rated the software as either “very easy” or “quite easy” to use, with no strong negative feedback recorded. This suggests that Inspiration is accessible and user-friendly, even for those with limited prior experience of digital mind mapping tools.
Confidence levels also improved notably after the demonstration. Most students reported feeling either very confident or fairly confident in their ability to use the software independently, indicating that the demonstration was effective in building user confidence. Additionally, students identified several practical academic applications, including brainstorming ideas, planning written assignments, and organising research, demonstrating an understanding of the software’s versatility (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Student responses to “What type of college tasks do you think Inspiration could help with?”
This image, Student responses to “What type of college tasks do you think Inspiration could help with? was created by Elaine Kelly on behalf of TUS, using Napkin AI and is licensed CC0.
Overall, the findings suggest that while students began with a reasonable level of familiarity, the introduction of Inspiration software led to increased confidence, clearer recognition of its benefits, and a strong willingness to use it in the future. The fact that the majority of students expressed interest in using the software soon, with no significant negative responses, reinforces the conclusion that Inspiration is an effective and engaging tool that can positively support students’ learning and study practices (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Student responses to “Would you be interested in using Inspiration for your own coursework in the future?”
This image, Student responses to “Would you be interested in using Inspiration for your own coursework in the future? was created by Elaine Kelly on behalf of TUS, using Napkin AI and is licensed CC0.
