We all need inspiration at times. Sometimes, you can get that new ideas just by seeing examples or cases of what other people are doing. At SHIFT, there are several sources that have inspired us to create kick-ass eLearning courses.  That's why we've collected our favorite places where we usually find amazing sources of inspiration. Make sure to bookmark these sites so you can check them out any time you need them.

Stumbleupon:

Use StumbleUpon to get cool and innovative ideas for your eLearning projects. We use it to find websites, videos and tips related to any topic we're working at a specific moment.  If you want to learn other uses of this tool for eLearning professionals you can take a look at this article by Edudemic. 

TweetChats:

Tweetchat are regularly scheduled events where people from different industries gather to have discussions over Twitter. For eLearning professionals they are a great resource for learning and networking.  Check out this article for further explanation of how to use them.

Quora:

A place where a number of experts and industry leaders offer advice to those looking for insights, experiences, tips and tricks on a certain topic. Also, it's a great opportunity to connect with new people who share similar interests. Follow popular questions relevant to your industry/experience, and use those ideas and opinions as inspiration for improving your courses.

TED Talks:

We're sure you have seen a TED presentation once in their life. These talks offer educational-related insights and ideas. We suggest you check out these links for further inspiration:

1. Check out 10 TED Talks, recommended by Christopher Pappas for every eLearning professional.

2. More specifically, if you're a designer, there are other 15 recommended TED Talks that will definitely inspire you. 
   

3. Awaken your mind with the 20 most watched TED Talks (2012). From education to brain function to inspiring messages to techno-possibilities, this list represents quite a breadth of topics.
   

Google Alerts:

A must-know source for staying current on specific topics. It will keep you up to date about the latest news in your industry and also about what other people are talking about it on forums and blogs.

Once you set it up, it will email you updates of the latest Google results based on your topic. All you have to do is enter your search terms and decide how often you want to be notified. Finally, enter the email address where you want to be notified. 

Bottlenose:

Look into Bottlenose, it provides live social intelligence by analyzing activity across all of the major social networks. You get to see what’s trending on the social world in real time. To learn how to use this tool read this article.  

AllTop:

This is a directory of pages that curated feeds on almost any topic you imagine. If you love collecting interesting content as much as we do, you’ll love it too. Just find a page that relates to your topic, find the feeds and add them to your feed reader. It's definitely a simple way to have all your favorite feeds in one place. For some eLearning inspiration, check this feed. 

Share any other inspirational sources you might have in the comments!