I know I know. That laptop post was a bit harsh and pessimistic. When I reread it a couple of weeks later, I figured I’d try to find a way to fix things. Otherwise, I might turn into the grumpy old teacher who only whines about others but doesn’t improve.
So, how will I fix death by powerpoint?
I had heard of it before, even experienced it in class when some of my fellow classmates or teaching assistant risked it, but I had never tested it myself or even documented myself regarding it’s possibilities and advantages.
Today was the day.
First off, I read the do’s and dont’s of Prezi to get a general idea of its worth. I realized it was a lot like Powerpoint, which should make people who are less techno-savvy feel more comfortable. Furthermore, it is much more lively in the classroom because it shows the link between ideas without having to textually write it down; movement does it for you. Plus, it allows you to connect your ideas and keep that connection when you send your Prezi to your students; they won’t have to wonder and chat with each other to remember what the heck you were talking about.
If you are starting from scratch as I was, you might be feeling a bit lost at this point. Why am I making such statements? How could I know, having spent only a few hours reading on the subject? Go experience a Prezi, wether with that link up top or here.
Once you know the basis of the program and you’re convinced it’s a useful tool, since you brushed against a well-made, interesting Prezi, you might be wondering what more you would gain from learning to use this tool.
Well, one major advantage compared to other tools is the fact that you do NOT need to be online to use it. You can simply download it on your computer and edit it on the go, just like that video shows!
Now that you like the tool a bit more, here’s a bit of inspiration for the classroom: you can use a picture as a start off for a discussion by zooming in on a particular part of it then zooming out, exploring the context with the students. Or, you can test student knowledge by asking them to make a Prezi as a support for their oral presentation: it would be impossible to put every single word they will say on a Prezi, unlike on the Powerpoint tool, because it would simply be too time consuming.
Once you know your way around and believe you are good at using Prezi, you should make sure not to get in the same loophole as people do in Powerpoint. They forget the simple rules of thumb then they end up not caring what the final product is. By always trying to improve your presentations, you will make sure to keep yourself on your toes and to keep being interesting. So, keep up to date with the perfect rules, and subscribe to a blog about Prezi or even better, their youtube channel, okay? 🙂
Brittany Lavigne 