Prezi is an online zooming presentation software that was first introduced to me a couple months ago. To be quite honest, I despised it. For some reason the crazy zooming and odd (not like PowerPoint) controls contributed to my distaste. Frankly, it made me dizzy.
About a month ago my students were assigned a project to create a PowerPoint presentation about one of the many social reforms in the 1800s. I came to realize a few things through this assignment:
- My students can read fairly well. I know this because I painstakingly sat there and watched them read every information packed slide to the class while I pretended to be paying attention. Wow was it boring.
- I can trust my students. They do complete their assignments, its just that the damaged flash drives and spam destined emailed documents don’t allow one to view a presentation.
- Microsoft Office from circa 1997 will not open new PowerPoint. I learned this because the little technology we do have at my school stinks.
- I cannot do this again. This was the type of assignment that makes me despise using technology in the classroom. I become a curmudgeon. Nobody likes a curmudgeon.
We’ve moved on from social reforms, and I think my students ended up learning a fair amount. I had to follow it up with creating a paper concept map that included all the information they should have learned from those o-so-riveting presentations.
So – the Civil War Causes Project loomed. I can’t do PowerPoint again, I simply don’t have the strength. Students do need to practice their oral presentation skills though. As I was writhing in self reflection, I happened to recall Prezi and asked my students if they’d ever heard of it. Naturally, some had. This was perfect! An online presentation that students can create anywhere and present in class - Nailed it!
I just needed to learn to use it better…
The opening page is simple. In fact, the whole thing is fairly simple. I’m not sure why I had such a difficult time with it before. Sign up, sign in, choose a theme and get building!
The “paw”, as I like to now affectionately refer to it, is in the upper left hand corner of the screen and acts as the menu system. There are buttons to edit, insert media, change the frame, change colors and clearly show the path of the presentation.
When one works on editing a particular “stop on the path”, this small circular appears which allows the creator to change the size of the image/text, edit it or delete it entirely.
This is going to be great. More entertaining presentations, no computer hiccups, and a relatively easy to use program. We do have one computer lab in my academy, but the computers are only internet terminals (no saving documents or printing) so this is going to be a practical application for my students to use.
I’ve provided a link to my first Prezi presentation (which stunk and is incomplete because I got frustrated) and then another one I’ve recently completed (which doesn’t stink quite as much).
Stinky:
Less Stinky:
http://prezi.com/yzhuezof4jlt/latin-american-independence-movements/ Regards
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