Assessment 1: Embedded Task 3

The following blog entry is in response to Assessment 1: Embedded Task 3

Presentation Learning

 

 http://au.pcmag.com/office-suites-products/8853/feature/top-free-software-picks-presentation-software

Deciding how to communicate information to an audience of school students can be confusing when there are so many ways technology can be used to get the job done. A presentation program, however, allows you the freedom to display information in the form of a slide show in which you can utilise text, media (images, audio, video), links, edited graphical animations, and a sophisticated slide-show type system to present content. There are several dominant presentation tools which are commonly used for different purposes today inlcuding Prezi, Keynote, Haiku Deck, Google Slides, Powtoon, and Visme. This week will explore the powerful presentation software released in 1990 by Microsoft: PowerPoint. 

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Microsoft PowerPoint is a powerful presentation program which has developed and expanded since its release in 1990. Fundamentally, it is a graphical approach to presentations in the form of slide shows which can enhance oral delivery of the content. Its success as the number one presentation software worldwide is due to its simplicity and user-friendliness in which anyone can create and communicate information in way which looks like it were designed by a professional. Your powerpoint space is highly customisable and users are able to insert text, images (including graphes, tables, diagrams, concept maps, photographs, sketches etc.), audio tracks and segments (such as music or narration), video, links to online sites, and can customize their presentation using design templates or an multitude of graphical animations which dictate how any content will appear and dissapear. Transition effects allow the user to customize how each individual slide will progress with a range of options to explore. Timers can be used which enable to a presentation to function automically, with slide transitions and content progressing after specified times.

The software supports multi-author thereby encouraging collaborative projects. Privacy settings will be dictated by the medium in which you decide to share your powerpoint presentation; until this time, the work you have created remains private to you alone and exists only in your personal computer or device. As mentioned earlier, microsoft powerpoint is very easy to use - I remember first being taught how to create a slideshow in year 5 in computer class and having no trouble following the instructions. I also remember having a lot of fun exploring the transition effects to enhance my presentation. An internet connection is not needed; simply the software and a computer or device with bare minimum specifications. 

When using powerpoint to reflect on digital artefacts, these can simply be inserted into your presentation by saving the media to your device and then inserting it via the menu options. Your presentation can be shared by sending someone your presentation file, or uploading to an online sharing space such as a blog, webpage, or file sharing program such as dropbox or google drive. From there you can decide the privacy settings to determine who can view, download/edit, or comment on your file. Additionally, your powerpoint presentation can be recorded and converted into a video file which can then be shared through the same mediums mentioned, but also on video hosting sites such as youtube.

When creating, sharing, and viewing powerpoint presentations there are legal, safety, and ethical protocols which must be established. Several basic standards which should always apply are outlined below:

• Appropriateness of media content being shown to a certain age audience; following Australian codes of practice
• No media which includes students should ever be created or shared without the official consent of the neccessary parties invovled (student and parent). 
• Representation - ensuring a school or companies name is not inappropriately shown or represented.
• Presentation creators must be informed of copyright and plagarism issues, and taught how to correctly reference outsourced information and media
• Presentation creators must be made aware of certain ethical responsibilities they agree to when first creating their personal blog: no posting inappropriate content and no suggestions of bullying.

As a demonstration of how a powerpoint presentation can be used to effectively communicate ideas and information, I have created a slideshow below. The content shares ideas in which the the four concepts defined in the SAMR model can be implemented to establish how presentation tools can be used in the school classroom.

Presentation in schools from Robert Heyman