Question about useful digital tools

I am wondering what digital tool for making student presentations you all have found useful. I feel like kids get powerpointed to death in our school and am wondering what other options are viable.

Thanks for your input.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Fran Lo on October 4, 2010 at 12:06pm

I'm looking into Prezi, though it looks like a real time sink. But before you ditch PowerPoint, teach them how to create a GOOD powerpoint. Also, you can use PowerPOint to create a page that looks and acts a lot like Glogster, but without having to post on Internet (issue yet to be resolved at our school). Can do bckgrounds, picture links, special FX...

Fran

Permalink Reply by Jeremy Kaiser on October 4, 2010 at 9:50pm

I love Prezi!. Don't get me wrong, there is a place for Power Point, but in my eyes, Prezi is king. It is definitely not a time sink. Students can learn how to start a presentation in about 5 minutes of instruction, and the product is always just awesome.

I have been writing about Prezi on my blog this week, Web 2.0.Edu.

I do like the idea of using Power Point like Glogster. I am going to have to look into that this week. Thanks for the idea.

Permalink Reply by Thomas Smith on October 5, 2010 at 10:16am

I will take a look at Prezi. I went to your blog link and appreciated the energy you have put in to explaining how to use this tool.
Thanks

Permalink Reply by Janet Barnstable on October 4, 2010 at 12:49pm

One of my favorite educational bloggers is Chris Betcher from Australia http://chrisbetcher.com/

His latest post is one about creating a Pecha Kucha event. (so read it and see).

Also look at what he did with PPT and year 2 students!
http://chrisbetcher.com/2010/07/redesigning-learning-tasks-part-2/

Permalink Reply by Rachel Gendron on October 4, 2010 at 2:25pm

At my school, we use Prezi - teachers and students loved it. It's more dynamic, and very easy to lean. With the tutorial, my students learned it in 10 minutes. Prezi also have a very interesting option, student can work on one Prezi presentation synchronized (like a google.doc). An advantage that I really like of Prezi; it a type of presentation focusing on key word and image. Is a tool to assist the student with his presentation - the focus should be on the presenter. To often, the focus is on the PowerPoint and the presenter read his/her PowerPoint. I found that with Prezi, it's easier to teach the students how to be a good presenter.

Permalink Reply by Joan Harper-Neely on October 4, 2010 at 5:41pm

I am at a Mac based school district and we use Keynote (an iWorks program). My students have used both Keynote and Powerpoint. When asked which program they perfer to use, the majority voted for Keynote. They found it easier to add pictures, muisc and video. The downside was the lack of clipart.
Antoher option to use for presentations is to use Pixie. This link shows the opitions that this program provides. https://sites.fcps.org/trt/node/141

Permalink Reply by mohammad s AbuHatab on October 5, 2010 at 5:15pm

Hello Educators
there is a lot of tools more powerful than PPT shows , like Wikies which you can use by uploading any format of files and even they can create their own webpages related to the Wiki, it with your students and share their works with orher in their class also with other from other schools.
i am agree with Fran lo that you need to teach them how to create good ppt show
thanks and happy moments

Permalink Reply by Joan Harper-Neely on October 6, 2010 at 5:08pm

Are there any free programs or sites that works like Timeliner?

Permalink Reply by Janet Barnstable on October 7, 2010 at 8:02am

Yes joan.... http://www.timetoast.com/

Permalink Reply by meL on October 7, 2010 at 10:08am