Web 2.0 Presentation Sites

My novice days: Powerpoint. 

A few years ago, I first used PowerPoint for one of my Teacher-Librarian diploma courses.  There was a learning curve but it was good to be exposed to its software as many students come to our library space and use PowerPoint - still.  I'm not a big fan of Powerpoint as presentation skills aren't really developed or honed.  Anyone can press the button on Powerpoint and simply leave the room. Other presentation tools (for example Smartboard) encourages more eye contact and strong familiarity of subject material.  You can see how much I like Smartboard software! I have a Smartboard in my classroom (I teach 2 blocks of Humanities 8 when I'm not in the library).  I use it everyday - sometimes merely as an expensive whiteboard, but I'm becoming more skilled at all of its potential.  Last year I attended a Pro- D workshop for Smartboard training at David Livingstone Elementary here in Vancouver.  I attended Laurie Cassie's workshop and she demonstrated all day on the Smartboard she got back in 1998.  Computers/iPads/smartphones all need replacing more often than a Smartboard, which is why I support the idea of schools purchasing Smartboards over iPads.  This is a contentious issue for many.  At my son's school - Mackenzie Elementary - iPads were purchased last year.  I like iPads and I'm very happy that my son will learn how to use an iPad but I was really hoping his school would go the route of Smartboards.

Two years ago, I learned about Prezi:

I asked my students to use it and I encouraged teachers to use it with their classes.  Initially, my students did over pan and over zoom.  But after the intial use, students did improve their Prezi skills.  I worked with the TREK program at my school on a Prezi Rubric - we have changed it from the first time students used it and I think now we've got a good working rubric on Prezi.  I've asked my Grade 8s to use Prezi for their next project on Religion.  I'm looking forward to their presentations.  Many of my students have used Prezi in elementary school.  On a side note, here is a great example of a prezi on the US Election:

http://prezi.com/-3m3b7palqy2/election-results-prezi/

I googled "Web 2.0 Presentation Sites" and found this excellent site/wiki:

http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/Presentation+Tools

So much is offered here -- presentation tools (Prezentit, Animoto, Google sites), colloborative tools (Google docs, inetword), research tools (addictomatic), video tools (Animoto), slideshow tools (slideshare), audio tools (Wavosaur, Audacity), image tools (Flickr, Picasso), and many other tools -- drawing, music, organizing, mapping, quiz and poll, graphic and creativity tools.  It's a fantastic site with a great depth of information.  It's a wiki so it's collaborative in nature.

Excellent for exploring different kinds of presentation tools - outside of Prezi and Powerpoint.

I discovered Presentation Tube in my search, too - I have never heard of it but will check it out:

http://presentationtube.net/

This is found on its front page:  "PresentationTube offers a video presentation recorder and video sharing network to help teachers, students, and business professionals record, upload and share video presentations effectively. The recorder synchronizes a variety of visual aids, including presenter's audio and video footage, PowerPoint slides, drawings, handwritten words, and web content to produce effective video presentations ready for uploading and sharing via PresentationTube network. PresentationTube helps presenters to involve the audience via scrollable slide thumbnails, comments, and quizzes with unlimited video storage, unlimited video delivery, and no banners or ads". 

I checked out one short video - 1min, 30 sec.  It seemed a bit amateurish but it did offer an audio component combined with a visual component.  We could ask students to narrate a powerpoint presentation.  It's all about experimenting and playing around with presentation tools, isn't it? 

I tried Glogster:

I've just signed up for Glogster Edu (Hilary suggested I try it).  I've been checking out the examples on the site.  At first, most of the posters look crowded and can be overstimulating.  However, I can see how some students may like to use this software.  I just tried it out and I like the format and software - it's super easy to use.  Features include, link, upload, grab, graphics, text, image, video sound, data, draw and wall.  It's a bit too techy for me but it is easy to use.  According to Ian Jukes, students can choose whichever format they want to use - teachers shouldn't dictate one format over others. There should be three options: high tech, low tech or no tech.  The point is to use whatever tool students are most creative.  So, I think I will show this presentation tool to my students to see if they are interested in Glogster.