Teaching with Slideshows

The influence of digital videos on our everyday culture is undeniable. Online video sharing sites such as YouTube, Vimeo etc, boast monthly audience numbers in the millions. Teachers can use videos to deliver course information that can be extremely helpful in opening up class time. Lectures and other introductory information can be viewed before class, which allows for more practice- and skill-related class activities. These videos are accessible at the student’s convenience and can be watched numerous times to assist with coursework and skill mastery. Benefits to students: Videos create a more engaging sensory experience than using print materials alone.  Learners actually get to see and hear the concept being taught and can process it in the same way they process their everyday interactions. They provide a go-to resource that can be watched from anywhere  with an internet connection, and are accessible on a multitude of devices including laptops, tablets and smartp...

Allow time for students to reflect on what they have seen. Picking up from the previous point it is important to allow students to reflect on what they have seen. This can happen in a number of ways; for example completing set questions or discussing key points in small groups and eventually feeding back what they have discussed to the rest of the class.  Technical quality is important. Make sure playback facilities are available in the lecture theatre or learning centre (and are working). Other areas to consider are whether the screen size is adequate for the number of students? Can you lower the lights near the screen? Is the sound clear enough? The payoff for downloading video resources from the Internet for free is often the quality of the resource. With educational resources that are bought through reputable distributers you avoid such problems and are guaranteed a professional product.   Used as a refresher. The great thing about video is that it can be watche...

Choose your video resources wisely.  The selection of  educational video resources available is astronomical. Pick any subject area and you are sure to find a plethora of video content accessible, ranging from home videos on YouTube to professional programmes on many sites. Therefore, it is vital to spend time prior to the lecture watching a range of educational videos/clips, in order to find the one that best fits its intended purpose.   The ethical issue.  There are a huge amount of educational video resources available to download on the internet. However, it is important as educators that we instil in our students a respect for other people’s property. We spend time warning students about the ethical implications of plagiarism, so it is imperative that we make sure that we reference where the video resource and educational clips have come from, just as we would reference a book or journal. Remember that a number of videos available online have co...

Include audio or video to create a more immersive experience.  Audio or video integration is ideal, especially if you are trying to make your eLearning presentation more dynamic and interactive. Narration, background music, and video explanations are all examples of multimedia tools that you can (and should) use. Some say that videos hold the future of eLearning. Embed links to references and resources.  Including links to articles, reference sites, and other web resources can give you the opportunity to expand the learning experience of your learners beyond the eLearning presentation . Rather than making the learners scour the web for these resources, you can direct them to specific sites that they may find helpful. Integrate real life examples.  Real life examples, such as those that your learners will encounter on the job, allow them to relate to the content. They also help them to see the value of the eLearning experience, given that they are made aware of exact...

Map out your strategy in advance. Before you dive into the creation process, it's always wise to map out your entire eLearning presentation or slideshow. Develop a plan for each page and decide which elements you are going to include. You may want to consider developing a mind map or storyboard to help you with this process. Determine the flow and pace of the eLearning presentation or slideshow, so that you can design the eLearning experience around this structure. Keep in mind that organization is key when creating eLearning presentations, as it will allow you to stay on-topic and only include elements that are absolutely necessary. Always focus on the learning goals.   Always be aware of the  learning objectives , so that you can custom tailor every aspect of the eLearning presentation to help learners get one step closer to achieving their primary goal. Text should be concise, clear, and carefully crafted.   The text you include in your presentation or slideshow ...

PowerPoint is a presentation software developed by Microsoft Corporation. Although the program was designed for creating presentations , it has evolved into a great tool that can be used for many other purposes. By adding sounds and other special features, you can create fun, interactive study tools, like games and quizzes. This is great for all learning styles and grade levels. Make an Animated Map Quiz If you’re studying geography or history and you know you’ll be facing a map quiz, you can create your own pre-test version in PowerPoint. The result will be a video slide show of the map with a recording of your own voice. Click on the locations and hear the site name as the words appear on screen. This is a great tool for all  learning styles . Auditory learning is enhanced as this tool enables you to see and hear names of map locations simultaneously. Use a Story Template Use PowerPoint story writing templates to help integrate literacy and technology in...

Slide presentation software such as PowerPoint has become an ingrained part of many instructional settings, particularly in large classes and in courses more geared toward information exchange than skill development. PowerPoint can be a highly effective tool to aid learning , but if not used carefully, may instead disengage students and actually hinder learning. Advantages Increasing visual impact Improving audience focus Providing annotations and highlights Analyzing and synthesizing complexities Enriching curriculum with interdisciplinarity Increasing spontaneity and interactivity Increasing wonder Challenges Although there are many potential benefits to PowerPoint, there are several issues that could create problems or disengagement: Teacher-centered. Students often respond better when instructors have designed sessions for greater classroom interaction , such as the   use of student response clickers , designing PowerPoint to   facilitate case stud...

More efficient note-taking It can be difficult for students to concentrate on listening and note-taking simultaneously. Showing presentations and information via an interactive projector gives you the ability to share notes digitally at the end of the lesson — and when students know you’ve got the broader note-taking covered, they can focus more on listening, and only writing down things that are specifically useful to them. This can also reduce the issue of pupils taking down incorrect or irrelevant notes, which is particularly useful when covering new or complex topics, as it ensures everybody has the same (correct) foundations to refer back to. You can also store this information online, so it’s no longer the end of the world if a pupil loses their notes right before an exam. Interactive presentations keep children engaged It’s much easier to concentrate on something when you’re playing an active role. Up to ten students can draw on an interactive projector scree...

PowerPoint is the most popular presentation program which allows users to create, edit and show beautiful presentations with the help of slides. The user can combine the text, graphics and multimedia to support a presentation. Using power point as a presentation tool is a good way, as it offers some distinct advantages. Here are some important benefits of using power point for presentations . One of the most important benefits that you get from using PowerPoint program as a presentation tool is that you can not only create and modify professional-looking presentations, but can gain mastery on it eventually. This is easy to learn and organize the slides in a professional way. All that is needed to be done is to do a little practice. This is the reason that PowerPoint software is so popular among the professionals. Microsoft Power point provides numerous features which can be used in order to improve your presentation skills. For example, the feature of SmartArt that can be used ...

As technology enters the classroom more and more each year, there are always new innovations being brought into the fold that can help teachers to get their points across better, and help students learn more efficiently . One such tool that has been utilized in the classroom for some time now and continues to be used heavily is the Microsoft PowerPoint program. This program is one that enables teachers and students alike to prepare presentations . When used effectively, PowerPoint can really enhance teacher presentations and the overall comprehension of students. It is a program that allows teachers to present their lessons in a more dynamic way than simply lecturing and writing on the blackboard. PowerPoint has become very popular because it's easy to learn and widely available. It provides the ability to equip your presentations with different types of media - including images, sounds, animations, and much more. This enhances the students' abilities to retain what th...