Assessment Reflection 4

This week I had the fun of rediscovering PowerPoint! It has become so common for me to only use PowerPoint as a presentation tool that I forgot about all it's other capabilities. Firstly I experimented with linking slides. This is done through selecting hyperlink and then selecting within document and then which slide you want to link to. One my first page I had the headings 1, 2 and 3, when you click on one of these it took you to the page with that number as a heading and then in the bottom corner I linked it back to the menu with a return to menu button. This feature can be used very effectively in the classroom for example in designing a quiz; have a question at the top with 3 different answers and when they select on they are told whether it is correct or not. It can also be used as a selection process, the students decide which animal they want to learn about, when they click on it a information page can come up. 
Another fantastic way to use PowerPoint is by inserting movies or audio. This could be used by the students in creating their own narratives, they could have images on each slide and then add their own recordings to narrate the story. Another strategy when teaching a topic could be to add a movie to the slide to engage the students more. Also diagrams and organisational charts can be included to broaden students understanding. 

Another presentation tool which is becoming more commonly known is Prezi. This tool is not linear as PowerPoint is, rather it provides the big picture and then allows you to zoom in on the details. The Prezi still works in slides as similar with PowerPoint although with the added benifit of seeing the whole thing but then moving around as appropriate to examine different sections. Within a Prezi you are also able to insert a variety of different tools to assist in creating the most effective presentation (as seen below). All of these options help in designing an engaging presentation that is not distracting the students but rather adding to what they are learning. For example if they are learning about life cycles, you can add images of animals at different stages of life, or diagrams that show the flow of energy, you can insert a video to allow the students see the animals in real life or if you've already done a PowerPoint on life cycles previously you can even add that in so as to not repeat the same work. 



The following Prezi was designed by my group for our assessment presentation in Ensuring Student Success this week. 



Gone are the days of cardboard posters, we are now being introduced to an online site which allows teachers and students to design interactive posters through Glogster. This a very fun and creative way for students to complete projects and therefore increase their interest and engagement in topics. You won't find videos and audio on a cardboard poster but you can certainly see them here. As students are using or designing using this tool they are also better learning how to manipulate technology and can even teach you a few things about how to use it. Students can use Glogster a lot more swiftly and easily; they can just hop on computers and work on their Glogster whenever and it is all there, instead of going searching for glue and scissors and magazines or having to print out information. Glogster can have a vast range of uses in the class room from teaching or learning about historical people or events, extinct animals, a creative art piece or as seen below, I have designed this Glogster as a science investigation for students in year 5. 



Overall I can see how these tools would be very effective in a classroom to help engage students. Although I believe it is important that when exposing students to the Internet that they are taught to how to use it safely the sites are protected. Also students need to be aware of how to save their work and how to get it back, so as to avoid too much frustration. 
I hope through this week's blog I have helped you learn something new about a tool or way to use it, as you have all helped me immensely!