I have had to deal quite a bit with Microsoft PowerPoint and had a little experience with Prezi so I will try and compare Google Presentations with both. The first thing that I noticed about the Presentations was its ease of use. It is a fairly simple program to use, having all of the tools laid out on the one page with the pull down taps was very familiar. It is very similar to older versions of Microsoft Word. the most current versions have different taps that honestly I don't like. It didn't seem to have some of the bells and whistles that PowerPoint has such as the timing functions and the audio editing abilities but for the average presentation these are not used. It is very difficult to compare with Prezi. They are both Web based applications, Prezi is also free in its base setting. Prezi is much more dynamic. It is most more difficult to use and even more difficult to change the templates.
There several aspects that I found most interesting and really quite surprising. The fist Issue that I really like was the ability to upload and convert PowerPoint. I already have several PowerPoint and it was nice to know that it I wouldn't have to redo them, in truth I wouldn't of course. I was not able to upload and convert a Prezi, I didn't think I would be able to, but I just wanted to try.
I also like the Snapshot Background. It was very quick and easy to use as well as getting images off the Internet. Inserting video from the web was extremely easy. Of all the functions that I used and compare to PowerPoint this was by far the biggest difference.
It was nice to see that it is possible to download them as PPTX files so that it is possible to access to them even if there is no access to the web.
Another function that I thought was interesting, even though I am not sure how I would ever use it is the Slide Links. I am not sure if I see the advantage of going to a particular slide unless the presentation was set up like a flow chart dealing with a problem. If a student works a problem correctly hit this link and if it the answer is wrong go to this slide.
On the whole I was very impressed with google Presentations. Also the ease with which it can be used would certainly fit the Common Core Standards. It is one thing to say that 5th graders are to develop their presentation skills, but there needs to be a program easy enough to use that allows this. Google Presentation is a free easily accessible program that certainly meet that standard.
It was nice to see that it is possible to download them as PPTX files so that it is possible to access to them even if there is no access to the web.
Another function that I thought was interesting, even though I am not sure how I would ever use it is the Slide Links. I am not sure if I see the advantage of going to a particular slide unless the presentation was set up like a flow chart dealing with a problem. If a student works a problem correctly hit this link and if it the answer is wrong go to this slide.
On the whole I was very impressed with google Presentations. Also the ease with which it can be used would certainly fit the Common Core Standards. It is one thing to say that 5th graders are to develop their presentation skills, but there needs to be a program easy enough to use that allows this. Google Presentation is a free easily accessible program that certainly meet that standard.
No comments:
Post a Comment