Microsoft PowerPoint
What the resource is and what you
need to make it work…
PowerPoint
is one of the presentation software. It is really famous as presentation
software which can make interesting and affective presentation of any subjects.
PowerPoint, originally it was called “Presenter” actually, was developed by Forethought.
In 1978, both of this software and the company was acquired by Microsoft Corporation.
There is the great number of users all over the world, and so many schools,
companies and organizations have this software in their computers as well. When
you want to get this software, you should buy the package of the Microsoft
Office, which including Word, Excel and so on, to pay money and download them
to your computer. When you start to use PowerPoint on your own computer, you
have to sign up your user name, although it is not difficult. If you use PowerPoint
on common computer, it is not necessary to make difficult registration and you
just click the icon of PowerPoint.
How the resource can be used by teachers …
Teachers
can use this software in various situations. It is frequently used when a
teacher introduces new information to their pupils. There is wealth of content,
for example word art, animations, designs, and so on, which can emphasis on important
information and make presentation interesting. We can put information on
PowerPoint not only text but also pictures, movies, sounds, maps, graphs,
charts and so on. Moreover teachers can link to the internet on PowerPoint as
well. For example, if a teacher link to YouTube directly, he or she does not
have to download movies from website. Or for example, if a teacher uses a
particular website like there are English learning exercises, he or she can go
to the website and show them to pupils. We can share our own presentation with
other people. If you click on “broadcast slide show” and have Windows Live ID,
you can show your presentation to other people. People who get the link of
presentation, he or she can watch it even if he or she does not have
PowerPoint.
How the resource can be used by pupils …
Pupils can use this software as an oral communication’s task. The way of using this software is not so difficult. If pupils can type at a keyboard and use mouse, they definitely can be to user of PowerPoint. Pupils can make slides as much as they want, even they can make only one slide, thus there is no pressure to make presentation so much. Most of schools have this software in their computer, so they can make it in their school by themselves. Also there are guidance how to use PowerPoint, therefore pupils can refer to it even if they have unclear points.
Other considerations when using this resource…
Miki
Shirabe
I think you make some great points about how you can use this software and what possibilities it offers both for you as a teacher and for the pupils. I personally would not survive without power point as I use them all the time when introducing stuff to my pupils.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of your blog text you mention what kind of software package, Microsoft office, would be appropriate to purchase and in addition to that I would like to add a couple of things. The software has a price, of course, most schools probably rent their computers and get that software for free but if not they might not want to spend money on the whole office package. Although I agree with you that would be the best way to go about it. You might also have to consider the fact that the amount of computers the schools have access to will determine how they would be able to work with the software. If you want the pupils to be able to present their work in front of the class you would also need some kind of projector connected to a computer to make it visual for all of them. Also you would need these computers to be connected to the internet in order to use the “link access” you write about.
You also mention that this is an easy software to work with, I agree that almost anyone can figure out how to write in it but I do feel like the pupils would need some kind of lesson before using it. Many teachers just expect that the pupils know how to use everything on a computer, and they do know how to use a lot of it, but according to my experience that is not always the case. To make the most of the software and make all functions available for the pupils I think you should provide them with a formal lesson in how to use power point.
Another thing that comes to mind and is connected to the pupils using power point is what the purpose or goals with the exercises are. In your blog post you mention using power point to practice oral communication, in this case by presenting something by speaking and using power point as a tool. I would like to add to that by mentioning that an exercise like that would include some practice of writing (a power point often contains some kind of text or words, you might need to translate), reading (while gathering information from for example websites you need to read) and listening (which you would do while the other groups or student are presenting their work).
In the end you mention some things to consider while working with the software. I think you make one really important point there when you write about over using the functions available and making sure that the content of the presentation is valuable. This is something that I see pupils doing a lot when using power point. I have seen several pupils show their power point presentations full of pictures and effects but with a lack of actual content. You also make a point there where you mention that the person who presents by using power point tends to focus on their presentation more than what is going on in the classroom. I agree with that, specially when pupils make their presentation they might need to look directly at their presentation because they have not practiced on presenting their material. But for me, as a frequent user, the access to use power point kind of has the opposite effect. Because I can show my pupils the presentation on the screen I do not have to focus so much on writing everything down on the headboard. That gives me the opportunity to actually focus more on what reactions the pupils have to what I am saying.
Emma Bendtsen