Looking for an exciting way to present information to your students this year? Something more than just listing text for them to copy down? A great way to spice up your presentations is to use Prezi. Prezi is an easy to use, engaging tool. It is known as "the zooming presentation editor." In Prezi, you can zoom in on phrases, insert pictures, YouTube videos, flip, spin, and move around the presentation however you like. Click here for an example.
Although Prezi looks difficult to create, it's simply a matter of double clicking to add text and inserting images to let the pictures do the talking. Check this tutorial to see how to create your presentation.
From using Prezi, I've learned a few tips that have been helpful to me:
1. Before creating a Prezi, it is best to plan out your presentation first. Draw and map out your ideas on a sheet of plain paper first.
2. If you'd like to use a picture as a background, it's easier to insert the picture as your first step. You can move it backward by clicking on the "x" of the Zebra editor later, but it can save time if you do this first. Because the presentation will zoom in very close, you'll need to use a large picture to ensure it doesn't become pixelated. Stock Xchange is a great place to get large, royalty free images.
3. Add to the excitement of your presentation by placing text vertically rather than horizontally. This will make the screen flip and turn. Do this by clicking on the outside rim of the Zebra editor.
4. When you plan out the presentation, think about the key ideas that are most important to your lesson. Zoom in on those ideas, or better yet, place them right below another word, zooming in as you present.
5. Look for creative ways to share your ideas. Have a big point to make? Zoom in and type that right next to the period of another sentence. Have an idea that is a smaller piece of another point? Look for a letter "o" in the first point, zoom inside of the "o" and type your next point there.
Using Prezi allows you to create an engaging presentation that is easy to edit and fun. No more boring slideshows in 2011!
