Monday, November 23, 2009

PowerPoint: A New Perspective

I spoke briefly about this in my post on Web Accessibility Resources, but I wanted to expand on it here. In my original post, I wrote:

"Powerpointlessness - I love it! Until reading Scoring Powerpoints, I have generally been of the opinion that Powerpoints should never be used in the classroom as a way to say "I'm integrating technology". While still true, I do see now the benefits of helping students prepare effective Powerpoint presentations with accompanying supportive documentation since remains a critical skill in the 21st century. But, it can not be the only tool used by students! If you want to explore some of the ways that Powerpoint can be used effectively in the classroom, here are some Powerpoint Tutorials to get you started: Powerpoint in the Classroom, Internet for Classrooms."

That was before I completed my Interactive Powerpoint Assignment for class. I have created many a PowerPoint (or StarOffice Impress) presentation over the course of my career but I have never created one that was designed to be used as an interactive lesson. It proved to be an interesting and motivating challenge. The mindset in creating a presentation of this format is very different than a presentation one creates with the intent of a speaker using it as supporting documentation. The interactive PowerPoint needs to be a standalone module that interacts with all students regardless of any limiting disabilities (unable to read, hearing impairments, sight impairments, etc...) they may have. I had intended to actually use this lesson with a 1st grade class at my student teaching placement but it was rejected as it didn't fall within their curriculum guidelines or methodologies. In any event, I enjoyed creating it and would like to share it with you. Feel free to use in your own class. The link below allows you to download the PowerPoint show. If you would like the editable version, just let me know.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Interactive & Accessible PowerPoint

You can also take a look at the accompanying documentation designed for teachers which explains the lesson's goals, curriculum standards met, and differentiated instruction/accomodations. The document also contains numerous resources and citations.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Interactive PowerPoint Teacher Supplement


Finally, I have one more tutorial to share with you from the Florida Gulf Coast University. I hope that using the tutorial and samples provided you will be able to create your own fully accessible and equitable interactive PowerPoint lessons for your students. If you do, please share. I would love to see your creations.

No comments:

Post a Comment