Prezi

My  prezi presentation is also shown in the post above this one. The image in that one came out kind of blurry, but it is what it is. I had a hard time getting it to show on this page, so I'm not going to play with it any more. I think it's not bad for a first attempt, but I would need more practice before I felt comfortable with Prezi. If you click on this link in this post my prezi shows more clearly.

What I did: I created a Prezi using the same subject as I did in my Powerpoint (Fractions).  I titled this one "Fractions in Action". It is geared to 3rd graders.  It uses most of the same content. It has more "wow"factor than the Powerpoint.I had about 20-25 items, combination of text and images. I used the tools.  I added URLs with live links. I used a You-tube video: Numerator and Denominator Song. I embedded it to show on my blog page.

What I Learned:  This was very new to me.  It was all new.  I still need practice to refine my skills and avoid the images popping at the audience too  much.  Mine isn't ass smooth as the examples we were given, but not bad.  The hardest part was the embedding on Blogger, but in my classroom or for a presentation to faculty I would have to do that.

NETS-T:  This activity relates to the following standards::
1) Standard 1c, which states that teachers are to "promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes".  Students could be taught to use this to restate what they have understood from a digital presentation.
2) Standard 2d, which states that teachers "provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching".  This would be a very good assessment tool to determine students' depth of knowledge.
3) Standard 3b, which states that teachers "collaborate with students, peers and parents and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation".  Prezi can be a collaborative tool in that it can be shared and edited by numerous collaborators.

How it can be used:  (See above)  Prezi can be used for instruction, for assessment, for collaboration, and for polished presentations.  It has more pizzazz than Powerpoint.  One would have to consider the type of presentation when deciding which to use. I think that both have their place, neither is better or worse.  I have noticed that students tend to use too many words when making Powerpoint presentations.  This would force them to use less text, more images, and verbalize more.  Prezi is more interactive.  It is also more visually stimulating, which is not necessarily a good thing with my young students.