Digital Story
Welcome to the first day of class!
Why Prezi?
I started this assignment intending to master Photostory3, mainly because I feel “behind the times” having never put together a visual/text/audio presentation and thought Photostory3 would be a solid place to start. As the week progressed, two posted presentations used Prezi and as I explored the application, its presentation style struck me as unique. The novelty factor made a lasting impression on me and so, I hope, it will on students.
Prezi presents content with a fluidity not seen with slide-type presentations. As text rotates to center itself on the screen, my eye tracks the movement while my brain tries to anticipate the content of the text with an automaticity not felt with other web 2.0 applications. By varying the text size from obvious to nearly unnoticeable, Prezi creates suspense. Previously unnoticed text can suddenly fill the screen, catching the viewer off guard to drive points home. The movement, coupled with the feature that the viewer controls the presentation’s pace (clicking on an arrow to move on) and direction (progressing forward or returning to previous screens), kept me engaged with the presentation. I believe that being a passive observer watching a lesson on a classroom screen is less likely than with other applications.
Prezi’s style appeals to the high school students I teach. As text and images fill the screen, the movement creates a feeling of instant gratification that something is “actually happening” – as though the viewer is watching a video game of sorts. Prezi also can embed video, which I haven’t yet explored.
Prezi as a Teaching Tool
Prezi’s learning curve is impressively shallow and the website offers timely scaffolded video tutorials. My lack of experience with visual media and design was a larger barrier to creating the presentation than the application itself as I quickly learned the importance of a pre-planned storyboard! I used Prezi to create a welcome-back-to-school presentation. Typically, the first day back is dry and boring as teachers run their gamut of logistics (course outlines, texts, rules) while students vibrate with excitement of rejuvenating their social circles. I think this will be a great way to set the tone for the semester.
Throughout a course, I can see using Prezi as a quick tool to present information that is typically dry and needs something “extra” to engage students. Reviews for tests would be great using Prezi – Mathtype questions could easily be cut-and-pasted with answers popping up as the Prezi proceeds.
Unlike other web 2.0 tools, Prezi only requires internet access to create presentations. Final presentations are downloaded and can be viewed without internet access. As a classroom teacher, I like knowing that my lesson will not be affected if the internet goes down. I can easily embed Prezi’s into my class blog or onto my school’s website as each Prezi is assigned a link; this increases the longevity and accessibility of the Prezi’s content since it can be viewed outside of class.
Prezi as a Learning Tool
Prezi would be a unique tool for students to add to their software repertoire. Since the EUL agreement requires students to be “of legal age to form a binding contract”, however, I’m not able to specifically require students to use the application in their learning. I would encourage them to consider it; most parents would likely allow their children to download the free application.
Prezi allows a user to invite others to collaborate on creating a Prezi. This requires students to synthesize their learning with a clarity that others can understand. The group aspect supports the notion that learning is about more than curriculum; that social skills, technical skills, and expressive skills are also critical hidden components of education. As students become comfortable expressing their knowledge in multiple ways, their degree of understanding and overall skill set strengthens.
Prezi engages viewers and in a math classroom, engaged learners feel connected and are more likely to stay motivated. As it is so often the case, a subject area tends to cater to a particular learning style. Prezi gives students an alternative way to engage as well as demonstrate their learning.