By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

2. Use online tutorials a program help features to learn to better use a specific software product.

3. Find add-ins and updates for computer programs.

4. Discuss suggestions for better use and design of computer-based presentations.

5. Describe an approach to instructional design that could aid computer presentation design.

PowerPoint is a program, bundled with Microsoft Office and available separately, that is designed to help the user easily create effective presentation visuals. It can incorporate text, graphics, animation, audio, and hyperlinks, but it is most typically used for simple text+clipart presentations.

The output can be a slideshow that is meant to accompany a lecture, discussion, or other presentation, but PowerPoint can also produce handouts and Web pages (although it is not a Web page design tool.)

Because of PowerPoint's market dominance and availability, it is singled out from the other presentation software packages here.

Learning to Use PowerPoint

One of the best ways to learn to use PowerPoint is to sit down in front of a computer where it is installed and "play" with the program. Try typing in text, or pasting in graphics. Look at the different features. Use the help feature frequently.

For those more methodical, a face-to-face lesson or an online tutorial may be more helpful.

Microsoft has produced an online tutorial for using PowerPoint 97. It includes a number of self-paced lessons that are listed on the page listed below. Visit the following page now and click on "Starting PowerPoint as a Beginner;" proceed through this lesson:

www.microsoft.com/education/tutorial/classroom/ppt97/intro.asp

If you are interested in learning more, click on the other online lessons here. When you click "Starting PowerPoint as a Beginner," you will be sent to the following page:

www.microsoft.com/education/tutorial/classroom/ppt97/overview.asp

(Experienced PowerPoint users should still look through this lesson, but may also be interested in the lessons that follow.)

Microsoft also has a Web page to introduce users to their more recent release of PowerPoint for the pc: PowerPoint 2000. This is bundled with some of their Microsoft Office 2000 products. But this page is not as good of an introduction for a beginner. After you look through the lesson noted above, please visit this page:

www.microsoft.com/education/tutorial/classroom/o2k/ppt.asp

You might find it helpful to print out the information from that page, and most of it can be found in a Microsoft Word 97 document at the following location:

www.microsoft.com/education/curric/office2k/ppt2000.doc

Please do not be put off by the tone of this document. It assumes that the reader will be a teacher, even though many readers no doubt have other occupations. But in a way, regardless of your occupation, if you are using PowerPoint then you are probably trying to teach others, even if it is in a corporate setting, or as a university student.

You can find other online tutorials on PowerPoint, such as the one at:
http://www.actden.com/pp/

Add-Ins and Updates

If you own PowerPoint, or any Microsoft products, I suggest you frequently visit the Microsoft Web site to see if there are any updates or add-in programs of interest. Sometimes computer software publishers find security problems, operating problems, or other problems with their programs, and (the nicer ones) offer free patches or updates. Furthermore, some programs can use add-ins or plug-ins, which are really software enhancements for that particular program.

If you are interested, you should visit the Microsoft site at:

• http://www.microsoft.com/

For a look at the free downloads associated with PowerPoint, click here.

You might also be interested in their pages dealing with updating Microsoft Windows and updating Microsoft Office.

A number of "third party" products are available to assist PowerPoint users:
www.powerplugs.com/

Play

As noted earlier, one of the best ways to learn to use a (user-friendly) program is to start using it, and consult the help feature or other resources if you have unanswered questions. Because each person may be at a different experience level, you should push yourself beyond where you were in using PowerPoint.

Tips on the Effective Use of PowerPoint

Please try to use PowerPoint effectively. Although I will cover presentation skills elsewhere, here are some tips about the general design and use of PowerPoint:

• You may not need to place all of your spoken text on a slide. In fact, it is often much more effective to just include 2 to 6 bulleted items. It is usually a poor practice to read information that is on the slide. Just use the slide to highlight certain points.

• Use a consistent style among your slides.

• Your job is not to present information; it is to help people internalize that information. Therefore, be sure to include audience interaction and participation. One slide might pose a problem, and then ask a question.

• Use a reasonable number of slides. Do not overwhelm them.

• Avoid slide transitions that are annoying. (The sound of a screeching car is particularly distasteful.)

• Be concise.

 
• Make sure your presentation is sex-fair, race-fair, and free of any other offensive, insulting, or otherwise inappropriate images or content.

• Only use handouts where they facilitate your objectives.

 
• Be clear. Make sure the choice of font color, font face, font size, language use, and illustrations promote legibility and understanding.

 
• Look your audience in the eye. Only glance at the slide when it absolutely necessary.

 
• Rehearse.

For a quick PowerPoint slideshow on tips for giving effective presentations (with PowerPoint), click on the following:

www.research.ucla.edu/era/present/sld001.htm

Presentation (Instructional) Design

There are many approaches to instructional design. One common approach is the six-step ASSURE model, which includes the following tasks:

1. Analyze the learner.

2. State the learning objectives.

3. Select the media to be used.

4. Utilize the media.

5. Require learner participation.

6. Evaluate learning and effectiveness.

You can learn more about this and other approaches to instructional design at sites like the following:

www.scps.k12.fl.us/curriculum/technology/arttech2/assure.htm