Prezi - Web 2.0 presentation tool

This is a more in-depth look at Prezi then the one in the copyright and creative commons post.  I personally really like prezi for the fact that it has very good templates and transitions that can help you showcase your creativity and produce a presentation that stands out from the majority which are usually made in Microsoft's PowerPoint.  Some of the templates available, like; timelines, ideals, family tree, mind maps and more, can help you emphasize your point or tailor your presentation to your topic.  The ability to start from scratch with a blank template is also available and again opens up more possibilities than other similar services but I haven't ventured down that road yet.

With great templates and unique transitions come more restrictions however as you have to keep your content within the boundaries of the template.  That can sometimes by problematic if you need more slides than the template allows for.  Images can also only be re-size proportionally which I found restrictive.  Text only has three different available fonts and 30 colors.  When you are used to working with the full array of options available in other tools, the limitations quickly become evident.

As for ease of use, I am a bit thorn because if you are just looking to add text and pictures in a template then odds are you will find it rather user friendly but if you have specific ideals in mind and want to customize the template a little, things quickly become unintuitive and even complicated at times.  Despite my limited experience using Prezi, using other tools that are less complicated leads me to believe they could still make it easier to use. In the end it's all about compromise, if you are making a basic presentation without any bells and whistles, Prezi probably won't be your go too tool, but if you like to create something more unique that will stand out, you probably won't mind spending the extra time needed to reach that goal and will therefore probably love Prezi.

One point I touched on in the aforementioned post was Google Docs' superior collaboration capabilities but I have recently discovered that Prezi also has a surprising array of collaborative capabilities.  I still think that collaborating in Google Docs would be a more pleasant experience but if you decide to make Prezi your go to presentation tool, you will be happy to find out about their collaborative options, as long as you don't mind paying for those capabilities.



Taking the comparison between Prezi and other similar tools, in this case; Microsoft PowerPoint, here is a nice comparative table I found using my PLN.  As you will see, the Scribd created table below confirms some of the points I elaborated on in my analysis of Prezi. 

Tapping into our previous learning about creative common licenses in my last post, take the time to look at the license for this Scribd by Chris Clark, located at the bottom of his table. 

PowerPoint-vs-Prezi

In conclusion, if you have been relying on presentation tools like PowerPoint or Google Docs and have never tried Prezi, you should really take it for a test drive.  We all know how boring presentations can be for learners but if you are willing to invest a bit more time creating with Prezi, you may just manage to keep their attention instead of loosing it. 

Good luck with your discovery.

Share your feedback below about your personal experiences using Prezi.

Thanks

Mat

© & (CC) Prezi - WK10

This post is the means by which I want to simultaneously demonstrate a great Web 2.0 presentation tool called Prezi and help you understand media copyrights © and Creative Commons (CC) licenses.

As we explored Digital Rights and Responsibility throughout the past weeks, we discussed our responsibility to follow copyright laws and giving credit where it is due when utilizing media. The short presentation below not only helps clarify the term copyright but also provides insight as to what the various (CC) license logos represent so that you know exactly what you can or can't do with the media.

Prezi is a great tool for online presentation.  In contrast with Google Docs, it doesn't have all the fantastic collaborative tools but it has the templates and effects available to give your presentation the wow-factor that I had mentioned wasn't available in Google Docs.  Prezi allows for much more creativity and you can even make a fully unique presentation by omitting to use a template and simply start with a blank presentation.  You contributions on Prezi are also available to everyone online which helps you increase your digital footprint.

* The Prezi is best viewed in full screen mode by clicking on the icon on the lower right.

 
So where can you find images for instance, that you know you can use, share, remix or modify, in your own presentation? Flikr.com is a great place to start but you can also use Google so search images with specific licenses, follow the video tutorial below for instructions on how to conduct such a search.


In conclusion, these tools will not only help you make very creative and original presentations but it will enhance your digital citizenship by making sure you know how to access content that you know you can use in the manner in which you intend to use it.

Now all that's left to do is to let your creativity flow.

Have fun!

Mat

Collective knowledge building tool Voicethread and Online Polls/Surveys - Wk9

Retrieved from:  http://fluidsurveys.com

As indicated in my previous post dedicated to Voicethread,  is a service that allows you to creation and share content while incorporating video/audio narration.  What sets it apart is the ability to post comments that are audio, video or the usual text method.  Most services have text based comment or response capabilities only,  which limits learning possibilities, outcomes and engagement.

As a learning tool I can easily see this being used instead of live chat in online courses where it can be extremely difficult to get everyone together on something like Google Hangouts to have a discussion.  I also see this as a more engaging and more interactive than strings of typed comments in a forum.  It would allow learners to post a audio/video responses to discussion topics and produce something that is much closer to a live discussion than forum posts, especially when viewed after everyone has contributed. 

I see this tool as allowing for a more authentic discussion experience than say, a forum.  That is probably one of the ways I would incorporate it.  While I consider this a collaborative tools,  the collaboration is about the learning more than the content itself.  Learning from one another is beneficial but learning from one another in a way that is a bit more human than text is even better.

Polls and Surveys

I've used FluidSurveys before, a Canadian site might I add, and I was really satisfied.  These are great learning tools as far as feedback is concerned.  Feedback is gateway to improvement but often we don't receive feedback about things we've done or are scared to ask for some by fear or criticism.  What's great about this is it can be done anonymously so people are therefore more honest.  This is also a great way to encourage people to answer questions they might not be as comfortable to do so, especially if their point of view goes against popular beliefs.  Finally it's a great way to get statistical data to supplement research or arguments for instance.  I strongly believe in asking for feedback from my learners as a way to get a pulse of what works for them and what does or which of my techniques or methods they prefer.  The best way to improve is by being told what you do well and where you could improve.

I took a few minutes to build a quick anonymous survey on digital media piracy, available here, and included it to my scenario.  I'm excited to find out what kind of results I get and hopefully more than two people take it.

Privacy being one of the most talked about subject of the digital world, this week I decided to share a great link I found through my Feedly on educating children about the many facets of digital privacy.
Click here to access these great little videos

Post your comments, opinions, suggestions below as usual.

Mat

Technology use scenario #10 - Video Game (movie/music) Piracy + 2 min anonymous survey

Scenario 10

Kevin has just purchased the latest video game, Too Fast '22. He and his friends enjoy playing games on the computer.  His best friend Vince also likes to play video games, but doesn't have the money to buy the latest games.  Kevin decides to be a good friend and give a copy of the game to Vince.

The following scenario was retrieved from:
Ribble, M., Digital Citizenship in Schools (2nd Ed.), 2011, p. 93.
ISBN: 978-1-56484-301-2.    

Response

Kevin's action here is inappropriate because copying and giving away copies of a video game is illegal.  The license he acquired when purchasing the game allow him to play the game on his computer, not to copy and distribute it, regardless of if he is making money off the copies or not.  Video games, like movies and music, is protected by copyrights and laws against this sort of behavior.

If Kevin felt that bad about Vince not being able to afford to purchase the game, his best course of action would be in have him over so he can play it on his computer.

The video games industry has become increasingly better at preventing/combating such behaviors, to such extent that, in some cases, you can't even lend one of your friends a game you have for one that he has like many of us probably did growing up. 

Now if you are not a "gamer" simply substitute the game for a movie or a music CD, two scenarios which I would argue are way more common.

In your opinion was Kevin's action wrong?  Should Vince accept the copy? How else could Kevin have been a good friend to Vince?  Why do so many people engage in this type of behavior? What are the effects of such behaviors?

Please take two minutes to participate in an anonymous survey by clicking here

I am really looking forward to read your comments/opinions on this topic!

Mat

                                                                   

Wikis

Retrieved from: http://socialweblearning.blogspot.ca/p/wikis.html

This week's exploration is all about Wikis,

Wikis are another great collaborative tool, they vary from what we discussed last week about Google Docs but still have features that make for a great collaborative experience. When compared to Google Docs, I somehow see wikis as having an edge for long term ongoing projects.  The fact that others can also add to your group's work adds value to the learning experience.

The video found by Common Craft found here gives a very simplistic ideal of how wikis can be used to collaborate.  Despite not being a big fan of their style of video, it provides a good simplistic introduction.  I personally don't think that I would use a wiki to collaborate on a camping list but can see how it works better than Email.  However, despite how simple it looks and how much faster it may be, human nature has clearly shown us that how we sometimes rather stick with what we know or prefer - case in point, many of us will text back and forth for 15 minutes to exchange information that would have taken 2 minutes to exchange by calling each other.  I am guilty of that as well but  I can certainly see how it would be a great tool for collaborating on a group project and aim to use it in the near future. 

I can see this being used to prepare for an exam for example, everyone pics a topic or chapter and posts his summary on a wiki. Everyone must then review at least one or two of their peer's content to ensure nothing is missing (proof it - peer review) and voilà, collaborative studying where everyone participates, is engaged and therefore retaining more of the knowledge. What's even better is that now it is accessible to others to learn from online.

Similarly, Richard Bryne, one of the educational bloggers that I follow on my Feedly, discussed the topic of students using text messages to study - read more here.  Each creates a database of questions and then quiz each other on the material.  This of course is a great way to get people so study collaboratively.  It engages by making them do it in a way that is appealing and turns what would normally be the chief distraction into the learning mechanism.  Although I personally prefer the concept mentioned earlier about using a wiki, I did previously mention that people don't always do what is simplest or easier so maybe this is a great way to engage learners.  It is proven that learning from one another helps us better understand and retain information so either method is sure to help in some way. It would be interesting to have a group of learners try one method and another try the other method then give both groups the same test, compare results and have a discussion about their experience. Not every study technique works for everyone but I'd be interested to see which appeals to most and which seem to yield the best results.

Finally, I must say that I've always been one to dread collaboration, especially in an online context but the collaborative tools I have discovered, explored and had the chance to use in the last few weeks have really changed my perspective.  Group work will always present challenges but many great online tools are helping ease the process by making it easy for multiple learners to work together on a project.

What have your online collaborative group project experiences been like? What is your favorite collaborative tool? Will having learned more about it encourage you to give it a try? In what original ways have you used these tools in the past?

Share your ideals below!

Mat

Google Docs, a collaborative adventure.

Retrieved from: http://degreedirectory.org/articles/10_Collaboration_Tools_for_the_Digital_Age.html

 

Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/VsH39i

Welcome back,

This week we finally explore a tool - Google Docs, which unlike most of the ones we've discussed thus far, is meant to create collaboratively and does so very well .  You can create a project and invite other members to join in and contribute by adding and editing the content.  Another great feature that highlights the collaborative capabilities of Google Docs is the ability to leave item specific comments and for others reply or rectify what was mentioned.  Emails keeping members updated on the comment stream are also a great way to ensure all parties are aware of the progress being made. The cherry on the sundae for me was the ability for multiple users to work on the project simultaneously because I expected to be limited to one person working on the project at a time like I had experienced in many network shared documents.  If you are familiar with this phenomenon, you don't have to fear the dreaded "read only access" message because it doesn't apply in Google Docs - thankfully.

Using this tool for learning purposes to work on spreadsheets, presentations or documents from any computer that is connected to the Internet eliminates the format compatibility issues that you can encounter when using different programs or operating systems while accessing such a project from a USB sticks or cloud storage like Google Drive.  As a side note, I'd like to point out that using Goggle's tools also, by coincidence, brought me back to my Drive cloud storage account which I had neglected but now find a refreshed interest in.  

As a collaborative tool, I can see it being used in an activity where a cohort uses a table as a means to highlight similarities, differences, advantages and disadvantages of certain concepts on any given topic as a homework assignment.  

It could also be used by a classroom looking to collaborate in an sketching/drawing activity where many people are submitting ideals for a logo, crest, flag, banner, mascot or any other project where various people have been given a particular task in completing the project as a whole.  A school's sports team crest could also be designed by many people within through this method.

The only reason I wouldn't be able to part with some of my other tools in favor for  one is because it lacks the ability to add the dazzle that some other tools can.  The tools' simplicity, in this case, is both a strength and a weakness from my point of view.  If you are someone who isn't looking for any fancy features that can sometimes make your work standout, you will be at home in Docs.

As a parting note I'd like to add that my experience working collaboratively on a presentation with two other members has highlighted the complexities involved in coordinating a time to simultaneously communicate about the status of our project.  Deadlines being what they are and realtime comunication providing the oppotunity to make sure everyone is on target, we finally managed to pick a time and day where our free time lined-up.  Although this won't always be required, we felt like doing so would be another great learning experience and it sure was.  Staying relevant to the challenges of time manageament and the fact that many of us changed the time on our clocks this weekend, I found a very informative blog post by Richard Bryne on daylight savings time and time zones.  You can learn more about the origins and complexities of managing time by visiting his blog here.

Leave comments below on your collaborative experiences or share some ingenius ways you've seen tools such as Google Docs be used in a learning environment. 

Mathieu Leclerc