Using Prezi for learning

Prezi is a cloud based presentation software that allows you to zoom and navigate to text, objects and YouTube clips on a canvas.



 I've started using it as a learning tool. Here's why:

• It's pretty intuitive and the tutorials are very good.
• There are a number of advantages associated with cloud storage, including ease of access, collaboration and sharing.
• As a Geographer, the ability to explore an issue or topic spatially and at different scales is very appealing.
• A good prezi needs planning; this encourages students to think about the context of the content they wish to convey.
• When done properly, creating a prezi is a creative process. They can be visually stunning and a real hook for students.
• The prezi viewer for the  Ipad is a great app.
• You can breathe new life into Powerpoint presentations by importing slides into a Prezi.

Here are some of my thoughts on using prezi:

Thinking Skills

1. It is possible for students to create a multimedia mind map of a subject.

2. A prezi could be created to incorporate multimedia clues to a thinking skills mystery activity, in much the same way as I did with Photosynth (I describe this in a previous post). For example, I'm thinking of creating a prezi 'suspect wall' full of information to help students solve the mystery of who killed an environmental activist.



3. Students could make an editable copy of a prezi produced by the teacher which is full of information, pictures etc of a topic. They could then sort and group the information, make connections and re-size according to importance. They would then be able to present their findings to the rest of the class.

4. Students could be asked to follow a presentation path for a prezi that has been produced by the teacher. They could give a commentary on what they see and understand. This could be recorded using Audacity (audio only) or screencasting software.


Collaboration

5. As  prezis are stored in the cloud, it is possible for students to collaborate- for example, individuals could be given responsibility for a particular continent on an outline map of the World. They would then populate their continent with relevant material. The prezi brings their individual research together and the geographical context is clear.  The ability to edit and create prezis with others in real time is a real plus; there's nothing stopping teachers and students on different continents working together on a presentation. It could also be a good platform for transition work between Primary and Secondary schools

Revision 

6. The 'understanding a topic template' provides an ideal framework for revising a topic or unit of work. The ability to incorporate YouTube clips means that it is possible to incorporate screencasts (see my previous post). Making a prezi public means that everyone can have access to it.



We're having fun with Prezi, but be warned, a path that jumps too much from one end of the canvas to the other can make you seasick!

Using Technology to support revision

Not every pupil achieves their potential in external examinations. One reason for this is revision technique; even the most innovative and engaging lesson is unlikely to have much of an influence on a student’s final grades if he/she is unable to recall the learning outcomes. Linear examinations mean that nearly two years may have passed (maybe more if you start GCSE classes in year 9, like dukkhaboy) between the lesson and the examination, making effective revision crucial. How can technology help pupils revise for Geography examinations?

One method was demonstrated to me by Will Wright, a Maths teacher and recent Microsoft Partners in learning teacher award winner. He uses Community Clips, basic screencasting software for Windows, to record instructional videos as an aid to revision. These ‘Mathscasts’ are then uploaded to his YouTube channel for the students to view and revise at their convenience.  He uses interactive whiteboard software to present his mathscasts and an audio commentary. Here is an example:

There are a number of reasons screencasts appeal to me to support students when revising:

1. The clips are designed to support the lessons taught and directly reflect desired learning outcomes (this is great because I’m likely to make use of a variety of case studies, many of which aren’t referenced in revision guides. The guides themselves may not be written with our examination board in mind and in the target language of Welsh).
2. Students are more likely to watch a YouTube clip than pick up their course files and revision notes.
3. Listening to the clip with headphones means less distraction.
4. Students who are daunted by lots of text and find it difficult to access will be able to listen to the commentary and view an active demonstration.
5. The clips can be made available to download onto mobile devices.
6. They are easily available, provided there is internet access.

It would be great, for example, to provide students with a tailor made guide, easily produced and based upon digital resources that I’ve already created to:

• Demonstrate how to make effective use of resources such as maps and photographs in exam papers by referring to a past examination question.

· Explain processes such as atmospheric circulation or the formation of landforms associated with different plate boundaries.

· Deliver a commentary on a mind map created by the class as the basis for an essay based question.

· Create a ‘walk through’ of pre-release material in preparation for a synoptic examination.

· Produce a library of case studies.

 A variation on this theme would be to create podcasts using free software such as Audacity. 
  

Will has taken this idea further by encouraging students to create their own Mathscasts. I love this idea. Taking ownership of the revision guides consolidates previous learning; viewing them on laptops or mobile phones is in tune with students preferred means of communication and, for some, more accessible than course notes.  

The community clips software is also used by the Partners in Learning community of innovative teachers to provide online guides or innovids for educators.