Prezi Digital Tool No 6

PREZI
Prezi is a digital visual demonstration tool. It is similar to PowerPoint, however the attraction of Prezi appears to be the visual stimulation, manipulation and movement of text and graphics on a single page to tell a story or present an idea. PowerPoint on the other hand provides for straightforward graphics and texts that move from slide to slide.
Prezi is a new digital tool to me and I have not used it before at all so my opinion is one merely based on research and ‘playing’ with the website. In his blog Tim Leberecht http://news.cnet.com/8301-13641_3-10315737-44.html draws comparison between Prezi and PowerPoint and quite nicely states what I was thinking: “ Prezi differs radically from PowerPoint in that it requires an alternative mental model: Information is displayed in a non-linear fashion”
This in itself would not so much limit its educational use, but would require though on the learning style and age of the target audience (students), particularly if this was the only presentation tool used containing important information for assessment.

PLUS:

1. Visually stimulating and interesting for an audience, possibly captivating.
2. Would be excellent as a discussion tool, or ‘hook’ tool to introduce a new unit.
3. Possibly time consuming in initial stages of putting it together, certainly if it was a one-off presentation (same as PowerPoint).
4. Start with a blank canvas. Uses as a presentation tool appear unlimited.

MINUS:

1. Does the ‘what happens next?’ question overtake the importance of the message?
2. Does not allow printouts or handouts of (slides) information.
3. A student would have to go through all the presentation to search for the information he/she was looking for.
4. May be too confusing for learning support students.
5. As with all ICT, it is time consuming, until you get the ‘hang of it’ and experiment with what you can do.
6. General discussions on moodle website have alluded to feelings of ‘sea sick’ from the visual format of the canvas as it changes.

INTERESTING IMPROVE IMPLEMENT

1. Although visually stimulating, it may detract some students from the point of the lesson or message of the presentation.
2. As with PowerPoint it is only as effective in carrying a message, as the information put into it in the first place. It may be visually stimulating, but if the presenter has got carried away, the message or impact may be lost.
3. I would not use Prezi as the main form of information for a web Quest or similar, I would use PowerPoint because the information is presented in a ‘linear’ style which would suit the learning style of the majority of students in a class.
4. Prezi would be effect as a ‘hook’ for teachers, or to let student present investigation findings as a form of assessment. However I would caution, as I did with PowerPoint, the time factor involved and losing the impact of information or ‘message’ compared to how visually stimulating it is.
   

WHAT I THINK

I would encourage older or more computer literate students to play with Prezi to see what they come up with. I do not think it will replace PowerPoint, but I do see Prezi as an effective presentation tool. At this stage because of the ‘time factor’ I would only use it as a presentation tool if I was making a presentation that could be used a number of times, or used by others and shared across a year level. Teachers complain of being ‘time poor’ and I would have to weigh up the time factor beside its impact for effective learning/teaching.
As a student, it would be interesting where they could take this style of presentation as a form of a ‘mindmap’ of ideas.
I also have a problem with the Prezi’s that I have watched http://prezi.com/mojdt36mrozf/mixing-mind-and-metaphor/ and all I want to do is keep clicking the mouse to get to the end, and I find I am not reading the words. Therefore I am not getting the message.