Presentation Tools for those tired of PowerPoint

   

     This week in class we talked about presentation tools that aren't boring old PowerPoint! Crazy to think that PowerPoint is no longer the number one presentation tool. Now I know, PowerPoint is just so awesome with it's transitional slides and sound effects but, we can dream bigger people! There are now numerous websites and programs that you can use to dress up a presentation. Prezi, Haiku Deck, Slides, Sway, and Mix are just a few tools my class learned about. I also read chapter 3 of the book Untangling the Web written by Dembo and Bellow, which was all about presentation tools. 

     Prezi has become really popular in schools because it's similar to PowerPoint but there's an extra element that makes them feel more interactive and creative. According Untangling the Web, Prezi "broke the mold so drastically that it immediately became the de facto alternative to traditional presentations" (pg. 84). This quote can't be more real, I remember back in high school whenever someone used Prezi teachers would automatically give the presenter an A. Prezi is more interesting design wise because the layouts are so creative and you can customize everything so it's personally unique to the user. I have used Prezi numerous times and it is fun and interesting but I want to learn more and use different tools that don't make me dizzy with all the zooming.

     Another tool is Haiku Deck. Haiku Deck is super simple to use and I really enjoy the simplicity compared to other programs. Basically you put in images that are either your own or stock ones and then you can add text over it, like bullet points or quotes. A cool feature that's super useful while presenting is the "Slide Notes" space they give you. In this space you can put anything to help you remember the point of that slide and once you enlarge the slide in present mode you are the only one who can see it. This feature is super useful for those that forget key points and stumble with their speech.

     Next up on the alternatives to PowerPoint is Slides. Like the name of the tool, it is a slideshow format presentation tool. But the coolest feature in this one is that if you know coding for computers you can just write your own slides with codes. I've never seen that feature on any other presentation website, so it's a nifty tool for developers or computer science students who just want to tweak the slide. But this website is very user friendly and compared to Haiku Deck there are more edit options and tools to use if you want it to be more detailed. Perfect for students and professionals.

     The other presentation tools are Sway and Mix which are both Microsoft Office tools. But don't let that scare you! I know Microsoft Office just makes you think PowerPoint but wait, listen to my advice and your world will seem bigger and brighter. Now Sway is different then Mix because Sway doesn't involve Powerpoint, it is it's own program that you can use to create presentations, reports, newsletters, and much more. It basically stacks whatever you're trying to present in a storytelling fashion. Mix on the other hand is an extension for PowerPoint that can bring it to the next level. Now I know everyone is sick and tired of PowerPoint but for those who still like to give it a try should definitely use Office Mix with it. It's a free add-on that basically makes PowerPoint interactive. You can put in polls, voice and digital ink features, charts, and anything else your heart desires. It brings PowerPoint to life and you should check it out if you have the Microsoft Office programs.

     Other tools that Untangling the Web mentioned were SlideShare, Poll Everywhere, and Voicethread.

     Untangling the Web describes SlideShare as "a social hub that allows you to upload and share your presentations with educators around the globe" (pg.63). This is a perfect explanation because SlideShare is integrated with other social networking websites so you're able to share with anyone. SlideShare is a presentation tool developed by Linkedin so it's perfect for professionals. The website layout of SlideShare is similar to social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram because you can follow people, like presentation, and favorite them. SlideShare is useful for professionals that want to share presentations with people across the globe and it's easy to use. The coolest feature in SlideShare is the ability to collaborate with other apps and tools because SlideShare is compatible with many websites and devices.

     The next tool is Poll Everywhere! Poll Everywhere is a mobile based student response system that you can include in presentations to test your students or to make the presentation more engaging. This is an amazing idea because when I was in high school, and even today, I hated just sitting through a boring slideshow without any activity. When teachers include polls it helps keep students focus, it also gives them a reason to pull out their phone, which always makes students happy.

     The last presentation tool is Voice Thread, a super innovative tool to add into videos and clips. You can add in your voice or a video of yourself explaining a topic or providing a tutorial. Voice Thread is simply sharing photos and videos with the ability to comment on. This a great tool for online teachers so you can fully explain something while showing it. I didn't even know this existed but it completely changes the game in presentations because you don't really need to be in the class or meeting.




When I went surfing on LiveBinders I found a few more presentation tools that I thought would be nice to add in this long list.

     Powtoon is a website you can use to create animated videos and presentations. This is perfect for those that aren't super artsy or unfamiliar with graphic design. I could see this working perfectly with young kids because they love cartoons and colorful graphics, but I can also see this in work presentations that want to really grab the audience's attention. I would love to use this website and I might use it for an upcoming project.

     Another awesome visual presentation tool is Glogster. Now as I was clicking through links on LiveBinder and I stumbled on Glogster I had a flashback to freshman year in highschool! I actually used Glogster for a project in a history class and it was so much fun! Glogster is basically an online poster tool that can have gifs and pictures. It's super fun to use and it's creative so most people will enjoy looking at all the different elements you can put in it. I highly recommend this for students.


     The last tool I found on LiveBinders was SlideRocket/ClearSlide which is a presentation tool for mainly businesses and professionals. ClearSlide is the main company that owns SlideRocket, and its primary use is for customer engagement and sales encouragement. I'm not a business student and I personally don't know that much about the business industry but this tool is incredibly professional looking and the layout is appealing. I might look deeper into this if I ever work for customer relations or something in that area.


     That's it for this week! I know this was a lot of information and I tried my best to summarize every tool, hopefully you find these useful in the future, I am definitely going to use some of these!