PowerPoint, Prezi and Glogster

In this blog I am considering PowerPoint, Prezi and Glogster as learning tools for the classroom.  I can see there are the benefits of scaffolding, engaging students, pedagogy, reinforcement of learning, ability to cater to multiple learning preferences and dimensions I.e. kinesthetic learning able to physically interact with the technology either by following prompts or creating their own interactive project etc. in each of these mediums. And as such, I believe there are multiple ways of using all of these tools to extract the most exciting, interesting, engaging and well-engineered presentation for students to see, hear, interact with, be challenged by, learn from and build.

However, with all of the ICT that I am learning, I am beginning to see the reality of ‘less is more’. For example, I learn one interactive and engaging teaching tool, let’s say Twitter, and I think this is the ducks answer. However as soon as I learn the next tool I am a convert to its dimensions of teaching and learning.

Essentially I think the time it takes to properly  set up a lesson using any of the ICT tools learned to date is considerable and therefore I would ask the question, ‘When is enough, too much?’. In preparing a lesson using any one of these ICT tools, I have to consider that the lesson content may remain static, however the method of delivery (ICT medium) will have most probably either changed or maybe become obsolete after 6 months to a year. Therefore I have to re-do that lesson to ensure I am considering ICT as a change agent. As a scaffolding, I am suggesting that it would be more influencial to focus on maybe one or two of the technologies, rather than spreading the scaffolds across many technologies.

This especially applies for the lessons on ICT. I.e. teaching how to use PowerPoint. In my own experience I have noticed that most of the ‘instructions’ and ‘screen dumps’ in this course have been provided in windows 2007 (or worst still….2007 in Japanese!!!). For me this has been a disaster as I have windows 2010 and therefore I have to search for the process in other ways.  And remember that I am an ICT immigrant which brings with it the language barrier issue.

So as an empathic warrior of the ICT immigration debate, I fully understand that it would 'not' matter which medium or mediums of ICT I used in the classroom. I will inevitably be required to take a lot of time making sure I correctly 'cross the language barrier'. For me, I have to ensure that I use ICT wisely,creatively, imaginatively and resiliently and do not spread myself too thin on multiple technologies. In order for ICT to enhance the learning outcomes of my students I have to play my part. And so in conclusion and in acknowledging this weeks activities;


"Can you identify the ways you could use PowerPoint in your classroom beyond a mundane presentation of content?"
Create a Glogster presentation and embed it in your Blog. What do you think are the learning benefits?
Select the presentation tool you believe is of most use in your classroom, and explore it in greater depth - creating and embedding a sample, and identifying the learning purposes you will use it for it".


I suggest that none of the ICT tools learned to date will be better or more suitable for enhancing the learning outcomes of my students. They are all credible and relevant and all play a part. What does matter is how I as a teacher use this technology. To make it really happen for my students ‘I’ as the teacher am the medium for all learning outcomes. PowerPoint, Prezi and Glogster are simply tools!!!!!!!