Presentation Power!

After looking into Google Docs presentations, I have decided that it's not particularly my favorite! It's above Google Docs drawing for sure, but way under the word processor and spread sheets! For me, the only real added bonus to Google Docs presentations over PowerPoint, was the ability to embed the file into a website.

This is not to say that there are not uses for Google Docs presentations! Educational uses are probably innumerable, and I truly believe that if students in grades 6-12 knew more about the capabilities of Google Docs in general that it would catch on even more. Educators can easily collaborate together on a presentation for classroom use, professional development, staff meetings, and even community events. Students in specific classes can utilize Google Docs presentations as well as telecollaborative classrooms around the world. Some presentation options include:

• creating a presentation based on data collected (could even incorporate Google spreadsheets and drawing)
• creating a presentation to share comparing and contrasting data, ideas, or multimedia
• uploading existing presentations to share, edit, and collaborate with others
• creating an online story/book with events and pictures
• introducing each other to the class, could even be a template created for each class member to use (YAY ET620!)
• designing a culminating class project for an oral presentation
• introducing a project/telecollaborative project to the class
• presenting a guest speaker/tele-field trip

Although I am still not a huge fan of Google Docs presentations, I would definitely be willing to show my classes more about it. In group work, students frequently complain that they had to wait for the other person to finish their part of the project and then, wait for an email from him/her. Google Docs would eliminate some of this; also, if the teacher was added into the process, he/she could see who had done which portion of the project, making it easier to grade. In general, I think that students would not be as hesitant to try any of the Google Docs file types if they had some more instruction...a possible internship? We'll see! Enjoy your week off from class!