CREATING ONLINE PRESENTATIONS

Since presentation tools such as Powerpoint (Microsoft) and Keynote (Apple) came along, the teaching-learning process has changed dramatically. These tools  have caused a big impact on the way we approach knowledge nowadays, something that is always in movement, is alive, changes, can be shared.
People learn more readily and retain more information when learning is reinforced by visualization. You can inform and entertain- docere and delectare- an audience at the same time by the proper integration of visual images into virtually any exchange of information. Meetings which might normally be considered dull can  grab the attention of the viewers this way.  
Everybody knows the advantages of presentations in class, above all, it is an eco-friendly way of  assessment and teachers do not have to carry huge piles of paper-projects home. They help structure lessons and avoid the use of the age-old chalkboard although it still can be an effective teaching tool with today's tech-savvy student...

People use them to share not only academic knowledge but also feelings, challenging ideas, catchy motos, favourite songs and lyrics, love declarations. They foster collaboration, team work, online education. Anybody can become an author and publish online. 

The most popular online presentation tools are:

• GoogleDocs  a collaborative online writing or word processing tool that offers a presentation maker similar to Powerpoint or Keynote. You can upload Powerpoints or Create your own original presentation online then publish them on the web, email them, embed them on your website, etc. Several people can edit at once, too. Google also has templates for documents, spreadsheets and presentations available for students and teachers. ZohoShow is similar and also free.
• SlideShare provides a way to share already created Powerpoint presentations online, tag them, email them, get comments on them, and get html code for embedding them to your own blog, wiki or website. You can add audio, notes, and even YouTube videos to your Powerpoint presentations in SlideShare. You can also find presentations others have created on the topic and communicate with those who have similar interests.
• VoiceThread "is an online media album that can hold essentially any type of media (images, documents and videos) and allows people to make comments in 5 different ways - using voice (with a microphone or telephone), text, audio file, or video (with a webcam) - and share them with anyone they wish. A VoiceThread allows group conversations to be collected and shared in one place, from anywhere in the world. Ed.VoiceThread.com is reserved for K-12 education only. There is a VoiceThread Ning where you can share ideas and examples with other educators who use VoiceThread. There is also a VoiceThread wiki and a VoiceThread directory. In the directory, educators can add their contact information, VoiceThread project description, project dates and grade level if they are looking for collaborators on projects. Be sure to see the library page and examples. More examples and ideas can be found inVoicethread Examples in Education. 
• Animoto  allows to upload photos, select music and Animoto renders a music video for you. A 30-second video is free; longer is $3. An all-access pass ($30) lets you create all the videos you want for a full year. Also, check out the Animoto Education program and features. 
• Glogster can create an interactive online poster with links, photos, text, stickers, sound, music, animation and more. See --and submit--other Glogster examples on the Presentation Tools--Ideas to Share page. Be sure to use the education version. If you have a Glogster account, you can embed your posters directly into a Wikispaces wiki page,without ever leaving Wikispaces, and without having to copy any code.
• Prezi this is one of my favourites. You can create maps of texts, images, videos, PDFs, drawings and, what's really new, present in a nonlinear way. Zooming presentation maker. Learn more about Prezi here.

The Key Steps for a Good Presentation:

1. KNOW YOUR SUBJECT MATTER

Research the subject. Read reports and look up information about the subject with the specific purpose of writing a presentation script. When examined in this light, new ideas and alternative ways of thinking often develop. You are in effect selling your ideas to the audience. 

2. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

A small amount of research into the makeup of your audience will reap large benefits on presentation day.You have to  tailor different presentations for a specific audience . You must have a couple of other versions (depending on whether they're for or against ). Don’t be very categoric.

Before you 're-purpose'  make the obvious adjustments and then carefully review your content.

3. KNOW YOURSELF (and your limits)

Knowing a few of your limit might avert disaster, or at least embarassment. Your 'limits' are just where you may or may not tread, depending on the makeup of your audience and your relationship with them.

4. DEVELOP A THEME

All presentations, regardless of their complexity, are designed with a single purpose. State that purpose to yourself at the beginning of the development process. Keep this purpose in mind always.

5. PREPARE YOUR SCRIPT

The script does not necessarily have to be a work of literary excellence. For some, simple notes on 3 x 5 file cards are sufficient.  The exact form of the script depends on the formality of the presentation, the make up of the audience and who will be presenting it. It should consist of the same four basic parts, an opening, body, summary and closing. 

• THE OPENING 

It sets the stage for what is to follow. The purpose of the presentation is stated. You should also present a VERY BRIEF summary or outline of the points to be covered. This helps keep your audience oriented properly within the framework of your script. 

• BODY 

The bulk of the subject matter is presented. The body of a presentation should be separated into smaller parts. Each part should make a single idea. These sub-sections should  also  have their own  opening, body and summary.  

• SUMMARY 

It must be very brief and simple. It reinforces the central theme and purpose of your presentation. Briefly emphasize the key points and main ideas of your script in this section. You should encourage questions from the audience if time or format permits, but be prepared to answer them

• CLOSING

In a well structured closing, points are summarized and any handout material is distributed. Handout material which emphasizes each key point or idea permits your audience to review the subject and assures that your words will remain fresh in their minds. Handout material should not be distributed before a presentation unless it is critical to the theme since it invariably leads to audience distraction.

6. SELECT THE PROPER VISUAL AIDS. Depending on no. of attendants, duration and  content of presentation.

7. PREPARE A STORY BOARD (storyboard template)

A story board does not have to be complicated or time consuming to prepare. Its main purpose is to give a general view of the presentation and communicate the important items.  When your story board reaches final form it becomes the finished draft for your presentation. This is one of the most important parts of your presentation.The final story board should consist of a sketch of each individual image, in sufficient detail to convey its approximate finished appearance.

8. PRESENTATION DAY

On the day of the presentation, arrive and set up early. Make sure that your online presentation is ok  and extra copies of the handout material close at hand. 

You have your visuals, you are well rehearsed, the room is set up and the participants are all prepared. Speak clearly and with authority. A little humor if tastefully added can help break the tension of the moment. There should be no surprises. Make certain that the audience questions have been addressed, and of course, thank everyone for their attention. 

CONFERENCIA DE ISABEL PÉREZ TORRES

¡No puedes faltar a esta cita!

http://www.isabelperez.com

TÍTULO: Uso de TIC y bilingüismo

FECHA: 11 de Enero de 2012

Hora: 17:00

LUGAR: I.E.S. Ángel Corella 

(Colmenar Viejo)

contacto:

 ies.angelcorella.colmenarviejo@educa.madrid.org

Isabel Pérez Torres nos ofrecerá en esta ocasión la posibilidad de participar en primera persona de la conferencia siendo parte importante de esta mediante la experimentación, el intercambio de ideas y el debate.

La conferencia girará en torno a la integración de contenidos y una lengua extranjera (AICLE, AICOLE) y a su vez cómo el ordenador u otros recursos audiovisuales pueden contribuir a  implementar  este proceso(ELAO).

Profesores de lenguas extranjeras, TICs y cualquier profesor que de alguna manera esté interesado en el bilingüismo dentro y fuera de la Comunidad de Madrid no deberían perdérsela.¡Te esperamos!

TWINSPACE, a teaching treasure

The Twinspace is a multilingual tool designed specifically for eTwinning projects. Through a variety of tools, how you decide to use your Twinspace is completely up to you! You can use it as a base for all communication and project activities, a showcase of project outcomes or simply a location to store all documentation.

The TwinSpace is the work area for your project; it is an instrument that really encourages and facilitates collaboration, communication, sharing and interaction amongst pupils. It also places the pupils at the centre of the collaboration activity.  

You might like to think of it as your private club. You, your partners and your pupils will be the main users of the TwinSpace but, you can still invite other people so that they may have access to this work area, such as other teachers from countries not participating in eTwinning, experts from museums or from professional or cultural organizations, etc. It simply depends on the aim and focus of your project. 

You might also like to invite parents, or your school leader to come and have a look or decide to make the Homepage and Activities section of your TwinSpace public so that the wider school community can benefit from your experience, as well as you having a great way to proudly show what your pupils have achieved thanks to your help.

The Pupils Corner is where pupils can interact with each other and exchange material not necessarily connected with their school project.  Clicking on the Chat allows you to have a conversation with all the members of the same TwinSpace. In order to „chat‟, members must click on Chat and be in the chatroom at the same time. The TwinSpace allows a high level of interaction both for the teachers, who can meet in private in the Staffroom.

Teachers can collaborate as well on a different level in the Staffroom. They can have exchanges relating to the planning of their project, they can reflect together on different pedagogical approaches, they can evaluate the development of the project, they can exchange interesting articles or other type of information... and why not, they too can socialise with their colleagues having the kind of conversation you might have sitting at a table over a cup of coffee.

If the TwinSpace has been used as a work area in your normal classroom activities, this will constitute good evidence of having satisfied this criteria. 


My students and I are participating in a Twinspace with schools in Norway and Turkey. If you want to have a look, click on the link:

TWINSPACE: Enhancing the well-being and health of young people living in Europe.

2011 European Day of Languages, 26th September

Last year I proposed a treasure hunt on the European Day of Languages; give it a try if you haven't. This year we, teachers of a foreign language,  are still commited to the difficult task of motivating you to keep on learning. To conmemorate this day I think it would be a good idea to reflect on your own progress and the best way to do so is to open yourself to the world. I have found a wonderful website  where you can find some help. 

Lingu@net World Wide is a multilingual, online resource centre for foreign language learning. At the Meeting Point you can practise by chatting, finding  e-pals, taking part in online discussions, commenting on others' blogs or even creating your own.

Lingu@net World Wide

HOW TO BECOME A WRITER

The translation of human experience into an artful literary presentation is the art of writing. Writing is a careful craft that follows certain literary techniques. While writing, you go miles away with your imagination, you can transform reality into a fantasy world, you can meet exciting characters...But a story won't come out of the blue, it takes previous planning. You can have a very good idea, but you need to put your mind in order. Here are some tips that can help you become a writer:

Use dreams to assist with ideas. Dreams are a big help. Have a notebook near you and if you remember a dream write it down. Some people can only remember some of their dreams but when you write it down the rest will come back to you.

Read, read, read. If you read a lot, sometimes idea's that aren't even related to what you're reading will come to you. This also helps with learning and memorizing words you can use later in writing.

Ask yourself, "What kind of story is it going to be?" It can be a short story or a novel

Jot down notes and ideas. After that, check over your work and think about your ideas.

Decide what genre your story will have. Some examples are romance, comedy, horror, fairy tale, and adventure.

Think about the plot of your story. Will it have a happy or sad ending? Also think about the problem in your story, like stolen jewels.

Create characters. Think of names and their personalities. Think about how important they are. Think the most about your main character.

Think of a title. Don't make it too short, but not too long. Also, don't make a title that doesn't match the story, like a story called Home Run, and the book is about princesses. 

Create a blog. It is an easy way to start publishing, once you've published your first work and have received some positive comments, you'll feel more motivated to keep on creating.

THINGS YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WRITING

www.stripgenerator.com

Welcome to Stripgenerator by loidi

With Stripgenerator you can create your own comic strips online and publish them. You can embed your comics in your blogs just copying  the code that is given and pasting it on the new entry. For that purpose you need to register first. It's free and very easy to use. We're going to use this tool to revise the content of some of our English lessons and at the same time you will see that writing can be fun too. Create your characters and invent a story. You can publish different episodes of the same story weekly or monthly and have some followers!

BLOGGING

A little bit of history

The term "weblog" was born  on 17 December 1997. The short form, "blog", comes from the words  "we blog" or "weblog" and it can be used both as a verb or a noun. The modern blog evolved from the online diary, where people would keep a running account of their personal lives. Most such writers called themselves diarists, journalists, or journalers. One of the earliest bloggers is Justin Hall who began personal blogging when he was at College back in 1994.

After a slow start, blogging has rapidly gained in popularity. Its usage spread during 1999 and the years following. Since 2002, blogs have gained increasing notice and coverage for their role in breaking, shaping, and spinning news stories, a news source and opinion and as means of applying political pressure.The impact of these stories gave greater credibility to blogs as a medium of news dissemination. In 2004, the role of blogs became increasingly mainstream, as political consultants, news services, and candidates began using them as tools for outreach and opinion forming. Blogging was established by politicians and political candidates to express opinions on war and other issues and cemented blogs' role as a news source. President Barack Obama acknowledged the emerging influence of blogging upon society by saying "if the direction of the news is all blogosphere*, all opinions, with no serious fact-checking, no serious attempts to put stories in context, that what you will end up getting is people shouting at each other across the void but not a lot of mutual understanding”.

The Blogger's Code of Conduct

Take responsibility not just for your own words, but for the comments you allow on your blog.

Label your tolerance level for abusive comments.

Consider eliminating anonymous comments.

Ignore the trolls (those who send an email or newsgroup posting with the intention of provoking an angry response)

Take the conversation offline, and talk directly, or find an intermediary who can do so.

If you know someone who is behaving badly, tell them so.

Don't say anything online that you wouldn't say in person.

*blogosphere: 

The collective community of all blogs is known as the blogosphere. Since all blogs are on the internet by definition, they may be seen as interconnected and socially networked, through blogrolls, comments, linkbacks (refbacks, trackbacks or pingbacks) and backlinks. Discussions "in the blogosphere" are occasionally used by the media as a gauge of public opinion on various issues. Because new, untapped communities of bloggers can emerge in the space of a few years, Internet marketers pay close attention to "trends in the blogosphere".

Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Blog

10. Because you stopped learning anything new years ago and it’s about time you started again. I’ve learned more via blogging over the past year than I learned in the preceding several years!

9. Because it forces you to do your "homework"

8. An important reason: Because this is how you are going to learn in the future!

“This is the difference represented in the shift from traditional classroom based learning and network learning. The idea of the latter is that learning occurs when the learner immerses him or herself in a community of practice, learning by performing authentic tasks, learning by interacting with and becoming a member of the community.” (Stephen Downes)

7. Because if you don’t we’ll think you’re lame (sorry, probably too strong but that's the way people think, without filters) and don’t know how to do your job.

“What can you know about a professional who doesn't blog his or her work? How do you know they are competent, that they have the respect of their peers, that they understand the issues, that they practice sound methodology, that they show consideration for their clients? You cannot know any of this without the openness blogging (or equivalent) provides. Which means, once a substantial number begin to share, there will be increasing pressure on all to share.” (Stephen Downes)


6. Because it will change your life.

“there is something that happens to a person when they hit that "publish" button - you cross a threshold - you move from consumer to producer - you put your intellectual neck on the line and I really think that you aren't the same person after that.” (Mark Oehlert)

5. Because you’ll hook up all over the place.


“all learning professionals need to exchange ideas with others, to test their ideas, to question their assumptions, to learn from each other in ways that come with dialog. Blogging is great for forming networks based on weak social ties.” (Bill Bruck)

4. Because learning is conversation and that blogging lets you have more and better conversations (Harold Jarche)

“The lack of formality and the ease of cross-referencing other blog content or references means is great to accelerate discussion and promote broader thinking and understanding.” (David Wilson)

3. Because Professionalism is more than consumption, it is contribution. (Rovy Bronson)

2. Because it’s “a swap meet (Sp. mercadillo) for the mind.” (Nancy White)

1. Because your job depends on it.

“If for no other reason than your job is changing, and you might want to be engaged in the process of what your new job will include.” (Brent Shlenker) and “They don't get what blogs are about and possibly never will. We just need to encourage them towards retirement.” (Barry Sampson)




All this may serve as a good prologue to our next and last activity of this course: Blogging. You can know more about blogging in your wiki. Just click and start working!

 "firstdayatschool"