Ok, first a confession:
PowerPoint can often bore me and irritate me.
Now, having said that, I just spent one fun week with a group of Bethany Missions College Faculty and together we stared hard at this thing called PowerPoint – some for the first time. And honestly, it was not boring. It was quite enjoyable. These proved to be eager learners!
Among the things emphasized during the week was the very powerful point that people do not show up at class or church or school to watch a powerpoint. The point is the message, not the “transparency”.
A second powerful truth underscored is the fact that a presentation must start with content. The “outline” view may well be the best place to start creating your PPT presentation because it focuses on content and not slide format. Though your PPT application starts in normal view try clicking on the outline view when you open up and then proceed with the basic flow of thinking you will present.
One of my favorite resources to share is Terrt Lackeys’ 7 Deadly Sins of PowerPoint. This is a super article for those who are very experienced with PPt and those who are just beginning.
Among the other resources offered/discovered during the week are few fun items: PowerBacks for spicing up presentation backgrounds, FlickrToys for adding images with a message
Want more resources? Here are a few I have found worth the read and link:
What’s next? Conversation has led Dr. Thurumalia and myself to begin planning a 6 week evening course (2 nights a week) on Developing a Personal Online communication System (Content Managment Systems Email and more). The plan is to walk people into developing their system during the course, setting up a domain, host, WordPress and basic newsletter email system and choosing a photo sharing tool. One topic I plan to research more of and to include in the course includes protecting oneself from spam and securing a website or sections of a site where privacy and communication is not meant for the general public to access.
So, I am not a little bit excited about this opportunity. I love introducing people to the ways and means of communicating their passion and purpose more effectively and in new ways.
What are some of your tips and thoughts on using powerpoint?
Tim
