Tried it Tuesday (Prezi)

I'm really in to the link ups lately!  It's a great way to find some really awesome stuff.  Thank you to all of you that take the time to come up with the ideas and host them!  Today's link up is going to be with Fourth Grade Flipper's Tried it Tuesday.

Read more about Tried it Tuesday by clicking the button above.

**Disclaimer** I must admit that this isn't the first time I've tried Prezi, but it was the first time I actually completed a project and used it in a presentation.

Anyway, on to the story.  Since the first time I saw someone give a presentation using Prezi a few years ago, I've been fascinated with it.  The moving around and zooming in and out.  I signed up right away for an account and started playing around.  However, I quickly realized I am more of a linear thinker, and Prezi just gives you this wide open space and says "have at it!"  Eek!  I was very quick to put Prezi on a list of cool stuff to try later.

Fast forward to last year, my students were really stuck in a rut when it came to presentations.  They continually wanted to create simple PowerPoints or even posters.  While I am still okay with PowerPoints and posters, it kind of gets old sitting through what feels like the same thing over and over again as my kiddos presented.  Enter...the tech kids!  I had kids that were so willing and eager to try anything that one day I just said, "Hey guys, I know about this website, but I have no idea how to use it.  Would you like try?"  I logged them into my account and they ran with it.  They were zooming in and out and flying all over the page during their presentation, and I feel like they worked harder to make the content more meaningful.  I didn't have to stand over them and say well here's how you do this and that.  They just played and figured it out on their own.

Anywho... seeing that it just took playing around, I was once again inspired to use it.  However, I never got around to fully making a presentation last summer or during this school year either.  My students always had the option of making a Prezi when we did presentations this year, but few of them chose to try.

As the end of school rolled around, so did a tech conference that I had agreed to present at.  Now, I'm great in front of kids, but TERRIBLE in front of adults.  I get so panicky and my voice trembles.  People claim they can't tell, but I know otherwise.  Well, I had agreed to present about the flipped classroom.  I knew I wanted a presentation that could help distract from my poor speaking skills, so I thought, hey Prezi is visually appealing, lets give it a try.  So I sat down and got to work, and you know what?  I actually created a Prezi!  Since the last time I gave it a go, they have created some really great templates to use as a base for your presentation, and they've simplified the controls (no more wheel).

All kinds of templates for building your Prezi!

Easier controls!

I would say that I am still not expert, but I can definitely continue to recommend this tool to students and teachers.  With my job next year, I will be working with 1:1 iPads for 8th graders, I know I will be suggesting that Prezi get added to all of the iPads.  Students can create and view presentations right on the iPad.  So, if you have any presentations coming up, give Prezi a try!

BTW, here's my presentation!

Heather