Prezi as a presentation tool

Prezi is a web-based presentation application and storytelling tool that uses a single canvas instead of traditional slides. It is different from our traditional Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation with linear structure—slide by slide. Wauters, R. (2009) stated that it allows you to create non-linear presentations where you can zoom in and out of a visual map containing words, links, images, videos, etc. Prezi launched its products from 2009. It is a revolution for teacher to make PPT. Prezi says it is all about helping people understand each other better:

We Help People Share Ideas

We Encourage Beauty

Curiosity is a Goal, not a Means

We Interact with our Surroundings

We Criticize, Learn from Mistakes, and Avoid Blame

Some researcher mentioned even we learned how to use the Prezi is a very good examples of new learning experience. Perkins, J. (2009) argued that is the authentic tasks and motivation, scaffolded, self-directed and integrated learning, and just in time and connected learning. We can use Prezi as a teaching and learning tool for trade students training:

In automotive teaching, lecturers have to design some systematic diagram to show students what is the relationship between the components or substructures, like suspension system, brake system, etc. It is hard for conventional PPT to fulfil this job. We need to copy the slide of big picture, and insert in between. Sometimes we need to switch over and over many times during classroom presentation. All these tough tasks become easy in Presi, as there are non-linear structures.

Graphic organizers are another good thing for automotive teaching and learning. In automotive, the hardest part is to let students understand the principles of structure, in other words: how does it work? Graphic organizer can make students understand better about relationship and principles, even the ideas and thinking of mechanics.

Zoom in the zoon out function of Prezi is another good design for students understanding the details. We don’t need to worry about the PPT pre-organized; just select different frames of the photo and we can zoom in or out.

Mind-map, Prezi meeting, embedded Google map, or your tube video are some useful functions we can use in automotive trade teaching and learning.

You can explore more from http://prezi.com/desktop/, or down load an education version fro educators and students in your desktop. Bishop, J., & D, P. (2008) has created a manual for beginners or just Google for more tutorials information.

Reference:
Prezi.(n.d) Our Values 1.0 . Retrieved on April 14,2011from http://prezi.com/our-values/
Wauters R. (2009). Prezi Is The Coolest Online Presentation Tool I’ve Ever Seen. Retrieved April 14,2011, from http://techcrunch.com/2009/04/20/prezi-is-the-coolest-online-presentation-tool-ive-ever-seen/

Perkins, J. (2009). Where are the instructions ? Understand more , Remember better : Learning to use Prezi in the 21 st century . Pedagogies, 1-6.

Bishop, J., & D, P. (2008). An assessment of the online presentation Tool–prezi.

Here is an example:

Copy of how to change engine oil on Prezi