Prezi

   There were several Tech Tools in Use presentations that were interesting and informative, but did not present on tools that I found myself likely to use in the classroom, or to supplement student learning. For instance, I presented on Padlet, and although the tool is easily accessible and it makes it possible for many people (teachers, students, educators and the like) to communicate on one screen, it also requires strategic implementation. If I would like students to make use of the Padlet wall, I must be able to expect that they have access to the internet and a device. I may use Padlet to present a wall with particular information in class, but if I wanted to engage with the more interactive aspects of the tool, I would have to find some way to access technology in the classroom. The same can be said for Voice Thread and Socrative. Both require students being able to access technology. Prezi, on the other hand, is used more as a presentation tool, and could be used in the classroom in place of Power Point. The group presenting argued that Prezi is more than just a fancy Power Point, and I immediately disagreed. Prezi seemed to me like a Power Point that made people dizzy, however, after the presentation I thought of some ways to implement Prezi that might be more beneficial for students than a Power Point.
    Power Point presentations move only in a linear manner. If one is presenting on a topic that necessarily calls for the use of linearly sequential information, then Power Point is a great tool. For instance, if I was presenting the summary of a narrative for an English class, and it was necessary for me to organize information in a chronological order, a Power Point might be the correct tool. However, if I were to present on a topic that was more relational than sequential, Power Point would still work, but Prezi might offer a more clear and comprehensive method of presenting those relationships. Last week I was teaching my 7th grade students about the ingredients that make up a mystery story, including types of characters, problems, settings, clues, etc. I wanted the students to be able to organize the information in a way where they would see how the topics relate and combine to form a mystery story. In this case, the genre 'mystery' is at the center and characters, problems and clues work together to make up the mystery. Although I could present this information in a Power Point, it occurred to me that it would make more sense to present this information in Prezi, where I would be able to create a presentation that takes the form of a concept map. In this case, the spatial organization of the information is important for student learning and understanding, so Prezi makes more sense.
   The group did note that there are some disadvantages to using Prezi including, it might make people sick as it jets around from one topic to the next, it takes more time and thinking to create as you have to be aware of not only the information but the spatial arrangement as well, and it can only be accessed online. Whereas tools like Padlet and Voice Thread seem interesting and useful for me to use once in a while as an option for summative assessments, for students who are interested in and have access to technology, Prezi might be the type of tool that I could implement often as an English teacher. I would not necessarily ask my students to create Prezis, and rather offer it as an option along with Power Point, but I myself could use the tool more than I see myself using Voice Thread or Padlet. I would just have to be careful to move slowly, so as not to make students sick!