For my web-based presentation
program reviews, I explored Prezi and VCASMO. I was able to experiment with
each website program and discovered the benefits of using an online format for
presenting. Both programs required use of a computer and access to the Internet.
Prezi
I began by exploring Prezi. This
program is designed to create presentations that can include pictures, text,
Power Point slide shows, and videos (including YouTube videos). It was extremely
user friendly due to the fact that multiple tutorials were available for
viewing. Prezi presentations can be embedded into a website or blog for anyone
to view.
The best part of the Prezi
presentation tool is the visual appeal of the design compared to the other
presentation websites I visited. The design is contemporary, and although it
appears modern and a bit random, presentations can be created is a sequential
manner. There is a perfect combination of visual stimulation and anchored
information. Because of this, the presentation is novel and somewhat
unpredictable; it is very interesting for the audience to view.
Prezi is free after signing up with
a user name. The free membership includes storage space for presentations and
basic presentation tools. The membership can be upgraded for a fee, which includes
tech support and a desktop version of the program (upgrades can be tried free
for a month).
Prezi can be accessed from any
Internet connection. All that is needed is an email account to set up a
user name. There are privacy settings that allow the creator to either share the
presentation publicly, or to keep the presentation private. Setting the
presentation publicly will be helpful when sharing my presentation will fellow
classmates. Prezi would also work well in my middle school science class, where
students who miss the presentation or want to watch it again can do so from
anywhere online. In addition, other Prezi account users have the option of
editing a presentation when the creator chooses the appropriate settings. This
option would be perfect for group projects in my classroom.
Bottom line: Prezi is versatile and
easy to use. I would definitely recommend this for any class presentation.
VCASMO
VCASMO is an online presentation
program that supports the upload of multi-media such as videos, pictures, Power
Point slides, and audio. As I began to explore VCASMO, I found it was not so
user friendly due to the fact that there was no program tutorial. The lack of
direction made the initial discovery of the program difficult and time
consuming to figure out. After digging deeper, I found that the format of the
program allows the creator to place videos and slides side-by-side; combining
different types of media into one space. Presentations can also be embedded
into a website or blog. If the program is viewed from the VCASMO website,
visitors can make comments about the presentation. I thought this was a helpful
option.
This website program would be best
suited for those who want to give their video presentation or PowerPoint
presentation a little oomph. It is very basic as far as options for creating
and sharing go. It lacks the bells and whistles that other programs include.
Part of this is because the design and format of the website appear dated.
VCASMO is free to sign up, but many
of the questions I had about the program could not be answered before I signed
up. Once I signed up I found that with an annual subscription users can gain
more storage space, friend grouping, and guaranteed faster video streaming.
VCASMO is easily accessible from any computer with Internet. On the down side,
reliability may be an issue; I could not figure out a way to download
presentations for use independent from the Internet.
Bottom Line: I would not recommend
this presentation tool for our class presentations.
