Learning PowerPoint

by Geetesh Bajaj

Introduction
Learning PowerPoint
Links to Learn
PowerPoint In The Classroom
PowerPoint Classroom Links
PowerPoint Samples
Newsgroups
In Conclusion

Introduction

PowerPoint and education - it is like two rivers flowing on the same plain - one of them is an education about PowerPoint - the other traverses the usage of PowerPoint in the education arena. This page discusses both aspects. So, let's go ahead with the flow...

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Learning PowerPoint

As such, PowerPoint is an easy program to learn - in many aspects it functions identically to its more famous siblings - Word and Excel. Yet, PowerPoint has a sort of fascination to it that transcends mere words and numbers - in fact you can bring your words and numbers to life within PowerPoint. Imagine a phrase that animates like a fish - or a few bullets that cascade like a waterfall. And imagine backgrounds - maybe aqua like a river bed. Add music and video to that amalgamation - and you could be on a boat to showtime nirvana.

Now that we have done so much 'ad-speak' about PowerPoint, what about some links to PowerPoint learning resources online. That's the next thought that wades into this page. Read on...

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Links to Learn

These links include those compiled by fellow MVP Austin Myers - thanks Austin!

Not surprisingly, Microsoft has among the best resources on learning PowerPoint:

Microsoft's online PowerPoint 97 manual for teachers is called In And Out of the Classroom with PowerPoint 97 - there's also more content for PowerPoint 2000 in the form of In And Out of the Classroom with Office 2000.

Microsoft also has an umbrella concept called the Microsoft Classroom Teacher Network - MCTN - you'll find more details on the MCTN page. You can sign-in using your .NET Passport - thereafter you're subscribed to the MCTN newsletter.

MCTN has a nice series on Office XP Productivity which includes PowerPoint 2002.

Microsoft has also sponsored a great PowerPoint tutorial - available on the Actden site.

CCT Global has some courses for free preview including one on Microsoft PowerPoint.

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PowerPoint In The Classroom

Other than learning the intricacies of PowerPoint as a program, PowerPoint can form the basis or media to create quick interactive classroom aids in the form of presentations, slide-shows, quizzes, etc.

These classrooms can be both virtual and traditional - PowerPoint content can be easily exchanged, edited and evolved to enliven a collaborative environment.

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PowerPoint Classroom Links

Education World has a technology article titled PowerPoint - Creating Classroom Presentations.

Electric Teacher has project ideas and tutorials for PowerPoint usage in the classroom.

Dr. Alice Christie maintains a great page with many more links to PowerPoint use in a classroom.

PC Magazine UK covers PowerPoint and Office 2000 in its special education report.

Patrick Crispen offers classroom Internet presentations using PowerPoint.

The Illinois State University's workshop in educational administration looks at PowerPoint from a technology viewpoint.

Kathy Schrock uses PowerPoint as a distribution media for her guides to educators.

PowerPoint For Teachers is a list of helpful links.

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PowerPoint Samples

These sites actually use PowerPoint as a medium for education:

Education Using PowerPoint has classroom presentations to download on every conceivable subject based on a subscription access model.

Desktop Presentations in Literacy Settings has links to PowerPoint presentation resources for education.

A huge archive of presentations on subjects like education and psychology is available for download from the Ally and Bacon site.

You'll find scores of free-to-download Powerpoint lessons on mathematics at the Cyber Exchange site.

Monica Yuskaitis has more mathematics presentations on her site.

The Utah AITC site has sample geography presentations available for download.

The Social Studies Center of the Texas Education Agency has umpteen downloads available including PowerPoint presentations.

The Creation Science Resource site has presentations for download that compare modern science with Bibilical thoughts.

The Swinburne Centre for Astrophysics & Supercomputing has astronomy presentations available for download.

CodeMarine has presentations on computer programming available for download.The 2July site has basic mathematics presentations.

LT Technologies has many links and sample presentations to download.

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Newsgroups

Yahoo! Groups has a group on Maths PowerPoint lessons.

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In Conclusion

A page like this can be useful if it has two characteristics - evolution andinvolvement - if there's any content which you suppose could be helpful to educators, please do let me

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