5 Responses

1. I avoid PowerPoint

    Personally, I never use PowerPoint unless a client specifically requests it. I prefer instead to create detailed workbooks in Word, using lots of diargrams and leaving lots of white space for notes. 

   Diagrams are appealing and I tend to use a limited number of graphics to break up the text. Creating a workbook means that people don’t have to spend ages writing, and they have all the ‘correct’ information available to them after the event. Those who have ‘visual’ learning styles will refer to the workbook regularly, whilst the trainer can direct people to it as and when it is appropriate (we NEVER work through them page by page!) WordArt is a favourite tool of mine and gives a professional look to my workbooks.

   Sheridan Webb – Training Designer

2. alternatives to PowerPoint

   ~the flipchart!

   ~laminated handouts on A4 (laminated so they can be re-used on later courses)

   ~Audio recordings (like the old "mission impossible" self destructive tape

   ~Workbooks (along the lines that Sheridan is talking about in a comment on this page)

   ~Posters

   ~role play actors

   ~simulations

   ~video/youtube

   ~a colleague of mine mentioned AppleTV….it allows you to show your slides wirelessly whilst carrying your iPad around

   finally…..PowerPoint is actually a very very good medium……if created well.  Sadly so many people just use is as an autocue; just filling the slide with text and then turning their back on the audience and reading off it.  You can embed video and audio, you can make self running movies with it, you can record voiceovers and all manner of very clever things.  Spend a day just playing with PowerPoint and you’ll discover that it is a great tool….not the only tool but one that shouldn’t be poo-pooed

   Rus

3. Training Materials Workbooks Wow Factor

   Hi, Totally agree with Russ and his observations about PowerPoint, I have build ILM blended learning modules in PPT incorporating all sorts of media for an organisation including interactive quizzes, advent type calendar knowledge boards, video…..and nobody recognised it as Powerpoint. We do create workbooks for learners who can be present but some of our learners are in remote locations so we pop our courses into the learnfusion application. We also use this to blend our content and enable learners to research online when these facilities are available to us. We  use flipsnacks for pre and post learning materials, here is an example: http://www.spectrain.co.uk/Spectrains-Snacks

    

4. never underestimate the visuals

   We have a graphic designer on staff, and employ a freelance proofreader,

   We also use http://www.blurb.com to create customised professional books for our clients.

   Remember the visual cortex is a large part of brain functioning so never underestimate the impact good visuals, and bad ones have on an audience.

   have a poke around http://www.presentationzen.com/ and also look at some of Seth Godin’s work for inspiration

   http://www.everlearn.co.uk

5. A new way…

   I started using PREZI (prezi.com): had to change the way I worked to get a presentation. Actually you can’t call it a presentation but with this tool you can cross the threshold of a new way of illustrating your knowledge and your thoughts.
   

   This is really hypermedial.