[lurcher]

In the new year I am going to start delivering classroom training and I will need to become familiar with this programe.
I dont have Powerpoint yet but hope to be getting it shortly so I can get to grips with it.
What I need to know is will I be able to store presentations on a USB Pen Drive and access them directly in a different computer ?
Will the computer need to have Powerpoint installed to play files ?
Anything else I need to bear in mind ?

TIA

[overkill]

Originally Posted by lurcher

In the new year I am going to start delivering classroom training and I will need to become familiar with this programe.
I dont have Powerpoint yet but hope to be getting it shortly so I can get to grips with it.
What I need to know is will I be able to store presentations on a USB Pen Drive and access them directly in a different computer ?
Will the computer need to have Powerpoint installed to play files ?
Anything else I need to bear in mind ?

TIA

Yes, and yes. It's easier of the PC has a front mounted USB port, but otherwise it's fine. The PC/lappie will need powerpoint installed. As you're in Cheshire I hope you won't be teaching me. I hate powerpoint presentations!

I learn nothing from them. All they do is distract from what the tutor is saying.

[lurcher]

Thanks for that quick reply , I had better make my presentations interesting then so I wont turn the class off , LOL.

[Mep]

i think there is an option to save them in such a way that the other PC doesn't need powerpoint....used to be called "pack and go" and saved a powerpoint viewer with the presentation

[andrew1810]

You could also put a copy of this on the USB key just in case:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

Edit: Looks like that is what the pack and go option does:
http://blogs.msdn.com/waynekao/archi...01/105381.aspx

[Singh400]

Originally Posted by lurcher

In the new year I am going to start delivering classroom training and I will need to become familiar with this programe.
I dont have Powerpoint yet but hope to be getting it shortly so I can get to grips with it.
What I need to know is will I be able to store presentations on a USB Pen Drive and access them directly in a different computer ?
Will the computer need to have Powerpoint installed to play files ?
Anything else I need to bear in mind ?

TIA

Yes. No not neccesarliy - you can have something called PowerPoint Viewer installed:

• PowerPoint Viewer 2003
• PowerPoint Viewer 2007

Also, you can save as PowerPoint Show, to help you along:-

Get PowerPoint 2007 if you can, it seriously kicks ass.

Make sure you know which operating system is used on the PCs you want to use your USB device on. USB does not work with Windows NT4.

[Jules]

Hey, I do classroom training for a living and have mostly ditched Powerpoint... it's old school now.

The way forward is activity based learning, where your audience learn for themselves (in a style of their own choosing) using a range of quality materials you prepare for them.

However, Powerpoint can still be useful and is pretty easy to get to grips with.

[eviljohn2]

As above, you can save the presentation in such a way that it will run itself so that the other computer doesn't need Powerpoint installed. Naturally it's better if the computer does have it installed as you get far more flexibility that way and can make last minute changes (there's always last minute changes!).

Singh, Powerpoint 2007 isn't out yet is it?

[overkill]

Originally Posted by eviljohn2

As above, you can save the presentation in such a way that it will run itself so that the other computer doesn't need Powerpoint installed. Naturally it's better if the computer does have it installed as you get far more flexibility that way and can make last minute changes (there's always last minute changes!).

Singh, Powerpoint 2007 isn't out yet is it?

Thanks Singh. That's what I thought. There is a smaller 'portable version' but it's easier to use an installed version.

[overkill]

Originally Posted by Jules

Hey, I do classroom training for a living and have mostly ditched Powerpoint... it's old school now.

The way forward is activity based learning, where your audience learn for themselves (in a style of their own choosing) using a range of quality materials you prepare for them.

However, Powerpoint can still be useful and is pretty easy to get to grips with.

Works fine - if everyone in the group participates. Having been on teacher training courses where they didn't (and being teachers they easily hoodwinked the tutor into thinking they were) it was a real switch off.

Just my 5p's worth.................

[lurcher]

Thanks for all the imput , just found out my wife has Powerpoint viewer installed on her laptop which she uses to view Powerpoint files.
Just need the program now.

Jules,
I was thinking of enroling on the C & G 7302 Intro to Delivering Learning Course with a possibility of going on to the 7407 , would this training help me to deliver activity based learning as you outlined above.
Can you give me a couple of examples of what you mean.
Thanks

Julian

[overkill]

Originally Posted by lurcher

Thanks for all the imput , just found out my wife has Powerpoint viewer installed on her laptop which she uses to view Powerpoint files.
Just need the program now.

Jules,
I was thinking of enroling on the C & G 7302 Intro to Delivering Learning Course with a possibility of going on to the 7407 , would this training help me to deliver activity based learning as you outlined above.
Can you give me a couple of examples of what you mean.
Thanks

Julian

Activity based learning is inherent in any teaching programme. The 740-7 does go through that, and it's a generic course so the methodology can be applied to any learning situation.

However, that type of teaching/learning does not work with all subjects, or all learners. I know, I've tried and met fierce resistance to activity/workshop based learning and actually lost students who (really) hate it as it conflicts way too much with their preferred style of learning. I still persist as it is the current mantra that it's 'the' way to teach (it was hilarious seeing the faces of two imminent academics recently after an examiner/student meeting when they were told quite bluntly by the students how much the student groups they were in hated that style of learning) but it's not for all subjects or all situations.

Like everything else you need to mix up the teaching methods not rely on one, no matter how 'in' it is. What's 'in' now is usually 'out' within three years. Hence the comment about powerpoint.

[IronGiant]

When going somewhere unknown I used to take my powerpoint presentions on CD, zip disk, spanned across several floppies, native and packed to go, just to be sure I could upload it to the computer when I got there. Now my kids carry their homework around on a USB key How times change

[lurcher]

[QUOTE=overkill;
Like everything else you need to mix up the teaching methods not rely on one, no matter how 'in' it is. What's 'in' now is usually 'out' within three years. Hence the comment about powerpoint.[/QUOTE]

Sounds good to me.
I have some experience in classroom work from early " talk & chalk " through to facilitating group workshops , but it was OHP"s not laptops that we used to present stats etc.

[overkill]

Originally Posted by lurcher

Sounds good to me.
I have some experience in classroom work from early " talk & chalk " through to facilitating group workshops , but it was OHP"s not laptops that we used to present stats etc.

I still use OHP's! I use powerpoint for diagrams and pictures, OHP for text. I find Powerpoint distracts with text. The other trouble with using Powerpoint is that even with a remote you do feel 'tied' to it, and not every (in fact very few) classroom at our place has remotes. With the OHP I'm free to go off and move around the class to discuss topics raised.

Groupwork is fine according to the type of students you have. I've used it over many years with older students and it's consistently the one thing (reflected in the course evaluations) they really didn't enjoy. Yet, give them old fashioned dictation and they lap it up! I loathe it, they love it! Students!

Whereas younger learners (undergrads), while not overly enthused with workgroups and activity based learning will do them without too much demur.

The problem is that evaluation doesn't help. I find the younger the student the more reluctant they are to be negative in evaluations. Whereas you get them down the pub and they are more willing 'to tell it as it is'. Older learners might be more critical, but frankly not that much more.

I'm sure the courses I've taught have never been as good as the evaluations always imply.

[lurcher]

Originally Posted by overkill

The problem is that evaluation doesn't help. I find the younger the student the more reluctant they are to be negative in evaluations. Whereas you get them down the pub and they are more willing 'to tell it as it is'. Older learners might be more critical, but frankly not that much more.

Went on a 6 week Managment course in the early 90"s ( after promotion at work ).
One aspect was how to conduct appraisals , one older much experienced manager told us all inc the tutor that the best way he had found was to get the person down the pub and do it there. Said it worked for both of them

[Singh400]

Originally Posted by eviljohn2

Singh, Powerpoint 2007 isn't out yet is it?

No not yet.

Originally Posted by overkill

Thanks Singh. That's what I thought. There is a smaller 'portable version' but it's easier to use an installed version.

No probs!

[overkill]

Originally Posted by lurcher

Went on a 6 week Managment course in the early 90"s ( after promotion at work ).
One aspect was how to conduct appraisals , one older much experienced manager told us all inc the tutor that the best way he had found was to get the person down the pub and do it there. Said it worked for both of them

Sounds about right.

[Jules]

For activity based learning to work well, it requires an enormous amount of preparation and very little facilitation. You need to produce 4x as much material to satisfy different learning styles and give everyone a chance to learn in a way that works for them.

At first I hated it because I felt less in control and it made the sessions less active for me. But it really works... providing you put the effort into your preparation and materials.

I find Powerpoint actually quite useful for subliminal messages... just leave an informative screenshow running on a loop in the background. Some of the group will be drawn in by it, others will be drawn in by solving a puzzle or soemthing else.

It's all about creating choice.

Now I don't claim to be the worlds greatest trainer, and some of my colleagues are far more 'gifted' than I am infront of an audience. But they don't all put in the required effort before hand, and the results speak for themselves.

Just my 2p worth.

[lurcher]

Thanks for that Jules , I can see why you had concern re control initially.
Food for thought.

[mjn]

Originally Posted by overkill

As you're in Cheshire I hope you won't be teaching me. I hate powerpoint presentations!

I learn nothing from them. All they do is distract from what the tutor is saying.

Got to agree, nothing like a PowerPoint Presentation to turn any training or presentation course into a borefest.

[Uridium]

Originally Posted by Singh400

Get PowerPoint 2007 if you can, it seriously kicks ass.

It's still just Powerpoint - how exactly do you suggest it "kicks ass" then compared to any other version of powerpoint?

[overkill]

Originally Posted by Jules

For activity based learning to work well, it requires an enormous amount of preparation and very little facilitation. You need to produce 4x as much material to satisfy different learning styles and give everyone a chance to learn in a way that works for them.

At first I hated it because I felt less in control and it made the sessions less active for me. But it really works... providing you put the effort into your preparation and materials.

I find Powerpoint actually quite useful for subliminal messages... just leave an informative screenshow running on a loop in the background. Some of the group will be drawn in by it, others will be drawn in by solving a puzzle or soemthing else.

It's all about creating choice.

Now I don't claim to be the worlds greatest trainer, and some of my colleagues are far more 'gifted' than I am infront of an audience. But they don't all put in the required effort before hand, and the results speak for themselves.

Just my 2p worth.

Nice! the subtle insinuation being I don't prepare properly so it doesn't work? Sorry, not wearing that. I put in as much prep to all my methods of teaching, and take pride in my work. I have always done well in inspections/observations because of that.

Activity based learning does not work with all classes and all situations.

I will give two examples as a learner.

Positive:- When I did my 730-7 the course was primarily activity based and it worked a treat. I throughly enjoyed it and so did the rest of the group.

Negative:- When I did my Cert ed they tried to do that entirely activity based. Same tutors, same level of input (they are an excellent, hard working team who aimed to satisfy as many learning styles as possible) but it didn't work. We all hated it. Not one person (30 students) came out of that course with a positive thing to say about it. (No-one did in the group prior too, or after ours either. They then went back to teaching it properly.)

These are a good example as the tutors and learning group was the same. As such they are totally comparable.

Activity based learning, like all other types of learning has it's place. It's bad practice however, to suggest it is the 'best' way of learning full stop, and encourage people to take it on as 'given'.

No doubt in a few years time the educationalists will be busy burying it.

Just my 2p worth.

[lurcher]

Prior to me delivering classroom training next year I will be an observer on the 3 day course , Powerpoint is just one of the methods used to present information and I will be very interested to see what other tools the trainer uses.
The course will have all adult age groups represented.

[Steven]

My teacher was discussing powerpoint last week (English for Law)

Conceding that it can be useful, she showed an example where all the flashy effects and entrances were used. Then we all realised she was right when we was all looking at the fancy effects and weren't paying attention to her.

Just a small comment Not trying to discourage its use

P.S. At above about older learners being more "critical". We had people walk out of the Public Law lecture and say goodbye to the lecturer's face lol

[lurcher]

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

My teacher was discussing powerpoint last week (English for Law)

Conceding that it can be useful, she showed an example where all the flashy effects and entrances were used. Then we all realised she was right when we was all looking at the fancy effects and weren't paying attention to her.

Yes I remember a few years ago when work held in house Freelance Graphics Training ( Lotus equiv to Powerpoint ) for our trainers.
Most of our staff were trying to outdo each other with flashy transisions in the way you have described.
It nearly became who could produce the best graphics presentation as opposed to the training objective.