Slide Presentation Platforms

Slide presentation software provides easy to use, customizable templates, with features of text, transitions, animations, and background or slide design. The software also has files of infographics, shapes, pictures, narrations, and multimedia options to embed within the presentation template. This platform provides opportunities for instructional designers to create engaging, dynamic presentations with endless capabilities.

There is an overall rule of structure when it comes to effective slide presentations. This 10-20-30 rule of PowerPoint proposes the presentation should have no more than 10 slides, last no more than 20 minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points (The 10-20-30 Rule of PowerPoint, 2018). This considers targeting specific, pertinent information, the attention span of audience, and view of presentation. Presentations should be viewed in full format on both small and large screens to ensure content is visible, smooth transitions, and animations are not distracting but support content message. Presentations may look great on small screen, but can change drastically in view on large screen and from the back of a room. Designers must consider all possible views and perspectives from the audience.

“Presentations aren't about the presenter; they are about the audience and what the audience needs. If the presenter is talking too much it's usually a sign that he or she has forgotten who's important.”--Simon Raybould

There are 7 principles to follow when creating an effective presentation:

1) Multimedia Principle- The information is better processed when learners are confronted with a text enriched with images rather than text only.

2) Temporal Contiguity Principle- The learners process information more effectively and quickly when text and pictorial elements are presented simultaneously instead of successively.

3) Spatial Contiguity Principle- The text should be represented as close as possible to the relevant image.

4) Coherence Principle- The effectiveness of learning materials increase when extraneous information such as extra sound or distracting animations are removed.

5) Modality Principle- The information added to a multimedia representation creates less cognitive load when this information is represented as audio instead of text.

6) Redundancy Principle- The learners benefit more from animation enriched with audio than from learning material where the audio is additionally represented as text to the learners.

7) Individual Difference Principle- The impact of the previous principles is stronger with learners with low prior knowledge and with high spatial abilities. * However, this can change and there is GREAT IMPORTANCE in knowing the audience since there can be differentiated effects of specific text positioning and animated graphics which impact cognitive load.

(Casteleyn, Mottart, & Valcke, 2013)

Example of 10-20-30 Presentation for guidance in creating effective slide presentation.

(Guy Kawasaki is advocate for this rule- Click 10-20-30 link to his video for further understanding)

Choice of Slide Software

There are several options of other sites that provide slide presentations with customizable formatting. Insight when using the free web-based sites, is to be aware sometimes formatting can change and to always save on a backup drive. For further exploration, here are some links to free slide resources:

1) Beautiful.ai Presentation

2) Prezi

3) PowToon (animated slide presentation)

4) Smilebox

References

Casteleyn, J., Mottart, A., & Valcke, M. (2013). The impact of graphic organisers on learning

from presentations. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 22(3), 283-301.

doi:10.1080/1475939X.2013.784621

Moulton, S. T., Türkay, S., & Kosslyn, S. M. (2017). Does a presentation's medium affect its

message? PowerPoint, Prezi, and oral presentations. PloS One, 12(7), e0178774.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0178774

The 10-20-30 rule of presentation twelve years later. (2018, January 5). Retrieved

January 30, 2020, from https://slidestore.com/blog/guy-kawasakis-10-20-30-rule-

presentation/