Embedded Task 4 - Prezi

This weeks learning materials presented some very useful presentation tools that can be used by teachers and students alike. The tools are typically used by one author though they can be used to compile and present information that has been gathered through the collaborative platforms like blogs and wikis that we have been investigating in weeks prior. So in that sense they can still be incorporated into collaborative lessons.
For this weeks reflection i have chosen to discuss and analyse Prezi. This great website offers a powerful and relatively simple platform where people can create their own engaging and interactive presentations. The tool is quite simple to use and there are a number of tutorials on the website to get new users started on the right track, so anyone with a basic level of computer literacy will be able to grasp its fundamental technical aspects. Each individual presentation created through Prezi can be customised whether the user is utilising one of the many templates or starting from scratch. Images, video, audio and embedded artifacts can be added to each section of the presentation and editing tools allow creative control of the layout.
I find the Prezi platform to be much more engaging than PowerPoint, which uses linear presentation of slides. With Prezi, each section of the presentation can be examined with much more detail while maintaining focus on the subject as a whole. A huge bonus with Prezi, as opposed to power point is that a presentation could be created collaboratively as explained on the website.

SAMR Level	Modification of task/activity
Redefinition	Discussing a topic collaboratively as a class. Establishing a set of information and then constructing a presentation as a group using the collaborative function on Prezi
Modification	Incorporating images, video, audio and embedded artifacts into Prezi presentation
Augmentation	Presenting on Prezi platform enabling students to “zoom in” on certain aspects of the presentation.  Engaging layout rather than plain PowerPoint  slides
Substitution	Linear presentation using PowerPoint instead of analogue slides, print outs or whiteboard

Here is a very basic presentation I created on Prezi after watching the first tutorial.