Week 5 Reflection

This week I have chosen to focus on the digital instrument Prezi. After some exploration on the site and creating a presentation with this tool I have been able to gain a better understanding of how and why this technology would be very useful in a modern contemporary classroom. In the past teachers have used more traditional means for presentations such as slide shows which potentially deliver information sequentially and at times too fast. This method can be seen as lacking and unengaging when compared to the possibilities that Prezi’s zooming canvas can offer. This visual learning tool is an online, flash based presentation creator that provides the opportunity for the classroom to become more engaging by opening it up to interactivity and active learning. Prezi can deliver content in a non-linear way and with its zoom in and out feature, would help more global type learners who at times may need to see the big picture. Prezi can be kept in the public domain and therefore accessed by your students on the Internet. If they choose to at home they can navigate the Prezi themselves, observe connections of ideas and visualise concepts.

In relation to the SAMR model it can be seen that this digital instrument satisfies the requirements for each level through to redefinition. At Substitution and Augmentation levels Prezi can be used in a similar way to and be a direct substitute for PowerPoint with the functional improvement of the zoom in and out feature. At the Modification level Prezi allows for significant task redesign by allowing for the classroom to become more interactive. Finally at the Redefinition level the ability to create a new task and open up the chosen activity to the internet and therefore the world, allows multiple positive engaging learning opportunities such as students may gain different perspectives on an idea from students in another country or the ability to take more time at home to observe connections of ideas and visualise concepts.

My Glogster demonstration.
http://alfio.edu.glogster.com/alfio-gangemi/
My thinglink demonstration.
https://www.thinglink.com/scene/642522748450504704
My Power Point demonstration.
https://alfiogangemi.wikispaces.com/Basic+PowerPoint+demonstration
My Prezi demonstration.
http://prezi.com/yyjsahkwbj7-/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy