Creating Online Presentations PAUL QUINN COLLEGE

Overview Presentations developed for face to face delivery often need editing before uploading to the online environment. This job aid was designed as a tool to walk you through preparing a PowerPoint (or any) presentation for online delivery.

Using this job aid Use alongside your existing presentation Have a clear plan of organization/design Account for your experience level with the technologies you plan to use Know your audience

Outline 1.Identify the scope and purpose of your presentation 2.Examine your existing text 3.Consider your selection and use of font 4.Consider the colors and contrasts in your slides 5.Add graphics to replace or support text 6.Add audio and/or video to replace or support text 7.Add animation 8.Review your slide in full screen

Organize and focus your presentation content Use the Outline view to check that your slides support your presentation objectives. Everything should be relevant.

Organize and focus your presentation content Divide topics into one or more slides. Review your lecture and make sure you provide your viewers with a beginning slide, an easy to follow organizational structure, and a summary slide at the end.

Review slide Text Check that your slides are brief and contain no more than 3-6 points per slide. The online PowerPoint text should contain only what is critical for your audience to take away. Note areas where graphics or audio could better convey the text message. The online environment is poor at conveying information in text form (but excels at conveying information visually). Omit all useless words, examples, even slides. If your slide does not fall inline with the course and module objectives, it should be considered for removal. Spell check your text.

Text Example Bad Example Type 2 (Structural complexity: Connectivity) Looks at the number or types of connections between nodes Types of connections differ depending on the representation of the system that is used and include (for example) signal, energy, and material in a “function structure” representation, and other types of connection for a “parametric associativity graph.” Connectivity is critical to complexity, primarily because emergent properties arise when connectivity gets high, whether because of feedback loops, cascading effects, or agents adjusting their own properties in response to information from many other agents. High connectivity also makes a system hard to decompose because the assumption of modularity is not very good. For both these reasons, system emergence that is primarily time- invariant is considered part of the Connectivity type of complexity. Combined with number of nodes, connectivity is key to determining many network properties, including average network path length, degree centrality, group cohesion, and robustness to failure Good Example Positives: limited font variety, limited text on page, uses engagement and imagery to convey a message. Problems: too much text, not enough white space, small text

Text Example Bad Example Type 2 (Structural complexity: Connectivity) Looks at the number or types of connections between nodes Types of connections differ depending on the representation of the system that is used and include (for example) signal, energy, and material in a “function structure” representation, and other types of connection for a “parametric associativity graph.” Connectivity is critical to complexity, primarily because emergent properties arise when connectivity gets high, whether because of feedback loops, cascading effects, or agents adjusting their own properties in response to information from many other agents. High connectivity also makes a system hard to decompose because the assumption of modularity is not very good. For both these reasons, system emergence that is primarily time- invariant is considered part of the Connectivity type of complexity. Combined with number of nodes, connectivity is key to determining many network properties, including average network path length, degree centrality, group cohesion, and robustness to failure Suggested Revisions Repurpose the text ask script for audio Organize the content into meaningful chunks Show relationship to previous slide Outline the difference or definitions you are trying to highlight Place examples on separate follow up slide

Use Text Sparingly 1.Reserve text for key take homes. 2.Time Text to work with narration. 3.Follow up with images when possible.

Font 1.Use appropriate font size and clear style (sans-serif). It is preferred you limit your use of the default Times New Roman. Fancy fonts make reading difficult, so don’t use them. 2.Check that you are using three or less fonts and that use of different fonts is consistent. 3.Check that any use of bold and italics has a consistent meaning. 4.Check that the use of titles and subtitles is consistent.

Font Example Bad Example Good Example

Color and Contrast 1.Use appropriate colors: not too bright, high contrast, consistent. 2.Create contrast using font size, colors. 3.Keep the background the same for most of the slides. 4.Use your institutions theme or logo if desired.

Color and Contrast Example  This is a nice example of the use of color and contrast.  Consider also the graphics you intend to use. Will the background showcase these graphics?  Remember, you will want to stay consistent, but it’s also easy enough to change later. I want to get away from this screen as soon as possible. The contrast of background and text is really distracting. I have had a hard time focusing on your content.

Graphics In the online environment, graphics can often convey a message better than text. Refer to your earlier notes to see where graphics can replace or support your text.  Use graphics to provide examples and engage your viewers.  Look for areas of text that can be completely replaced by a graphic  Use quality graphics preferably not canned MS versions. Before purchasing graphics, see the sites listed at the end of this job aid for free, quality graphics.

Graphics: Graphs  No more than 5 bars to show trends  Contrast relevant bar  Avoid gridlines  Show values on top  Small axes label and value  Keep it simple  Avoid 3D bars  Avoid images as bars  Avoid pictures as backgrounds  Avoid clutter  Avoid useless animation If possible, create your own graphs and charts that directly relate to your message. Online viewers lack the ability to ask for clarification and could waste valuable time trying to distinguish the focus of your graph.

Graphics Example Bad Example: A graph or chart is a great way to illustrate your message. Although I do like the colors used, without more detail, this slide confuses me. Good Example : This chart is clearly labeled in regard to both general and specific content related detail. Existing bars are relevant to the message.

Audio and Video Refer to your notes to see where audio and or video can replace or support your text.  Use audio and video to provide examples, engage, and tell a story. Script out what your audio/video portion will contain. I like to add my script in the notes section of PowerPoint. If you plan to make your lecture available as a handout, consider that audio and video will not be supported.

Audio and Video Break down into separate 2-7 minute recordings, each based around a single concept. Timing of audio will be discussed in the animation section of this slide.

Animation Once you have edited your text, decided where graphics can aid you message, and added audio to your slides, you may find that controlling when students receive these inputs can further enhance their learning experience. If is likely that students will print your lecture, consider limited use of overlapping images and text.

Animation Limit your use of advanced animation in PowerPoints delivered online. Often these transitions are difficult to maintain online. If is likely that students will print your lecture, consider limited use of overlapping images and text. One option is to create a separate PowerPoint for the purpose of creating a pdf file which students can download for later use.

Animation Review your presentation and note slides that would benefit from controlled entry and exit of text and media. Add animation to these slides making sure that graphics and audio are timed to match the text presented on the slide. Unnecessary animations can be very distracting. Do not overuse animation. Choose only to use animation when is needed, not as a decoration. Time any text or images that appear on your PowerPoint slides to display at the same time that you, the narrator, speak the text or discuss the image. BAD ANIMATION EXAMPLE

LEVEL 3 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 1 DIRECTOR MANAGER 1 EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE MANAGER 2 EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE Animation example and notes below are from the Microsoft template website. This link is provided at the end of this presentation. GOOD ANIMATION EXAMPLE

Other PowerPoint Pointers If you want to use multiple transitions, a good rule of thumb is to apply a unique transition to each slide in a specific module of the presentation. Instead of sending your viewers outside of your presentation during the lecture, provide a list of relevant links at the close of the presentation. Keep slides clean and make use of space.

Review Your Presentation Run the show for final adjustments. If you feel this presentation will be printed, view as Notes Page, and consider printing yourself. Perhaps ask a colleague to assist and to give useful feedback.

Review Your Presentation Remember to focus on:  Organization  Font  Color and Contrast  Graphics  Audio and Video  Animation

Other Tutorials How to Not use PowerPoint: A comedian’s perspective Free sites for graphics 10 Best Practices for Using PowerPoint Microsoft Template and How To Site Don’t Make Me ThinkDon’t Make Me Think: A common sense approach to web usability. Book by Steve Krug