These are typical Powerpoint presentations.

I downloaded these from the internet.

NOTICE HOW ATTENTIVE THE AUDIENCE IS IN THESE PHOTOS

The photo at right and the photo above use the same PowerPoint template, The problem comes when students use a lacy, dainty template for a presentation on Volcanoes!

I wanted a few shots from my school, so I took a photo of students while another teacher was using my room for PowerPoint presentations.

Yep.

This is what I remember about PowerPoint presentations -- the teacher is trying to keep the students focused on the never-ending presentations while trying to score the presenters.

Everyone loses in this situation.

No alignment of elements, bad typeface choice.

Most elementary PowerPoints look like this.

Subsequent slides are also loaded with bullet points and long sentences.

Student PowerPoints are predictable.

Students grow up, get jobs and produce the same bad presentations that they were taught in school!

Students need to create presentations that are informative, that persuade, and are aesthetically pleasing.

There is a solution that will make everyone enthusiastic!

Adobe Spark is the answer.

• It’s FREE.
• It is available on any device that has access to the internet.
• No worries about students losing files – it is all online!
• Students give you the link to their published Spark and you are good to go.

Once students grasp the ease with which they can construct compelling, professional-looking reports and presentations they will have a renewed energy for presentations and put more effort into their productions. Truly.

Students can produce visual presentations that demonstrate depth of knowledge in the subject content covered, and the ability to create an effective, creative presentation package.

Spark is great for building the scaffolding students will need if they should pursue video production with Adobe Premiere Pro.

Student Presentations that work

At right is the first page of the Tecumseh PowerPoint presentation done on Adobe Spark Page. A vast improvement over the original slide (below).

Spark Page has a feature called GLIDESHOW which features a scrolling panel on the left that can contain photos, links, and videos – a perfect solution instead of endless bullet points.

THEMES determine the color scheme, text styles and sizes, removing unnecessary and often disastrous style choices by students.