Google is everywhere, and has just added a new, awaited feature to their Google docs services — Google presentations.
Imagine Powerpoint “lite” but with the added element of collaboration, and you get the idea. Imagine how your workflow or that of students is improved if you can collaborate on your presentations ONLINE, simultaneously, instead of via email.
Another interesting feature, just like other Google Docs items, is that you can publish the finished product and Google sends you a link to share it with others.
When you publish it, it brings up a chat window next to the powerpoint. Presumably during a presentation, you could have your audience sign into google, send them your link, and then they could join you and “chat” alongside your presentation while you showed it to the audience. That has some mind-blowing possibilities!
You can also upload existing powerpoint files if they are less than 10 MB. It allows you to present those, and again, “invite” your audience via a link.
It also has some interesting advantages for students, which I’ve outlined in my “first” sample Google presentation.
Tips:
To find Google Docs, log into your Google account, and click on the “more” button at the top of the Google screen, and select Documents.
To create a new presentation, click “new” on the left toolbar, and select the presentation choice.
5 responses so far ↓
Carolyn,
Linked to what you created and immediately noticed the “audience chat” feature as you mentioned. This easily adds the backchanneling feature that people have been writing about (Vicki Davis among others).
Those of us who work with students with special needs use some of the additional features built into PPT which makes it a multimedia, interactive program appropriate for all developmental levels. Google can’t do that.
But the collaborative connection piece is very powerful. Thanks for linking to what you created!
Karen
Karen,
I think the chat feature might give it some extra functionality for students with special needs to interact with the class, or teacher, though? Because they could type or have a helper type comments or questions in the chat area that others could respond to?
I’m sure the lack of audio is a downside for those who need it, though.
I haven’t looked, but does it allow audio recording for the presentations? This is the one feature of Splashcast that has me sold.
It doesn’t appear to allow for audio. Hopefully they will “add” that feature! But it does set up a “chat box” alongside the presentation, which is interesting.
I have been hearing about this over at Build a Better Blog but I was unsure as to what it was all about. This is a great tool for my night students who have difficulty getting together with their project/presentation groups. I will add it to my list of ‘tools’. Thanks.
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