WordPress Versus PowerPoint
I hope to convince you that you can use a different platform/tool to share information with live or remote audiences. In classrooms or at conferences. That is the goal.
It is not a fight.
It is part of the evolution of our expectations, and our skill sets, related to academic environments.
We can present information that moves more freely. And has qualities beyond “Read Only.”
image by @DrSianProctor
Remember, it took us a long time to master PowerPoint.
And then, it took us a long time to abuse it.
But, that is what we knew. What we did.
I still see online classes where the “Lecture”
is a 53 slide PowerPoint file.
<sigh>
I still go to conferences where the “Presentation”
shared to the participants is a 53 slide PowerPoint file.
Same difference.
And it is not like WordPress is the only option.
I dare you, the next time you present at a conference, to make the whole presentation in Spark.
I triple-dog dare you!
But if you want to use WordPress, here are a few examples:
The Internet is You
The Journey of the Words
Meaningful Professional Development
The 9x9x25 Challenge
Why you ask?
1. You don’t have to worry about fitting it in your suitcase when you travel.
2. You can’t respond to a PowerPoint file.
3. It makes your ”professional portfolio” look fancy
But most importantly,
you can embed playlists of your favorite songs to play as the audience enters the classroom/ presentation room.
And they can play the music laster as they peruse your amazing presentation!
We should do that now. Let’s go!
But There are Other Tools You Say!
Remember Prezi? Yeah, me neither…
At least it was a URL rather than a <file>
While I sort of miss the ability to add audio over Slideshare content, thankfully there are other options to do the same thing. But we are still left with only a linear timeline of content. But you could share it easily and others could find it.
You can literally make a vertical list
of slides if you have to do that.
I did one of the first times I tried to do a conference presentation with WordPress.
And I have done it since. It works.
These days, if I go to a conference,
I bring a business card as my handout. It has a URL on it. That’s where the real stuff is. Just last month in fact…
