Web 2.0 Presentation - Prezi Pour Moi

Through Prezi's own "Explore" and a wikipedia search I found a plethora of social media presentation tools to learn about (possibly even a little overwhelming, but one product at a time ... right?! ).  The prezi examples that I looked at about Web 2.0 resources, I'm saving for the LIBE 477 "Social Presentations" post as they capture a variety of examples of what's out there and what it may look like to use this online software in education.

Thus, I left the "Web 2.0" and "Social Presentations" as keyword searches in Prezi and moved onto "Ancient Egypt" as I wanted to create an inquiry based project for the yearly grade 7 social studies learning theme.  I believe I found mostly student examples as the difference in quality between the Web 2.0 prezis and the Ancient Egypt ones was vastly different.  Nevertheless, I was also impressed with what I assume to be early attempts at prezis by students; it was great to see them trying this software out.  Eight-four pages of results!

Albeit, while visually dynamic compared to an old fashioned hard copy poster or essay, the information wrung of stereotypical project structure.  David V. Loertscher would describe this output information representative of traditional "bird units" = background + worksheet + locate information + cut and clip + report (vii).  He writes: Why is a "bird" unit generally disaster?

          When the majority of research in the library or computer lab is merely the cutting and clipping of           information into some sort of report, little learning takes place.  In the age of technology, students can easily cut and paste megabytes of information from the Internet or electronic sources and turn them in as a report [or prezi].  Obviously, time in the library or computer lab is underused and little progress toward educational achievement is made.  In fact, assignments like these encourage plagiarism (vii).

What to do instead?  Loertscher claims simply redesign activities so learners "must THINK ABOUT and analyze the information they collect ... thus increasing learning and achievement.  Hence my "Ancient Egypt Inquiry" ... attempt.  Before more discussion on the prezi project, more about the student examples:

Student Prezi Examples

1.   "Ancient Egypt: A General Overview of the Culture and Everyday Life in Ancient Egypt" by Samantha Moore on 11 October 2012. http://prezi.com/00hd0exvjqoy/ancient-egypt/
Ardent Librarian Overview: a stereotypical research project covering a wide range of topics: Gov., culture (dress, hair, makeup), housing, entertainment, food), Knowledge (hieroglyphs, medicine, astronomy  math, papyrus, surveying, art and architecture), Religion (mummification, & sacred animals), the Nile, and the Hyksos people.  Overall, the prezi was text driven with few pictures, no multimedia, no quotes, no citations (plagiarized thus?).  I'm assuming the writer was a beginner at prezis.   Despite the lack of visuals and multimedia, however, as a "teacher reader" of numerous "Ancient Egypt" type writings, this "end product" prezi was so much more interesting to read and navigate than an old fashioned posters or essays!  Hmmm.  Samantha has done two other prezis: "The Wife of Bath," and the other "Open Me" doesn't seem to have content.  Question, if we as educators list examples such as Samantha's do I become responsible to check out "all" of her prezi's for appropriate student viewing?  That could be an impossible task.

2.  Ancient Egypt: Ancient Civilization by Timothy Steinson on 03 October 2012.

Ardent Librarian Overview: Tim does a little more multimedia with a YouTube clip about how the Sphinx was made ("We'll only watch a little of this [very long video clip; you decide when you're done]), and more pictures overall.  He seems to invest more time with the bells and whistles than content, but you can tell he did some reading and synthesis.  He does a closing frame of References - sadly something we teacher-librarians see all too often - Google and wikipedia.  While his two citations are an attempt, it's completely incomplete and inaccurate   This prezi is Tim's only one thus far: a beginner no doubt, but a start to some social presentation skills.

Concluding Statements About My Ancien Egypt Student Prezi Perusals
To me, both of these ring of "playing with new virtual toys"  rather than deep thinking and learning.  As "WE" learn new social media tools, I invite us to also look at our project designs and see if we can improve them and move away from what Dr. David Loertscher calls the "Bird Units" and more into inquiry based learning, and following the BCTLA "Points of Inquiry."  Nevertheless, while I say those words, I have yet to design and experience one!  Thus, next I'm off to create a prezi for inquiry learning about Ancient Egypt ...  

Guided Inquiry Examples

• Guided Inquiry: guided Inquiry and the School Library by National Library of New Zealand.  Scroll down to the "Whaling Example of Guided Inquiry" (Powerpoint).
• Cordova Bay, Victoria, Inquiry Learning Projects, Wikis K-5

Alrighty, the above were some guiding examples, along with David Loertscher's "Unit 34: Mayan Mysteries" (132).  I also wanted to finally force myself to use the Points of Inquiry Model endorsed by the BC Teacher-Librarian Association (BCTLA) - I've been sadly procrastinating on getting familiar with that large, but important document.  The exercise was a valued learning curve for me.  While I achieved my goal of a social media presentation that will be better received than a hard copy print out, I'm still going to bore students to tears!  I'm still struggling with how much information do we provide about the "Project To Do" list, as well as listing criteria for educators, students, and parents to read so they know the curriculum we aim to cover.

How does one visually jazz up "analyze the concept of civilization as it applies to selected ancient cultures"?  Ugh.  This question is one I look forward to discussing through social media: this blog, wikis, Google+ professional learning networks ... I know there is an answer, but I don't have it quite yet :)

Thus I invite you to peruse my Inquiry based prezi; it's too text driven; it lacks visuals, but it's a fantastic movement beyond "Bird Units" and into more visually and intellectually engaging learning - it fits with William Kist's "new literacies classrooms" ... "it is the questions that are important rather than the tools we use to explore these questions (8).  It is the visual literacies that we also must develop (25).

I AGREE.  And yet, yeesh, even above is too text driven after reading the likes of William Kist.  BUT, I forgive myself for being a product of the traditional learning system I learned and was teacher-trained through. Like in AA, I will realize and claim my teaching foibles and move forward - little by little.  My social media peers will help be stay on track!

I invite your feedback; many minds make light work

Ancient Egyptian Inquiry on Prezi

In Closing

Prezi is a powerful social presentation tool.  I will definitely use it again in the near future.  That it is restricted to 13 year-olds and older for accounts is simply sad, as I think grade four and up would love this software.  Until that changes, I will perhaps use it as a carrot (as I do Edmodo) as a cool presentation tool one can look forward to as he/she proceeds to grade seven.  The creative commons type prezi share which is "Explore" will be a "go to" resource for presenting students with visually appealing background information for Inquiry Learning.  Most enjoyable experience - time consuming [I've said those words b4 I know]), but powerful.