Q: My students just stand in front of the class and read the screen of their PowerPoint or Google Slides presentations. Is there another platform that’s better at capturing attention?
A: A new option I like is Sutori, in which you set up your presentation on a vertical timeline. It changes things up by having the viewer start at the top and work downward, with items placed on either side of a center line. The program is intuitive, and the presentation flows nicely. You can add text, images, sound files and videos—and even create multiple-choice quiz questions. It also has a forum option to cultivate conversations. Since it lives in the cloud, it can be created collaboratively, making it great for group work. It’s also an effective way to communicate step-by-step directions for an assignment, and it functions well as a self-guided presentation, like a study guide.
My go-to for presentations has always been Prezi, which allows you to create a presentation with audio, video, text and graphics that you can choreograph. You don’t have to just slide left—you can travel in any direction through the presentation. I always recommend structuring the presentation in a way that reflects its subject matter. When it’s done, you can share it with anyone, and then they can dance their way through your material.