PowerPoint (PPT):A Word Processor that can Teach?

Eva M. Fernández

June 11, 2001

Queens LOTE Consortium

Queens College

LOTE@qc.edu

PPT: Main Features

• Create SLIDES– to project on a screen, from PC– to print-out as transparencies & use with

overhead projector

• Integrate text and other multimedia content

• Deliver presentations in formal or informal settings, in classrooms or conferences

Menu

• Entering and formatting text

• Working with the user interface

• Printing slides

• Saving your work

• Running a slide show

• approximately 15 mins. per topic,with time to experiment

Assumptions & Disclaimers

• You’re familiar with (but not experts in):– using a mouse– using a keyboard– using Windows 95 (or higher)

• Possible (critical?) differences between Mac & PC versions of PPT

• Interesting (but not critical) differences between PPT 97 and PPT 2000

Why Bother Learning PPT?

• Isn’t it just a glorified word processor?– good question…

• PPT (and other similar software) ISN’T (aren’t) JUST FOR MANAGING TEXT

– to use Microsoft’s jargon…

“you can easily organize, powerfully illustrate, and professionally deliver your ideas” PPT gives you “the tools you need to communicate with impact”

• found somewhere on the Microsoft.com website

Word Processors ~Word, WordPerfect, Wordstar, … • entering large amounts of text• printing text, or displaying it on a small computer

screen• so…

– default font sizes are small– default alignment is left, or justified– default paper orientation is portrait– not necessarily ideal for building slides

(though you can do it, if you have to)– can manage incorporation of multimedia objects, but

can’t display them well– keyboard commands for entering and formatting text,

but not necessarily ideal for presentations

Presentation Software ~PowerPoint, Freelance, Corel Presentations…

• Designed for making slides

– default font sizes are big

– default alignment and spacing of text varies, depending on slide layout

– default image is oriented as landscape

• ideal for overhead projectors

• with data projectors, takes advantage of screen size

And… with PPT (et al.)

• you can run SLIDE SHOWS

• AND you can associate a slide with notes, an outline, etc.– simplifies making handouts and summaries– enhances organizing ideas– improves accuracy of presentation

• FINALLY, you can save presentations as HTML files, to upload to the web

Finding the program

• In my machine:– D:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\

POWERPNT.EXE

• Find it in your lab machines now

Entering and formatting text

• Start-up dialog box:– “Create a new presentation… or open an

existing presentation”• annoying shortcut• to turn off, check box choose “Blank Presentation”

• Next:– “Choose an AutoLayout”

• not so annoying shortcut choose top left slide layout enter title & subtitle

Working with the user interface

• Menus– file, edit, view, insert, format– tools– slide show

• Toolbars– standard, formatting– outlining– animation

Windows / Views

• Full Slide

• Outline

• Slide Sorter

• Notes Page

• Slide Show

More on entering text

• Adding slides: default layout– Title slide– Bulleted list– 2 column text– Table– etc.

• Advantage of using default layouts: – generates outline automatically

More on formatting text

• “Format” menu• “Formatting” toolbar

– change font size– change line spacing, paragraph alignment– changing / adding / deleting bullets

– also, “Slide Layout” and “Apply Design”

• Remember to right click for formatting(and other such) options

Changing the default font

• For a given text box, or part of text box:– select text, change font

• For all the text entered so far:– “Format” > “Replace Fonts...” > “Replace”

• For any text to be entered:– “Format” > click on “Default for new

objects”

Printing slides

• As overheads– on plain paper– on transparencies

• As handouts– the black-and-white print-out– the outline print-out

Saving your work

• “Save”• “Save As…”

– presentation (*.ppt)– show (*.pps)– outline (*.rtf)– set of slides (*.gif, *.jpg, *.tif, etc.)

• “Save As HTML…” (come to Advanced session)

• “Pack and Go…”

Running a slide show

• the “full screen” view

• keyboard v. mouse

• black-outs, white-outs

• navigating through slides

• the mouse as pointer or pen

Keyboard shortcuts

• Advance to next slide:– space, N, right or down arrow, enter, page down

• Return to previous slide:– backspace, P, left or up arrow, page up

• Go to slide number “#”:– “#” + enter

• End show:– esc, ctrl+break

More keyboard shortcuts

• black-out: B

• white-out: W

• show / hide arrow pointer: A

• pointer-to-pen: ctrl+P

• pen-to-pointer: ctrl+A

• hide pointer & button: ctrl+H

• erase drawing: E

Homework:

• Make your own PPT presentation…– focus on making the text appear the way

you want it to– save it in various formats and see what

happens– print out some slides, a handout, an outline

• As a reference, download a copy of this presentation:– http://www.qc.edu/~efernand/

PPT 2: Beyond the Text

• PPT as a viable and more directly controllable alternative to slide projectors, tape recorders, and VCRs

• Learn how to manipulate:– images, tables, graphs, sounds, moving

pictures, and the like

• Bring…– multimedia objects to “play” with– a floppy or two, to take your work with you