using computer generated slides in vte

Using Computer GeneratedSlides in VTE

Prepared by

Harry Thomas

Office of Educational Technology

Naval Postgraduate School


Using Computer Generated Slides in VTE

Vocabulary• Computer Slides: Visual aids created with

computer software like PowerPoint, etc.• VTE: Video Tele-Education• VTEC: VTE Classroom• VTC: Video Tele-Conferencing

• VTC is the technology we use for VTE.



How to view this presentation:• You can view this presentation on your

computer, but the examples will be more effective if you see it in a VTE classroom.

• For help with this please call the VTE offices at x2315 or x2459.

• Ask to view PPTIPS over a VTE connection.



Computer Slides in VTEIntroduction:

• Computer Slides can make or break your lecture!

• VTE requires a new approach to preparing slides



Using Computer Slides in VTEContent:

• Why is it different in VTE?• You can’t always get what you want.....

• ...but you can get what you need• Making your slides readable

– Proving they’re readable– Examples



Why It’s Different In VTE:

• Video in VTE is not the same as your computer.

• The VTC system doesn’t accept computer video signals in their original form

• The computer’s video signal must be “scan converted”



It gets worse...

• Computer video is “high resolution”

• Scan conversion changes computer video to “low resolution”

• The VTC system “compresses” the video signal

• Compression degrades image quality



...and worse.

• The images aren’t as sharp and they may have some flicker

• They will be difficult or impossible to read, if you don’t prepare for it!



• Your students may lose interest

• Your visual aids can look “sloppy”, making you look unprofessional

• Your course may not be well received

Ignoring the limitations is costly:



You can’t always get what you want...• Knowing the limitations allows you to

make effective, interesting visual aids, but...

• You can’t always do it the way you’d like.



You can’t always get what you want.....• When making effective slides, you may

feel you are not using your computer to it’s full potential.

• For VTE, that’s usually a good thing.



...but you can get what you need!

• You can make your slides readable

• It’s often less work than making them fancy

• You can still get your point across

• Your students will be grateful for easy-to-read visual aids



How to make readable slides:

• Keep it Simple

– Busy slides = Hard or impossible to read!

• Keep it BIG!

– Small text or images will be very difficult to see/read



How to make readable slides:• Turn down the volume

– flashy slides usually don’t work well• DON’T SHOUT (avoid all caps)• Limit the use of colors

– No color at all may be the best choice• Don’t use more than two different fonts on

one slide



Test Your Slides!• Slides won’t look the same on the classroom

monitors or at the remote sites• Preview your slides by running them in a

VTEC and watching the same quality your students will see

• If you can’t read them, your students can’t either



• Moving text will blur on remote screens



Avoid moving animations:



Avoid Bright Colors• Too much color will make your slides harder

to read on the DLC monitors• If you must use colors, choose for readability,

not how flashy the slide looks on your computer monitor



Color Examples• Black Text

• Red Text

• Navy Text

• Grey Text

• Green Text

• Light Grey Text

• Hot Pink Text

• Bright Green Text

• Yellow Text

• Purple Text



Backgrounds• Choose background color to work with

the text color: Is it easily readable?

• Avoid textures

• Avoid shading

• Avoid severe contrast



Background Color, Example 1• Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes.

– Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes• Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes


• Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes.– Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes

• Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes– Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes

• Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes



Background Color, Example 2• Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes.



• Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes.– Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes

• Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes– Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes

• Dark backgrounds are hard on the eyes



Background Color, Example 3• Bright backgrounds are hard on the eyes

– Bright backgrounds are hard on the eyes• Bright backgrounds are hard on the eyes

– Bright backgrounds are hard on the eyes• Bright backgrounds are hard on the eyes

• Bright backgrounds are hard on the eyes– Bright backgrounds are hard on the eyes

• Bright backgrounds are hard on the eyes– Bright backgrounds are hard on the eyes

• Bright backgrounds are hard on the eyes



• Background shading can obscure text charachters

• Shading darkens background, making text harder to read in general

Background Shading



Shading, Example 1

• Shading can make text hard to read• Shading can make text hard to read• Shading can make text hard to read• Shading can make text hard to read• Shading can make text hard to read• Shading can make text hard to read• Shading can make text hard to read



Shading, Example 2• Shading can make text hard to read• Shading can make text hard to read• Shading can make text hard to read• Shading can make text hard to read• Shading can make text hard to read• Shading can make text hard to read• Shading can make text hard to read



Use Simple Fonts• Fancy fonts are harder to read• Fancy fonts are harder to read• Fancy fonts are harder to read• Fancy fonts are harder to read• Fancy fonts are harder to read• Fancy fonts are harder to read• Fancy fonts are harder to read



Limit Use of Fonts:• Don’t use more than two fonts per slide• Don’t use more than two fonts per slide• Don’t use more than two fonts per slide

• Don’t use more than two fonts per slide• Don’t use more than two fonts per slide• Don’t use more than two fonts per slide



Limit Use of Colors:• Stick to a theme, avoid using lots of colors• Stick to a theme, avoid using lots of colors• Stick to a theme, avoid using lots of colors• Stick to a theme, avoid using lots of colors• Stick to a theme, avoid using lots of colors• Stick to a theme, avoid using lots of colors• Stick to a theme, avoid using lots of colors• Stick to a theme, avoid using lots of colors



Font Examples: Arial

• Arial 36pt• Arial 32pt• Arial 28pt• Arial 24pt• Arial 20pt• Arial 16pt• Arial 12pt• Arial 10pt• Arial 8pt



Font Examples: Times New Roman

• Times New Roman 36pt• Times New Roman 32pt• Times New Roman 28pt• Times New Roman 24pt• Times New Roman 20pt• Times New Roman 16pt• Times New Roman 12pt• Times New Roman 10pt• Times New Roman 8pt



Font Samples: Brush Script• Brush Script 36pt• Brush Script 32pt• Brush Script 28pt• Brush Script 24pt• Brush Script 20pt• Brush Script 16pt• Brush Script 12pt• Brush Script 10pt• Brush Script 8pt



Font Samples, 24pt

•Old English Text MT 36pt•Old English Text MT 32pt• Old English Text MT 28pt• Old English Text MT 24pt• Old English Text MT 20pt• Old English Text MT 16pt• Old English Text MT 12pt• Old English Text MT 10pt• Old English Text MT 8pt



Remember this:

• Slides won’t look as good as they do on your computer

• Colors won’t come out the same

• “Fancy” = Hard to Read

• “Busy Slides” are “Bad News” for students



...and this:

• Computer slides can work well but VTE has limits

• Work within the limits to get your point across• Keep It Simple!• Test your slides in the VTECs• Get student feedback: “Can you read this?”



Good luck, have fun…

….but not too much fun.

;->

using computer generated slides in vte

Documents