Impressed by Prezi

Many people have said that teaching is akin to performance art. So, it makes sense that I should be blogging about education and the use of Prezi (see the YouTube video below for a Prezi demonstration) on the night of the Oscars. There certainly are comparisons to be made between acting and teaching. As a teacher, we need our performances to be riveting. And, as Daniel Day-Lewis's performance in "Lincoln" proves, authenticity is important in creating accurate portrayals of historical figures, just as it is for students in the field of social studies.

Inquiry lessons that make use of authentic, real-life materials enhance learning, and educators need to know how to handle them. They must do a good job of identifying the information in those resources that is germane to the subject being studied. Furthermore, teachers must be able to see, in advance, how students can best utilize the materials in their studies, while also making sure they know which resources are ideal for that particular inquiry and which ones are less applicable.

When we consider using technology in the classroom, it certainly does help educators and students connect to authentic materials they might not otherwise be able to access, including old photos of the past or diaries from those who lived through certain events but have since passed on. Being able to interact with such material can only improve any historical inquiry students undertake.

More than that, however, various technological advancements and computer programs allow students to take that information and present it in ways that grab the attention of their audiences. One such program that I've had the pleasure of toying around with recently is Prezi. My partner, Dona, and I are using it for the next lesson plan we're doing, and it very user-friendly, which is important for two digital immigrants like us.

Great for doing timelines and other types of presentations, Prezi offers the opportunity to arrange bite-sized chunks of information in logical order with eye-catching graphics that are make it difficult to tear yourself away from the screen while watching them. Two of the more interesting ones I viewed were one on Martin Luther King, Jr. and another on great jazz bassists. The Martin Luther King, Jr. example was a timeline that featured the important events in his life, while allowing viewers to also take in video clips and speeches he gave. The one on jazz bassists was even more interactive, with historic performance clips and detailed explanations of their contributions to jazz.

Dona and I are planning a Prezi on Ellis Island. I can't wait to see how it'll turn out. I don't know if it'll be Oscar-worthy, but we'll do our best.