Back in the day, I had to present a topic using PowerPoint. This intimidated me beyond anything I had to do in school. I guess the combination of speaking in front of my peers coupled with using a program I had never used before sent my anxiety into high gear. When need be, in my younger days, I had the uncanny ability to get someone (usually of the male persuasion) to maybe to do things for me. Now let me be clear, I did the research and the paper, I just didn't come up with the slides and arrange them. I felt at the time it was too challenging for me.
Let us fast forward some years and my dad asked me to help him with PowerPoint for his presentation he had to do for a class. I was no help to him because I just had people do it for me. So, he just sat down with the program and figured it out himself. He, like my husband, is ambitious and curious that way, unlike me.
The coolest portion during this process of learning and what I had always wondered about, was how people inserted videos, pictures, audio, and recordings. Media formatting located in the Insert tab on the ribbon. If I had bothered all those years ago to explore PowerPoint instead of giving up (because I was not confident in my ability to learn it) I would have noticed this section. Maybe then, my curiosity would have gotten the best of me, and I might have explored PowerPoint. Microsoft really has made this software program user friendly. If I hadn't let myself get in the way I could have known and used this program for years. Don't get me wrong, I would rather not speak or present but at least I can, for the most part, do the slide presentation portion on my own or with little to no help.
It's never too late to conquer one's fear!
ReplyDelete6.8.1 Media Formatting is definitely one of the coolest section from Chapter 6 :-)
Glad to see you exploring and learning PowerPoint and can do the slideshow portion on your own with little or no help ^_^
Right! All those times I had only used the default theme designs and that's it. Now, there's so much more we can add to our slides.
ReplyDeletePlaying a video during presentation can capture your audience's attention immediately! Hope you can make use of it every presentation.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to hear that you overcame your fear of using PowerPoint and discovered the user-friendly features of media formatting. I, too, feel intimidated when learning a new program, but exploring its capabilities can lead to surprising discoveries. Don't be too hard on yourself for not exploring PowerPoint earlier, the important thing is that you're able to use it now with confidence. :)
ReplyDeleteConsider this just an evolution in your tech literacy!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you got the experience from this course to navigate and insert pictures, audio, and more in PowerPoint. Now, you can consider yourself a PowerPoint pro! I hope this will be helpful for your career and moving forward have the confidence to create your own unique presentations.
ReplyDeleteMost of us are not natural-born orators, which is why it’s so important to practice. Whether you’re giving a speech in person or presenting over a video call, knowing your material backward and forward is essential. Rehearsing in front of a mirror is good, but recording a trial run on your phone or computer is more helpful. Do you move your arms too much when you speak, bite your lip when you’re tense, or have a tendency to stare into space when grasping for the right word? Watching a recording of yourself, cringeworthy though it may feel in the moment, is the best way to assess your strengths and weaknesses and identify areas of growth.
ReplyDelete