Need ideas for my "computer/tech" final presentation.

[solchitlins]

I need to do a 15 minute power-point presentation for my college level intro computer/tech class.

It can be on anything computer or technology related.

The course has gone over the "basics" of system units, input/output, networking, security, storage, operating systems, software, enterprise and programing.

I have never done a power-point presentation and can't seem to lock down any idea's.

I started out with 4 or 5 people in my group but due to drop outs or scheduling changes its now down to 2 of us and he doesn't have any idea's or preferences.

We can use the class room pc or plug our laptops into the projector.

This is a small part of our grade but I don't want to blow it off and look like a joker. The instructor has left this up to us to do on our own and has only said that we should dress professionally.

Any help advice is appreciated.

 

[needlnerdz]

hm you could have fun by making a 15 minute presentation of showing off the horrible and overused transition features available while changing from slide to slide.. a sort of meta-presentation. plus you are posting this in a mac forum.. as a mac user.. why aren't you using keynote? there are plenty of perfect candidate transition effects to show off from that program too. you can download a 30 day trial from apple for it.. - maybe search google for bonus add on packs of transitions from MS office to beef up the selection to show off. and at the end of it all you could have, in GIANT comic-sans letters, "Don't try this at home... or in the office!"

good luck!

 

[solchitlins]

I don't actually have a Mac yet.
Been spending some time here researching before making a purchase.

Just looking for general ideas.
Thanks

 

[Jason Beck]

LOL I have that exact same assignment for my Computer Fundamentals class this week! Good idea about the overused transitions!

 

[djellison]

Am I the only one to see the stupidity in suggesting that someone who's admitted they've NEVER given a powerpoint presentation should start off by ridiculing the very medium they are yet to have any experience in?

Don't use too many bullet points - they are beyond tedious.
Make sure any words on the slides add value for your audience, not you.
Make sure you're speaking about something you know about, well.
Make sure you engage your audience - give them a challenge of some sort.


Here's an interesting option - discuss the evolution of the web by using archive.org's wayback machine version of famous websites from their very first incarnation to today. BBC New, The White House etc etc. It's an astonishing story to see them evolve to the web '2.0' style sites we see today. You could perhaps talk through the evolution of one site - and then show the very first version of another and ask the audience to guess when it was out. Try and make it an extreme. Compare the total file size of web pages back then, to now, and bandwidth of then, to now.

Don't 'show off' using Keynote. Use it only if you're used to it. Use it because it's the best tool for the job. Truthfully, there's little you can do in Keynote that you can't in Powerpoint. Anything that you might find you can do in Keynote that you can't do in Powerpoint is probably too show-offy or un-necessary. I think I use one funky transition in all the lectures I've given.. a 'flame' style appear for demonstrating a budget that got blown to pieces.

Make sure, if you use your laptop, that it works with the projector and you can have the same view for both yourself, and your audience. Do NOT use notes. If you need notes to give a talk - you're not ready to give your talk. Re-read your slides, re-present it to yourself until you ARE ready to do it without notes

I don't pretend to be a presentation guru - but I have had lots of excellent feedback and invites to return to places at which I've spoken. A few examples
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRq0sUP0KbY - note, I don't look at the laptop - I don't need to. I know what the screen's going to do - I know what's next - and I speak to that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa3-vrCEbW0 - I'm infront of my laptop for this one only because the camera-crew who filmed the first talk had gone home and asked me to stay static on the podium.

This is a talk I gave at JPL in California - possibly the most amazing experience of my life - lots of people I'd consider 'heroes' in the audience. http://vimeo.com/4432230

Hope that's of some help. Good luck - let us know how it goes!

 

[CJS7070]

Think 5 per slide... A max of 5 bullet points, with 5 words each. It's not a rule but a good guideline to follow.

 

[djellison]

Unless you've lost the ability to talk to your audience,why would you put five bullet points of 5 words on a slide?

That's the point that the slides become not an engaging resource for your audience, but your own notes, on show, publicly.

Only use words on the page when you HAVE to, to make a point. Stats, or a specific list of something to make a point.

Oh - and if you've got URL's and references, leave them on the last slide (or an 'extra' slide after the last slide ) so people can take a note of them when you're finished.