How to Create and Distribute a Class PowerPoint Presentation

As an easy and dynamic presentation tool, MS PowerPoint has been a popular alternative to the traditional blackboard aid in class. For teachers, a well-planned PowerPoint presentation appeals more to students of this digital epoch than a plain lecture without illustration. For students, a class report or research project delicately composed in PowerPoint is always more organized in look and more convenient for archive. So how to make and share a wonderful class presentation? In this post, you will find useful tips on creation and distribution of class PowerPoint presentations.

Section I: Create an Effective PowerPoint presentation

We know there are geniuses of speech, but there are very few. Most of us may fear to speak in public unless very very well-prepared. Never risk a successful class to a hasty PowerPoint presentation. Instead, build a written summary of your course carefully in PowerPoint. Here are several points you should bear in mind when composing a class presentation.

1. Define the topic
To give a persuasive presentation, you need to keep in mind what you are conveying to the audience. Make sure you have a thorough understanding of the class topic. How long do you have to make your presentation? Are you able to use visual aids or handouts? You don’t have to become an expert, or read every book or website ever written about your topic, but you should be able to answer any questions your teacher or classmates might give you.

2. Know the style
To be classic or to be trendy? It depends on both the course stuff and the targeted audience. For example, if you are going to tell a serious subject to a group of college students, take on a PowerPoint template of lofty color; if it is a DIY class to kids less than 8, employ a colorful background along with funny animations in your presentation. Be sure the style and the subject matches in the class presentation. Click here for free PowerPoint templates and backgrounds

3. Picture & animate it
As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand of words”. So do animations, video clips, and background sounds. A decent use of all those visual effects can bring a dramatic impact to your class PowerPoint presentation. Try to add some dynamics to set your class presentation off.

4. Less is more
The key is simplicity. Use less stuff to convey more ideas. Avoid abuse of PowerPoint components, esp. animations and wipes. Include in each slide points of 3-7, in each bullet words of 3-7. Never put all points in one slide at once, or the audience will lose interest in listening further to your presentation. Use simple sentences rather than long complete ones. Keep one theme or background, one font set and one text animation effect.

5. Edit by rehearsal
Rehearse your class presentation once done. Ask someone to comment on your rehearsal so that you can edit the PPT presentation for improvement.

Section II: Distribute a Sound Class PowerPoint Presentation

Creating a good PowerPoint presentation is the first step. Remember to practice over and over your class PowerPoint presentation until to a perfect extent. The next thing is distribution of the class presentation. How to distribute it depends on several factors, where the class PowerPoint presentation is made, where it is going to display, and how many students or classmates will attend to your class, etc.

Here are 5 ways to distribute a PowerPoint masterpiece.

1. Save your class PowerPoint file on the same computer
If your class presentation is created at and is to be distributed with the same computer (usu. your laptop), then simply leave it there. But by this method, you may run on certain risks of the vulnerable PowerPoint – computer corruption, Internet disconnection, and virus attacks. Many people do that, however, it is not recommended, especially when your class PowerPoint presentation is of critical importance.

2. Simply e-mail your class PowerPoint file
It is a PowerPoint presentation of homework, and you are required to email to your teacher’s account for review. In that case, simply e-mail the presentation.

Note -

• Don’t email a class presentation unless you are sure that the recipient use the same OS (don’t email from a PC to a Mac), the same version or later of PowerPoint program. Some people don’t have MS PowerPoint installed on their computers, nor do they have a proper PowerPoint Viewer to read your class presentation.
• Don’t forget to include the whole PowerPoint components (the presentation itself, the sound file, the video file if there is any) in the same folder before zipping it to email. Otherwise, the sounds or video clips embedded in your class presentation will not play on the recipient’s computer.
• And don’t email your class PowerPoint presentation if you are afraid of unwanted modification by others.

3. Save your class PowerPoint content to video

For an online class, you can apply this simple but effective means – save your class PowerPoint content to video, which is more flexible for Web share. When your class PowerPoint content is finalized in protective video, you can email it with comfort or upload it to your website, blog, MySpace, or YouTube, and invite your students or classmates to join in. Nevertheless, finalize your PowerPoint presentation in video first, using some excellent conversion software like PowerPoint to Video Converter

4. Save your class PowerPoint presentation onto a DVD disc

If you are to take your PowerPoint presentation from home to school, consider burning or saving it to a DVD disc. A DVD backup is a wise relief from your vulnerable PowerPoint presentation. You will neither suffer from such computer risks as computer corruption, virus attacks that may occur by Method 1, nor bother to any version trouble or cross-platform inability as may happen by Method 2. An additional benefit of this PowerPoint to DVD method is that you can play your class PowerPoint at a DVD player on big screen TV, just like a professional movie.
Software to burn your class PowerPoint to sleek DVD: PowerPoint to DVD Burner

5. Save your class PowerPoint file as PDF
As to printing and reprinting, you can save your class PowerPoint as PDF. Before taking this means, you should make sure your recipient has Acrobat Reader or else PDF viewer on his/her computer. If your class presentation is composed on MS PowerPoint 2007, you can save it direct to PDF since there is a Microsoft Save as PDF or XPS Add-in for 2007. You can also use a standalone conversion app, e.g. Moyea PPT to PDF Converter, to turn your class presentation into organized PDF. Save as PDF, and give a PDF copy to each attendant, when you intend to deliver your class presentation with full sense.

Voila. The remarkable teaching aid PowerPoint deserves your effort and taste. Take all the tips here on class presentation creation and distribution, and make full use of PowerPoint to improve your teaching.