Milestone #3- Prezi Presentation

Making Inferences on Prezi

For milestone #3, I chose to do a Prezi presentation on making inferences. I plan to use this lesson in my first grade class.(FYI- The brainpop video can only be used if you have a subscription. I have one but am not at liberty to share log-in info.If you want to see the video, you will have to sign up for a free subcription.) In first grade, my students learn about good reading comprehension strategies. Readers need to be active thinkers and use good comprehension strategies to understand what they are reading. As readers, one comprehension strategy we use and might not realize we use, is inferring. We use our background knowledge AND clues to help us figure out what something is, means, or what is happening in a text, picture, or song.  I feel that inferring will still be a good strategy for every reader to learn as we become more dependent on technology.

Prezi offers its users an unique opportunity to share their knowledge on a subject in an interesting way.  The creator of a Prezi does not have to be present in order for someone else to view, edit, and/or glean information from it.  It is a presentation tool that allows the creator to use a variety of multimedia to effectively present their information.  The nice thing about Prezi is that it doesn't use slides.  The user is provided a blank canvas to work on. Text is entered. Pictures and/or videos are added.  Frames and themes are put in place.  Finally, a path to follow through the presentation is laid out.  Users of the Prezi can follow the path provided, but can also see the full map (the "big picture"), as well.  

When it comes to learning spaces, Prezi can be a valuable tool.  It can help students learn new material without having to have someone face-to-face to "teach" it.  Prezi can also be used as a collaboration tool for students.  A group of students can collectively work on a presentation from various settings without having to ever be in the same place at the same time. The learning space with Prezi could be global!

As for other resources, such as DimDim, Jing, and Slide Rocket, these, too, can transform learning spaces.  Slide Rocket and Prezi are online presentation tools. These resources enable anyone, especially educators, to share information without having to be "present". The audience receives the information at their time of choosing, therefore, allowing learning to take place at all hours of the day and anywhere there is an internet connection.  DimDim allows the learning space to take place wherever 2 or more individual are at.  It is a video-conferencing tool that allows people to meet, interact, discuss, and collaborate.  The learning space using dimdim is now international. Users conferencing could be from different countries or continents. Jing, a screen capture tool, can help students who are learning and/or collaborating online. It can help students show others how to use or navigate new sites or help with troubleshooting and problem-solving (on or offline.)