I love Prezi!!!

I had actually discovered Prezi while researching options for the Literacy and Numeracy (secondary) Assignment 1 - Design a resource that communicates the importance of Literacy and Numeracy.   I have embedded the finished product below.

Positives:

• I found the tool incredibly easy to use, though I did just use a 3D template provided on the website.  Younger students may require explicit instruction before attempting to use the tool independently
• Attractive and engaging result
• Students can progress through presentation at their own rate
• Allows for incorporation of video, music, images, website links
• Plenty of attractive templates to use
• Freely available online for educational purposes
• Public or private security settings
• Can import powerpoint slides to convert to a prezi

Negative:

• If students were to prepare a prezi for an assignment, the creative side may take over at the demise of content.  Careful scaffolding would be required
• Doesn't work well on mobile phones
• Can take some time to load

Interesting

• You can change settings to make the Prezi editable by others.  This would allow students to collaborate on one prezi from around the world. 

I definitely think that Prezis would be useful in the maths/science teaching context, and in any subject really.  Both myself and the students could use it to spice up presentations.  I think it would also be amazing to use when going through assignment worksheet or criteria sheet.  I could upload a PDF and go through the sheet on the interactive whiteboard, zooming into the relevant sections for discussion.  I could then directly add notes, comments or links to the prezi and then each student would have an online record of the discussion.

Prezi would also be fantastic as a revision tool.  As a class we could make a mind map of the topics covered during the semester.  Students could navigate through at home and add to the prezi as they like. 

Legal, safe and ethical issues
As usual, all photos, videos, information etc. should be appropriately referenced when using Prezi.  For my assigment I added references in the comments box and also in an attachment handed in with the assignment.  I also included citations in the Prezi under all externally sourced photographs.

Photo courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prezi_logo.jpg