Twelve Techie Gifts
For You and Your Students
Happy Holidays! Enjoy These 12 Alternatives to Powerpoint from your friends at the library.
Day 12: Smore
Last but not least! Smore lets you make beautiful digital newsletters and is the very app upon which I've compiled this list. I can vouch for how easy it is to use.
Tutorial video below.
Classroom Newsletters with Smore.com
Day 11: Google Slides
This app is already available to all staff and students in AISD through the district cloud. Outside of AISD, it's available to anyone with a free Gmail account. While it's the app on this list most similar to Powerpoint, Google Slides offers many advantages, including that it's web-based and collaborative.
No flashy marketing video below but just a helpful basic introduction.
Intro to Google Slides
Day 10: Projeqt
This great tool allows to you to make "dynamic" presentations that can inbed live feeds from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, blogs, and more. Watch your presentation update in real time!
Projeqt - Dynamic Presentations for a Realtime World
Day 9: Prezi
Not a linear thinker? Then this tool is a great one for you! Enjoy zooming in, out, and all around on your large presentation space.
Prezi vs. Slides
Day 8: Canva
Here's another great one for making presentations, posters, and all kinds of graphic designs. An iPad app version is available too.
A Simple Video Guide to Canva
Day 7: Sway
Sway is another good one for creating interactive presentations, newsletters, projects, and more. Don't be "swayed" that it's published by Microsoft. (Ha!)
What is Sway - Microsoft Sway Tutorials
Day 6: Joomag
Digital magazines, photo albums, catalogs and e-books are just waiting for you to create them! Upload students' digital content to create literary magazines or digital journals.
Joomag - Digital Publishing Service
Day 5: RawShorts
Create great "animated explainer videos" by simply dragging/dropping on one of their many templates. Have fun!
Make an Animated Video Online
Day 4: Emaze
A great presentation builder! Pick from lots of templates (including 3D and video), save your work to view off-line, and see which/when/where people are viewing your creation. Supports all foreign languages too!
emaze Tutorial - Getting Started
Day 3: Piktochart
Easily create infographics, posters, presentations, and visual reports using one of their many professionally-designed templates.
Here's a guide to making your first infographic in 15 minutes.
How to create a piktochart infographic easily
Day 2: Haiku Deck
Create a slide presentation that is "quick, beautiful, and fun" and is easy to create on a computer or a tablet. Watch a short introduction below.
Meet Haiku Deck
Day 1: Powtoon
"Bring awesomeness to your classroom" with this fun, easy animated video maker. The video below is both an example of PowToon in action and a lesson on how to get started.
Toon Mojo: Creating a PowToon In 5 Easy Steps!
Check Back Each School Day Through December 18 for Another Techie Tool !
Please Note
- Using the free versions of these programs often means that what you create can be viewed publicly. Do not (and do not let students) share personal data.
- I do not pretend to be an expert in any of these programs, but I'm willing to help you learn to use them successfully.