GAIN 2: Google Drive/Presentations

GAIN 2: Google Drive/Presentations

Google Slides vs. PowerPoint

The basics of Google Slides are very similar to PowerPoint.  It is quite simple to change the theme, formatting, and animation of your slides.  The themes that are available are very simple, and not very engaging visually.  But for a basic presentation, they would do.  The best part about Google Slides is the advantage that comes with all Google apps-- collaboration.  It is not uncommon for students to have to create presentations within group projects.  In my own experience, it usually falls one a single group member to consolidate all of the information that other members produce into one coherent presentation.  With Google Slides, all group members with internet access may edit the presentation at any time.  This means that as each group member completes their portion of the presentation, they can immediately enter it into slides.  Other group members can view these slides and become acquainted with the information as soon as it is entered into the program.  How convenient!

Here is a link to the small presentation I created:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1xrHHOFaHNIXXjB7L7tRR7CHqSu0bLme7qi-ic-JuLR4/edit?usp=sharing

Google Apps Meets Common Core Reading

Just like Google Docs, Google Slides offers sharing, cloud-based storage, and the ability for the user to download the presentation in other formats.  Depending on the share settings, if the unique web address of the presentation is shared with another user, they may edit the presentation themselves.  Presentations are key in student communication.  Google Slides allows students to work together to present information to their classmates.  The Import Slides feature will allow users to import slides from not only any other Google presentation, but from Microsoft PowerPoint files as well.  Another advantage to the Google Slides program is that it can be used from all devices-- Macs, PCs, and anything else with internet capability.  Presentations can be downloaded as PNG, JPEG, SVG, PPTX, PDF, and TXT formats.