Learn How to Make Interesting Interactive Multi-media Power-points
Allow Users to Make Choices and to Learn More
You probably know already how to make
power-points with words and pictures.
Here we set out easy ways to add videos and
sound.
We also set out helpful user choices for:• Moving from page to page,
• Alternate ways in which videos and sounds
can be made to play,
• User choices for selecting a new Powerpoint to play.
This tutorial has been made using Microsoft Office 2010. Similar work can be done using Microsoft
office 2007 but the screen pictures here don’t quite match up with the version of Power-point in the
2007 version.
For best Results Play the tutorial on a Computer with Microsoft Office 2010 installed, or a PC with
Windows Power-point-viewer installed. (Download this free from.)
http://www.intowindows.com/download-office-powerpoint-viewer-2010/
How Pollen is Spread
Click on the
video
(flowers)
before you
click the
“Next “
Button
Click on the
video (the
picture of
brambles and
white
flowers)
before you
click the
“Next”
button.
Maybe you know already how to add pictures to a Power-point. It is very easy. So
long as you can find the insert tab and the picture tab you should be fine.
Adding sounds is extremely similar to adding videos. Of course many videos have
their own sounds but if you have been successful in placing a video inside a Powerpoint you should find it very easy to do the same ting with sound files such as MP3s.
Let’s try.
Insert Sound
Not Video
Pretend you
cannot read
so you click
the speaker
Look at the insect on the flower.
What do you think it is?
Make sure that this
box is not checked.
You will want to make it easy for students to click on the speaker picture to hear sound.
You must go to Slide Show (Click the Slide Show tab) and make sure that this box is not
checked. This only needs to be done once for each Slide Show File that you create.
If you fail to uncheck this box everything will look good, as you see it on the left then suddenly as
the user tries to mouse-click the speaker everything goes wrong as you see it on the right of this
page.
Hey where has the speaker picture gone?
To work out how long each verse needs to stay
onscreen you can use the timeline from an audio
program such as Audacity.
An alternative would be to use a stopwatch as you
play the sound.
1/ type up the words of the first part of the song
into a textbox on this page.
2/ Click the transitions tab so you can choose when
the slide will be changed for the next one. (There
are also lots of different patterns for these
transitions if you want them. That can come later.)
3/ For advance slide choose a time option, such as
the 52 Seconds chosen here.
Well that is the end of the Power-point Lesson
Create an Interactive Power-point Part 1
Maybe you would like to skip to the end now.
Just press the Skip To button.
Instead you may wish to read up some notes about ways to obtain resources.
If that is what you would like to do click the Next button.
The End
How to Obtain Resources to Create Interactive Power-points
Pictures
There are many formats for digital pictures. JPG is a favourite for stills. GIF is a
favorite for animations.
Obtain Pictures by:
• Downloading from internet (Be careful not to break copyright laws if you plan
to distribute or share the material you create.)
• Make photographs with a digital camera,
• Scan traditional photographs or artwork, (Again be careful about copyright.)
• Create computer art or modify digital photographs.
• To edit digital pictures Photo-shop is very popular with advanced users.
Irfanview described by its author as a viewer has lots of capability to do basic
picture editing. It is free to download for private and for school use. Even if you
prefer Photoshop of another Graphic Editor for your own work it is probably
worth considering something simple such as Irfanview for a young school class
or any group of beginners.
The End
Obtain Digital Videos
Formats
There are many formats for digital videos. WMV works well with windows.
Obtaining Digital Videos
• You can create them using the video setting with a still camera. Check
first the situation regarding plugging in a microphone. *See note below.
• An Ipad does quite a good job if you are working in a good light, are close
to your subject. and only wish to play your videos back in a fairly small
size. The built-in microphone is quite good. You can then email your
videos to your main computer. Create them with a video camera. *See
note below about plugin Microphones.
• Use a digital movie camera. This is better than using a still camera where
movement is fairly vigerous.
• Download from the internet. (Be careful about copyright if you plan to
share.)
• Make friends with a film producer and beg for leftovers.
The End
A Microphone
*Note: Do you need a plug in microphone? Have you a suitable socket on you
Camera, Movie Camera, and Laptop Computer?
You can always edit sounds onto a video later and this can be ideal for adding
commentary or creating a quiz. At other times the camera must catch the sounds
or they will not match the movements of a speakers lips, the swing of a hammer
or the thud of a cricket bat. Much better that you do this all in one operation.
If you want good quality videos with clear sound you will generally need a camera
with a microphone socket and a microphone that fits this socket. I bought a
microphone for $80.00 Australian that works well with my Digital Camera for
video and also works well on my laptop if I wish to record just audio.
This microphone can also be switched to record just the sounds that come from
one direction.
The End
Check out Microphones on the Web
Notes on sentences where you may choose to look up key terms on the web.
• At other times the camera must catch the sounds or they will not match the
movements of a speakers lips. (Reason for recording sound as part of the movie.)
(Look up Lip Synchronisation)
• This microphone can also be switched to record just the sounds that come from
one direction.
(Look up Directional Microphones)
The End
Edit Your Videos
You can edit video to some extent with Power-Point.
Windows Live Movie Maker that comes as part of Windows is much better for
doing the basics. Early versions of Windows 7 seem to have had more powerful
versions of Windows Live Movie Maker than later versions.
If you have problems with say Windows Live Movie Maker or Power-Point being
able to edit video files that you have from other sources there are free to
download of utility programmes that convert file formats well. I use Freemake
Video Converter which is very intuitive.
Of course many spend hundreds, thousands, or millions on hardware and software
to make fancy videos.
The End
Audio Files
There are many formats for Audio Files. WAV is very good for high quality sound but
the files are quite large. MP3 is a favourite for speech and most singing.
Obtaining Audio Files:
• Many audio files can be downloaded from the internet. (Be careful about
copyright if you plan to share your work.)
• Tablet computers such as Ipads can download free apps which make it possible
to record quite good quality sound Smart Record is a good example of such an
App.
• Laptop computers with suitable software and a microphone do a good job of
recording and editing sound. I use the free program Audacity.
• (You can record sound on a desktop but all the noise from cooling fans is a
problem. Also you cannot easily carry the computer to the sound.
The End