PowerPoint

I think everyone has made a PowerPoint that they have been proud of. But, on the flipside, I also believe that everyone has made a PowerPoint that they just wish they could do over again. These informative articles bring up some very interesting points concerning PowerPoint tricks and tools of the trade that can make every user successful. In these ways, it is very important to avoid the mundane ritualistic styles of bullet and information repetition. These readings help us to investigate other options and steer clear of potential problems that we see every day in PowerPoint.
1. Stay consistent and to-the-point. Although it is important to use different effects, I hate it when people use 10 different effects on one slide… because sometimes this makes it confusing and hard for people to follow.

2. Come prepared, even for the worst. I can’t even remember how many times a presentation hasn’t gone exactly as someone planned, and, because of this, the person was lost. I think you must come prepared, whether it’s free-hand notes or print-outs, be ready for anything because you never know what could happen.

3. Moderate your slides and avoid clutter. I hate it when people overload a particular slide with information. Sometimes it is hard enough to follow a presentation, and packing a slide with a lot of info just adds the difficulty to this sticky situation.

4. Integrate pictures, images, and clips. Be aware, tread lightly in these waters because just enough will solve your problems but too much will kill you. I think it’s important to use the capabilities that we have learned about in class, but be careful because this could make or break the flow of a presentation.

5. Finally, be confident in your work. If you have worked hard on a presentation, then act like it! We all know how difficult public speaking can be… but we all put a ton of hard work and effort into the presentations. So, in light of this, we need to be assured in our ability to convey whatever message we are bringing to class.

T.H.E. C.L.T.

The visit we paid to the AT&T Center for Learning & Technology was pretty mind blowing and incredibly informative. Until today, I had no idea that this place was even in existence, especially in the dungeons of the Coates Library, or what it could be used for… I could not have been more in the dark. I was definitely surprised by the amount of different outlets that are available to us as TU students. From MACs to PCs, all of the equipment in the CLT lab are brand new and always kept state-of-the art. I feel like all of these options are just waiting to be used by the faculty, staff and student body here at Trinity.

Personally, I am not exactly sure how I might be able to use this outstanding resource. I may not have a need for all of the film/video editing material, but I could most assuredly use to projection screens and meeting rooms for presentations or preparation for different things. I know that I will have group projects that will require collective work to achieve some kind of goal, whether it is a presentation or power point, and I know that the CLT lab can meet every single one of my technology needs. Mr. Chapman opened my eyes to an infinite number of possibilities just waiting at the tips of my fingers. I hope that sometime during my career here that I will have a video, music clip, or presentation that will require some hard work in the CLT lab.

The Excel Experience

I can’t remember exactly… but I think my first encounter with Microsoft Excel was in eighth grade at Forest Meadow Junior High. Since then, I feel like my knowledge has increased exponentially over the years, especially in this class in just a few short weeks. Thus far, my overall Microsoft Excel experience has been very enlightening and I have learned new functions and purposes, but, at the same time, re-discovered old ideas that I found out years ago.

From charts to cell references, we have covered everything I could have possibly imagined in a very short amount of time. In addition, formatting and functions that can knock the socks off of any school or business report that we might have in the near or distant future. Honestly, I feel if I had the time and means, I could play on Excel for hours on end just fidgeting and fighting with different ideas and schemes that it allows one to explore.

The future remains very hazy as far as Excel is concerned, but it is safe to say that I will be looking for any and every opportunity to maximize Excel’s capabilities. Although I am not majoring in Business or taking a math/statistics course, I am quite positive that I will need this program sometime. Whether it is sales documents or bank statements, I know Excel will come in quite handy whenever I need it most. Our work in Microsoft Excel has helped me immensely and I am eternally grateful for the information I have obtained.

Chris Nolan... Genius or Scholar?

I have read some of my classmates’ blogs and accumulated some pretty cool information about what Chris Nolan spoke about last Thursday. Obviously, Google and other search engines are absolutely crucial to our lives as students because we use it every day as our lifeline to the latest and greatest stuff on the Internet. I knew you could find a bunch of useless junk on these sites, but I did not know that there are legitimate sources that deviate from the beaten path of normal, everyday World Wide Web searches.

According to Chris, there is a far better way to sift through the endless amount of blah that you find on any ordinary Google search. I had never heard of Google Scholar…until just now. This is an extra feature of Google that I never knew existed, but I am so glad that I do now. Google Scholar is a great way for students to break down searches to information that is relevant to their needs. This particular feature offers articles, books, magazines, and anything else you could possibly need for your academic quest. Furthermore, Google Books is an effective way to limit your search to only books and narrow your investigation down even more. Honestly, I feel like I have learned an entirely different way to search the Internet… The Google possibilities are endless, and now quite controllable.

The picture I have chosen is the one of Katie Couric. Personally, this is the most astounding of all of the photographs, and I chose this picture because it especially highlights the pressure on women today to fit the “perfect” mold. Her original pictures were taken in May for the cover of Watch Magazine, and the fixed pictures hit shelves on the magazine’s cover this past September. The image was manipulated by making Katie’s dress darker, therefore, making her appear to be more slender than the original suggests. This picture was changed for one simple reason, to make Katie look like she “should.” Her picture has been altered so that she will look more like a newscaster “should” look, rather than any ordinary human being. Honestly, the altered photo looks great, but I think she already looks just fine in the original copy. I don’t think CBS should have to change a picture due to the public’s expectation. She is a beautiful woman just the way she is and I think it is important that we see it that way.