Dartmouth Medical Atlas

The Dartmouth interactive medical atlas at http://www.dartmouthatlas.org  provides an outstanding  way to depict data.  Working with a graduate student this morning on her end-of-life and ICU research paper prompted me to explore the website again. The embedded picture below shows percent of deaths associated with ICU admission by area in the country.  You can mouse over any of the sites to see the average percent of deaths.

The data can be downloaded into PowerPoint or an Excel spreadsheet, too. 

Embedding a YouTube Video into PowerPoint - An Update

A couple of years ago, I posted a blog on how to embed a YouTube video with PowerPoint 2007 and 2003. That was before PowerPoint 2010 was released.  If you have PowerPoint 2010, the procedure could not possibly be easier!  You just click insert video from website and copy the embed code from the YouTube website.  I have updated the PowerPoint tutorial to show the tricks that allow you to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint.  The PowerPoint presentation is online at http://hercules.gcsu.edu/jsewell/Embedding_a_YouTube_Video.ppt

PowerPoint 2010

I have written about PowerPoint 2010, but just got it installed on my work computers this past week.  I am looking forward to using the video editing features that are built into the program.  I have been slowly learning new video skills to use in planning teaching/learning lessons.  Although I don't use PowerPoint often, it can be effective.  To learn more, go to http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-powerpoint/archive/2011/03/03/ready-to-test-your-hollywood-skills-create-impressive-video-presentations-in-powerpoint-video.aspx

Interactive PowerPoint

I stumbled across a free PowerPoint add-on that allows for interaction using multiple mice (wireless and wired).  Think of it as using a personal response system, only the device is a mouse.  While the app is designed for children, there is absolutely no reason that it could not be used for higher education.  The app is called Mouse Mischief and available at http://microsoft.com/multipoint/mouse-mischief 

There are video overviews and many templates that can be downloaded and used in the classroom setting. While I do not have time to create slides for fall semester, I can easily envision using the app with students in the NCLEX prep course.

To experience the app, I connected a wired mouse to my computer which already used a wireless mouse.  I indicated that I was using multiple mice.  It is simply an amazing program!

PowerPoint Presentation Software Skills List

I invite your feedback on this listing of Presentation software skills (PowerPoint, etc.)
Basic Presentation Skills
* Design a simple presentation
* Apply a template
* Insert a new slide
* Apply the use of different slide layouts
* Use spell-check
* Save a presentation
* Add shapes to a slide
* View a slide show
* Print a presentation

Intermediate Presentation Skills
* Customize the presentation menu
* Create handouts
* Add clip art to slides
* Add SmartArt to slides
* Move and resize objects
* Incorporate multimedia (audio, graphics, animation, and video) into slide design
* Modify multimedia used for presentations
* Demonstrate competency using two presentation software applications
* Save a presentation in file formats for use with other software applications
* Share/collaborate with others on presentation design
* Apply pedagogical principles to presentation design (Purpose, visual clarity, consistency, readability)

Advanced Presentation Skills
* Design on-screen navigation
* Customize presentation toolbars
* Embed/edit a spreadsheet
* Create a macro
* Add slide transitions
* Add slide sections
* Design slide animations
* Demonstrate advance text and graphic editing techniques
* Build custom slide masters
* Build custom handout masters
* Build custom notes masters
* Create a presentation template
* Publish and distribute presentations
* Demonstrate competency using more than two presentation software applications

Embedding a YouTube Video with PowerPoint

My students often challenge me to learn new technology strategies. This past weekend one of the students was trying to figure out how to embed a YouTube video using PowerPoint. I thought it was a terrific idea because there are hundreds of superb videos in YouTube that are relevant to nursing practice and patient education.

I knew that I could use video converting software to download a YouTube video, but I had not considered attempting to incorporate the URL into a presentation. I ventured out to create a PowerPoint presentation as a just-in-time tutorial. I plan to add some interactive questions at the end of the tutorial later.

To solve the problem, I googled the terms and discovered the solution in YouTube! The only snag was that I had a corruption on the computer I was using so it did not have Flash. The lesson I learned is that if Flash is not installed, it will not appear in the PPT Control Box menu. I emailed myself the PPT and used another computer to complete the presentation.

This presentation could be used to extend the information in Chapter 8, Presentation Software: Looking Professional in the Spotlight, of the Thede & Sewell textbook. Although almost all of the younger students feel proficient with the use of PowerPoint, they may not have thought about using YouTube videos.

The PowerPoint presentation is online at http://hercules.gcsu.edu/jsewell/Embedding_a_YouTube_Video.ppt