Blog #12: Information is so beautiful :")

Infographics (information graphics) are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present information quickly and clearly. (Source: Wikipedia)

Studies show that people retain information more if presented visually because our brain processes it 60,000 times faster compared to reading long texts! Imagine how easy it would be to retain our lessons if our handouts are infographics! Not only would it save time, it would also save space. Look at this:

source: http://technopalooza.tylerisd.org/modules/locker/files/get_group_file.phtml?gid=3117176&fid=25914811

It is advantageous for a teacher to use an infographic as a teaching material. Personally, as a student, I easily get bored with discussions that are so plain and just too wordy. It's just tiring for my brain to process all the words, and I can't even remember more than 50% after the lecture. But if I see something creative and unique, I stay awake and get amazed (yes I get amazed easily, and I actually have my mouth open in amazement haha).

source: http://www.sproutgeek.com/piktochart-make-successful-infographic-ai-ching/

As a student, I live in a world full of different kinds of presentations. Most of the lectures in our university are PowerPoint presentations. Students, during reportings in some subjects, also use PowerPoint presentations. Some wanted theirs to be unique and so they use Prezi and others, also Powtoon, like what I said in my previous blog entry. These things are more visually appealing than PowerPoint that we are so used to seeing, and so it kind of makes even the most boring topic into an interesting one. These presentations are turned into handouts, which we then photocopy. Photocopying handouts from all my subjects really cuts down my allowance. But infographics can cut down these long pages and make it more appealing!

source: http://evscicats.com/blog/tools-unleash-creativity-piktochart/

There are useful websites in making infographics. In our laboratory this week, we were introduced to piktochart.com. Check it out! There you can make infographics easily and wonderfully, something nice that exceeds your expectations of what you can actually do! You can also check this out:
http://technopalooza.tylerisd.org/modules/locker/files/get_group_file.phtml?gid=3117176&fid=25914811

source: http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/news/graphic-design/piktochart-offers-online-interactive-infographic-creation/

Infographics are useful in many ways. We just need to have a creative mind and a topic to use, and stuff like Piktochart as a canvass and voila! :)

Blog #11: The Apples of Our Eyes

     There are many presentation software existing today. Different computers have their own default software. For those who use Windows, they have Microsoft PowerPoint. Those who use Mac, they have Keynote.

source: http://blog.nasolab.com/?p=12

source: http://www.guidesandtutorials.com/powerpoint-tutorial.html

     Internet has been very useful to us ever since it became available. I remember those days when we used dial-up just to connect. I remember that whenever we connect with dial-up, we cannot use the telephone. It was a problem for us because we have a water refilling station and people would call us for orders, and we have the same telephone line for our house and our store. So we were only allowed to use the Internet for evenings and for Sunday afternoons when our store is only on half-day. Anyway, going back to the topic at hand ;)) Internet has been so useful, and it offers many sites of presentation software. As technology progresses and people become more picky and more artistic and stylish, the designs of the presentation tools must cater to their demand.

     Have you heard about Prezi? I think it is the most popular presentation software over the Internet. It was the most used aside from MS PowerPoint when I was in high school. I was amazed when I saw how it works. It is like you have a big poster where the details need not be arranged as long as they are interconnected in any way, and every slide you zoom in to a specific part. Sometimes they can be just connected to each other literally, and sometimes the next slide is inside the letter O found in previous slides. The possibilities are endless! You only need an Internet connection and a very colorful imagination :) Haven't heard about it yet? Go to prezi.com.

source: http://historysandoval.blogspot.com/

     This week in our laboratory class, we were introduced to PowToon. You know those animated presentations in some commercials in NatGeo and Discovery Channel? Yeah I know I'm too vague. Just go take a look at some tutorials in PowToon, just visit it at www.powtoon.com. There you can create animated videos and presentations for free! It really is awesome to use it and I'm not even kidding! Give it a try :) This would be great in office presentations too, and probably your bosses won't be able to take their eyes off of it ;)

source: http://globalrichmedia.com/diy-animation-platform-powtoon-grabs-600k-for-its-video-creation-software/

     "A good presentation makes ALL the difference."

source: http://bestprezi.com/