Prezi: Teaching & Learning Tool of the 21st Century

Prezi: Teaching and Learning Tool of the 21st Century

With the widespread and popularity of technology, the number of individual engaging in social media increases. Trends in healthcare are beginning to change. Technology and social media have become viable tools in today’s educational system (Lorenzon & Ittelson, 2005). Nurses play a crucial role in identifying, interpreting, and transmitting information within the healthcare (Schmitt, Sims-Giddens, & Booth, 2012). And with social media, nurse educator can properly guide their students in gaining knowledge and skills necessary to competently perform their role as a future health care provider. 

Various teaching and learning tools are available and commonly use in today’s education. A type of software, Prezi is an online, flash-based presentation creator. Though Prezi functionalities is similar with other presentation programs such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Apple Keynotes, this visual learning tool contain a unique navigational approach that is not only easy but can present texts, images, videos, and graphics in a non-linear way (BBC Active, 2010); making it fun and entertaining.

Following are the reasons why Prezi is an effective teaching and learning tools:

• Create a stunning visual impact.
• Prezi can import and incorporate various elements such as images, maps, and PDFs. In addition, it has a unique zooming function that creates a cinematic experience; enabling learners to have personalizes feeling.      
• Design as an interactive whiteboard.
• Prezi creates interactive and exciting presentation that is applicable with any touch navigation devices such as tablets.
• Freedom of Navigation
• Prezi can be stored in the public domain; therefore can be accessed both by faculty and students anytime, anywhere.
•  Tool for interactive classroom sessions or group projects
• Faculty and students can interact, build, and share presentation with one another in one common virtual whiteboard in real time.
• Prezi can transfer PowerPoint Presentation directly into Prezi Presentation using PowerPoint Import feature.

Nurse educator must be sensitive and adapt to the learning needs of their students. Today, majority of nursing students have grown with the use of technology (Axley, 2008). Whether in an online or ground classroom, Prezi can be an effective teaching learning tool in education. Its versatility and easy accessibility makes Prezi perform various functions (i.e. presentation, mind mapping, collaboration) that enhances student’s learning experience; thus an effective tool in the nursing education.

References

Axley, L.  (2008). The integration of technology into nursing curricula: Supporting faculty via the technology fellowship program. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 13(3). doi: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol13No03PPT01

BBC Active. (2010). Using Prezi in education. Retrieved from http://www.bbcactive.com

Lorenzon, G., & Ittelson, J. (2005). An overview of e-portfolios. Educause. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli3001.pdf

Schmitt, T., Sims-Giddens, S., & Booth, R. (2012). Social media use in nursing education. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 17(3), 2. doi: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol17No03Man02