Quick Tech Help Story: Prince Edward Learning Centre (PELC)
Prince Edward Learning Centre (PELC) uses Google Slides to help students develop multiple skills independently. Lori Farrington, a veteran classroom instructor at PELC, shares her experience using Google Slides with her learners.
Single tool, multiple skills
After struggling with PowerPoint, Lori switched to Google Slides as a presentation and collaborative learning tool. To get students to use it, she asked them to create a presentation on ancient Egypt. “Most of my learners are A2, B2 and D2. This gives them an alternative platform to use research, writing and computers skills,” she says. Her students found Google Slides easy to use and enjoyed the process of learning to manipulate photos and text while building the content for their presentations.
Building independence through virtual collaboration
Using the collaboration feature, Lori could answer questions and support her students while they worked at separate computers. “Most of my students have trouble with anxiety and don’t like people sitting right next to them, sharing one mouse and keyboard. It’s awkward.” Google Slides gives learners the freedom to experiment and the option to ask for help while maintaining their independence and personal space. Since Lori is the only instructor in her classroom, the collaboration feature also saves her from having to jump around from student to student. “We are able to watch each other edit and work on the slide. It makes editing much easier. I can show them how to do a certain action and then undo it and have them redo it.”
Not only did the switch to Google Slides eliminate version control issues and the need for USB drives, it got students learning multiple skills more independently.
15 March 2017
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