Narrated Online PowerPointNarrated Online PowerPointModulesModules

Dr. Pete SeelDr. Pete Seel

Department of Journalism and Department of Journalism and Technical CommunicationTechnical Communication

CSU Professional Development CSU Professional Development Institute – January 7, 2010Institute – January 7, 2010

Four Goals for Session

1. The rationale for adding narration to PPTs in online courses

2. Why PPT lectures need to be redesigned for added narration

3. How to modify module design for narration

4. Quick demo on checking audio levels and adding narration

BackgroundBackground

• Started at CSU in fall of 1996• Earned Ph.D. at Indiana University in 1995• M.A. is in educational technology• Was media producer (video and photo) in

healthcare field for ten years• Online course is JTC 413 New

Communication Technologies and Society • Offered every fall since 2001 - just

completed ninth online class

Student Feedback• Suggest mid-term evaluations in all

courses, especially those online

• Make changes based on their feedback

• Some comments from this past October:

• “I absolutely appreciate the audio with the PowerPoint modules and I do like the tie-in with the required textbooks. I can't really imagine this online format without the audio PowerPoint.” -- Linda K.

More…• “I love the powerpoints and the fact that you

have added voice to them instead of simply giving slides to print off which has happened to me in several online courses.” -- Carrie K.

• “I do greatly enjoy the powerpoint lectures. It is great being able to see an outline of topics while listening/learning about them. Extremely helpful.” -- Sean F.

• “I agree with you about the voice in the PowerPoints; it does bring the classroom to my desk way out here on the East Coast!” -- Mary E.

Two more…

• “The modules are definitely helpful. I like how they come with audio, because if it were just the slides and I had to read them, I don't think I would get anything out of it. But the audio really, really helps!” -- Kathleen M.

• “The online powerpoint presentations with the incorporated voice notes are very helpful. I can take my time listening and gathering notes and really soaking in the information.” – Allison S.

The Rationale for Narration

• Student retention greatly improves if they can read and hear course content at the same time

• Typical for on-campus classes

• Not so for most online courses

• However, I just broke cardinal rule for PPT

• Don’t use long blocks of text and…

• God forbid – don’t read them verbatim

Why PowerPoint?Why PowerPoint?• One of the most maligned communication

applications – why?

• Terrible “execution” = death by PowerPoint

• Too much text on screen

• Limited illustrations

• Key is editing text to bare minimum, then adding to it with narration

• Think of it as a radio fireside chat – rather than Voice-of-God film narration

The Editing Process• Review on-campus lecture PPTs• Trim as much text as possible – follow the 6

and 8 rule• Make sure that bullets appear one by one• Add images that require interpretation and/ or

explanation (cartoons to add humor also)• Animate images in sync with related bullets• Run through the slides to think about what you’d

like to add to them verbally• Save the file with a new name – add

“NARRATED” to file name and put in folder

What is this?

Images: The digital divide….Images: The digital divide….

Humor: What digital divide?Humor: What digital divide?

Radio Pioneers• Reginald Fessenden

(1866 - 1932) transmitted first radio program - Christmas eve in 1906

• Lee De Forest (1873-1961) claimed credit for other’s inventions

• Edwin Howard Armstrong (1890-1954) invented FM radio in 1933

Radio via satelliteHow satellite radio works

Source: XM Sirius

Signals are up-linked from New

York (XM Sirius) to satellites

Satellites retransmit 150 channels to cars, homes, and offices

Image Usage Image Usage TipsTips

• Leave the image up and talk about it

• Recall that online students can pause the PPT and take notes on their printed hard copies

Audio Set Up

• Buy or borrow a set of computer head- phones with microphone

• Can have two mini-plugs (mic in and audio out) or a USB plug

• Cost -- $15 - $30• Where: Best Buy,

Target, Radio Shack, Ultimate, etc.

Testing your audio levels

• Plug in your headset – mic to mic, etc.• With PC under Control Panel:• Select Sounds and Audio Devices• Under properties select the Voice tab and go

through Set-up Wizard to set audio levels• This is easier than it looks (2-3 minutes)• NOTE -- You’ll have a chance to check your

levels again before recording narration

Recording• Find a quiet place and time• For me Sunday evenings in my home office• Under Slide Show in PPT menu select Record

Narration• Check recording levels one final time• Take a deep breath and hit OK record button• If you need to pause just click ESC button• Then pick up where you paused• When finished, click on save timing button to

preserve slide transitions & check narration• Save As NARRATED version and keep in a

separate folder from non-narrated versions

In closing…• Final step is to upload the PPT file in RamCT

as a learning module (just like any PPT file) • For online classes buy a headset and practice

adding narration• Ask for midterm feedback from your students• Try your online PPTs (sans narration, of

course) with your on-campus students• I bet they’ll like the added illustrations and

spontaneity• For a good laugh in class show them this video

by comedian Don McMillan

End of narrated PPTs moduleEnd of narrated PPTs module

Don’t forget a Don’t forget a That’s all FolksThat’s all Folks slideslide