Computer E-Learning

Welcome to the Advanced PowerPoint 2007 workshop. If you develop presentations or visuals for any reason, the skills included in this course will help you maximize your use of many robust PowerPoint features to create effective, visually attractive, and useful presentations.

In this module, we learn how to insert a picture from a file on the computer, and then to add ClipArt. Next we explore the Picture Tools tab which contains many utilities for affecting the appearance and location of the picture or clip. Finally, we explore how to resize, move, and delete a picture.

A text box is an object that you add to your presentation to emphasize or set off text. In this module, we will add a text box, place text in it, reposition and resize it, and then format both the text and the box to view options for making a plain text box more appealing visually.

SmartArt graphics are a collection of diagrams that allow you to enhance bulleted or other text by translating them into graphic images, adding to the document’s visual impact and appeal. We will insert a SmartArt diagram, add text to it, change its attributes using the SmartArt Tools tab, and move and delete the SmartArt diagram.

A Table is a grid with columns and rows called cells. Using a table, you can quickly add data and then apply a style, creating an information display that’s succinct and visually appealing. In this module, we’ll learn to insert a table, add text, use tools on the Table Tools tab to modify the style of the table, modify a table’s rows and columns, and format the table.

Yes Virginia, you really can become a producer-director. On a more serious note, in this module we explore two multimedia ways to add pizzazz to presentations; adding movies and sound to your presentations. We’ll also learn to add WordArt to create interest with text, and draw and add effects to shapes.

The Grid and Drawing Guides allow you to position objects with more precision. You can rotate and flip objects to make a more interesting visual impact. Aligning and distributing objects makes it easier to create a symmetrical appearance for your side. And grouping and ordering objects allows for better management of multiple objects to which you want to apply similar attributes.

PowerPoint offers several research tools. They include translation of words into other languages, checking spelling, and the ability to establish a default language. In this module, we’ll explore the Research Task pane where the majority of this work is done.

The Notes and Handout tools in PowerPoint 2007 allow you to customize speaker notes and participant handouts. In this module, we’ll practice adding Notes pages to slides, and then entering and formatting text and placeholder content. We’ll create and customize Handout pages in a similar manner.

A PowerPoint Slide Master is an element of the design template that stores information such as font styles, placeholder sizes and positions, background design, and color scheme information. It consists of a primary master and other layouts. This allows you to insert common elements on every slide, including a footer, slide number, copyright line, logo, or even pictures. A Slide Master gives all the slides in your presentation a similar look and feel. Each presentation has at least one slide master. When you change one or more of the layouts below a slide master, you are modifying the slide master. You can use the slide master to make global style changes to every slide in your presentation, even those you create afterward. A Slide Master saves you time, because you only have to type information once and its placement and appearance will be consistent.

This module covers several value-added ways to extend the user of PowerPoint 2007. 1. If you have existing slides that you wish to use in a new presentation, you can easily insert them using a simple workflow. 2. You can create one presentation that contains content designed for two audiences, and then create one or more custom shows that separate the slides you specify just for the specific audience. 3. PowerPoint provides a tool to package the entire presentation to a CD or to a folder for use by someone who does not have PowerPoint on his or computer. It allows you to add all the linked files in a “ready to use” presentation. 4. The PowerPoint Viewer makes it possible for anyone to view a PowerPoint show through the viewer, without having PowerPoint installed on the computer.

Although this workshop is coming to a close, we hope that your journey to use your new Advanced PowerPoint 2007 skills is just beginning. Please take a moment to review and update your action plan. This will be a key tool to guide your progress in the days, weeks, months, and years to come. We wish you the best of luck as you use Microsoft PowerPoint to produce powerful and vivid presentations.