“It is not exaggerating to cal…

“It is not exaggerating to call Prezi a paradigm shift in presentations…” read more of how I’ve used @prezi at school http://su.pr/3LTIr0

I’ve used prism to make @Brizz…

I’ve used prism to make @Brizzly have it’s own program – I love having the little bear on my dock!

Typography for twelve-year-olds

Design is one of my favourite things to teach about  – whether at school or ranting at my friends! I recently told a class of 11 year olds I was allergic to Comic Sans and I sometimes catch myself trying to work out the hex colour of landscapes. I could get therapy, but I’d rather share some of the things that I enjoy about design. I think choosing fonts wisely is not something that anyone who ever types anything on a computer can afford to not care about – whether 12 or 22 or 62.

This presentation is one I’ve now used with that group of 11 year olds in our introductory unit on presentations – a delicious irony in using an entirely powerpoint-free “prezi” to help them use powerpoint better. It’s based on two things – one, the National Strategy unit 7.1 which encourages explaining serif/sans-serif fonts and the use of colour and font to emphasize text; and two, the title that popped into my head for a poster on using type in design. I made the poster with the thought that to use it in class I would need to show it bigger than an A3 print, then realising I already had the tool – prezi.com.

It is not exaggerating to call Prezi a paradigm shift in presentations – it works so differently to Keynote or Powerpoint that both designing and presenting needs to be approached in a different way. No more bullet point drive-bys, no more ghastly word-art, no chance to use 15 animation styles per slide, in fact no slides. No slides is a paradigm shift – and it works! Prezi gives you an infinite canvas where you can place text, imported images and videos and some simple lines and boxes. You then plot a path through the media, the route of the presentation. Of course, you can zoom out or in at any time on any part of the presentation – especially with an interactive whiteboard in a classroom.

In addition to the poster, you’ll see some other elements on colour and emphasis that really require me to explain live. The typography poster explains itself – there are three types of font, each has a time and a place. Use one at the wrong time, you can end up looking like an idiot, or at least tarnishing the message you’re trying to tell. Think like a designer – everything should have a purpose, so ask yourself “why” for every bit of your document/presentation/design.

loving @realrobbell tweet-beat…

loving @realrobbell tweet-beatitudes – he real is nailing the real story as well as in th Mars Hill sermons

Jews bless God for their food,…

Jews bless God for their food, not ask him to bless it, as he already blessed by giving it – the harvest service is our time to do the same

Good food and atmosphere at th…

Good food and atmosphere at the Bull’s Head in Meriden – recommended if you’re in the area

not especially perspicacious t…

not especially perspicacious today as my classroom clock mysteriously moved 10 minutes ahead before lunch. #fail #artwiculate

#why is my favourite trending …

#why is my favourite trending topic – in @brizzly it says #why why?

“Typography (for twelve year o…

“Typography (for twelve year olds)” – work in progress – any comments or ideas? http://prezi.com/z4sxblsiwiqq/

squashing a rather large spide…

squashing a rather large spider while my wife squeals