Adding a PowerPoint File In a CPS Test

A lot of teachers use PowerPoint. For those PowerPoint users that also use CPS, I just wanted to let you know that you can create a test in CPS (CPS calls them lessons). It’s very simple. Click on the “prepare” tab and the “lessons & assessments” sub-tab. Click the new button and choose “lesson”. Name the test and click “ok”. Click on the name of the test and choose “PowerPoint File” from the “add file(s)” drop down.

Navigate to and open the PowerPoint presentation you want to add to the test. Now click the “engage” tab and the “lessons & assessments” sub-tab. Place a check in the box to the left of the PowerPoint test you just created and click “engage”. Your PowerPoint file will open and the CPS program will scan for your receiver. The type of test will look very much like a “verbal engage”. You will be able to advance the slides or for that matter right click and go to a previous slide or any slide. Click the verbal button to choose the type of question you want. Remember, a verbal engage starts right away. I hope that helps.

The Dreaded Imbedded Video Problem!!!

Have you ever made a PowerPoint presentation with video in it and felt that shock of horror when the video didn’t play. Of course it worked fine at home or in your classroom. And of course it most certainly did not play when you had your students or their parents watching. No, it’s not the Gremlins. It’s because PowerPoint does not imbed the video. It’s a separate file that must be linked to your slide show. You must bring it with you when you play the slide show on another machine, but additionally the link cannot be changed. In other words, you cannot link the video from your c drive at home and then play it from your thumb drive at school. Linking in other words is a pointer for PowerPoint to find the video every time you play the slide show. Well, the good news is that there are other programs that you have on your computer (or you can load for free) that do imbed the video. These programs are called ActivInspire and Smart Board. The other great thing is that they can be minimized if you need to show the class something and be maximized to go right back where you left off in your presentation. You can’t do this in PowerPoint. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not against PowerPoint. It is a great program when it is used effectively. The issue is that all too often it is used so ineffectively. It’s just that there are other presentation programs that you have available to you that will not send you to the hospital in complete shock and pain. ActivInspire and Smart Board software do not have the custom animations that you may be accustomed to in PowerPoint but that in itself, may be a good thing if you tend to make your slide shows more about the special effects than the actual presentation. Have you ever been to a movie that had great special effects but no story? Well, you get my point. Another thing that the ActivInspire and Smart Board software does is that it allows you to involve your students in your lessons through the use of the wireless tablets. So stop the madness, stop making the PowerPoint slide shows and try the ActivInspire and Smart Board software. Oh, by the way, you can import your PowerPoint slide shows in both ActivInspire and Smart Board. ActivInspire lets you import your PowerPoint slides as objects so that you can edit them once they are in the program.