Prezi

Description
Prezi is a flash based application, that allows users to create their presentations on one large canvas, rather than on a series of slides. Prezi abandons the flip chart approach found in other applications like Microsoft's PowerPoint, and allows the user to slide, zoom, and rotate through ideas, images, and video to present ideas. This nonlinear approach is meant to add flair to any presentation, improving the chances that the main ideas will be remembered.

History
In 2007, Adam Somlai-Fischer and Peter Halacsy began work on Prezi as a way to expand their ability to develop and explain ideas[1]. Two years later, Prezi was officially launched by Kitchen Budapest[2].

Impact on Teaching and Learning
Prezi can be used to create presentations in any instructional field. Prezi’s nonlinear approach is meant to target a student’s spatial memory. By doing so, teachers increase the chances that students will be able to see the big picture and the interconnectedness of the key elements. Prezi also can be used by students to create presentations for classes, blending visualization and storytelling in an effective manner. The basic Prezi account allows the user 100MB of storage on Prezi.com to create presentations for free. Teachers and students are able to obtain a license to obtain up to 500MB of storage for free, provided that the user has a school e-mail address[1]. This is an economical way for teachers and students to add more tools to the classroom without added cost.

Practical Applications
Prezi can be used by both teachers and students to create meaningful lessons. Instead of limiting a group to a cardboard display, teachers can have students use an entire canvas to display their images, time lines, video clips, and other media, and present them in an engaging manner to an audience. The Prezi tools are meant to be user friendly so that high school and elementary students can take advantage of the program.

Demonstrations
media type="youtube" key="MAloWJiCQ-o" height="390" width="640"

About the author
This Wikipage was created by Bruce Gushiken, a Masters of Educational Technology student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, for ETEC 602, during the Fall 2010 semester.