Presenting PowerPoint slides on the Internet let Extension educators reach a widespread and time-stressed audience 24/7. This article explains the software needed, gives some pointers on developing such a presentation, and describes some examples from Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Huntzinger, Gary

Klotzbach-Shimomura, Kathleen

O’Neill, Barbara

English

Clemson University: TigerPrints

The Journal of Extension Volume 39 Number 1 Article 14 2-1-2001 Classes on the Internet: A "How to" Guide Kathleen Klotzbach-Shimomura Rutgers Cooperative Extension, shimomura@aesop.rutgers.edu Barbara O’Neill Rutgers Cooperative Extension, oneill@aesop.rutgers.edu Gary Huntzinger Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, huntzinger@aesop.rutgers.edu This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. Recommended Citation Klotzbach-Shimomura, K., O’Neill, B., & Huntzinger, G. (2001). Classes on the Internet: A "How to" Guide. The Journal of Extension, 39(1), Article 14. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/joe/vol39/iss1/14 This Tools of the Trade is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Journal of Extension by an authorized editor of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact kokeefe@clemson.edu. 	 JOEHOME JOURNAL GUIDELINES ABOUT	JOE CONTACT NATIONAL	JOB	BANKCurrent	Issues Back	IssuesFebruary	2001	//	Volume	39	//	Number	1	//	Tools	of	the	Trade	//	1TOT3Classes	on	the	Internet:	A	"How	to"	GuideAbstractPresenting	PowerPoint	slides	on	the	Internet	let	Extension	educators	reach	a	widespread	andtime-stressed	audience	24/7.	This	article	explains	the	software	needed,	gives	some	pointers	ondeveloping	such	a	presentation,	and	describes	some	examples	from	Rutgers	CooperativeExtension.	Have	you	ever	spent	a	lot	of	time	researching	a	class	and	preparing	PowerPoint	slides	only	to	havea	relatively	small	class	attendance?	Perhaps	you've	wondered	about	other	ways	to	shareinformation	with	clientele	and	have	them	benefit	from	all	your	hard	work.	The	good	news	is	that,thanks	to	the	Internet	and	improved	communications	technology,	it	is	now	possible	to	"teach"classes,	using	PowerPoint	slides,	on	the	Internet.This	article	describes	how	several	faculty	members	at	Rutgers	Cooperative	Extension	(RCE)	havedone	this	and	provides	suggestions	for	others	who	decide	to	disseminate	information	in	a	similarmanner.	You	can	find	several	existing	programs	on	the	RCE	presentations	Web	site	athttp://www.rce.rutgers.edu/presentations.The	Software	You'll	NeedTo	get	started,	you	will	need	to	have	access	to	RealPresenter™	software	by	RealNetworks.RealPresenter™	is	available	as	RealPresenter™	Basic	G2,	which	is	free,	and	the	more	robustRealPresenter™	G2	Plus	which	sells	for	$69.95.	You	can	learn	more	about	these	products	byvisiting	the	RealNetworks	Web	site	at	http://www.realnetworks.com.You'll	need	RealPlayer®	by	RealNetworks	to	view	RealPresenter™	presentations.	RealPlayer®	isavailable	for	free	at	http://www.real.com.	It	is	important	to	review	the	minimum	systemrequirements	before	installing	either	RealPresenter™	or	RealPlayer®.RealPresenter™	works	with	Windows	95,	98,	NT	4.0,	and	2000.	RealPresenter™	installs	itself	as	aPowerPoint	plugin	and	supports	PowerPoint	versions	97	and	2000.	RealPresenter™	will	appear	asan	item	on	the	PowerPoint	menu	bar.	A	desktop	icon	will	also	be	created	during	the	installation	fordirect	access	to	RealPresenter™	where	you	can	manage	your	presentations	and	modify	theprogram	settings.Kathleen	Klotzbach-ShimomuraFamily	and	Consumer	Sciences	EducatorRutgers	Cooperative	ExtensionFlemington,	New	JerseyInternet	Address:	shimomura@aesop.rutgers.eduBarbara	O'NeillFamily	and	Consumer	Sciences	EducatorRutgers	Cooperative	ExtensionNewton,	New	JerseyInternet	Address:	oneill@aesop.rutgers.eduGary	HuntzingerCook	College	Computing	ServicesRutgers,	The	State	University	of	New	JerseyNew	Brunswick,	New	JerseyInternet	Address:	huntzinger@aesop.rutgers.eduDeveloping	Your	PresentationThe	process	of	developing	a	presentation	is	fairly	straightforward.Keep	It	ShortFirst,	you	need	to	create	a	PowerPoint	slide	show	of	10	to	20	slides.	With	approximately	1	minuteof	narrative	per	slide,	this	will	result	in	a	10-	to	20-minute	presentation,	which	is	probably	themaximum	that	computer	users	will	want	to	sit	through.	Fewer	slides	and	more	narration	areanother	approach,	but	the	key	concept	is	to	keep	the	presentation	short	and	to	the	point.	If	youhave	a	longer	presentation	you	developed	as	a	public	class	session,	you	can	delete	slides	to	createan	abbreviated	online	version.Don't	put	too	much	information	on	a	slide.	The	more	text,	the	smaller	the	point	size	necessary	tomake	it	all	fit	on	the	slide,	and	the	more	difficult	it	will	be	to	read	on	the	screen.Animate	ItOnce	you	have	developed	your	PowerPoint	slides,	you	can	animate	them	for	increased	viewerinterest.	RealPresenter™	supports	animations	(e.g.,	spiral,	fly	from	bottom,	vertical	blinds)	butdoes	not	support	animation	timing.	You	must	manually	advance	through	the	animations	whenrecording	your	RealPresenter™	presentation.To	add	animation,	place	a	slide	in	slide	view	in	PowerPoint,	and	click	on	the	"Custom	Animation"button	under	"Slide	Show."	From	there,	a	dialogue	box	will	open	with	tabs	for	"Order	&	Timing"	and"Effects."	Click	on	"Effects,"	select	the	slide	object	to	be	animated,	and	then	select	the	desiredeffect.	The	"Order	&	Timing"	tab	allows	you	to	change	the	sequence	in	which	slide	objects	appear.When	you	have	animated	all	slide	objects,	including	images,	click	"OK"	on	the	dialogue	box	toconfirm	the	slide	settings.	A	small	icon	below	the	bottom	left	corner	of	the	slide,	in	slide	sorterview,	will	indicate	that	custom	animation	is	present.Write	Your	NarrativeNext,	you	need	to	develop	a	narrative	your	slides.	An	easy	way	to	do	this	is	to	print	the	slides	andwrite	a	narrative	that	matches	the	content	of	each	slide.	Try	to	keep	the	narration	to	1	minute	orless	per	slide.	Your	speaker	notes	are	a	good	starting	point	for	developing	the	narration.	Don't	readthe	text	on	the	slide--expand	upon	it.Practice	your	narration	to	see	how	it	flows	and	how	long	it	runs	before	you	do	the	RealPresenter™recordings.	Once	you	have	completed	the	recordings,	RealPresenter™	packages	up	the	entirepresentation	in	a	form	that	is	ready	to	be	distributed	over	the	Web.	RCE	uses	RealNetworksRealServer	software	to	distribute	the	presentations	through	our	Web	site.Try	IncentivesTo	evaluate	the	long-term	effectiveness	of	classes	on	the	Internet,	try	using	incentives.	Simplyoffer	an	Extension	publication	or	a	printed	copy	of	the	slide	presentation.	(Note:	to	protect	authors'intellectual	property	rights,	viewers	cannot	print	the	slides	directly	from	the	Internet.)	In	theprocess,	you'll	need	to	ask	learners	to	provide	their	name	and	mailing	address.	You'll	then	havetheir	mailing	address	for	sending	a	follow-up	evaluation	form	to	assess	behavioral	change.Some	Examples	from	RCEWe	designed	a	separate	Web	page	for	each	presentation.	The	Web	page	contains	the	presentationtitle,	a	brief	description	of	the	presentation,	the	name	and	title	of	the	author,	the	length	of	thepresentation,	links	to	view	the	presentation,	a	list	of	additional	resources	(e.g.,	books,	journalarticles,	and	Extension	fact	sheets),	and	links	to	additional	online	sources	of	information.	There	areactually	two	links	to	the	same	presentation.	Your	type	of	Internet	connection	determines	the	linkyou	select.	One	link	is	for	modem	connections	and	the	other	is	for	LAN	connections.	RealServerand	RealPlayer®	optimize	the	transmission	of	the	presentation	for	the	speed	of	your	Internetconnection.The	first	presentation	we	developed	for	the	online	format	was	Healing	Herbs:	Safety	andEffectiveness,	an	instructional	program	designed	to	provide	information	about	herbal	remedies.The	program	provides	a	brief	overview	of	the	history	of	herbal	remedies,	10	commonly	used	herbs,and	the	current	regulatory	dilemma	revolving	around	herbal	remedies.	The	quality,	safety,	andeffectiveness	of	herbal	remedies	are	discussed,	as	well	as	cautions	and	interactions	with	someprescription	drugs.	An	evaluation	form	is	included	for	viewers	to	complete	and	return	to	the	authorvia	e-mail.	Viewers	also	have	the	option	and	information	available	to	purchase	the	curriculum.Subsequent	online	presentations	include:	Investing	With	Small	Dollar	Amounts,	What	EveryoneNeeds	to	Know	About	Finances,	Secrets	of	The	Millionaire	Next	Door,	and	Last-Minute	FinancialCatch-Up	Strategies	for	Baby	Boomers.	These,	too,	contain	an	optional	form	to	collect	evaluationdata	from	learners	and	information	about	purchasing	the	curricula.	Plans	are	underway	to	includeadditional	presentations	in	a	variety	of	subject	matter	areas,	as	well	as	PowerPoint	slides	andabstracts	from	research	poster	sessions.ConclusionExtension	educators	are	in	the	information	dissemination	business,	and	our	business	environmentis	changing.	The	world	is	moving	at	a	fast	pace,	and	consumers	are	demanding	access	to	productsand	services	all	day,	every	day.	In	other	words,	today's	learners	want	"education	on	demand."Placing	PowerPoint	presentations	on	the	Internet	is	an	effective	way	to	reach	time-stressedlearners	and	provide	24/7	access	to	Extension	information.	Not	only	does	it	help	learners	whosebusy	lives	or	employment	preclude	class	attendance,	but	it	also	enables	Extension	educators	toreach	a	widespread	audience	for	whom	county,	state,	and	national	boundaries	are	irrelevant.Copyright	©	by	Extension	Journal,	Inc.	ISSN	1077-5315.	Articles	appearing	in	the	Journal	become	the	property	of	theJournal.	 Single	 copies	 of	 articles	may	 be	 reproduced	 in	 electronic	 or	 print	 form	 for	 use	 in	 educational	 or	 trainingactivities.	Inclusion	of	articles	in	other	publications,	electronic	sources,	or	systematic	large-scale	distribution	may	bedone	only	with	prior	electronic	or	written	permission	of	the	Journal	Editorial	Office,	joe-ed@joe.org.If	you	have	difficulties	viewing	or	printing	this	page,	please	contact	JOE	Technical	Support©	Copyright	by	Extension	Journal,	Inc.	ISSN	1077-5315.	Copyright	Policy

Classes on the Internet: A  How to  Guide

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Classes on the Internet: A How to Guide

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