Prezi Guide v3

8/2/2019 Prezi Guide v3

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1. What is Prezi?

Prezi (http://prezi.com) is a cloud-based

presentation tool that offers an interesting

alternative to PowerPoint. Unlike PowerPoint,

which uses sequentially arranged slides,

Prezi uses a single page onto which text and

other media are displayed.

Text, images, videos and other presentation

objects are placed on the innitely expandable

canvas and may, if you wish, be grouped

together in frames. The canvas allows users

to create non-linear presentations onto

which viewers can zoom in and out. Linearity

can be restored to a prezi - the name for

a Prezi presentation - by creating a path

through the different objects and frames.

Although prezis are generally developed

online via a browser, once complete they

can be downloaded for use when an internet

connection is unavailable. An embed code

is available for each presentation allowing

them to be integrated into blog posts, web

or StudySpace pages. A tool called Prezi

Desktop is available (for PC, Mac and

Linux) enabling you to edit ofine as well

although after a 30-day trial a licence must

be purchased.

2. Why use Prezi over PowerPoint?

There is no reason why you shouldnt carry

on using PowerPoint. In spite of its critics,

it is a competent slide organiser with manygood features. However, Prezi may be a

better option if you wish to create a less

linear presentation that allows you a variety

of pathways through different sections of

text and media. Its also potentially a better

option for more visual disciplines where

Prezis capacity to enable users to pan and

zoom allows images to be explored more

simply and exibly. Prezi allows users to

upload images up to a maximum of 2,400

pixels square. In practice, this is far more

than most people will ever need but it does

allow large images to be uploaded ontowhich users can then zoom in.

3. Creating an account

To start building your own prezis youll

need to have an account. The most basic

account is free but you can upgrade to a

Edu Pro account for around $160 a year.

However, if you set up an account using

your university email you are eligible for the

Edu Enjoy account that sits between the

basic free and the pro accounts in terms

of features and storage space. We think the

educational account should be enough for

most colleagues.

4. Creating your frst PreziOnce you have created you account, you

can start building your rst presentations.

Click the New prezi link on the top right

www.kingston.ac.uk


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below the Prezi logo then type in a title and,

if you wish, a description in the window that

appears. Both title and description can be re-

edited at a later date. When youve nished

click on the New prezi link at the bottom of

the window.

Fig. 1: Create a new Prezi

When your new prezi appears on screen

you will see the text Click anywhere & add

an idea in the centre of the screen. Click

twice on this to write over the default text

with your preferred text. Its useful to include

the title of your presentation again here with,

perhaps, your name and the details of theteaching sessions, module or conference for

which the prezi is being used.

5. Adding text

To add more text simply click once on the

area of the screen where you would like

to place your text and start typing. If you

have drafted your text in Word or another

text editor, you can paste the text (ctrl C to

copy; ctrl V to paste) in the input box that

appears.

Fig. 2: Prezi text box

Some formatting can be applied (e.g. bullet

points) and the left and right arrows in the

blue circle allow you to stretch or compress

the text. Click OK when you have nished.

If you need to re-edit, simply double-click on

the text.

6. Adding images

You may have noticed a circle with a cluster

of smaller circles attached in the top left-

hand corner of your screen. This is your

menu; clicking on different circles brings

up different editing options. If you want to

upload an image, for example, you click on

the Insert circle, then File. A window

Fig. 3: Prezi insert menu

then appears allowing you to navigate to

the le you wish to upload. The image thenappears on your prezi canvas where it can be

resized and repositioned. If you want to be

able to zoom in on an image, we recommend

that you should upload one no smaller than

800 pixels in either height or width. Images

smaller than this will appear pixelated when

enlarged.

7. Adding YouTube videos Adding a YouTube (http://www.youtube.

com/) video is a similar process.


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Fig. 4: Embedding a YouTube video

Click on the Insert circle, then YouTube. A

window then appears allowing you to paste in

the URL (the web address) of the video you

wish to embed. The video will appear in its

own player inside your prezi where you can

control both volume levels as well as play/

pause.

Fig. 5: YouTube video in Prezi

At the time of writing YouTube is the onlystreamed video-hosting service to work in

Prezi. However, we understand Prezi are

working on extending this feature to other

services.

8. Resizing and repositioningobjects

Once you have added text, images and

YouTube videos to your prezi you can easily

resize and reposition them. This can be done

by using what Prezi calls the presentation

zebra. Click once on the text, image or video

you wish to resize or move. You will see two

concentric rings and a small circle in the

middle appear on the item you have selected.

The outer ring allows you to tilt your selected

item; the inner ring to resize it; and the centre

circle to move it. The bin and pencil icons

allow you, respectively, to delete or edit.

Fig. 6: the presentation zebra

9. Adding shapesThe rst option in the Insert circle menu

allows you to add arrows, lines and

uorescent marker pen semi-transparent

lines over your presentation. These additions

are useful for making connections between

different sections of your prezi. Another

option from the Insert circle menu allows

you to add organisation charts, timelines,

tables, pyramids, clouds and other graphicsto help represent your argument visually.

10. Adding frames

Text and media can be grouped together in

frames. There is a separate Frame menu

circle for this on the main menu on the top

left. Frames are particularly useful when you

want to create content clusters. For example,

if I were to create a prezi on the use of Prezi

I might wish to group together the four to

ve YouTube videos Id added to my canvas


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of examples by means of a frame. There are

three styles of frames which are visible to

viewers and one hidden frame style.

11. Creating paths

Although Prezi offers you the opportunity todevelop a less linear presentation, linearity

can be restored by creating a path between

different the different text, media and frames

placed on the canvas. There is a Path menu

circle that allows you to link your text and

media.

Fig. 7: paths

12. Colour schemes

At the time of writing this guide, there are

ten themes from which users can choose.

These are selected via the Colors & Fonts

menu. It is possible to customise a selected

theme by clicking on Theme Wizard and

modifying the background colour, font style

and colour and so on. Those with more

advanced knowledge of CSS (cascading

style sheets) can dene the look of their

prezis more precisely. If youre new to CSS -and we suspect many readers of this guide

will be - wed advise sticking with one of

the simpler standard themes (e.g. original

theme or clean whitepaper).

13. Adding your own videos

It is also possible to upload your own videos

to a prezi. However, the videos need to be inparticular le formats in order to display in a

prezi. Currently, the formats required are .avi

.v, .f4v or .m4v. If you have created a video

in another le format then you will need to

use an online service such as Zamzar (http://

www.zamzar.com/) to convert them.

14. Prezi on an iPad

If youve an iPad 2 or above and a VGA

adapter, you might consider using it to

display your presentations. Youll need the

free Prezi app (http://itunes.apple.com/us/

app/prezi/id407759942) which, providing

you have an internet connection, allows you

to download your prezis onto your iPad for

later use. The advantage of this is that you

do not require an internet connection topresent as your prezi is already downloaded.

Touching the left (back) or right (forward)

side of the screen allows you to navigate

through the path of your prezi and the pinch

gesture allows you to zoom in and out on

text and media.

15. Further reading

Prezi: the basics:

http://prezi.com/learn/getting-started/

Fig. 8: colours

This resource was created by Kingston University and is released under the terms ofCreatve CommonsLicence.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prezi/id407759942http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prezi/id407759942http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prezi/id407759942http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prezi/id407759942

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Prezi Guide v3