Free iBook: A Quick Guide to Prezi. Read and Share!

Prezi Quick Guidev1.1 Cover

Prezi Quick Guidev1.1 Cover

Don’t worry, I’m also going to make the process of putting it on your iPad easy as pie!

A little background:  I created this iBook at the beginning of February while in talks with the folks over at Prezi.  Two drafts were completed in a 10-day time frame, the first in plain PDF format, the second in the interactive iBooks format.  I had never used iBooks Author (or any other eBook creator) so this was a real test of my ability to learn a tool and put out a rapid prototype.

A total of about 15 hours of my time, plus 4 hours of my colleagues reviewing the eBook were committed to the project.  I work full-time at the University of Hawaii and am taking three courses to finish my M.Ed. before May, so I expect to make revisions based on user feedback.   It’s a “quick and dirty” iBook, but gives a nice overview of Prezi for people who may have tried to use the tool and found it difficult.

Please share this iBook!

Creative Commons LicenseI’ve attached a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license to this iBook, which means you are free to use it and share it for non-commercial purposes.  Please do!  If you have any questions about it’s use, feel free to email me at billy.meinke@gmail.com.

So how do I get this iBook onto my iPad?

iBooks Storage on iPad

To keep things as open as possible, I avoided going through the iTunes store.  But do not worry: It’s easy to get it onto your iPad.  Here’s the step-by-step:

  1. Open your Safari web browser on your iPad. If you’re on your iPad right now, skip down to Step 3.

    Safari on iPad

    Safari on iPad

  2. Navigate to www.tinyurl.com/ibookprezi, which will take you back to this page

    Safari Web Browser

    Safari Web Browser

  3. Click/Tap on this link to download the iBook file called “Prezi_QuickGuide_iBookv1.2.ibooks“

  4. Once it downloads, click/tap on Open in “iBooks”

    Open in iBooks

    Choose "Open in iBooks"

  5. The Prezi Quick Guide will open in iBooks and be saved in your iBooks library

    Prezi Quick Guide in iBooks

  6. Tap it to open and enjoy!

Have an eReader or Android Tablet? You can have this iBook, too.

Although the interactive features will be lost, I’ve exported the iBook to PDF.  Once downloaded, you can view this eBook on any computer or tablet that can read PDFs (Kindle, Nook, most Android devices, iPhones, etc).

Here’s the link to the PDF: iBook Prezi Quick Guide Meinkev1.2

If you find the iBook neat, please comment below.  Any questions? Contact me via email or Twitter.

4 Comments
by BillyMeinke on February 21, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in eBooks, Education, eLearning, Instructional Design, Publications, Uncategorized
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Posted by BillyMeinke on February 21, 2012

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Want to make an iBook? Read these 7 Tips first!

iBooks Author logo

The topic of iBooks has gained some real momentum over the last few months.  With Apple’s latest operating system “Lion,” users were also given access to iBooks Author, fully-functional software for creating iBooks.  This was a big deal.

To be perfectly honest, iBooks Author is a well-featured application that makes creating iBooks…enjoyable!

I spent about three days reading about the software and gathering some hints, but there weren’t many good resources out there yet.  Hopefully someone will find that these tips helped them learn iBooks Author well.  Here on my notes:

1.  Yes! There are templates. Pretty ones.

iBooks Author offers templates that are designed to take text book content.  There are page templates that you can begin using within minutes.  You also have the option to customize the fields on a page, allowing for creativity if you have design experience.  True graphic designers may choose to avoid templates but they give the rest of us an easy start in the right direction.

iBooks Templates

iBooks Templates (cover choices)

iBooks Template Chapter Title Page

iBooks Template Chapter Title Page

iBooks Template Page

iBooks Template Page

2.  Don’t count on being able to drop in a Word document (.doc/.odt, etc)

Unless you’ve spent a lot of time perfecting the formatting of your document with anchored/unanchored images and proper section breaks, things may align in a funny way after you import.  Time may be better spent copying and pasting text into text boxes and fields.

3.  Styling and adding widgets is easy, moderate use and your work will look clean.

Visuals help engage learners. iBooks Author provides text boxes, shapes, tables, charts, and widgets.  Here are screen shots.

Sample of iBook

Sample of iBook

Interactive Image & Gallery Widgets for iBook

Interactive Image & Gallery Widgets for iBook

 4.  Use Intro Media

Drag-and-drop a movie or image onto this page and you can personally introduce the topic of the book.  Videos need to be in .m4v format, which many programs can export to.

iBooks Author Intro Media

iBooks Author Intro Media

5.  You need an iPad to test the iBook’s functionality

If you don’t have one already, you may want to ask around to borrow one (I did).  You’re able to preview your iBook on an iPad before you publish it.  You can test all of the functions, which look even better once they’re on the iPad.

6.   You can export the iBook in .PDF format

This is an option to bring the content onto another eReader.  Most newer eReaders can read PDFs well, but you will lose the interactive features of the iBooks format.  Still, it’s an option.

7.  You should try it!

If you’re running Mac OSX Snow Leopard, an update to OSX Lion is only $30.  I would pay $30 for this product on it’s own, which says a lot.  Have some content or a learning module you want to put into iBook format?  It’s doable.  Yep, you can also write books of any genre or style using page templates.

Mac-OS-X-Lion

My first iBook making experience was mildy frustrating due to my Word-to-iBooks-Author formatting issues.  Still it’s a great piece of software is bringing interactive eBooks to the masses.

Have you tried iBooks Author?  Have any tips or questions?  Comment below!

4 Comments
by BillyMeinke on February 14, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Apple, eBooks, Education, Uncategorized
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Posted by BillyMeinke on February 14, 2012

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Usability Testing done for Teaching Resource Site – A few Lessons learned!

I’m proud to say that yesterday concluded the initial usability testing of my resource website.  After some major changes in the way I would build out the site, the navigation was completed in Weebly.  Here’s what the Home Page looked like: Resource Home PageTo be honest, I wish I had taken more time investing in the content than I did re-learning HTML/CSS.  The consensus from among the higher-ed is that the design is attractive and inviting.  After that, each of the six higher-ed instructors that participated in the usability testing all had quite different experiences with the site.

Humbled but informed

Many of the instructors were not expecting to be able to click on any pictures to get to content.  They just avoided clicking on images.  That was a problem. Another issue is the picture in the lower right-hand corner.  Two instructors mentioned that the girl looked more like a student or helper, and avoided reading the content/caption next to her picture. The last common issue I have to share at this point is that the 1-2-3 style of displaying the main topics made the instructors expect the entire site to be in steps.  Meant as more of a way to divide up the main topics, instructors were confused when there weren’t more ordered lists once they got inside. Contact Page

More to come

I have around five (5) hours of screencast/audio to go through, looking for patterns in the navigation issues with the site as well as anecdotal data.  I did jot down notes on the side if an instructor was adamant about something they liked or disliked.  I’m lucky to have been able to work with such a great group of instructors. I’ll be writing up my results into a conference paper as a final project for TCC Worldwide Conference in April.

After the data has been picked apart, I’m sure there will be lots more seemingly-obvious things to correct, making the site more usable.

Stay tuned.

6 Comments
by BillyMeinke on February 11, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Classrooms, Education, Higher Education, Uncategorized
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Posted by BillyMeinke on February 11, 2012

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5 Tips for making your ePortfolio get noticed by Employers

Making your ePortfolio can seem like a stressful process, but these five tips will help you put together an ePortfolio that colleagues will respect and you’ll be proud to point employers to!  Let’s begin…

1) Start with a theme that fits your needs

A free WordPress.com account is a simple way to get your ePorfolio moving.  Sure, there are plenty of other website building tools out there, but WordPress is one that looks good from the start.  Choosing one that fits your needs takes a little browsing though!

Are you a graphic artist?  A journalist?  A historian?  Choose a free WordPress theme that allows you to display work that you’re proud of.

For example, take this theme that is meant as a gallery:

Tapestry theme

It sure is pretty, but it’s also meant as a graphic journal or log; not ideal showing your non-graphic work.

How about this one?

Enterprise theme

Menus already built in, room for text but also looks balanced with some pictures.  Depending on the type of work you want to put on show, pick a theme that will allow you to structure your work in a way that is easy to navigate.

2) Use images

Listening to the Internet

"I'm Listening" by Gaal (CC Licensed)

Now that you have chosen a theme (or at least have an idea of which one you’d choose) you should begin thinking about the content to include.  Regardless of how much text you’re going to include, remember that people love (good) images.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so grab a few images of your own or browse Flickr for some free Creative Commons-Licensed images that relate to your work.  Good images show thoughtfulness and will bring viewers (employers?) to your ePortfolio.

Which photos should I use?  That’s really up to you, but make sure that they are cropped well and are meaningful.  Employers look at lots of professional websites and will notice if you have just thrown up images without any connection to your content.

3) Fill it with good content

This goes without saying, but only make your best work available.  Have an iMovie project from your first semester in your undergraduate education?  Remember how sloppy that thing was?  Clean it up and put it in your ePortfolio or move on.

This may seem harsh, but just like the images above, you only want the best work on your ePortfolio.  Things you will want to include:

  • Research papers (2-3 max unless they were published in an academic journal)
  • Presentations (1 or 2 PPTs, Voicethreads, or Prezis)
  • Descriptions of your internships and past work (keep them short and sweet)
  • A short Bio about yourself (employers want to see that you have personality, too!)

4) Keep it up to date

This is absolutely the most common aspect of an ePortfolio that is overlooked. 

Oh yeah, I used to have an ePortfolio/Website/Blog…lemme see if I can remember the URL.

2012 Calendar

"2012 Calendar" by Dan Moyle (CC Licensed)

If your ePortfolio or website has been collecting dust for the last six months, spend time cleaning and updating it before sending it to anyone.  If someone were looking to hire you, would they want to see a project that you abandoned?  There are exceptions to this, as you can create a relatively-static ePortfolio that won’t change much over a few months.

But also remember that employers like to see that you’re up to date and staying current in your field.  It’s much more interesting to read how projects progress and how people reflect on their work.  Again, short and sweet is better, but keep it updated.

5) Connect via Social Media

But I don’t want to use (insert social media tool here) Twitter Bird

Well, you may be cutting out a chunk of prospective employers.  In today’s world, making your work (ePortfolios included) easy to find and browse can only help you!  I hear the argument often that “in my field, people don’t care about websites and stuff”.  Yeah right!  Professional use of social media (Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, etc) is growing, and you can bet that even if employers don’t officially use these tools, employees still do.  What’s the harm in getting your name out there?

Social media is a large topic, but here’s the simplest thing you can do to get started: Update your Online Profile

Make all of your social media profiles point to the same places…your ePortfolio!

Twitter:

Twitter profile Billy

@billymeinke Twitter Profile

Google+:

Google+ Profile Billy

Google+ Profile

LinkedIn Profile:

LinkedIn Profile Billy

LinkedIn Profile Billy

**Even if you aren’t ready to commit to daily tweets and posts, connecting your accounts to the same ePortfolio is a good idea.  Keep it consistent and make it easy for employers to find you on whichever social media or networking tool they use!

So to wrap this all up

  1. Pick a theme that works for you
  2. Use (good) images
  3. Fill it with your best content
  4. Keep it up to date
  5. Connect via Social Media platforms

Did I miss anything?

Feel free to comment below or make suggestions about how else to make your ePortfolio more easily found!

3 Comments
by BillyMeinke on January 31, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Blogging, Professional Development, Social Media, Uncategorized
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Posted by BillyMeinke on January 31, 2012

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6 Tips for Making a Visual Resume with Prezi (and some things to avoid!)

My Visual Resume created in Prezi!

Click to see my Visual Resume created in Prezi!

How better to show your skills with new Web 2.0 tools than to make a visual resume with one of the prettiest ones out there?  Here are a few tips that will help you structure your visual resume to impress potential employers.

Main Frames – 6 Essential Elements for your Visual Resume

What fields do you normally include in a print resume?  A visual resume will give you more freedom to show who you are, not just tell. These are topics that you’ll want to create a frame for:

  1. Introduction

    Hi! my name is BillyMake your name stand out by varying the boldness or color of the font.  Making yourself memorable is important and this starts at the first slide with content in it.

  2. Current Happenings

    Current happenings frameWhat are you doing now?  Employers want to see that you’re staying current in the field and are doing interesting things.  Been to a conference lately?  Pop it in there.  Graduating soon?  That’s important!

  3. Personal

    The depth you go into is up to you, but this is your chance to show them what they can expect you to be like (in and) out of work.  Include pictures if possible, showing some activities/sports/hobbies you enjoy.  A prospective coworker might be into underwater basket weaving, too.

  4. Skills & Training

    What are your specialties?  Try to cover main categories instead of every specific tool you ever used in schooling or at work.
    Some to include:

    How I get things done frame

    • Operating Systems (Windows, Mac/iOS, Linux)
    • Productivity (Google Docs, Calendar/Organizing tools, Cloud storage tools, etc)
    • Web & Social Media (FB, Twitter, Google+)
    • Content Management Systems (WordPress, Joomla, etc)

  5. Projects

    What work are you most proud of?  Here is the kicker…employers want to see something you’ve created on your own (or as part of a team).  Think original work.  Here are some ideas:

    • Websites (blogs count, too!)
    • Presentations (import to Google Presentations and link if possible)
    • Papers (published work is a plus)

  6. Thank You

    Finish with a frame that has these things:

    Thank you for viewing!

    • A short “thanks for viewing” message
    • A picture of you (be memorable!)
    • A way for them to contact you.  Email address is preferred!

Things to Avoid

  • Excessive Swirls & Twirls – Let’s not make anyone sick!
  • Long Prezis – Viewers should be able to read & click thru your presentation in about a minute.
  • Spelling & Grammar Mistakes – Have a (trusted) friend proof-read your Prezi so it’s ready for employers’ eyes.
  • Going Overboard on Color Schemes – Keep it clean and stick to a pre-formatted Prezi color scheme.
  • Objects & Frames without Meaning – If you don’t need it, cut it out.  This goes for print resumes, too!

Share yours!

I recently made my first visual resume with Prezi and am excited to see some made by other people.  It takes some effort to make a good one, but will set you apart from the competition if your prospective employer values creative applicants.  Post links to your own or other good ones you’ve seen in the comments below!

Update 1/24/12 A 7th Essential Item for your Prezi

After some critique from peers (thanks for viewing!) I’m adding a 7th item to the list!  Most employers still require a formal print resume, so be sure to embed a link to your professional resume on your Prezi.  Where you choose to do this may vary, but it should lie somewhere in the last couple of slides, near your contact information.  If you have a website or blog with your formal resume posted on it, link it there.  Otherwise you can upload it into your Dropbox “public” folder and grab a public link, then embedding it in your Prezi.

3 Comments
by BillyMeinke on January 22, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Instructional Design, Presentations, Uncategorized, Web 2.0 Tools
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Posted by BillyMeinke on January 22, 2012

http://billymeinke.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/6-tips-for-making-a-visual-resume-with-prezi-and-some-things-to-avoid/

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