Patrick Crispen's PowerPoint Files: General Technology

The following PowerPoint presentations are licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 license.

For information on how to unzip and view these presentations, please take a look at my how-to article on How to Unzip a File.

Accessibility 101: Cutting through the FUD

Topic(s): General Technology, Internet Tools, Multimedia
Last Updated: November 2008
Download: PowerPoint presentation (3.58 MB)

The next big thing in educational technology isn’t podcasts, wikis, or e-portfolios. Nope. The next big thing is accessibility--making sure that the content that you and your students create and post to the web can be accessed by people with disabilities. Some states even have policies or laws that mandate accessibility. In this fast-paced, one-hour session, we’ll cut through the FUD [fear, uncertainty, and doubt] and introduce you to the concept of accessibility and universal design, explain what the law does and does not say about the classroom content you post online, and introduce you to a bunch of accessibility resources you and your students can start using today.

Behind the Spinning Hourglass: The Deepest, Darkest Secrets of Your PC's Internet Applications

Topic(s): General Technology, Internet Tools
Last Updated: February 2004
Download: PowerPoint presentation (3.39 MB)

Everyone has a copy of Internet Explorer, Real Player, Adobe Acrobat, and countless other Internet applications. But do you really know how to tame these beasties and make them do EXACTLY what you want them to do? In this one hour workshop we'll take a peek behind the scenes of your favorite Internet applications and show you some of the best kept tips, tricks, and secrets from bookmarklets to the joy of IE's links bar to stealing text from Acrobat files. We'll even show you how to tweak AOL Instant Messenger so that it no longer scares the living heck out of you when you get a new message.

Blindly Stumbling towards Technology Nirvana

Topic(s): General Technology, Pedagogy
Last Updated: November 20002
Download: PowerPoint presentation (1.80 MB)

Quick: When it comes to your use of technology&8212;both in the classroom and at home&8212;where have you been and, more importantly, where are you going? What path are you following? Tough questions, aren't they? This one hour presentation will (hopefully) help you lift your technology blinders and point you towards the technology finish line.

Bringing the Online World in: Instructional Design Tips and Tricks for Educational Technology Engagement

Topic(s): General Technology, Pedagogy
Last updated: March 2011
Download: PowerPoint presentation (1.7 MB)

In this exciting one-hour presentation, you'll learn a completely different way to categorize knowledge. You'll also learn some instructional design tips and tricks that will help you effectively incorporate online content into your curriculum and even some ways that you can take your content online either in a blended or fully online environment.

Coming Soon to a Computer near You: Microsoft Office 2010

Topic(s): General Technology
Last Updated: March 2010
Download: PowerPoint presentation (533 KB)

Remember how you recently installed Microsoft Office 2007 and still haven’t completely figured it out? Yeah, about that. Microsoft is releasing an even newer version of Office later this year. Join Patrick Crispen as he shows you what’s new and what’s different in the upcoming Office 2010.

Computer Care 101: Keeping Your Computer Healthy

Topic(s): General Technology, Security and Privacy
Last updated: November 2002
Download: PowerPoint presentation (1.20 MB)

Is your computer really as healthy as it could be? Oh, really!? So, you're protected from the over 69+ known security holes in Microsoft Internet Explorer, the 28+ known security holes in Netscape Navigator, and the 9+ known holes in Microsoft Word? I didn't think so. This one hour session shows you the field-tested tips and tricks to batten down your computer's hatches from outside attack, protect your data from virus infestation, keep your computer running in tip-top shape.

Computer Care 102: Top Ten Troubleshooting Tips & Tricks

Topic(s): General Technology, Security and Privacy
Last updated: November 2002
Download: PowerPoint presentation (425 KB)

You've done the weekly fab five&8212;updated your virus definitions, ran windows update or software update, ran scandisk or disk first aid, ran disk defragmenter, and backed up your data (all of which are discussed in Computer Care 101)&8212;and STILL your computer is acting hokey. From traceroutes to msconfig to Internet Explorer's hidden repair tool, this one hour session uses plain English and easy-to-follow explanations to show you how to get your computer running again.

Crispen’s Guide to What’s New and What’s Next

Topic(s): General Technology
Last Updated: November 2007
Download: PowerPoint presentation (6.81 MB) | Flash presentation (4.52 MB) | Handout (requires Adobe Reader) (140 KB) | Flash handout (81.4 KB)

Face it: It’s hard enough to understand the technology we already have and darned near impossible to know what new technology will be worth our time and (more importantly) our hard-earned money. In this one-hour presentation Patrick Crispen dons his “futurist” hat and helps you cut through the technology fog to get a sneak peek at some new technologies just over the horizon.

Crispen's Technology Primer

Topic(s): General Technology
Last Updated: November 2004
Download: PowerPoint presentation (3.23 MB) | Flash presentation (2.41 MB)

The hardware side of technology can be intimidating, even to experts. This presentation helps you demystify some of the more common consumer technology you’ll find in some classrooms and in most big box retail stores. In particular, you’ll learn the difference between USB 1.1, 2.0, and Firewire; what Wi-Fi is and what’s next in the world of wireless Internet; what a megapixel is and how many you really need; why you don’t have a PVR at home but should; and much, much more. If you are overwhelmed by new technology, or if you are simply looking for an presentation that you can steal and present to others, this presentation is for you.

Exciting PC Technology for the Classroom

Topic(s): General Technology
Last Updated: December 2003
Download: PowerPoint presentation (1.41 MB)

This quick, one-hour workshop introduces you to some of the most exciting PC-based technology available to educators today (sorry Mac users!). From tools that help you easily create teaching videos to special plug-ins that significantly enhance your PowerPoint presentations, this workshop is for any PC user interested in learning more about some of the new technology that can improve your students' classroom experience and even create positive learning outcomes.

Going Mobile in a Stationary Classroom: Incorporating ALL Student-Owned Mobile Devices into your Curriculum

Topics: General Technology, Internet Tools, Pedagogy
Last updated: March 2012
Download: PowerPoint presentation (4.5 MB)

n the midst of a sea of iPods, iPads, Droids, and more, it is easy to forget that the 'mobile' in 'mobile learning' refers to the learner, not to the learner's device. In this one hour session we'll look at effective ways that you can stay in your classroom and use mobile device-agnostic tools and techniques for student digital storytelling, citizen journalism, service learning, and more.

Mashups: Creating New Classroom Content Using Freely-Available Digital Media

Topics: General Technology, Internet Tools
Last updated: March 2012
Download: PowerPoint presentation (4.8 MB)

For centuries, educators have strived to teach students how to take existing scholarly materials and reuse those materials -- with proper credit, of course -- to create something new. In this one-hour session you'll learn how you and your students can go beyond the world of text to create new, derivative works from freely-available graphics, audio, video, and animation files.

Social Media 101: Classroom Collaboration after the Bell

Topics: General Technology, Internet Tools
Last updated: March 2012
Download: PowerPoint presentation (5.7 MB)

Confused by all the talk about Twitter, Google+, Yelp, Reddit, and the like? This session is for you! Join Patrick Crispen as he helps demystify the world of social media, tours some of the most popular social media sites and tools, and gives you some field-tested tips and tricks to use web-enabled and mobile technologies to extend your classroom discussions beyond the end of the school day.

The State of the Craft: What’s New—and What’s Next—in Ed Tech, Consumer Electronics, and More

Topic(s): General Technology
Last Updated: March 2010
Download: PowerPoint presentation (4.3 MB)

Join us in this fast-paced, one hour presentation, you’ll take a look at the latest and greatest in ed tech and consumer electronics—including SMS and web-based classroom polling, solid state drives, and gesture-based computer interfaces—and you’ll even get a sneak peek at some new innovations just around the corner. You’ll also learn why learning management systems like Blackboard and Moodle may soon have unexpected competition.

Students as Teachers of Technology

Topic(s): General Technology, Pedagogy
Last Updated: February 2003
Download: PowerPoint presentation (1.55 MB)

Until quite recently, most Fortune 500 companies had on payroll at least one technology support person for every 30 technology users. Would that it were so for schools. Instead, many schools are turning to a unique resource for their technology training and support needs: students. In this one-hour workshop we'll look at how, despite declining budgets, your STUDENTS can help you take your school's technology integration to the next level.

Understanding "Cloud Computing": Is It Really a Vast Silver Lining or Just a Bunch of Water Vapor?

Topic(s): General Technology, Internet Tools
Last Updated: March 2011
Download: PowerPoint presentation (3.4 MB)

"Cloud Computing" has been touted as a potential savior for budget-challenged technology educators and school districts. But what, exactly, is it, how is it different from "Web 2.0," and is it really worth your time and attention? Join the presenter as he explains cloud computing in plain English, introduces you to new cloud tools and applications, and discusses cloud computing's promise and inherent weaknesses.

Viruses, Cookies, and Spam ... Oh, My! How to Protect Your Computer from the Internet Nasties and How to Fix What's Bugging You on Your PC or Mac

Topic(s): General Technology, Security and Privacy
Last Updated: December 2003
Download: PowerPoint presentation (1.66 MB)

In this fun-filled, one-hour presentation you'll learn the field-tested tricks to batten down your home computer's hatches from outside attack, protect your data from virus infestation, and keep your computer running in tip-top shape. You'll also learn how to use tools like MSCONFIG, Apple Software Update, and Internet Explorer's hidden repair tool to fix some common computer problems—including how to stop those annoying pop-up ads once and for all!

What’s New and What’s Different in Microsoft Office 2007

Topic(s): General Technology
Last Updated: November 2007
Download: PowerPoint presentation (1.33 MB) | Flash presentation (373 KB)

Microsoft recently released a brand new version of Microsoft Office that is arguably the most significant update in Office’s history. Join Patrick Crispen as he introduces you to the new Microsoft Office user interface and shows you what's new and what's different in Microsoft Word 2007, Microsoft PowerPoint 2007, Microsoft Excel 2007, and much, much more.