Prezi

I found Prezi to be intuitive and easy to use. My only complaint was that keyboard shortcuts were not available in the web-based software, but I'm guessing that they are likely available in the native software. The templates create an attractive way to present notes or multimedia. Once I chose the template I was going to use, it was easy to fill in the information and present it in a way that I thought was better than simply writing them on a chalkboard. You can really use different levels of emphasis with this software, starting with the title and going to the subheadings, and using fonts and colors to highlight the important information within the notes themselves. At every point in the presentation, you can control what your audience is drawn to, while still providing an overall framework for the lesson. I really feel like someone could view may presentation and get a good idea of what the article was about just by scanning the highlighted text, or get a more detailed view by reading the entire paragraph. 

Of course, using a template was simply getting my feet wet in the program. In a classroom setting, I would likely create my own presentation fit to whatever the lesson was. I think this would be an outstanding tool for geopolitical lessons. Using a map, I could jump from one event to another, showing the entire breadth of a war, for example, and then zooming in for more depth of battles or events. The map would created the framework of the presentation, while the progression of the slides could present the timeline of events. The slides could zoom way in, allowing me to present as much information as I thought necessary while not interfering with the overall map presentation. Pictures, videos or other multimedia can be integrated into the slides without distracting from the information you want to provide (which is a common way I have seen PowerPoint misused). 

A large drawback of presenting this information as text, whether in a book or on a board, is that it is much harder to give a visual representation of an entire idea without distracting the viewer with the detailed content. Prezi solves this dilemma. My article centered on how technology is best used to create shortcuts, and the templates in Prezi also allow for this, by being able to quickly create supporting notes for a lecture that is both attractive and allows the educator to control the points of emphasis.

Here is a sample Prezi I made using a template.