Learning Power Point

[Virginia Stimer]

Can I ask the experts for suggestions about how to go about learning to use Power Point? I have the program on my computer now. I had signed up to take an eight hour course at a local college and the class has been cancelled twice because I was the only one signed up. I checked with another college where the price for the course is $350.--a bit much for my budget.

My goal is to learn how to scan slides and use Power Point to put together some presentations from the hundreds of slides I have from my years in Papua New Guinea.

I have a copy of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Microsoft Power Point 2003" on order from a local store. It should be in soon and I will try to learn from that.

Any suggestions? Would my wisest move be to use some of my savings to take the 5-week college course?:fav16
Virginia

[Deborah Patton]

Dearest Virginia,
How wonderful that you are interested in learning new things. I myself have been learning by trial and error. The most help I have had was to find another church not to terribly far away and ask if their tech person could sit with me and go over as much as possible. I have tried to put some power points together for choir and for my lessons but it hasn't been easy. I know there are many short cuts and I don't know what they are yet but I am getting along. I do think that getting together with someone who is familiar with the program and wouildn't mind spending some time with you is the first way you may want to try. I am sure that there is someone that would be willing to help. Also, now that you mention it, I found a great website that helped me. Let me go find it.

[Deborah Patton]

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX010857971033.aspx
This would be the link. I found it very helpful and easy to follow for a beginner. I hope it helps a little.
Many Blessings,
Deb

[Cindi Hammons]

Hi Virginia,

PowerPoint, being a Microsoft program, has many similarities to other programs like Word and Excell. If you can use Word, PP isn't that hard to learn. Most of my learning took place in trial and error. Another good source I used was PowerPoint for Dummies. It helped me a lot. I think Deborah gave you good advice in finding someone at church who can help. I have found 8th graders to be the best help around here, because they are taking basic computer keyboarding which includes PP. Many other classes require them to make PP presentations as well. Teenagers are always a good bet.

Best wishes,
Cindi H.

[Bob Woolley]

You might like to try this web site, Virigina. I didn't check through it but it gives you screen shots which are the best way to learn any program. If you go to the local library look for books on PowerPoint with screen shots in them... (pictures of different screens on PowerPoint. You will find them of the easiest tutorials.

Here is the link for PowerPoint tutorials - CLICK HERE (http://www.actden.com/pp/) - or click below and write down the url address.
http://www.actden.com/pp/

Open your browser to that web site and then open your PowerPoint program and teach yourself. Use the minus- and plus+ on the upper right corner of your screen to switch back and forth to both screens and you do each step.

[Virginia Stimer]

Thanks for the sites to check. I have used both of them a bit. The actden site will be more useful when they update it to PowerPoint 2003. In the meantime I am enjoying the information on both.

Virginia:fav18

[Bob Woolley]

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Wish I had more time to help you with PowerPoint but I think you will find PowerPoint really user friendly... maybe more so than any other program.

One main thing to remember is you should try to begin by adding text using the "Outline" tab because later on, you will realize that adding text to the main screen will not allow you to print it out properly for handouts.

Also when adding any background, you should not use the "handle" method. That is pulling the handles of the graphic to fit the screen. If you add text, you will find that the background might move on you accidently. The handle method is fine for adding graphics on top of backgrounds but not for adding backgrounds.

It is best to add the background by this method below.

Go to : "format" on top and select "background"

Next in the little window, click on the little blue down arrow and select "fill effects"

Next window, click on the "Picture" tab at the top and then click on select picture
/ background from your files in your computer.

Next "select file" and click on "insert" Picture or background should be the correct ratio size

Then click on the little box, "click picture aspect ratio" to put in a check mark.

Click "OK" then select either "apply" or "apply to all" Apply to all means each slide with have the same background...makes it a smaller file as well when finished. Apply means that you will be using various backgrounds in the presentation.

That is the best way to add my backgrounds to any presentation...the handle method is not as stable and it will move on you if you happen to hit it with the mouse or when you add more graphics to the slide.

Blessings, Bob

[Virginia Stimer]

Thanks for the information, Bob. I have added it to my Learning PowerPoint folder!

I have been using the site you suggested and am finding it helpful.:fav18

Virginia