presentation clicker

presentation clicker

The Importance of Using a Presentation Clicker

1. Introduction

To avoid that kind of situation, the presenter can use a better tool to move the slide, such as using a presentation clicker. A presentation clicker is a device that is used to move the slides backward and forward by just clicking a small button on the device. Using a presentation clicker gives an easier way for the presenter to move the slides because not only can it move backward and forward, but a presentation clicker also has a blank screen feature to give a blank slide to the monitor to show the next material. It can also use the laser pointer feature to point at something in the slides. By using a presentation clicker, not only does it make the presenter easier to move the slide, but it also can deliver the materials well to the audience because the presenter can maintain eye contact with the audience and keep focusing on the audience.

Every time we give a seminar, we need to provide not only an informative user but also an interesting one. To make the seminar interesting, we need to deliver it with some multimedia and, of course, with a good speech. Nowadays, the most general media to support a seminar is by using a presentation and slide show to help deliver the materials to the audience. Some presenters often only use a mouse or keyboard to move the slides from a monitor that is placed in front of the room. It looks like it’s not really comfortable because it makes the presenter should always watch the monitor instead of the audience, and sometimes it makes the audience lose their focus on the presenter.

2. Benefits of Using a Presentation Clicker

Keys or a touchpad for mouse emulation on the clicker allows the speaker to control most functions from the clicker itself, meaning they don’t have to be standing directly behind the computer to change a slide. A good clicker should respond quickly to command inputs and have clearly identifiable keys so that no time is wasted during a presentation trying to figure out how it works. With everything considered, using a presentation clicker is the most practical way of controlling a slide show during a presentation.

It’s extremely annoying when you’re in the middle of an important presentation and your computer crashes, leaving you scrambling to fix it while your audience waits. Or even worse, when you get to a venue and the hardware available is incompatible with your computer and so your presentation won’t run. A slide show saved onto a clicker with wireless capabilities is immune to these problems, as it can run independent of any computer using software such as Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer. Always have a backup of your slide show file onto a USB in case of the worst-case scenario, is a good idea too. But having the USB in one hand and the clicker in the other can be quite awkward. With a wireless presentation clicker, you don’t even need to bring a computer.

First and foremost, a presentation clicker enables a speaker to maintain eye contact with the audience without having to look at the computer to navigate through slides. With the right type of remote control, a speaker can have control over almost every aspect of their slide show, including animation which can make the presentation more lively and effective. This makes it a perfect tool for a speaker wanting to confidently and effectively convey their message to the audience.

3. Features to Look for in a Presentation Clicker

Intuitive buttons. At minimum, you need a ‘next’ button. If there’s a ‘previous’ one as well that’s useful. Now and again you may inadvertently press one of these during the presentation, so it would be helpful to have locate these buttons some distance away from each other so that a quick check can locate the right one. Check that all the buttons are easy to press.

Compact size. A good one will fit in your hand comfortably, for tipping the thumb to click forwards or backwards. Make sure the on/off switch is easy to reach so that you don’t run the batteries down. Some presenters like a USB recharging option. Since most clickers work via a USB wireless dongle that plugs into the laptop, you need to ensure that the clicker has a compartment to store the dongle. Otherwise it’s very easy to lose it.

4. How to Use a Presentation Clicker Effectively

While owning a presentation clicker can make it much easier to give a presentation, not using it the right way can actually have a detrimental effect on the quality of your presentational performance. To the right is a slide of the presenter trying to explain the two methods of donating to Wikipedia (without clicking on ads). When using a presentation clicker, sometimes we can become overzealous and just start clicking away without any restraint. Imagine the slide had animation to make a bullet point appear with each click. Without even realizing, he could have zoned out for a second and clicked another 5-10 times after the final bullet point appeared. When that happens, there is not enough time for the audience to absorb what has been presented to them. With the availability of information on the internet and our impatient way of life, it is not surprising that the average attention span is now very low. People don’t like to wait and the last thing they want is a person that is speaking too slowly or clicking too much and not letting the information properly sink in. Step (or point) to the right is a slide of the presenter trying to explain the two methods of donating to Wikipedia (without clicking on ads). When using a presentation clicker, sometimes we can become overzealous and just start clicking away without any restraint. Imagine the slide had animation to make a bullet point appear with each click. Without even realizing, he could have zoned out for a second and clicked another 5-10 times after the final bullet point appeared. When that happens, there is not enough time for the audience to absorb what has been presented to them. With the availability of information on the internet and our impatient way of life, it is not surprising that the average attention span is now very low. People don’t like to wait and the last thing they want is a person that is speaking too slowly or clicking too much and not letting the information properly sink in. A common mistake among presenters is the lack of eye contact with the audience. It can be very nerve-racking to look into the crowd of people staring back at you. Some people find it easier to simply look at the screen. Using a clicker to change slides, this often results in the turning of one’s back to the audience and the using the clicker and an opportunity to steal a glance at the screen.

5. Conclusion

It can be concluded that using presentation pointers is an effective way to control slide sequences and deliver particular information to the audience effectively. This will consequently lead to a successful presentation. What makes it even more effective is using a wireless presentation clicker to control the slides. A wireless presenter will give more flexibility to the presenter. Using RF technology, most wireless presentation pointers have a range of up to 15 meters, so presenters can move around the room and still control the slides. It’s also very practical – no need to point directly at the presentation slide with a mouse to click. Because it’s a plug and play device, just plug the USB receiver into the computer and within seconds the device will be ready to use. So, it can be taken for granted that this will indeed ease the job of a presenter. By using a presentation clicker, the presenter can interact with the slides effectively. It’s very common today for a presentation to contain not only text, but also graphical information, charts, schemes, etc. With a presentation pointer, a presenter can point to any specific part of the slide that is written or indicated, and then elaborate on it to the audience. This will avoid confusion of the audience with the material presented. Data shows that the audience sometimes finds it easier to perceive information delivered by a “show and then tell” methodology. By pointing to a particular graphical information and then explaining it verbally, the audience will get a better understanding of the information. It will lead to the achievement of the main objective in doing a presentation, which is delivering particular information to the audience and ensuring their understanding of it.