- attach one end of the HDMI wire to the computer
and the other end to the TV screen. many TV screens have this located at the back and it can take some time to locate if the TV is attached to a wall
- switch on the TV screen
- on the remote control look for the button
with the word ‘input’, or one which has a square shape and an arrow on it
- switch on
your computer and then press the 'Ctrl 'and 'F4' buttons at the same time to ensure both
the TV and the computer screens are on. Hold
down the Ctrl button and then press the F4 button until you get the combination you require: 1, computer & no screen (useful for changing the PowerPoint without the students seeing); 2, screen & no computer; 3, computer and screen.
New Computers
only the F4 button will be needed to find the setting required
Old Computers
With older computers you might need to use the
F5, F6 or F7 button.
in addition, there might not be an HDMI port on an old computer and it is suggested the trainer takes the wire with them to the training room.
I
key Thoughts
- people come to hear you, not to watch a
PowerPoint presentation. your PowerPoint
should support you and your presentation, not be the presentation
- talk to your participants and not the PowerPoint
presentation
- always tell your participants if there will be
handout copies of the PowerPoint slides
- never stand in front of your PowerPoint presentation
PowerPoint Presentations
- no more than 36 words on one slide. ever.
- some of the best PowerPoint presentations have
no words, only pictures
- no more than 30 numbers on one slide. ever.
- font size should be between 18 and 30
- animation should be kept to a minimum - use only
once (or not at all) in a presentation
- graphics/ pictures should be high quality and not taken
from the internet – they will be blurry
- pictures, videos and audio help participants
remember your message
- in general a new presentation, if you are taking
it seriously, will take 1 hour to design each slide. leave enough time to design the slides rather
than staying up all night
- keep the background to your slides white whenever possible – its much quicker and
cheaper when printing. it’s also easier
on the student's eyes
- when printing the slides as handouts, print three, four or six slides
to one A4 page. never print one slide to a
page, it looks as if you are inexperienced.
print on both sides of the page when you can - again it makes printing
quicker and cheaper
first, get yourself a booking system if you possibly can. online booking apps or programs are available and allow users to book a specific room, on a specific day, for a specific amount of time. easy!
many of us are still using excel and a frustrated administrator to organize training rooms. be kind. be nice. be gentle. it is suggested you give as much notice and flexibility as you can muster, even on days when you're not feeling very hospitable or charitable ...
when booking a classroom check:
- what will the room look like to the students (a good place to spend 4 days? messy? uninviting? dirty?)
- what time the room is opened on the day the training takes place. is there a cleaner who 'owns' the keys? how can you contact this person? and what if you want to start before, and/ or end after, the allotted opening hours?
- computer (does it exist? how is it used? do you need to bring my own?)
- internet connection (how bad is it?)
- projector (does it exist? and if it does, where is it? is there a zapper/ buttons to use the projector? and where is it located? how does the projector work? are there any tricks to ensuring it work? and is there a technician if it doesn't? is there a wire to connect the computer with the projector or do you need to bring one with you?)
- light switches (where are they? how do they work? does the electricity regularly disappear at any point ?)
- air conditioner/ heater (where is the temp switch? does it work? do I have to share it with other people/ training rooms? who do you contact if it stops working?)
- how do the curtains open? can the windows be blacked out if you need to show a film?
- how do the windows open?
- does the door close?
- minimum and maximum number of participants which can fit in the room?
- how many tables? (can they be moved? are the legs attached to the table top?)
- how many chairs? how many of those are broken? where can you find extra chairs if you need them?
- are there any noises which will interrupt your training?
- is there anything you might trip over?
- layout of the classroom and can that be changed to suit your needs?
- space for leaving your belongings and training materials
- flip charts & stand (is there spare paper? does the stand fall over when pressed lightly?)
- board markers (do you need to bring your own?)
- spare paper & pencils/ pens for students
- water fountain (where is it? how do you refill the water when it runs out?)
- where is the the tea, coffee, water and small food items? what is the system for ordering?
- are there any restaurants nearby?
- bathroom locations
- emergency exit location, where is it? outside meeting point, where is it?
- what has gone wrong in this room previously?
- are there any rules that you must follow when using this training room?
- is there any thing else you should know about that hasn't been asked?
Practice:
- book the room as far as possible in advance
- be as flexible as you can be when someone desperately needs 'your' room. in the end, it isn't 'your' room, even if you booked first ...
