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Education  |  Sep 21 2019

5 Interactive Presentations Ideas that will Engage Students

Interactive presentations should always be an educator’s goal. Dry, teacher-centered lectures lose students’ interest, while interactive presentations grab and hold attention. Getting students involved improves retention, understanding, and enjoyment. And it’s remarkably easy to involve the audience with just a few easy principles (especially with the right technology at your disposal).

Start creating interactive presentations with the tips and tricks below or get more insights on modern education technology.

Students today expect the classroom to be both educational and enjoyable at the same time. Interactive presentations help engage students by having them participate in the lessons instead of passively listening to lectures. This reduces boredom and gives students a sense of responsibility to be attentive.

A Gallup Poll  of about 3,000 schools shows that around the 5 th  grade 74% of students feel they are engaged in school, but by the 10 th , 11 th , and 12 th grade those numbers fall to the 30% range. It is important for educators from K-12 and on to higher education to recognize that keeping students engaged in the classroom is important and the adoption of interactive learning environments can be a key driver.

Millennials and Generation Y students are especially accustomed to being a part of the lessons and not just a spectator. Students are encouraged to talk and offer their ideas to create a collaborative atmosphere where both teachers and students are sources of knowledge and insight. The teacher plays more of a facilitator role in moving the lesson along and encouraging students to participate in their own learning outcomes. Students offer their own input, additional information, and give examples of how they would apply the key concepts.

The learning task is the central aspect of the interactive presentations (instead of the teacher’s energy level and hold on the students’ attention spans) and the lessons evolve around it. Even though the teacher is normally, the ‘presenter’ in most cases the ‘interaction’ part comes in a variety of ways to get students participating in the lesson. Many activities, games, role-plays, quizzes, and discussions  can be integrated into the presentation flow and the lessons will take different directions from there. We will discuss later many examples of tools and techniques to encourage collaborations.

Technological Aid in Interactive Presentations

Although interactive presentations can be done without technology, it is greatly aided with the adoption of tools designed to facilitate the learning process. For example, a quiz is given in the middle of the presentation. On one side, traditionally a teacher can write the quiz before the lesson starts, print out copies for all students, pass out the quiz, and collect answers. To provide feedback for the exercise the teacher will also need to grade and start a discussion on the results before moving on to the next topic. This process is time-consuming and restrictive.

With technological aid such as an interactive digital whiteboard or a classroom quizzing application on individual devices, the students and teacher can come up with the quiz questions on the spot. This digital quiz can be administrated wirelessly to all students and within seconds, the results can be shared with all participants to discuss. This greatly increases spontaneity, variability, and class involvement.       

5 Interactive Presentations Ideas and Corresponding Technology Aids

1. Storytelling

The teacher does not have to be the only star. The glory of the presentation can go to all participants who have a story to tell. The main concepts can be discussed and students should be given time to come up with a personal example. This exercise helps students relate to the subject matter and getting to listen to other students’ examples will drive home the concepts further. The need for the teacher to plan extensive examples and be the only one talking during the presentation is reduced. Teachers can also judge by the stories shared how much the students are understanding.

Storytelling with technology: Many digital whiteboards have Cast and Throw functions that will allow students to work on their own examples on their devices and send this to the whiteboard when sharing. This allows students to quickly go up and share their stories without sending files by email, wires, or USBs.

2. Non-linear presentation

Presentations that do not follow a strict order but organically flow from topic to topic based on the audience’s feedback are a great way to engage participants. Once prepared, the presenter can flow from one topic to the next by asking questions, polling, or receiving requests at the end of each key point. This allows the audience to ‘build’ their own presentation on what they want to hear not in a rigid manner as with traditional slide-based presentations.

Non-linear presentation with technology : There are non-linear presentation applications like  Prezi which helps presenters build presentations on easy-to-customize templates. They offer a zoomable canvas (not slides) to help people share knowledge, stories and inspire audiences to act. The canvas shows relationships between points and offers a recommended flow but not a set path to follow.

3. Polls, surveys, and quizzes

One of the most recognizable and used tools in the classroom to get a fast reaction from students are polls, surveys & quizzes. For polls, simple questions that have limited answers are used to gather a consensus. This could be in the form of a raise of hands, ballots, or having students form groups. Surveys would require printed paper sheets with multiple choices, scales, or short answers to gather opinions. Quizzes are used to quickly test a student’s knowledge on what was just covered, so the class can identify weak areas and crystalize main concepts.

Polls, surveys, and quizzes can be anonymous or not. Openly requiring students to share their ideas on results such as a debate or open discussion would increase the interactives of the activity. Students can also be tasked to create questions and grade their own surveys and quizzes for an added layer of participation within the presentation.

Polls, surveys, and quizzes with technology : Many classroom management software such as  Google Classroom has built-in tools to create polls, surveys, and quizzes along with assignments, communication, and other educational features. Once submitted, the collection and grading are instantaneous. The results can be shared easily with students both individually or as a group. 

Is there a student – of any age – who does not like a good game, contest, or competition? Adding a small game into a presentation breaks up the normal lecture format and gets the audience to think critically to help their team win. There are many versions and adaptions of basic educational games . Teachers can take games such as Pictionary, Jeopardy, Casino, and Bingo then adapt them to their needs. 

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Gamifying your interactive presentation : By integrating into the presentation links to applications like  ClassCraft  or  Kahoot a teacher can quickly launch an interactive digital game. These applications help teachers tailor their own games by adding their questions, facts, and materials for individuals, small teams, or the whole class to participate.

5. Discussions and groups breakout sessions

Having the class only listen to a lecture marks the end of any interactive presentation. Adding sections where students can have an open discussion or breakout sessions can help students learn from each other, share insights, and have an opportunity to ask questions to their peers. It is also an opportunity for the teacher to take a break from talking and help small groups or students individually as the rest of the class converse.

Taking the discussion online for interactive presentations : Live discussion applications like  NowComment  allow students to markup and discuss a text in real-time which is great for peer-review activities and gather student input into one place quickly. Alternatively, Yo Tech is great for teachers to create and moderate real-time chat rooms. Students can send text-like messages, reply to other messages, and share pictures and drawings. Online chat groups are a great way for large groups of students to collaborate and interact in one place while keeping the noise level down in a classroom.

Tips for Creating Interactive Presentations

Here are some tips when creating a presentation that has interactive components:

Add in places within your lecture notes or presentation slides reminders for you to engage the audience. This could be a small image or phrase. When using digital whiteboards or other display technology you could also use a sound, empty slide, or pop-up link to prompt you to start.

Time Limits

It is great to keep going a good game or discussion in the class where everyone is really engaged. However, keep the maximum amount of time you can dedicate to these activities in mind. Have a watch or a timer on hand and keep things moving. Give enough time for students to get engaged without overdoing it. Spread out chances for students to talk and share. When it is time to move on to the next topic prepare a transition to the next part of the presentation.

Think of ways to let all students have a chance to share. You can select students randomly or have them take turns in some kind of order. Remind students that this is a learning activity and not everyone will get it right the first time. The interactive activity should be open and inclusive. Students who are introverted may be given activities that can be done without going to the front of the class or public speaking.

Benefits of Having Interactive Components in Your Presentation

• Retention:  Actively having students engage with the concepts of the presentation in different ways and hearing it from different people (besides the teacher) helps with long-term retention.
• Personalization:  Students are given the choice of where the presentation is heading and participate in their own learning outcomes.
• Fun:  Having a break from the routine, getting a chance to move around, developing teams, and sharing are all much better than sitting silently and taking notes. 
• Feedback:  Adding interactive activities into a presentation gives you instant feedback about students’ comprehension.
• Vocalization: Having students actually vocalize their ideas helps them internalize the concepts.
• Summarization: Students review and summarize their own main points while doing the activities so there is less need for repetition.

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Build Your Own Version of Interactive Presentations for Your Next Lesson

Bringing in the interactive components and increasing the engagement of your presentations will both help you – a teacher – and your students. Make presentations both educational and entertaining with Edutainment! With or without technology, consider incorporating some new ideas into your next interactive presentation.

If you liked reading this article, you might also want to explore our complete guide to technology in the classroom or gain more insights on engaging lessons with ViewSonic’s education solutions.  

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15 Interactive Presentation Ideas to Elevate Engagement

By Krystle Wong , Aug 04, 2023

As attention spans continue to shrink, the challenge of engaging audiences in a short timeframe has never been more significant. Let’s face it — grabbing and keeping your audience’s attention can be quite the challenge, especially when time is ticking away. But fear not, I’ve got the perfect solution: interactive presentations!

Believe it or not, creating an interactive presentation is easier than you might think. In this guide, I’ll show you how to effortlessly turn ordinary slides into captivating experiences with 15 interactive presentation ideas that will leave your audience begging for more. From quirky polls and fun games to storytelling adventures and multimedia magic, these ideas will take your presentation game to the next level.

Venngage is a game-changer when it comes to empowering interactive presentations. With just a few clicks, users can customize their favorite presentation templates , add multimedia content and create immersive experiences that leave a lasting impact. Whether you’re a seasoned presenter or a newcomer, get started with Venngage to elevate your presentation game to new heights of engagement and creativity.

Click to jump ahead:

What is an interactive presentation?

15 ways to make a presentation interactive, 7 best interactive presentation software, what are some common mistakes to avoid when creating interactive presentations, interactive presentation faqs, how to create an interactive presentation with venngage.

An interactive presentation is a dynamic and engaging communication format that involves active participation and collaboration between the presenter and the audience. Unlike traditional presentations where information is delivered in a one-way manner, interactive presentations invite the audience to interact, respond and contribute throughout the session.

Think of it as a two-way street where you and your audience have a friendly chat. It’s like playing a fun game where you ask questions, get live feedback and encourage people to share their thoughts. 

To make a good presentation , you can utilize various tools and techniques such as clickable buttons, polls, quizzes, discussions and multimedia elements to transform your slides into an interactive presentation. Whether you’re presenting in-person or giving a virtual presentation — when people are actively participating, they’re more likely to remember the stuff you’re talking about.

Interactive presentations leave a lasting impression on the audience. By encouraging active participation and feedback, interactive presentations facilitate better understanding and knowledge retention. Here are 15 innovative 5-minute interactive presentation ideas to captivate your audience from start to finish:

1. Ice-breaker questions

Start your presentation with intriguing and thought-provoking questions or a fun icebreaker game. These questions should be designed to pique the audience’s curiosity and encourage them to think about the topic you’ll be covering. By doing so, you create an immediate connection with your audience and set the stage for a more engaged and attentive audience.

For example, if you’re giving a business presentation about management and leadership training, you could ask audience questions such as “What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received, and how has it impacted your career?”

2. Live polling

Incorporate live polls during your presentation using audience response systems or polling apps. This allows you to collect real-time feedback, opinions and insights from active participants. Live polling encourages active participation and involvement, making your presentation feel like a collaborative and interactive experience.

3. Q&A sessions

Encourage the audience to ask questions throughout your presentation, especially for pitch deck presentations . Address these questions in real-time, which fosters a more interactive and dynamic atmosphere. This approach shows that you value the audience’s input and promotes a two-way communication flow.

4. Clickable buttons

Add clickable buttons to your slides, allowing the audience to navigate to specific sections or external resources at their own pace. For example, you could include links to your social media accounts or extra reading materials in your education presentation to give further information about the topic and get your students engaged. By providing this autonomy, you empower the audience to explore areas of particular interest, creating a more personalized and engaging experience through your interactive slideshow.

5. Storytelling

Incorporate anecdotes or personal stories related to your topic. Storytelling is a powerful way to emotionally connect with your audience, making your presentation more relatable and memorable. A little storytelling along with a set of creative slides draws the audience in and keeps them engaged as they follow the narrative.

6. Interactive charts and graphs

Use interactive charts and graphs that respond to user input to make your presentation interactive. For instance, allow the audience to click on data points to view more detailed information or to change the displayed data series. Creating charts with interactive visuals help the audience interact with the data, fostering better understanding and engagement.

7. Animated infographics

Add animations to your infographics, making them visually dynamic and progressive. Animated infographics reveal information gradually, keeping the audience curious and attentive. This transforms complex data into an easily digestible and engaging format.

Venngage’s extensive library of infographic templates is a powerful tool to visualize data and elevate the interactivity of your presentations. Personalizing the visuals ensures a cohesive and professional look throughout your interactive presentation. The templates are highly customizable, allowing you to adjust colors, fonts, and styles to match your presentation’s theme and branding. 

8. Gamification

Introduce an interactive quiz, puzzles, or challenges related to your presentation content. Gamification adds an element of fun and competition, motivating the audience to participate actively and boosting their learning experience. Here are some gaming presentation templates you could use. 

9. Virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR)

If applicable, leverage VR or AR technologies to provide immersive experiences. These interactive presentation tools transport the audience into a virtual or augmented environment, making your presentation more captivating and memorable.

10. Collaborative whiteboarding

Get your audience involved in your presentation by utilizing digital whiteboards or collaborative tools to brainstorm ideas collectively. This fosters teamwork and creativity, enabling the audience to actively contribute and feel a sense of involvement in the presentation.

11. Hyperlinked text

Keep the information in your slides minimal with a simple presentation and incorporate hyperlinks to direct viewers to relevant websites or blogs , resources, or additional information. This encourages self-exploration and gives the audience the opportunity to delve deeper into topics of interest.

12. Role-playing

Engage the audience in role-playing scenarios to explore different perspectives. Role-playing promotes active learning and helps the audience relate the content to real-life situations, enhancing their understanding and retention.

13. Embedded videos

Include video clips in your slides to provide visual explanations, demonstrations, or interviews. Videos add a dynamic element to your presentation, enriching the content and keeping the audience engaged.

14. Audience-generated content

Encourage the audience to contribute ideas, stories or examples related to your professional presentation . Audience-generated content fosters a sense of ownership and involvement, making the presentation more interactive and personalized.

15. Slide transitions

Use slide transitions to create smooth animations between slides. Well-planned transitions maintain the audience’s interest and keep the presentation slides flowing seamlessly.

Interactive elements aside, enhance your presentation with these guides on how to summarize information for a captivating presentation and how to make a persuasive presentation to captivate your audience. 

If you’re looking to create engaging and interactive presentation slides that captivate your audience, these presentation software options are sure to elevate your game:

Prezi is renowned for its dynamic and non-linear presentation style, enabling users to craft visually stunning and interactive presentations. With an array of templates and animation effects, Prezi enhances audience engagement, making your presentations more captivating and memorable.

2. Mentimeter

Mentimeter serves as an audience response system, empowering real-time interaction during presentations. Users can create interactive polls, quizzes, word clouds and more, allowing the audience to respond using their smartphones or other devices. This fosters active participation and provides valuable feedback instantly.

3. Google Slides

Google Slides is a free cloud-based presentation software that not only offers collaboration features but also enables real-time interactions. It includes add-ons and third-party integrations to further enhance interactivity, making it an excellent choice for collaborative and engaging presentations.

4. Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint, a classic presentation software, has evolved to incorporate more interactive features like live captions, real-time collaboration and interactive elements such as quizzes and forms. With its familiar interface and versatile functionalities, PowerPoint remains a reliable choice for interactive presentations.

5. Prezentor

Prezentor caters to sales-oriented presentations focusing on interactive storytelling and data-driven content. It offers analytics to track audience engagement and behavior during presentations, allowing you to fine-tune your approach and keep your audience hooked.

6. Opinion Stage

Opinion Stage is a visual and interactive data collection tool designed to engage and excite audiences whether sitting in a lecture hall, participating in a live Zoom, or watching an on-demand webinar. The Opinion Stage tools are simple and intuitive, making it easy to create attention-grabbing quizzes, surveys, and polls in minutes. A great way to spice up any presentation, encourage audience participation, and collect authentic feedback.

7 . Venngage

Venngage stands out as a versatile design tool that facilitates the creation of interactive infographics, data visualizations and presentations with ease. Offering various interactive elements and animations, Venngage empowers you to craft visually appealing and engaging presentations effortlessly.

With these interactive presentation software options at your disposal, you can unleash your creativity and deliver presentations that leave a lasting impact on your audience. So, go ahead and make your presentations interactive, captivating and memorable!

For more presentation software options, check out this blog on the 12 best presentation software for 2023.

Creating interactive presentations can be a game-changer for engaging your audience and enhancing your presentation skills, but steering clear of common pitfalls is essential. Here are some key mistakes to avoid when crafting your interactive presentations:

1. Overloading with interactivity

While interactivity is fantastic, bombarding your audience with too many interactive elements can backfire. Strive for a balanced approach that enhances engagement without overwhelming your listeners.

2. Ignoring audience relevance

Failing to tailor interactive elements to your audience’s interests and preferences can lead to disconnection. Make sure your interactions resonate with your specific audience for a more meaningful experience.

3. Not testing interactive elements

Skipping thorough testing of interactive features before showtime can spell disaster. Avoid technical glitches by diligently testing all interactive components in advance.

4. Poor timing and pace

Timing is everything, especially with interactive activities. Ensure seamless integration by planning your key points and the timing of your interactive elements carefully.

5. Lack of clear purpose

Every interactive element should serve a purpose and contribute to your presentation’s objectives. Don’t add interactions just for the sake of it — ensure they add value and align with your message.

6. Failing to engage beyond interactivity

While interactive elements are powerful tools, remember that content is king. Combine your interactive features with compelling storytelling and valuable insights to create an immersive and impactful presentation.

Incorporating animated slides into your interactive presentations enhances the overall appeal and interaction, turning an ordinary presentation into an engaging experience. Try it out with one of our animated presentation templates to get started. 

How do you start an interactive presentation?

Begin by grabbing the audience’s attention with an intriguing question or a surprising fact, setting the tone for a dynamic and engaging session.

Which type of presentation is the most interactive?

Workshops and seminars are often the most interactive types of presentations as they encourage active participation, discussions and hands-on activities.

How can interactive presentations enhance audience engagement?

Interactive presentations foster a two-way communication flow, involving the audience through polls, quizzes, discussions and multimedia elements, leading to increased interest, attentiveness and better retention of information.

What are some common interactive elements to include in a presentation?

Common interactive elements include clickable buttons, hyperlinked text, polls, quizzes, interactive charts, multimedia content and audience participation activities.

Can interactive presentations be used for educational purposes?

Absolutely! Interactive presentations are highly effective for educational purposes as they promote active learning, encourage critical thinking, and provide real-time feedback and knowledge exchange opportunities.

Need inspiration on how to give an engaging presentation ? Here are 120+ presentation ideas you could use. 

Venngage makes it easy for anyone to infuse interactivity into their presentations. From clickable buttons and hyperlinked text to interactive infographics and dynamic charts, Venngage offers a diverse range of interactive elements to captivate and engage the audience. Here’s how you can make your presentation more fun and interesting with Venngage:

• Sign up or log in to Venngage to access the platform.
• Choose a presentation template or start with a blank canvas to begin designing your interactive presentation.
• Add and edit slides in the Venngage editor to structure your presentation content effectively.
• Customize the design by selecting themes, fonts, colors and backgrounds to match your style and branding.
• Use interactive elements like buttons, links, pop-ups and hover effects to engage the audience during the presentation.
• Enhance engagement by incorporating interactive media such as videos and audio clips.
• Preview and test your entire presentation to ensure everything works smoothly before presenting it to your audience.
• Save your interactive presentation on Venngage and share it online or download it in various formats for presenting purposes.

Well, I hope these 15 5-minute interactive presentation examples can help unlock a new level of audience engagement for your next presentation. From fun quizzes and interactive storytelling to multimedia magic and gamified challenges, the possibilities are endless. So, don’t be afraid to experiment, tailor the ideas to suit your audience members and let your creativity shine.  

That said, remember to strike a balance and keep the interactivity purposeful and relevant. Some common mistakes to avoid when creating interactive slides include overloading the presentation with too many interactive elements and failing to align the interactive elements with the overall presentation goals and content. 

Got it? Great. Now let’s turn that boring presentation around!

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Using Interactive Learning to Improve Student Engagement

Amanda martin.

• May 19, 2021

What is Interactive Learning?

The days of sitting through lectures and taking notes are gone in today’s high tech, fast paced world. The age of video games, social media, ipads, iphones, and more have completely changed how our students want to learn and how quickly they need feedback and gratification in learning. Interactive learning is an approach to teaching students that includes elements of participation and engagement. Students are encouraged to partake in hands-on activities, collaborate together in groups, and use components of technology to complete classwork. Basically, instruction through interactive learning seeks to capture student attention quickly and efficiently to keep them engaged in learning.

What are the Benefits of Interactive Learning?

When you think about the benefits of interactive learning, increased student engagement is probably the first one that comes to mind; however, interactive learning provides other useful benefits to students aside from its greatest benefit of upping student participation.

Cooperation Skills

In interactive learning, students work with their peers frequently. Because of this, cooperation skills are quickly developed. Students grow the ability to listen to the ideas of others, build upon the ideas of others, and blend those ideas to create innovative solutions.

Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

Thinking and problem-solving truly go hand in hand. Interactive learning activities almost always encourage exploration by thinking “outside the box.” Students have to think about and explore different ideas in order to find valid solutions. Because many interactive learning activities are centered around real world problems and challenges, students must think critically to find valid answers to those problems; thus, students develop sharper problem-solving skills. These skills carry on into adulthood and strengthen their capabilities in their chosen careers in the future.

How Do Interactive Lessons Increase Engagement?

Interactive lessons increase student engagement by providing opportunities for active learning. Active learning means students are literally learning until they “run out of fuel!” When interactive lessons are employed, students are completing activities in a fast paced environment while soaking up necessary knowledge, learning and growing with their peers, and genuinely enjoying what is taking place in the classroom.

Using Interactive Lessons in Your Classroom

Interactive lessons are easy to implement, but teachers must be willing to give up some of the control as most activities are student led. Below is a list of ways to incorporate interactive learning into the lessons in your classroom.

Create Student-Centered Activities

This one is probably obvious, but in order for interactive learning to work, activities must be centered around students . As mentioned before, teacher lectures and note taking alone are no longer the norm and do not adequately capture student attention. Teachers can create student centered activities by including activities that allow for student interests. For instance, teachers could ask students to show their learning in a method of their choice (i.e. write a summary, create a digital presentation, draw a picture, etc). Through providing students with choice according to their personal preferences, they are more likely to perform at their best.

Include Real World Challenges

Interactive learning requires students to participate more actively in the classroom through hands-on activities and projects. A perfect example of this type of activity would be to implement project-based learning . Project-based learning provides students with hands-on, relevant learning. Project based learning requires students to research a particular question or topic (generally related to the real world) in order to learn more, explore different outcomes, and/or create solutions. Examples may include asking students to plan and construct a garden, create a new app that provides a useful service, and so on. The great thing about project based learning is that it can easily be used in all grade levels.

Make Things Fun With Games

Students of all ages love games. Teachers can make learning more interactive in the classroom by incorporating game-like activities into lessons.

• Task Cards: Regardless of the subject or grade level, task cards make learning more fun and engaging. Place task cards throughout the classroom with various questions or tasks on them. Challenge students to complete a certain number of cards during a particular amount of time. Teachers may even up the ante by providing a prize to the student who completes the most cards correctly.
• Word Hunt: Introduce or review vocabulary by hiding word cards around the room. Using a clipboard with pencil and paper, students must locate the card, write down the word, and find its meaning. This activity is more often used in the elementary grades; however it would make a fun review game for older students as well.
• Four Corners: This game works best when students are classifying information. Place one label on each corner of the room. For example: If students have been learning about reptiles, mammals, birds, and amphibians, make a label for each name. Then, call out a specific animal name (i.e. rattlesnake, pigeon, etc.) and ask students to walk to the corner that shows its classification. This game is easily adapted for classrooms of all shapes and sizes so if you do not have four corners, that is okay! This game is also especially fun and useful for students of all ages and different subjects.

Incorporate Technology

Most teachers already know how much students love technology. Most of them eat, sleep, and breathe it! When teachers incorporate technology into their lessons, students are automatically ready to jump in and get started. Here are a few ways to use technology in the classroom:

• Videos: Teachers can capture student attention from the very beginning of a lesson by using a quick video to introduce the lesson’s topic. Students may also be challenged with creating a short video to show what they have learned or reinforce learning.
• Visual Presentations: Most students are visual learners. Teachers who use visual aids when presenting content are more likely to see an increase in student engagement. Another way that students can show what they know is by asking them to create digital presentations using Google Slides, PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.
• Games: The internet is filled with tons of educational games. Use them to your advantage by allowing students to play games online to reinforce and/or practice what they have learned.

Incorporate the Arts

A great method of providing students with hands-on activities is to include the arts ! To increase student engagement teachers may ask students to draw pictures, write poems, create songs, or act out ideas from the content being studied. All of these arts activities and more can aid student learning and make it more meaningful to them.

• #InteractiveLearning , #StudentEngagement

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What do we mean by interactive learning materials .

Let ‘s begin with a bit of context: Most teachers are used to creating their content for their classroom, but sometimes they feel like they could make things more fun, easier to understand, and in general, more memorable. That’s where interactivity comes in! 

Interactivity allows our students to have an active role in the learning experience. They have the chance to explore the content and engage with it in an intuitive and immersive way. Just as you would do in real life. As opposed to traditional teaching materials like powerpoint presentations or PDFs, where all information is flat and presented on the same canvas or page, interactivity allows us to share information in a short and concise way, using layers to add details,  and distribute content in a friendly way. Interactivity allows us to connect ideas by linking several pages with just a couple of clicks, or create layers of information that students can explore and interact with. In addition to these layers, we can enrich our lessons with external content like videos from YouTube, audio, virtual itineraries, or photos, among many other things.   We are creating an immersive and explorable environment.

Why use interactivity and interactive materials in the class? 

We have interviewed Rosa Liarte to offer readers her experience using interactive materials. She teaches Geography and History in Malaga, Spain, and helps as technology coordinator at her school training other teachers. 

What value do you find in interactive digital lessons? How do they help your daily routine as a teacher?

Rosa: The current situation requires tons of flexibility on the teacher ‘s side. One day we are teaching at school, but the next one we may be called to teach 100% online. We need to be ready and offer the best possible experience to our students. Being able to create our own digital materials is like being one step ahead of the game.  In my case, I also use the interactive materials that I create for my blog ‘Lecciones de historia’, where my students can access and have all their classroom lessons under one roof. 

When did you first start creating learning lessons like the ones you create today?

Rosa: I came across Explain Everything around 2012, when I decided to start experimenting and recording my classes. That school year I was teaching 4 x 10th grade classes! Which means I was repeating the same thing over and over, four times every day.  I was close to burnout and I decided to give videos a shot. I tried several applications that were popular back in the day, until one day, I stumbled upon Explain Everything. And it changed the way I teach forever! Explain Everything is essentially an interactive whiteboard, that allows me to create video-lessons and edit my videos within the application.  

One of the best things about Explain Everything is that the product continues to improve. So many new features have been added since I started using the application 8 years ago! Some of my favorites include the collaborative options and being able to pull stock images from the app itself.  

I decided to record my lessons and export the videos to my YouTube channel, leccionesdehistoria.com. It was scary at the beginning but I started to receive thank-you messages from all over the world that said my lessons were helpful.  

Little by little, I ended up recording videos for all the content I teach. There are concepts I need to explain every year, like climographs. Videos allow my students to watch and review the content as many times as they need and I save lots of time. This allows me to follow a flipped classroom approach and work on projects and activities that really help my students and make a difference. 

The perfect tandem comes with Genially, because we can create interactive content and activities that link to my Explain Everything videos. I can even embed those videos on my Genially creations. I can create interactive images loaded with information and videos in one place. This is what people normally call “Appsmashing”! Using and making the best of several applications and programs while using them together and obtaining a final product that you wouldn’t be able to create with only one of them. 

We want to know more! What are some of the benefits of creating interactive learning materials? What are some improvements that you see in your students? Please, share!

Rosa: Genially and Explain Everything allows me to create interactive lessons and units that include images, text, videos, and students LOVE these types of lessons. They are fun, engaging, and students are totally immersed in the learning experience. They can also explore the content at their own pace, and review as many times as they need. During my video calls with students, I share my interactive lessons and go through them with students, and provide explanations, addressing any possible pain points.

Why use interactivity and interactive materials in the class?

Rosa: I believe that the main reason for using interactive materials is to increase students’ participation and attention. When students participate in an interactive activity, they not only listen or watch the material, but they interact with it and learn better. Many experts in the field of teaching note a significant increase in both the level of motivation and engagement in the classroom, as well as a great boost in creativity.

From the teacher’s point of view, interactive materials can easily be adjusted to the needs of students during the course of the class. For example, you can add answers to questions that students ask or extend explanations during the lesson.

Last but not least, in the current global situation, interactive materials are also a very good option during online classes because of how easily they allow us to present various types of materials to maintain more direct contact with students. Thanks to these kinds of materials, everyone can go at their own pace, see it again or expand on those topics that interest them especially.

Get to know Explain Everything + Genially.

Explain everything.

Explain Everything is the most versatile digital whiteboard on the market. It’s used worldwide by millions of teachers, educators, tutors, kids, and students. Whether you need to create a presentation or explainer video, guide or task others, explain any topic, or design a project, this one’s for you. You can quickly share the results of your thinking with others or collaborate on a project with a group.

Genially is a content creation tool that teachers around the world use to create interactive presentations and learning resources. There are hundreds of templates available and educators are able to create stunning presentations, infographics, escape rooms, quizzes, interactive images, and more! No programming or design skills required. 

Use Genially to create better presentations and learning materials for both, distance learning and the in-person class. Add layers of interactivity and animations to engage your students like never before. Genially also allows you to integrate other applications within your presentation: have your students watch a Youtube video, or visit Google Maps without leaving the slide. There’s also a collaborative mode that allows you to work as a team. Changes are saved automatically in real-time. 

If you have older materials, you can still use Genially. Import your PowerPoints and make them interactive!

We hope you have enjoyed this post and webinar!

Need inspiration? Visit our inspiration section and see what others are creating.

Need help? Visit the Genially Academy and take courses for FREE. Learn how to use the tool while you sharpen your general design and teaching skills.

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8 Interactive Presentation Ideas to Engage Your Audience in 2024

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Content creator:

Anastasia Popova

Anastasia is an experienced educator and dedicated agile learning enthusiast. Her particular areas of expertise include learning management and eLearning localization. She is passionate about sharing insights on effective tools and strategies for creating captivating eLearning experiences.

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Home Blog Presentation Ideas How To Make a Presentation Interactive

How To Make a Presentation Interactive

This article provides a short list of proven techniques for adding interactivity to your presentations. Based on our experience and available research, we know applying them will enhance your presentation experience.

Table of Contents

Definition of Interactive Presentation

Benefits of interactive presentation, interactive presentation techniques, recommended templates for interactive presentations.

An interactive presentation actively engages the audience, transforming them from passive listeners into active participants. It incorporates various elements that invite audience interaction, encourage learning and discussion.

• Interactive presentations generate connection, bringing audiences and presenters closer. 
• They enhance comprehension, simplifying complex concepts. 
• They boost engagement, keeping audiences active and interested. 
• They encourage cooperation, promoting collaborative learning and problem-solving.

The following list is a suggestion of audience interaction techniques that, in our experience, helped presenters make their presentations interactive. They all present an actionable example that can be easily implemented in your next PowerPoint presentation .

Use of Icebreakers

In recent years, researchers have theorized that Icebreakers help establish a conducive communication environment, favoring participation. Effective icebreakers can range from simple questions to fun activities to break down barriers and encourage interaction. The key is to choose an icebreaker that aligns with the audience and the topic of the presentation.

Icebreaker examples

We present two examples of the same technique based on the context of the presentation delivery method.

Scenario 1 – Physical Audience (in the Context of a Summit)

In summits, the audience is gathered for a shared interest. So, the hypothesis is that the people in the room, ready to listen to the presentation, have some interests in common. The presenter can break the ice with a simple “know the people around you.” Each participant should present themselves to the person at the right and the left and ask them the purpose of their assistance.

The presenter will then share the 3 “possible answers,” introducing how the presentation will cover those interests. If time is well measured, it can even do a “rise the hands” round to roughly estimate the answers.

This technique requires good control of the room, so it is important to constantly gauge the possible distraction generated vs the communication effect that wants to be reached. We suggest our subscribers present quickly, clear the icebreaker exercise, and invest time in the wrap-up (post-exercise) activity.

Scenario 2 – Virtual Audience (in the context of a course)

During virtual presentations (like in Google Meet or Zoom ), the interaction between participants requires separate meeting rooms or moderated chat, which incurs complexity and additional effort. So, our experience in virtual presentations shows that a single round of attendee introductions is a good icebreaker for the audience-presenter pair. 

The main task the presenter needs to prepare is to define beforehand the number of people that will introduce themselves and the 3 questions they should answer about them.

For example:

• What’s your name? (or any demographic that might fit the audience)
• What do you expect from the presentation?
• Do you have a specific question or topic you would like the presenter to address?

This technique of micro-interactions increases the audience’s affinity with its remote peers and triggers curiosity. For the presenter, it sets a standard of expectations to focus on during the speech. [3]

Incorporation of Multimedia Elements & Other Interactive Presentation Ideas

According to audience studies , incorporating multimedia elements into presentations significantly enhances audience engagement . This technique uses videos, reels, TikTok, audio clips, animations, memes, and images to convey information more effectively. These elements can simplify complex concepts, stimulate discussion, and maintain audience interest. They also cater to different learning styles, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of the presented material.

Use of Non-linear Flow

Non-linear flow in interactive presentations allows for a flexible, audience-driven progression. It consists of allowing the listener to decide the path of the presentation. This technique enhances engagement by adapting to audience responses. Two studies ([1],[2]) conclude that the use of a non-linear presentation reinforces learning and improves understanding of concepts and results.

Storytelling Approach

The storytelling approach involves weaving a narrative around your topic, connecting facts and figures with characters and plots. This method engages the audience emotionally, stimulating their imagination, making it more relatable and memorable, and enhancing their understanding of the subject matter. The interaction materializes between the message and the emotions of the receiver. 

Do not misunderstand the usage of storytelling presentations as merely fictional creative plots. The presenter needs to create a story that delivers the message and also, is backed up with arguments or data.

Storytelling Example

For instance, imagine a mid-manager working on customer trends and behavior analysis in a retail company. In the previous quarter, numbers show a decrease in the sales of brewed coffee. The trends and survey analysis show that consumers prefer to brew at home.

So, instead of just showcasing numbers, the presenter elaborates on a customer persona (“Emily”) and creates a story about Emily’s regular day and decision-making process.

“Emily is a hard-working mom of 2 boys. She has a white-collar job, 9 to 5, in a big city. She is a conscious mom about their children’s nutrition and makes her grocery every morning in our stores. She values our quality and freshness. As part of her daily routine, she picks a fresh coffee from our store barista and quickly covers her shopping list., ready to deliver the goods at home and run to her job.

Her morning routine has recently been affected since Emily’s budget has seen an increase in groceries, and a detailed analysis of cost benefits has replaced the almost automatic process of selecting top-of-the-line healthy products. Prices have seen alterations due to inflation and have hit the shelves. Emily’s routine has changed so that she does not even take her “to go coffee”; she decided to brew at home.”

This story is more relatable and can trigger the audience’s experience about the topic. This is no bidirectional communication but generates an internal action in the audience.

Use of Q&A and Discussion Sessions

Question and Answer (Q&A) sessions and discussions complement interactive presentations. They provide a platform for the audience to drill down into concepts and exchange ideas. This methodology promotes dynamic involvement, inviting passive spectators to become active participants. Moreover, the presenter can extract invaluable insights from these sessions, transforming the presentation into a reciprocal learning experience. For further reading and techniques of Q&A sessions, please check our post on how to moderate questions and answers .

Quizzes and Polls

In interactive presentations, quizzes and polls are frequently employed to receive input from the audience at scale. Using technology, you can get quick answers to a grid of questions predefined or even built during the presentation itself. The audience input is received and quickly processed to share in a summary. Results can then be discussed during the presentation. 

Quizzes and Polls Examples

As technology for this technique, we suggest using Microsoft Forms or Google Forms. Booths are proven technologies that can be accessed from almost every network and guarantee you will not fail during your presentation. This tool reduces the risk of having a glitch failure.

If you have an Office 365 subscription, you can use Microsoft Forms, which integrates with PowerPoint to show the results of a poll or quiz.

If you use Google Forms, even though you do not have direct interaction, you can use the web viewer add-in of PowerPoint and, after some time, edit the presentation, refresh the preview, and show the examples.

Here is a list of interactive presentation ideas & templates that you can use in PowerPoint or Google Slides.

1. Interactive Jeopardy Game Template for PowerPoint & Google Slides

Welcome to Jeopardy! If you intend to make a memorable presentation and evaluate your attendees’ knowledge of the topics you disclose, this is the ideal resource to make a presentation interactive.

Use This Template

2. Quiz Maker for Interactive Presentations Template

When looking for how to make presentations interactive, this slide deck with a quiz theme can bring light to training sessions or even inspirational presentations. Easy to edit, you can build expectation with multiple-choice format, or work with true/false statements.

3. Six Thinking Hats PowerPoint Template for Interactive Presentations

Induce interactive activities for presentations by implementing this creative thinking template featuring the Six Thinking Hats model. It is ideal for teams to discuss a problem from different points of view.

4. Futuristic Concept Roadmap for Interactive Presentation Ideas

When looking for how to create an interactive PowerPoint presentation, this roadmap template stands out by its highly detailed graphic aesthetic, which makes facts easier to remember. Participants can add their insights to collectively build a roadmap for the organization, highlighting 3 key milestones.

We presented several methods to make your presentation interactive. You can navigate our presentations gallery and choose professional PowerPoint templates to apply these new techniques.

• Das, Anup & Dutta, Bidyarthi. (2002). Presentation of Results of Research: Linear and Non-Linear Forms.
• Rumpa, Lantana & Sampelawang, Petrus & Lolang, Enos & Tangkeallo, Daud & Rubianus,. (2018). NON-LINEAR PRESENTATION ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE: APPLYING PREZI ON ENGINEERING EDUCATION.
• In-person vs. virtual conferences: Lessons learned and how to take advantage of the best of both worlds

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Blog > Interactive PowerPoint presentations in class

Interactive PowerPoint presentations in class

03.08.2023   •  #powerpoint #tips.

Presentations can be a great way to make your lessons exciting and informative and to informative and to better communicate information to your students. Many students do not feel engaged and integrated enough with normal presentations. To increase the attention span and arouse enthusiasm, interactive elements such as quizzes, word clouds or feedback rounds can help, to significantly increase learning success.

Common problems that arise during presentations in class

Presentations are a central element of the learning process, but they often involve challenges that need to be overcome. We have highlighted four common problems that often accompany presentations in class:

1. Lack of interaction

Standard PowerPoint presentations offer limited opportunities for audience interaction and engagement. They lack features to gather feedback or answer questions in real time and respond to requests.

2. Student passivity

Students are often forced into a passive role when the focus is only on the slides and the presenter simply delivers them in a heavy-handed manner.

3. Time managementt

Creating good presentations can take a lot of time and can be a difficult task for some.

4. Information Overload

Too much information at once, without a break can overwhelm and scare away younger students in particular. It's hard to focus on what's important and grasp the key messages.

4 ideas for interactive presentations in classes

Interactive presentations demonstrably increase learning success and retention. This is also confirmed by a study of the Keele University . The results here show very clearly to what extent involving the audience increases attention as well as knowledge transfer. It was found that the grades of the participants improved by 3.7%, as well as and the failure rate was reduced by 4.4% over the whole school year. were reduced.

1. Interactive classroom engagement

Students can ask questions anonymously and provide interactive feedback. This encourages active participation in the classroom and creates an open learning environment. Teachers could respond spontaneously to questions or interesting discussion points and customize lessons.

Here are some ways to better engage students in the classroom:

• Voting on the desired teaching material : Teachers can include an interactive survey where students choose from a variety of topics they would like to learn more about in class. This allows students to help shape the lesson and contribute their interests.
• Surveys in which subject areas the students need more support : Teachers can start a survey to identify areas where students are having difficulty or need more explanation. This can help to tailor the lessons to the needs of the students.
• Anonymous questions about ambiguities in specific subject areas : For example, students can use SlideLizard to anonymously ask questions about topics they didn't fully understand. These questions can then be discussed in class to clarify misunderstandings and deepen understanding.

2. Brainstorming and unleashing creativity

Interactive slides enable teachers and students to collaboratively brainstorming sessions into the presentation, and to create a presentation. The feature allows ideas to be collected and structured on virtual pinboards. and structure them. The result is an interactive collaboration that unleashes creativity and promotes the exchange of ideas. encourages.

Here are some ideas on how to incorporate brainstorming in the classroom:

• Brainstorming for possible solutions : When addressing complex problems or challenges, teachers can ask students to brainstorm different solutions together on an interactive slide. This encourages teamwork and creative thinking.
• Collection of ideas for projects : Teachers can use an interactive slide where students can collect creative ideas for upcoming projects. These ideas can then be discussed and developed together.
• Solutions for social challenges : Students can brainstorm and discuss ideas for addressing real-world social problems such as poverty, inequality, or pollution.

3. Learning with quizzes

Interactive quizzes are a highlight of PowerPoint presentations. Teachers can check what students have already learned in a playful way and track the learning success. The students in turn experience a motivating sense of achievement when they answer the quiz questions correctly. This makes the learning process not only entertaining, but also effective.

Here are some concrete ideas for how teachers can use quizzes in a meaningful way in the classroom:

• Short knowledge tests during the presentation : Teachers can include a short quiz after each section of a presentation to ensure that students understand the key concepts before moving on to the next section.
• Preparation for exams : Teachers can create more comprehensive quizzes that cover the entire subject matter and help students prepare for upcoming exams.
• Continuous knowledge checks : Teachers can create regular, short quizzes to ensure that knowledge learned builds and deepens consistently over time.

4. Flexibility in teaching through discussions

Additional slides can also be used or set aside to be be flexible to the needs of the students. Teachers can react spontaneously to respond spontaneously to questions or interesting discussion points and individually.

Here are some ways teachers can use discussions to engage students more fully in the classroom:

• Small group discussions : Teachers can divide students into small groups and have them discuss on different slides. Each group can then present their findings or conclusions.
• Feedback and reflexion : After a presentation or lecture, teachers can ask questions on a slide that encourage students to reflect on what they have heard. These questions can then be discussed together.
• Visualize discussions as a word cloud : The students' contributions and thoughts from a discussion can be visualized on a slide as a word cloud. Frequently mentioned words are displayed larger, which draws the focus to dominant topics or trends. This provides a visual summary of the discussion and encourages analysis of the most important aspects.

Tips: Create interactive presentations

One tool that can help you create interactive presentations is SlideLizard. SlideLizard offers a wide range of interactive features, such as word clouds, polls, quizzes or feedback rounds for your teaching. You can integrate the interactive slides directly into your PowerPoint presentation and the results of polls or word clouds during the lesson are automatically visualized in real time. Learn more about interactive teaching with SlideLizard here.

Using interactive PowerPoint presentations with SlideLizard allows teachers to take teaching to a new level and overcome these problems. By combining word clouds, quizzes, interactive feedback sessions, and brainstorming sessions, SlideLizard creates an inspiring learning environment where students can actively participate in the classroom and unlock their potential. Let's use this creative and innovative approach to unleash the potential of visual connection and take teaching in schools to a new level. Learning can be so much fun!

Related articles

About the author.

Annika Fachberger

Annika is dedicated to graphics and videos. At SlideLizard she supports the design team with her creative ideas.

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Persuasive presentations.

A persuasive presentation is made, for example, to introduce an amendment. There are usually several options to choose from. It is particularly important to provide good arguments and reasons.

Hybrid Audience

A mix between in-person and virtual participants for an event or a lecture is called a hybrid audience. Working with a hybrid audience may be challenging, as it requires the presenter to find ways to engage both the live and the virtual audience.

Eulogy Speech

A eulogy speech is given at a funeral. It is given by familiy members or friends of the deceased. The aim is to say goodbye and pay tribute to the person who has passed away.

Written Communication

The goal of written communication is to spread messages clear and explicit. Written Communication can be: emails, a contract, a memo, a text message or a Facebook Post.

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6 tips to turn your presentation into an interactive elearning course.

How To Turn Your Presentation Into An Interactive eLearning Course

The secret to creating successful eLearning experiences is developing an environment that mimics the real world. An eLearning course that encourages learners to make choices that lead to consequences or highlights the real world benefits of the subject matter, through simulations and other interactive elements, is essential to its success. But what do you do if your content is wrapped up in a presentation that you've spent countless hours and resources creating, and now you want to make it more dynamic,  engaging , and interactive ? The answer is to turn your presentation into an interactive eLearning course.

• Lectora 12 is the ultimate eLearning authoring tool for professionals who want to easily turn their presentations into eLearning courses. A remarkably simple, yet exceptionally powerful tool, Lectora 12 makes it easy to create eLearning courses that get results. Or, develop eLearning in the cloud with Lectora Online , perfect for collaboration and teamwork.
• Elucidat is the fastest way for SMEs and non-technical authors to create engaging, interactive and gamified eLearning. It is a Brandon Hall Award Winning Authoring tool, which provides the building blocks you need to create well designed, and engaging eLearning without having to start from scratch. It is the perfect tool for turning presentation content into interactive eLearning courses.
• Gomo is a cloud based, award winning e-learning software that allows you to create beautiful multi-device HTML5 courses in minutes. Using their intuitive drag and drop interface to convert PowerPoint presentations into highly interactive courses without programming. Drop in sound, video, animation, quizzes and rich interactivity to engage your learners. Also you can embed third party content from across the Internet, including Twitter feeds, YouTube and Vimeo videos, Google Maps and more. Last but not least, you can deliver your single-source content directly from Gomo to all your devices (including full-screen on smartphones and tablets) as well as desktops and your LMS.
• Adobe Captivate 8  reimagines the way interactive eLearning is created for a multi-device world. Create multi-screen responsive eLearning without programming. You can use the intuitive UI to transform PowerPoint presentations into engaging eLearning and mLearning using actors, voices, interactions, and quizzes. Also leverage best-in-class HTML5 publishing to deliver any content to mobile devices, the web, desktops, and leading LMSs.
• Based in PowerPoint, iSpring Suite 7 provides comfortable content authoring right in the familiar PowerPoint interface. Though it's extremely easy to use, the tool is supercharged with a wide range of cool capabilities like adding rich media and characters, creating quizzes and interactions, and much more. After the course is ready, it can be easily published for virtually all browsers, mobile devices and LMSs thanks to the support of a cross-platform content format.
• With Articulate Storyline 2 you can convert presentations, such as those created in PowerPoint, into interactive eLearning courses that feature rich and immersive multimedia content. Articulate Storyline 2 features a wide range of templates, screen capture tools, and a character library that you can use to design your eLearning course.
• Don't be afraid to reorganize the layout. After you've chosen the ideal eLearning authoring tool, bear in mind that you don't necessarily have to stick with the existing layout. In fact, you can make the eLearning course more interactive and engaging by merely rearranging the layout and design or by using page layout templates to speed up the eLearning development time. For example, if you have a PowerPoint presentation where the only distinguishing features are bullet points and a handful of   stock images , you can change the background, include clickable links to outside resources, or add additional relevant and attention-grabbing graphics to make it more exciting. All by using a simple eLearning template .
• Create a branching menu for easy navigation. One of the most effective ways to integrate a healthy dose of interactivity into your new eLearning course is to add a menu at the beginning that allows learners to access to various modules quickly. Rather than sticking to the linear structure that virtually all presentations follow, you can now group content based upon ideas or subject matters and separate them into different modules. This also helps to prevent cognitive overload , given that your learners will only have to digest small bits of information at one time, and enables the learners to take control over their own eLearning experience. You can often create these branching menus by simply hyperlinking the modules on the main page.
• Use hyperlinks to integrate video into your eLearning course. Speaking of hyperlinks, their usefulness doesn't stop with branching menus. In fact, they serve a variety of purposes in interactive eLearning course design. You can even use them to integrate videos  into your eLearning course, whether you've created them yourself, use stock video, or you are taking advantage of previously uploaded videos, such as those on YouTube . This gives your learners the chance to expand their knowledge base and explore a topic in depth, without even clicking away from the eLearning course itself.
• Integrate characters and audio to make it immersive. When you want to turn your presentation into an eLearning course, even something as seemingly insignificant as background audio integration or use of a character   can make a world of difference. To include audio, you can add royalty free music or stock audio into your eLearning course to make it more immersive and entertaining. You can include a character by simply choosing eLearning stock  from eLearning Brothers that offer 500,000 high quality stock assets . Turn an eLearning character  into a host that helps the learners throughout the eLearning course or offers insight into key subject matters. For example, if there are bullet points within your presentation, why not let a   stock image   and a  character  share those important bits of information with the learners through dialogue boxes or  audio narratives . The learners can then click on the box if they want to view all of the bulleted information at once or need to refresh their memory about a particular sub-topic. You can also integrate  vector stock graphics   or infographic that may supersede your design capabilities.
• Include stories and scenarios to boost interactivity. You can include  stories , game templates, and scenarios into your new eLearning course design. These elements not only make the eLearning course more effective, but more emotionally-centered too. If you currently have a static page within your presentation that delves into a real world example, for instance, you can transform it into an interactive scenario that encourages the learners to make choices and learn about real world consequences based upon the content that you already have. You can also opt to create stories  that tie into real world situations or challenges, and then ask your learners questions based upon the story  and also include links to videos or virtual lectures that pertain to the subject matter being discussed. This will instantly make your one-dimensional presentation into an amazing and memorable experience for your learners, thanks to the fact that they can connect and interact with the content.

By using these tips you can turn any presentation into an interactive eLearning course that engages, motivates, and excites your learners.

Looking for tips to create effective eLearning Presentations and Slideshows? At the article  How To Create Effective eLearning Presentations and Slideshows  you will find 10 tips that will help you to effectively create eLearning presentations and slideshows for your learners.

• How To Convert PowerPoint Into An Interactive eLearning Module
• Top 10 Tips To Create Effective eLearning Presentations and Slideshows
• 10 Creative Online Presentation Ideas For eLearning Professionals
• 7 Tips To Create Interactive Case Studies In eLearning
• Top 10 Free Business Presentation Software Tools For eLearning Professionals

How to make interactive PowerPoint slides for eLearning

• Written by: Hannah Harper
• Categories: PowerPoint design , Effective eLearning
• Comments: 27

Want to build some interactivity into your PowerPoint slides? Here are two easy entry-level ways that you can turn your PowerPoint slides into dynamic and interactive material for eLearning.

How to hyperlink in PowerPoint

Hyperlinks sound a lot more complicated than they actually are. They work like any button or box on a website. By clicking that box you’re sent to another page. So from the ‘Search’ button on Google to the ‘Buy it now!’ on Amazon – you’re already pretty familiar with them.

But did you know you can build them into PowerPoint presentations? In the same way that you can link round a web page, you can link round a presentation.

The advantages of this are that your presentation is no longer linear. You can skip out whole sections and focus on the bits that are relevant. During a test you can link back to the theory for a recap. You can create easily navigable menus just like website home pages.

So how do you create such wizardry?

It’s probably best to hyperlink objects within your presentation. Technically you can hyperlink almost anything in PowerPoint: text (down to a single letter), pictures, objects etc. but it’s best to stick with what looks familiar to your audience (so that’s going to be boxes, arrows, and buttons).

Once you’ve chosen your element, right click and choose the option Link .

A pop-up window will appear and on the left hand side you want to choose the option Place in This Document . A list of your slides will then appear.

Choose the one you want to link to, hit OK and you’re sorted.

Remember – you can use hyperlinks in PowerPoint in all sorts of ways to navigate around your presentation. It might help to think of it like a web page instead of a presentation. A potential starting point is creating a clickable menu for your slides – find out how by using our guide .

If you’ve got a complicated PowerPoint presentation, your hyperlinks might get overwhelming. It can be difficult to know which slides are hyperlinked and where those links go. Our incredible, free add-in BrightSlide has a super useful tool for getting your links in order. Under the BrightSlide tab  select  Review  (under File & Master ), then click Hyperlinks > Tag Hyperlinks With Comments .

It does what it says on the tin, every hyperlink in your deck will have a comment attached telling you where that link goes. Download BrightSlide here !

Using triggers in interactive PowerPoints

The wonderful thing about triggers, is triggers are wonderful things! They, much like a hyperlink, are applied to a specific element on your slide, and you can add an animation so that something happens when you click that object. Think of this like an internal hyperlink on your slide. You’re staying within the slide itself, but you can click things and have them change in any order – the person viewing the presentation has control.

This can be really useful for building quizzes where your participants have multiple choice questions to answer.

So first of all make your elements (the list of possible answers). Animate them so they appear as you want, then add a Font Color  animation. Choose green for the right answer and red for the incorrect answer (if you’re going for the typical look).

Next go to the Animation tab at the top of the PowerPoint window and make sure you have your Animation Pane open. In the Animation Pane click on one of the  Font Color animations – you’ll then see at the top of the Animation tab that you have the word Triggers .

Click on this and you’ll see that you get the option On Click Of . When you select that, you’ll see that all the elements on your slide are listed. Click on the one that matches your element and there you have it. When you play your slide in show mode you’ll be able to click it and the answer will change colour according to whether it’s right or wrong.

Interactive PowerPoint: Taking it further

You should be able to do a lot in PowerPoint with just hyperlinking and triggers. I’ve given you a few very simple ways to use both of these tools, but as you start to use them for yourselves, you’ll see how many different uses they have.

There will inevitably be things that you want to do that are just beyond the limits of PowerPoint. But there are some great pieces of software that plug into your PowerPoint and give you that option of building more sophisticated interaction. Learn more about PowerPoint triggers in this blog post . Google Slides user? Learn how to create an interactive presentation in Google Slides.

Have any SOS interactivity needs? Post a comment below and we’ll try and sort you out!

Hannah Harper

Principal consultant, related articles, how to get the most out of powerpoint and pdfs.

• PowerPoint design

This article is dedicated to the bit hitting combination of PowerPoint and PDFs, and three particular use cases that will have these two giants working together in perfect harmony: how to convert PowerPoint to PDF on Windows and macOS, how to convert PDF to PowerPoint, and how to insert a PDF into PowerPoint.

Masking effects in PowerPoint: Stencils and animation

Masking effects are a great way to jump-start your image slides in PowerPoint. They not only look great, but also serve many a practical purpose. We've come up with a few ideas for creative ways to combine masking and animation in your presentation.

Masking effects in PowerPoint: Creating stencils

• Comments: 10

Having lots of image slides in a presentation can be great, but sometimes they don't do the heavy-lifting they ought to with your message. Using shapes as stencils to create masking effects in PowerPoint is a really easy and effective way to make your image slides stand out, and communicate something more. Here are three ideas you can try

Thanks Hannah for these tips and suggestions!

Thank you so much for taking the time to create this tutorial. I was chuffed to be able to create interactive buttons by following your instructions. 🙂

Loved your instructions. Made it easy to accomplish what I needed. Excited about exploring more options.

Thanks, great tips. Do you have any tips on embedding video and if possible, overlaying the video with text, pics etc?

It’s great to see you all having a go at interactivity in PowerPoint! Keep experimenting – maybe try playing round with some triggers. We’ve got a great tutorial for that too: https://www.brightcarbon.com/blog/powerpoint-triggers-make-something-happen/

And Lee, you can insert a video like you insert a picture in PowerPoint (just navigate to the’Insert’ tab) here’s a great tool for checking to see what formats work for you: https://www.brightcarbon.com/resources/powerpoint-help/video-embedding-tool-for-powerpoint/

I think this may be beyond powerpoint’s capabilities, but I didn’t know about triggers, either! So I’ll ask: is there any way that the program can keep track of the things a client clicks?

I.e. I want to show a slide for three seconds with an image. The next slide will come up with a set of five choices. I want the client to click on a choice, for the choice to be recorded, and then the next slide shows, regardless of the answer chosen.

I am pretty sure it doesn’t do this, but maybe? If powerpoint doesn’t, can you think of a program that does?

Sounds like an interesting project!

About 90% of that is possible in PowerPoint: you can do everything apart from record the answer. In the Transitions tab you can set your slide to come up for three seconds and advance automatically (uncheck ‘On Mouse Click’). This will them move to the next slide (with your five options). You can then make your five options hyperlinks (if you’re not sure how, just follow the instructions above), and these will navigate the user to a slide of your choosing (they can all be the same).

But if reporting the answer is important, I can recommend a programme called Articulate Storyline: it’s what lots of people use to build out full eLearning decks. You can download a trial version for 30 days if you want to try it out. When you publish in Articulate you can get results reported, the only catch is that you’ll need to upload it to a Learning Management System (or LMS), for the results to be reported to a specific location.

I hope this helps!

I don’t know if this is even possible…

I want to create an interactive calendar using jpeg images. Imagine a preK class using a pocket chart every day, adding that day’s date picture.

So using a trigger button the jpeg image would appear for that day, using a hyperlink you could go to another activity (song, months of the year review, etc.)

But can you tell the program to save today’s jpeg image so tomorrow you only add that day’s and so on?

(sorry, my email address was wrong in the first comment)

This article was excellent with detailed instructional pics. I’m interested in creating free response quiz and also a multiple choice to create a trigger for puzzle piece and melting candle timer. Qtns 1. How to know whether the free response is correct and hyperlink to that’s it slide? Is there a way to use visual basic for this kind of quiz? 2.How to create melting candle timer like word for word worm APP? 3. How to make trigger for multiple choice game where the correct answer will appear on the screen and player must assemble the puzzle pieces before the candle timer melts? 4. Is it better to create free response quiz separate fro multi choice. It should also trigger the puzzle piece to appear after a response is written. HOW to ensure silly answers are not accepted?

I am an experienced producer of powerpoint presentations. I teach languages and use PP to display pages that show objects that play a sound when they are clicked on. They work great on my laptops and students benefit from them. However the study centre’s computers reject any unauthorised software file saving. I cant solve this problem without admin clearance. So I am hoping that there is a way to make my ppp files interact and perform online just like the stand alone version. Any suggestions anybody ?

Hello from France !

First of all, thanks a lot for writing this complet tutorial. But here is my problem : after seeing Prezi, Powerpoint seems so platonic and past history now… But my boss doesn’t want to use Prezi, so here I am to found new options and new ways about using this tool. Can you help me on this ? I’m looking about more animated features.

Thank you again for triggers and hyperlink, I’ll surely use it soon.

Hi Benjamin.

We’re not totally convinced by Prezi .

If you just want to make stuff that looks really cool, check out the Morph functionality in PowerPoint 2016 .

Hi Benjamin, If you want to still have some of the benefits that you get from Prezi you can try Slide Navigator interactive and animated PowerPoint templates. The website is http://www.slidenavigator.com . Hope that helps.

I like this webpage, it is informative and concise. I published a website some years ago explaining how to make PowerPoint interactive for the college where I work. The problem I have found is the fear of PowerPoint and even more fear of trying to make the presentation interactive. Those who are interested seem to get a mental block once they see the work involved. I have felt for a long time that PowerPoint can go a long way to help in training and education when interactive.

I completely agree that interactive PowerPoints can go a long way to help in training and education when interactive. It is a lot of work. There is a website that helps to reduce the amount of work in making an interactive PowerPoint presentation called http://www.slidenavigator.com . I think it can really help college professors.

Or PowerPoint’s new Zoom functionality, if you are using 365. Probably easier.

One word of advice about making things interactive. You have to disable the slide forward clicking in the advanced animation selection. If this is not disabled the slide will advance to the next one. The check box has to be clicked and then you will only be able to move to the next slide or open up other hidden on the slide using the hyperlink. Other presentation programmes from other software organisations such as Libre and Open Office don’t have this disabling function which makes PowerPoint that much more powerful.

Thank you for the great info. Once I build this awesome document how Can I save it so my audience will only see the first page and then navigate using my links?

You can indeed! You need to highlight all your slides and then go to the Transitions tab at the top of the PowerPoint ribbon. On the right-hand side you’ll notice two ‘Advance Slide’ options (On Mouse Click and After 00:00.00]. The ‘On Mouse Click’ option should be checked. If you uncheck it here, the slide won’t advance, and you’ll only be able to navigate using the hyperlinks you’ve added!

You can then save it as a standard .pptx file, or you can save it as a PowerPoint Show file (.ppsx) if you just want your audience to launch the presentation (without seeing the edit view).

I hope this does the trick for you!

Hi Hannah, I’m a bit late to the party here, but am trying to save an interactive ppt. as an interactive PDF for upload to a training Sharepoint. However when the PDF launches it also has the option to scroll through all the pages, rather than only progressing via hyperlinks – how do I do set this up to only be able to move on via links?

I am designing quizes for pre-schoolers using powerpoint slides. I have created hyperlink of a text box to another slide. When I do a right click the textbox, it opens up to a list of options. I have to select open hyperlink. How to bypass this step? Is there anywhere to click on the text box and open up to another slide directly?

Thanks for these tutorials. It really enhances my skills in designing PowerPoint presentations.

Quite hapy with built in annimations but looking for different ready made Aware of companies like Envato but just want to buy animationsd (advance)

Thank you so much, this is great

When creating an interactive e-learning, how would you handle transitions to the next slide? Is there a way to set triggers for that as well (like clicking on an image that says “next”?)

How do I make shapes that my audience can click and drag around. I want them to virtually be able to complete a jigsaw puzzle.

Nice. I like this post very much.

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Thank you for today’s PowerPoint productivity masterclass. I’ve learned so much from BrightCarbon when it comes to PowerPoint. If there isn’t a BrightCarbon fan club already, I’ll be happy to start one! Kimm Babo Wegmans Food Markets

14 Fun & Interactive Presentation Games for Teams and Students

So you've got an audience to energize, students to engage, or a team that needs a little extra fun — playing an interactive presentation game is an easy way to do just that.

We've done the research and found the best of these games for you: we looked specifically for games that are simple to set up, fun to play, and flexible enough to be used with a variety of presentations and audiences. Most of these activities work virtually with Zoom/PowerPoint and can also be used in person.

Which of these 14 presentation games do you like best? Take a look and let us know your favorites:

1. Live Trivia Competition

A great way to ramp up the excitement and engagement is to enable a little bit of friendly competition. Trivia is an easy way to do this—plus, it can be whole-group inclusive and large-audience friendly (if you use the right tools).

Here's a great trivia game you can run with your team, students, or any large audience. It's already created for you with questions and scoring built in to make it even easier:

Here's how to play:

• Make a free account here: https://slideswith.com/  
• Click the slide deck and copy it. 
• Launch the trivia game by clicking "Start Event."
• Invite your group to join in and submit answers using their mobile devices (show the winners automatically).
• Interact and play during your presentation!

This trivia game has questions on many topics to keep your audience's attention and appeal to everyone. It only takes 10-15 minutes to play, so it's a great game for long discussions! Also, this interactive activity is free for up to ten participants and is totally customizable.

2. Sing and Swing 

To really liven up your group, encourage your listeners to play Sing and Swing. This activity is best for long presentations because it boosts energy, creates a fun, light-hearted environment, and makes people laugh a lot. 

Here's how to play: 

• Before your presentation, pick a well-known song and rewrite the chorus (replace parts of it with words and phrases from your presentation) 
• When you're ready to play, show the song on your screen. 
• Invite your audience to sing it with you!

If you have a fun group or a class of energetic students, consider adding choreography to engage your audience even more. 

3. 20 Questions

If you want a presentation game that requires your listeners to talk more than you, 20 Questions is the one to play! A classic and simple activity, this game immediately boosts engagement and gets people laughing. 

Here's how to play: Have someone put an appropriate image or word on the screen behind you (this can be an audience member you trust or a colleague or co-presenter). To make things more fun, put on a blindfold so that everyone knows you can't cheat. From there, ask 20 "yes or no" questions to guess what's displayed on the screen. Your group should respond "yes" or "no" to guide you to the correct answer. 

4. Scavenger Hunt Challenge

To get your audience out of their seats, a scavenger hunt challenge is one of the best interactive games for presentations. It'll immediately energize your audience , team, or students while giving them a fun way to learn.  

There are tons of in-person and virtual scavenger hunt ideas you can use to dive deeper into your topic or help everyone learn about one another. But if you want a ready-to-play game that you can instantly launch without having any tech skills, here's a fun one to play: 

• Use an email address and password to create a free account here: https://slideswith.com/ (a free account guarantees up to ten people can play at no charge). 
• Click the game and press "Copy and use this slide deck." 
• In the top right corner, click "Start Event."
• Ask listeners to join the game by using their mobile devices to scan the QR code. Players should continue using their mobile devices to submit answers to questions.
• Have everyone start hunting for items! 

This activity is a particularly fun game because it's a photo-hunt, show-and-tell challenge! That means your audience will not only get out of their seats to find items, but they'll also get to take pictures and share and discuss photos of what they find. This conversational element will help engage your group! 

5. Group Word Clouds

Whether you're speaking to team members, students, or conference-goers, this activity lets you ask questions and get your listeners' thoughts on specific topics. 

This game is the perfect way to start your presentation, especially if you're discussing something with a wide range of opinions or are unsure how much your listeners know about a certain subject. Group Word Clouds is also beneficial if you want to do a quick meeting pulse or know how your listeners feel going into your presentation—understanding their energy levels and mood can help you adjust (if necessary) to get maximum engagement and excitement.

To enjoy this activity, keep things simple by using a tool that already offers a ready-to-play Group Word Clouds game. Here's a popular one you can launch immediately: 

• Create a free account by entering an email and password here: https://slideswith.com/  
• Click the game and then copy it (the button to do so is right underneath the slide deck).
• Press "Start Event" in the top right corner. 
• Tell participants to play by scanning the QR code. 
• Create word clouds and have fun!

This interactive game only takes 5-10 minutes to play, so it's a fast, fun way to engage your audience and feel out the room. Players can use their mobile devices to answer questions. This activity is also free for up to 10 people and is easy to personalize.

6. The Get to Know You Game

This activity is one of the best presentation games if you have a small group that doesn't really know each other. The Get to Know You Game is a creative way to do introductions, and it's really simple.

Here's how to play the game: Before the event, ask group members to bring a favorite song or item to the presentation (you can do this by emailing them). When you're ready to play, ask each person to introduce themself, present their song or item, and explain why they picked it. For those sharing a song, have them play it on their phones before they explain why it's their favorite. 

7. Live Poll Questions 

When you have a large group, it's not easy to find ways to boost engagement—but poll questions are the solutions, especially when they're live and interactive. With this unique setup, large groups engage by answering questions and seeing their answers displayed in a fun way. 

Your job is to make sure you actually find a game that showcases responses uniquely to captivate your group. For a quick and great option, here's a popular icebreaker activity that promises to display responses using fun formats like word clouds, donut charts, live graphs, and per-player: 

• Create an account for free to access the game:  https://slideswith.com/  
• Click the slide deck and press the button to copy it. 
• Look in the top right corner of the deck and press "Start Event."
• Invite your group to play the game. They only need to use their mobile devices to scan the QR code. 
• Start polling your audience!

This activity is one of those fun presentation games everyone will want to enjoy, so invite all of your team members and students to participate. This game can accommodate up to 250 players and takes 5-10 minutes to complete. Tell your group to use their mobile devices to submit their responses. 

8. Assumptions 

This interactive game is a great way to break up your presentation to see who's paying attention and who can answer questions pertaining to your topic. 

• Ask your audience to stand up (for virtual presentations, make sure everyone's video is on). 
• Show true or false statements on the screen one by one. 
• Tell people to raise a hand if they think the statement is correct and sit down if they think it's incorrect.
• Continue until one person is left standing.
• Award the winner. 

This activity can be as short and challenging as you want. Also, if your presentation is long, you can play multiple rounds to break up your speaking time and test your audience throughout your discussion.  

9. Controversial Questions 

Want to see where your audience, students, or team lands on controversial topics? Then, energize your presentation with a fun, creative game called Controversial Questions. This activity has prompts that inspire lively debates, so it's a great way to get your group excited and chatty. 

However, to maintain a positive environment, make sure to find a tool that offers an office-friendly, classroom-friendly, and conference-friendly game. You don't want to sour the mood by creating uncomfortable division during your presentation. To make sure this game is fun and light-hearted, here's a popular one that's suitable for all audiences and ages: 

• Sign up for a free account by inputting an email address and password here:  https://slideswith.com/pricing  
• Click the game and press the button that says, "Copy and use this deck." 
• Press "Start Event" (the button is in the top right corner). 
• Have participants join the fun by asking them to scan the QR code with their mobile devices. 
• Get controversial and play! 

This interactive game for presentations asks fun (but appropriate) questions like:

• Does pineapple belong on pizza?
• Does the person flying in the middle seat get both armrests?
• Should the toilet roll go over or under? 

Players should use their mobile devices to submit answers. Up to ten people can play for free, and you can customize the game by updating the questions!

10. Word of the Day 

With this activity, you can keep your audience, team, or students engaged throughout your entire presentation. This  game requires listeners to be alert and recognize whenever you say the word of the day. 

Here's how to play: At the beginning of your presentation, tell your group the word of the day (it can also be a phrase if you'd prefer). Say that you'll weave the word into your presentation and that your audience must shout it out whenever you mention it. 

11. Mini Activity: Group Icebreaker

Whether you're doing an in-person or virtual presentation, you need to warm up your audience to get things started on a positive note. The best way to do that is with a quick icebreaker game. 

However, make sure your questions are fun, positive, and engaging. You can easily do this by finding a game that already has the best icebreaker questions included. Here's one that's ready to play (and requiring no tech skills to launch): 

• Input an email address and password to make a free account here: https://slideswith.com/  
• Click the deck and copy it (press "Copy and use this deck). 
• Click the button in the top right corner that says "Start Event."
• Invite participants to play by asking them to scan the QR code. 
• Break the ice to warm up your audience!

Your group should use their mobile devices to submit responses to poll questions. Also, this game accommodates up to 250 players, but only ten people can join for free.

12. Process of Elimination 

This activity is one of the best games for presentations because it's simple yet fun and great at helping listeners get to know each other. You can play it at the beginning of your presentation or in the middle to give your group a chance to stretch their legs. 

• Before your event, create a list of "yes or no" questions. 
• Once you're ready to play, tell your group to stand up (if you're doing a virtual presentation, make sure everyone's video is on). 
• Ask each question one by one. 
• Tell attendees to stand if their answer is "yes" and sit if their answer is "no." 

The questions can relate to your topic or be totally random. Also, if you'd prefer to thin out the number of people standing, you can take a creative twist and ask your questions by saying something like this: "Stay standing if (insert scenario)." When phrasing each question this way, the game will end with one person standing. To acknowledge the winner, you can give them a round of applause or award them a prize. 

13. Conference Opener Icebreaker 

If you're speaking at a big conference, you need an interactive game for presentations that can get everyone involved and ensure every voice is heard. To achieve these goals, you should create an icebreaker game that works for large groups . 

Using an easy, intuitive template is the best step to take. That way, you don't have to start from scratch or spend hours making your game. For a template that requires no code or tech-savviness to build on, here's the best option: 

• Sign up by making a free account here: https://slideswith.com/  
• Click on the game. On the next page, click the button to copy and use the deck. 
• Customize the template using the instructions HERE . 
• During your presentation, press "Start Event" in the top right corner. 
• Ask the group to use their mobile devices to scan the QR code and join the fun. (Also, make sure participants use their mobile devices to submit answers.) 
• Play and engage your audience!  

This template has fun, interactive features built in to keep your large audience engaged. Those features include polls, word clouds, and ratings. Just make sure you sign up for a paid plan to accommodate the large number of people in your group—the free account only works for up to ten players. 

14. Two Truths and a Lie 

This classic game is a fun, energizing way to help your listeners get to know one another. It's perfect for small in-person or virtual groups and is an ideal activity for the beginning of your presentation. 

Here's how to play: Pick any topic (for the purposes of this article, the topic will be "movies"). In no particular order, say two movies you've really watched and one you haven't watched. Ask your audience to guess which statement is the lie. The winner picks the next topic and says two truths and a lie. 

Be Memorable With Presentation Games

Oftentimes, people forget presentations within a week or even days, and that's because the discussions are boring. But you don't work hard preparing a presentation for it to be forgotten. If you want your message to stick, all you have to do is make it enjoyable without being corny.  

If you want to be remembered and actually get people engaged, you need to make your presentation fun and enjoyable, without coming off as corny or desperate to please. Ivan Dimitrijevic, 10 Secrets of Making Every Presentation Fun, Engaging, and Enjoyable

Luckily, the interactive presentation games in this article are unique and exciting—they're far from corny. So, use them for your upcoming presentations to make your messages compelling and memorable. 

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Interactive Learning: Benefits and Implementation

Telling your students what to do, what to think, and how to reason is outdated. It makes kids passive learners and the classroom dull. So how do you encourage active learning in the classroom without boring your kids? By creating an environment for interactive learning (where the student needs to interact with the teacher instead of listening passively).

Interactive learning is a method in which students are encouraged to participate in the learning process. It creates an environment that promotes active learning and constructive knowledge building.

This post is an attempt to clarify the meaning of interactive learning. It’s a popular buzzword in education and comes up when we talk about instructional design and research. It sounds positive, but what does it mean?

What is Interactive Learning?

Interactive learning is a way of teaching that involves active participation by students who respond to teachers’ questions, discussions, games, class problem-solving exercises, presentations, or other opportunities for interaction and the exchange of ideas. Its teaching techniques include cooperative learning groups, brainstorming, and other group projects.

It balances the role of the teacher as the provider of knowledge and the students as the ones who create it. With this new style of learning, teachers are becoming facilitators who facilitate positive interactions among learners for active and cooperative learning.

How Does Interactive Learning Work?

Students who are taught interactively do better than those who don’t , as they are more engaged and behave better.

According to research, students learn more when they can do more things for themselves.

The method is based on establishing relationships, with children feeling free to express themselves.

The teacher listens and responds with empathy and not criticism, encouraging the child and helping them to solve the task at hand. Here’s a simple analogy of how interactive learning works:

• Interactive classes engage students
• Engagement leads to better test scores
• A better test score means greater self-confidence
• Self-confidence makes students happy
• Students are less distracted when engaged and happy
• Students who stay happy get better grades, are more easily engaged in independent learning activities, and study diligently for tests
• Simply put, an interactive class full of optimistic students will do great work

Interactive learning allows students to work on their initiative, think, and follow their interests while working with the teacher as a guide and a coach.

A teacher’s role is to ensure that students have opportunities to learn by interacting with them and with their environment. Students are doing most of the work. They are motivated and engaged in what they do.

What Are the Benefits of Interactive Learning?

1. increased understanding and retention.

In an age where students are increasingly submerged in a sea of information and digital stimuli, interactive learning can help them to learn more effectively and effectively. They also retain that information longer.

Interactive education is a fun way to instruct students and allows them to be involved in their own learning experience, rather than being passive participants.

2. It can improve group learning skills, critical thinking skills, and time management skills

Interactive learning can be a powerful tool in the classroom. It can improve students’ quality of work by enhancing their abilities to communicate with one another and make up for being less knowledgeable.

Furthermore, it improves their time management skills and critical thinking skills.

These activities also incorporate all of the five senses, encouraging stimulation while they learn or practice a concept or skill.

3. Students learn and retain more through hands-on activities

Interactive learning is a child-centered approach to education that allows students the freedom to explore and participate in their learning.

Through hands-on activities, students experience what they are learning, so that they not only learn it but also retain it.

4. Builds confidence in the learners

Interactive learning provides an opportunity for students to express themselves. The students can respond to situations or ask questions when they do not understand something. The teachers also find it useful when they are pre-planning lessons. 

It is easier to know what the gaps in the students’ knowledge are. Interactive learning has many benefits to the learner, as it increases their confidence and capacity to learn, among other advantages.

5. Gives students the chance to think about a lesson, rather than just recall it

Interactive learning is a way of teaching that encourages students to interact meaningfully with the materials presented to them. It often uses games, role-playing, and simulations, but it can also be used in other ways to promote active learning.

Furthermore, it gives students the chance to think about a lesson rather than just recall it. 

It encourages higher-order thinking skills like analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and synthesis. It also allows students to make connections between one of these four steps and their everyday life. 

6. Students get the chance to bring their personalities into what they’re learning

Interactive learning is something akin to a poster boardwalk in the park. Students aren’t just looking at the material and taking notes; they’re out there exploring, bringing their personalities into what they’re learning, and building upon previous information.

The creative process often sparks something new in the minds of young people. Through it, all students have the chance to explore different ways of learning and discover what works best for them. 

7. Build relationships between teachers, students, and parents

Interactive learning involves teachers and parents interacting with students to keep them interested and engaged.

With the ever-changing technology, interactive learning is emerging as a powerful and effective tool for educators, parents, and teachers alike to aid in the education process. 

Tips to Properly Implement Interactive Learning in Classrooms

1. introduce the idea of interactive learning in your classroom.

Interactive learning is a fancy term for what I like to call “fun stuff.” Interactive learning is anything in your classroom that gets your students more involved with the lesson at hand. 

One thing you can do to help make it easier to implement interactive learning right away is to introduce the idea of having fun while learning to your class. This will get them excited about the differences they can see in the way the teacher is running things.

2. Teach students how to ask questions, not just answer

Although questions are an important element of interactive learning techniques, a lot of teachers don’t know how to use them.

Questions are a crucial part of the learning process. They make it possible to get students engaged in the lessons and active learners. 

Interactive learning aims to teach students that asking questions is a process, not just something they do occasionally.

Also, when students are asked a question, they don’t just answer. Rather they explain how they arrived at their answer, which leads to further discussion. Research shows that this approach results in a significantly higher level of learning. 

3. Use a variety of sources

When planning to implement interactive learning in your classroom, you don’t have to turn the whole classroom into one big technology experiment.

Back up your lessons with a combination of various sources such as video, third-party imagery and photos, testimonials, digital tools, and more. 

In today’s world, children must be literate, with the ability to read, analyze and synthesize information.

4. Start with groups and keep it simple

It’s always a challenge to find new and engaging ways to engage students during a lesson. In addition to encouraging teamwork and creativity, interactive learning is very easy to integrate into a lesson.

Teachers should divide their classrooms into small groups. This can help them achieve high-quality lessons and results in a short time.

With this grouping, teachers can start simply by playing some group games to set a strong foundation for interactive learning. Ensure that students feel comfortable expressing themselves in their groups.

5. Create more opportunities for participation and working together

Create more opportunities for your students to participate in class, increase their motivation, and subsequently boost their performance. This is one way to improve your classroom, increase student engagement, and boost their performance as a whole.

The key differentiator here is that you are giving your students ownership over the activity. By doing this, you are encouraging higher levels of participation and collaboration since it’s no longer about competing for individual attention.

6. Give hands-on activities

Interactive teaching methods can help students learn more effectively. Students benefit from interactive learning because it allows them to use more than just what they learn from their teachers in the classroom.

Instead of lecturing, teachers in an interactive learning environment should focus more on engaging their students. Students need to feel like they are a part of the class to learn. 80% of learning occurs through hands-on activities.

When students can interact with tangible objects, they can better understand concepts than they would be able to through text or images alone.

7. Monitor progress

Being a teacher can be very challenging, especially when you have to teach a large number of students. With interactive learning, you can properly monitor your student’s progress and effectively use your resources wisely. 

The learning must not only be done by the students; teachers must also learn the skill. Teachers should learn how to properly monitor the progress of the students as well as the lessons. 

Why is Interactivity So Important in Learning Today?

Interactivity is a key factor in how people’s brains are wired to think, remember and process information.

In fact, one way to gauge the quality of educational materials is to ask whether or not it’s interactive.

The major reason interactivity is so important in learning today is that meaningful learning takes place in an interactive learning environment.

The majority of American parents and teachers believe students today need more emphasis on skills like teamwork, communication, lifelong learning, and hands-on experiences.

Learning through interaction with others, the environment, or the media is an obvious choice for putting this emphasis on the student.

What is an example of an interactive learning experience?

Interactive learning is a teaching style that can incorporate students into the process of learning.

Rather than simply having students listen to lectures and read textbooks, teachers can implement interactive learning tools into their classrooms such as group work, class discussions, collaborative projects, peer feedback, and assessments.

What software can be used for interactive learning?

Using the right technology, such as interactive whiteboards, or software tools can get learners engaged in the content you are delivering.

A variety of software opens up the power of learning. It can be used in a classroom setting or between parent and child.

The most common forms of software used are web resources, software that uses artificial intelligence, and games.

Can a disabled student benefit from interactive learning? 

Yes. Interactive learning has a huge impact on all students (disabled, gifted, or struggling) and their ability to excel academically.

Students can construct a better understanding of math concepts through real-world examples and they learn to apply their knowledge to “real-life” situations.

Final Thoughts 

Interactive learning can help you achieve your educational goals. Interactive lessons encourage meaningful and productive student participation.

Through interactive learning and activities, students are actively engaged instead of passively listening to instructions. 

Creating activities that cater to a wide range of learners, interests, and strengths is one way in which interactive learning contributes to diversity in the classroom . Moreover, it’s time to embrace this form of individualized education in the 21st century.

Lastly, interactive learning can only succeed and achieve its full potential if there is some kind of collaboration in the classroom.

You can learn more about how collaboration enhances learning by reading the article on collaborative learning . You will also learn about the benefits and strategies of this form of learning.

Thanks for reading.

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10 interactive presentation ideas that leave a lasting impression

Attention is the gatekeeper of our memories. If you can’t get the audience to sit up and pay attention, your presentation will soon be forgotten.

In her webinar, Using neuroscience to create presentations with lasting impact , Dr. Carmen Simon, cognitive scientist and founder of Memzy , emphasized the importance of attention when forming new memories. According to Simon, one of the best ways to win attention is to insert a “cut” every three minutes.

Attention is definitely mandatory to people remembering the right things, and not just random things.

“Cuts” are simply a break from your normal presenting style, such as switching from a lecture to a Q&A or trivia question. Switching styles this ways keeps the audience intrigued about what comes next. Below are 10 interactive presentation ideas you can use as “cuts” in your own presentations.

Some of these ideas rely on Poll Everywhere, a live audience response system that lets you ask the audience a question and show live results. Try it out by signing up for a free account today.

Warm up the audience with an interactive icebreaker

Signal to the audience that this will be an interactive presentation by opening with an easy icebreaker. Kick it off before your presentation starts, as people are finding their seats, to get everyone familiar with the ins and outs of Poll Everywhere in a low-stakes setting.

Doing so speeds up the time it takes to complete subsequent activities because the audience will expect them. They’re also more likely to engage with you on Poll Everywhere if they’re already comfortable with the process.

Icebreakers come in many styles , but one of the most popular among Poll Everywhere users is the word cloud. Choose a question that calls for a personal response – What’s your favorite food? – that everyone can answer.

Plant engaged audience members ahead of time

This isn’t as sneaky as it sounds.

Sometimes all it takes is a few engaged people in the audience to get the discussion flowing, and give other people the courage to contribute. But what if you can’t count on your attendees to speak up on their own?

Ahead of your presentation, ask a few audience members who you already know and trust to pose specific questions during your presentation.

Maybe you want them to chime in with an easy “gimme” to kick things off and encourage that level of engagement. Or, maybe you want your designated attendee to ask a question that everybody else may be too afraid to ask (i.e. “How do we know we can trust this data?”).

This strategy won’t be necessary for every presentation. But when you’re worried that your request for questions will be met with lowered heads and shifting glances, this is an effective way to get the ball rolling.

Read more: From classroom to boardroom: A high school teacher’s presentation tips

Repeatedly ask questions to build involvement

You can’t expect your audience to engage and interact with you if you don’t give them an opportunity. So, make sure to have plenty of spots throughout your presentation where you can pause and ask a question.

This doesn’t need to be a threatening, pop quiz-style way to scare your audience into paying attention. Even the simplest questions can make people feel a little more involved in what you’re presenting. Think of things like:

• Have you heard of this before?
• Can you read what’s on that slide for me?
• Does anybody know where/what [thing] is?

They’re straightforward questions that require a one-word answer or super easy response, yet they do the job of reminding your audience that you’re talking with them – and not just at them.

Get people moving and out of their seats

It’s time to get your audience’s blood pumping. No, you don’t need to have them do jumping jacks or pushups, but think of some creative ways that you can get them moving around a little bit.

It could be something as simple as asking people to stand up, rather than requesting a show of hands. Or, you could think of some ways to incorporate movement with the content of your presentation. For example, have them walk up and introduce themselves to somebody new to implement the elevator pitch techniques you just taught them.

Give some thought to the different ways you could get your audience out of their seats at a few different points throughout your presentation. If nothing else, you can rest assured that they’re awake.

Read more: 8 interactive presentation games for large teams

Use interactive questions to assess the audience

If you want to know if the audience really understands what you’re presenting, ask.

Christopher Robertson , who teaches at University of Arizona’s James. E. Rogers College of Law, uses Poll Everywhere to identify and resolve any misunderstandings his students have about the complexities of law.

“Law students can easily go an entire semester passively attending class and both the professor and student discover on the final exam that they have not grasped the concepts covered in class,” said Robertson.

I find polling in class encourages active student participation and uncovers misunderstanding of how to apply the law that warrant a second look.

Taking time to test the audience this way gives them a chance to reflect on what you told them, and apply that knowledge on the spot. This can improve the chances they’ll remember that information after your presentation ends.

Enable anonymity to encourage candid feedback

Dr. Mark, physician and author of The Productive Physician , uses anonymous polling in his medical classes. He cites how this extra layer of security helps put students’ minds at ease, and lets them focus on the lesson instead of worrying about scrutiny from their peers.

“Poll Everywhere allows both anonymous and signed-in polling,” explained Dr. Mark, “but I prefer to use the anonymous mode as I feel it increases learner psychological safety: my students might be more inclined to test their knowledge without the fear of being seen to be wrong in front of their peers.”

You can enable anonymity for all Poll Everywhere activity types. The audience responds from the privacy of their phones – not in front of their peers – giving everyone an equal opportunity to make their voice heard.

Split your audience into smaller discussion groups

There’s nothing worse than explicitly asking your audience to engage with you and being met with only crickets and blank stares.

But, here’s the thing: Not everybody is comfortable speaking up in front of a crowd.

For that reason, it can be smart to divide your audience into smaller groups to discuss something relevant to your presentation topic – even if it’s just for five minutes.

If you want the whole audience to come back together and share what they learned during those conversations, it’s likely that a spokesperson will naturally arise from each group; meaning the people who aren’t comfortable chiming in on a large scale don’t have to.

The best thing about this strategy? The previously-reserved attendees will have a little more confidence to speak up when they know the rest of their group is there to jump in if needed.

Read more: How to present an effective PowerPoint presentation

Encourage questions throughout your presentation

It’s natural to want your audience to hold on to all of their questions until a Q&A portion at the conclusion of your talk. However, that’s pretty much the exact opposite of an interactive presentation.

Instead, be upfront at the beginning of your presentation that you want people to chime in with thoughts or questions, rather than biting their tongue until the very end. Of course, you’ll need to be willing to step in and get things back on track if a question steers the conversation too far off course.

If you don’t want the interruptions, find a way for people to submit questions asynchronously , such as in a chat window or shared document. You can respond to those submissions at your own pace throughout the presentation.

Either way, encouraging people to contribute to the topic in real-time is far more interactive and engaging than forcing them to sit and wait until the end.

Let the audience decide what’s next

Presentations don’t always need to flow in a straight line. With a quick question, you can empower your audience and let them decide what to learn about next.

Poll Everywhere’s own Katie Wilson gave a webinar on this very topic. In it, she explained how corporate trainers use polling to create choose-your-own-adventure style presentations .

Present your audience with a multiple choice activity, and let their votes determine which topic you tackle next. In Katie’s example, a corporate trainer is asking about how best to respond to a customer complaint.

Three options are available, and the audience votes on which one they think is most appropriate. Once the results are in, the presenter navigates to the slide associated with that option and discusses the results.

Use surveys to extend interaction after your presentation ends

Audience interaction doesn’t have to end with the presentation.

Jez Wiles, lecturer at the London College of Music, continues the conversation with his students both before and after his lectures with online questionnaires.

“Getting [students] to use a survey as a post-class reflective tool, or pre-lecture poll to find out what they know about something…this has all extended the use of [Poll Everywhere] for me, and boosted engagement,” said Wiles.

Poll Everywhere surveys can include any type of activity – from multiple choice to open-ended – and can be completed asynchronously at the audience’s own pace. This is a great way to help reinforce the topics of your presentation, or to collect audience feedback on the presentation itself.

I like the sense of fun Poll Everywhere naturally brings. I always find engagement goes up when I use it.

These are just some of the ways the Poll Everywhere community uses live audience engagement to drive interactive presentations. Each of these ideas is a type of cut you can use to keep your audience alert and engaged with what you’re saying.

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Effects of robot-based multiple low-stakes assessments on students’ oral presentation performance, collective efficacy, and learning attitude

• Research Article
• Published: 19 March 2024

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• Darmawansah Darmawansah 1 , 2 &
• Gwo-Jen Hwang   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5155-276X 1 , 3 , 4  

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Low-stakes assessment has gained attention in recent years due to its link to enhancing learning effects and its essential role in learning evaluation. Unlike high-stakes assessments, low-stakes assessments have little or no consequences for learners’ academic performance, and are designed to support the feedback-oriented learning process. Providing multiple low-stakes assessments to students yields significantly greater long-term retention of knowledge and skills. However, learners may not give their best efforts when taking low-stakes assessments, which could lead to poorer learning outcomes. Using emerging technologies such as social robots in the learning environment could foster interactive learning, engagement, and motivation for learning assessments. Therefore, integrating low-stakes assessments and robots might encourage students to exert greater effort while performing learning tasks. This study aimed to discover the impacts of robot-based multiple low-stakes assessments on students’ oral presentation performance, collective efficacy, and learning attitude. A quasi-experiment was conducted in two sixth-grade classes of elementary students. The Robot-based Multiple Low-Stakes Assessment (Robot-MLSA) was randomly assigned to one class, while the Computer-based Multiple Low-Stakes Assessment (C-MLSA) was assigned to another class. The findings showed that the Robot-MLSA could enhance students’ oral presentation performance, support their collective efficacy, and improve their learning attitude toward robots. Furthermore, an in-depth discussion of students’ learning perceptions and experience is provided to explore the effectiveness of the Robot-MLSA.

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Aidan Jones & Ginevra Castellano

Using Peer Assessment with Educational Robots

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Acknowledgements

This study is supported in part by the National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan under contract numbers NSTC 112-2410-H-011-012-MY3 and MOST 111-2410-H-011 -007 -MY3. The study is also supported by the “Empower Vocational Education Research Center” of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) from the Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan. The authors would also like to thank Ms. Yu Chun Lin for her technical support during the learning treatment of this study.

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Darmawansah Darmawansah & Gwo-Jen Hwang

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Darmawansah Darmawansah

Graduate Institute of Educational information and Measurement, National Taichung University of Education, Taichung City, Taiwan

Gwo-Jen Hwang

Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan

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Darmawansah, D., Hwang, GJ. Effects of robot-based multiple low-stakes assessments on students’ oral presentation performance, collective efficacy, and learning attitude. Education Tech Research Dev (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-024-10360-2

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Accepted : 26 February 2024

Published : 19 March 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-024-10360-2

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