PowerPoint® Audio and video

Why use audio and video?

The use of audio and video clips can transform your presentation and greatly enhance the learning process for the student. Video is particularly useful for practical subjects to visually demonstrate techniques.

For example, a presentation for a ceramics class could include a video on the process of throwing a pot on the potter’s wheel, which will be much more effective than trying to describe the process using text or a long series of stills images. There are two ways to include audio and video clips:

1. Insert as a movie or sound clip: includes the movie or sound clip within the presentation.
2. Insert as an object: creates a link to a supplementary program to play the clip.

How to create a PowerPoint® presentation with audio and video clips

The following instructions will help you amend an existing presentation to insert an audio clip. The same process is relevant to insert a video clip.  (A video animation, showing step 7 is available. See the instructions below.)

1. Open the PowerPoint® file named Farm animals on your E-Guides USB memory stick: Content creation > Activity files > farm animals.ppt.
   
   
2. Add the title ‘Guess the farm animal’.
   
   
3. Insert the first audio clip next to the box labelled A. (Insert > Movies and Sounds > Sound from File then browse to the E-Guides USB memory Stick: Content creation > Activity files > pig.wav).
   
   Click No when prompted to play the sound clip automatically.
   
   
4. Repeat the procedure with the remaining three audio clips placed next to boxes B, C and D.
   
   
5. Save the changes you have made to the presentation.
   
   
6. Preview the Slideshow by selecting Slide Show > View Show or by pressing the F5 key on the keyboard. Click onto a sound clip image and hear the animal sound.
   

Insert a sound file as an object

7. To insert the final sound clip, first create an action button. Go to the Drawing toolbar and select Autoshapes > Action Button > Sound. Click and create a button the slide next to box E.
   
   An Action Settings dialogue box opens.  Click beside Hyperlink to: and then click on drop down arrow. Select Other file and browse for the sound clip. Confirm OK.
   
   Ensure the Play sound is not checked otherwise applause will be heard as well as the sound clip you are inserting.
   
   
8. Save the changes you have made to the presentation.
   
   
9. Preview the Slideshow by selecting Slide Show > View Show or by pressing the F5 key on the keyboard.

Need help? Watch the video tutorial showing step 7 on the E-Guides USB memory stick.

Now that you have added sound clips to a presentation why not create another activity?

You could also look at Using audio and video on SDELC Module 7.0: E-learning content – creating and sourcing > Information about using Microsoft PowerPoint > Using audio and video and the PowerPoint® presentation Virtual Ilam. Follow the instructions to create the more advanced activity using audio with PowerPoint®.

Suggestions for use

The following are examples of learning materials produced using Microsoft® PowerPoint®:

Further resources:

• Recorded sound in Powerpoint
• Accessing NLN materials
• Intermediate Spanish
• Spanish Pronunciation
• Introducing Ratio.