With the Annotation tools, you can make annotations on your slides, including your original PowerPoint slides, the Whiteboard, and the Snapshot slide. You can also make annotations on other documents such as MS Word documents and Excel spreadsheets when you have uploaded them as resources.
The Annotation toolbar is located in the lower center area of the console. The tools can be used by the presenter to focus the learners' interest on important details, to supplement documents with additional information, or to check off points as they are covered in a lecture, just to name a few possibilities. While these tools can be overused, wise use of these tools can aid the presenter by keeping the attendees focused on the content.
Select Annotations
With the Selection Tool, you can move, delete, cut, copy and paste any individual annotation or group of annotations on a slide.
To manipulate a single annotation, click on it. The annotation should now have 4 small squares around it.
To move the annotation, click and hold on the annotation and drag it to the new location you have chosen.
While the annotation is selected you can delete, copy, cut, and paste it.
To Delete the annotation, press the delete key on your keyboard or right-click and choose Delete.
To Copy the annotation, press Control + C on your keyboard or right-click and choose Copy.
To Cut the annotation, press Control + X on your keyboard or right-click and choose Cut.
To Paste the annotation, press Control + V on your keyboard or right-click and choose Paste.
You can perform the same actions with a group of annotations. To select a group of annotations, click and drag around the annotations. If all the annotations you wish to deal with cannot be captured by clicking and dragging, you can hold down the Shift key and click and drag more places, or hold down the Shift key and click on individual notations.
Note: Annotations cut or copied from one slide may be pasted onto any other slide that can accept annotations.
Pointer
The Pointer tool is used to highlight areas of the screen without leaving a mark. With the Pointer tool, you can make a single dot by clicking and releasing or you can drag the dot around the slide area by clicking, holding, and dragging the cursor around the slide area. The dot that you see is not permanent and will not stay on your slide.
Draw Text
Use the Draw Text tool to add text to your slides. You can choose to make your text bold, italic, or underlined, pick any font that is available on your computer, and choose a size between 8 and 72 point size. You can also choose a color from the Color Picker.
To add text to your slides, select the Text Tool and click on your slide where you would like the text to start. A text box will appear for you to type in. When you are finished typing your text, click on a different part of the screen. If you hit the Enter key, it will act as a return and allow you to type on a second line below the first line of text.
To change text effects, font, and size, click on the drop down menu next to the Draw Text tool to get the Fonts window, which will allow you to make these changes.
Note: If you continue to type after reaching the edge of the slide, your text will go off the edge of the slide. It will not wrap.
Drawing Tools
With the Drawing Tools, you can draw freehand lines, straight lines, straight lines with arrowheads, rectangles, rounded rectangles, and ovals.
The current Drawing Tool will be displayed on the button to the right of the Draw Text tool. You can choose different colors for your drawings by using the Color Picker.
Note: You can draw "perfect" squares, rounded squares and circles by holding down the Shift key on your keyboard before clicking on the slide with the Drawing Tool.
Color Picker
The Color Picker has 40 different colors that you can use for your Draw Text tool or Drawing tools. The default color for both the Draw Text tool and the Drawing tools is black. Click on the triangle to the right of the box to open the palette for the Color Picker. The currently chosen color will show in the box on the toolbar.
Highlighter
The Highlighter Tool is designed to look like a yellow highlighter marker. You can use the Highlighter Tool to highlight areas on your slides.
Note: The Highlighter Tool is always yellow. The Color Picker is not available for use when the Highlighter is selected
The Stamp Tools
With the Stamp Tools, you can make marks on your slides that are always the same size and pointed the same direction. There are three Stamp Tools: the Arrow Stamp, the Check Stamp and the X Stamp. The Check Stamp is always green, the X Stamp is always red, and the Arrow Stamp is always yellow. The Color Picker is not available when the Stamp tools are active.
The current Stamp Tool will be displayed on the Stamp Tools button to the right of the Highlighter Tool.
Clear Annotations
Use the Clear Annotations Tool to remove all the annotations from your slide. When you select the Clear Annotations Tool, a popup window will ask you if you are sure that you want to remove all the annotations from the current slide. Choose OK if you want to remove the annotations. Choose Cancel if you do not want the annotations removed.
Note: The Clear Annotations Tool removes all the annotations from the current slide, not just the annotations that you have added yourself. If you want to remove only one annotation or a group of annotations, you should use the Selection Annotations tool.
Allowing Attendees to Annotate Content
You may also allow attendees to use the Annotation tools by checking the Annotate current content box in the Attendee Permissions window. Keep in mind, however, that when you check this box, you are giving all of the attendees that ability to use the Annotation tools.
Instructional Communications Systems, University of Wisconsin-Extension
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