Slide Decks

When faculty adopt an open textbook, they often look for ancillary materials to go along with it. Ancillary materials usually include slide decks for in-class presentations and test banks for formative assessment. In the Studio, we will provide faculty with the necessary resources to support adoption. When creating slide decks, we provide a base for faculty to customize for their teaching. We build the slide decks in Microsoft PowerPoint 365 so they can be shared with the faculty member for feedback.

Development Steps

1. Create a new folder in One Drive. Use the project’s name (textbook) for the folder’s title, and share the folder in Asana.
2. Use the ODS Slide Template.pptx file as a template.
3. Once a chapter is completed, share it with the faculty member for feedback.
4. Complete an accessibility review.
5. Download and add to the open textbook’s media library.  Link the slide decks in the book’s back matter.

Slide Deck Structure

The slide deck follows this structure:

1. Title slide (includes the name of the book and the chapter name and number)
2. Learning Objectives slide
3. Content
4. Summary or Key Takeaways Slide

Information for the Title Slide

• Title: Name of the Book. Title font size should be around 42pt.
• Subtitle: Name of Chapter. Subtitle font size should be around 32pt.
• Include the CC license on the title slide

Learning Objectives Slide

• List the objectives of the chapter.

Design Tips

• Keep text on each slide minimal, and highlight key points.
• Incorporate images mixed with text to maintain visual interest.
• Ensure that images used have Creative Commons (CC) licenses for appropriate attribution, and provide captions with attribution.
• Use SmartArt to create lists, comparative tables, diagrams, and steps.
• All images and SmartArt must have alternative text. If the image is purely decorative, mark it as decorative.
• If you plan to include an image containing a table, it’s often better to create it directly in PowerPoint. Additionally, remember to include a caption to provide context.
• For content with extensive definitions or heavy text, consider adding it to the presenter’s notes section.
• Aim for 10-20 slides, touching on main concepts or topics.

Consistency

• Headings, subheadings and logos should be in the same spot on all slides where possible.
• Ensure margins, fonts, font sizes, and colours remain consistent throughout.
• Maintain consistency in the use of lines, boxes, and borders.
• The title font size should be around 30pt.
• Text size should range between 14pt and 20pt, with a preference for 20pt.
• Use Arial, Tahoma, or Verdana fonts.

Accessibility Check

Verify that the slide deck is accessible to all users, adhering to accessibility guidelines.

In PowerPoint, you can ensure accessibility by using the Accessibility Check feature:

1. Select Review > Check Accessibility.
2. Follow the suggestions to ensure your slide deck is accessible to all users, adhering to accessibility guidelines.