Dr. Ginny Whitehouse, professor in the Department of Communication at Eastern Kentucky University, is one of eight American educators participating in classroom research of zooming presentation software for the international company Prezi.
The research project is focused on learning how educators create and share presentations in high schools and universities, as well as improving the performance of the new Prezi Business software in classroom settings. Prezi helps users move from linear bulleted presentations to interactive experiences.
“I began using Prezi after a student suggested it to me five years ago,” Whitehouse said. “It has helped me become a more responsive instructor because it lets students interact with what I am teaching.”
Prezi was founded in 2009 with headquarters in Budapest, and now serves 75 million users worldwide in business, education, and non-profit spheres. Whitehouse has been a member of the Prezi Educators Society since it was founded in 2014.
Four university professors and four high school teachers were selected to join the study.
Whitehouse teaches courses in writing and reporting, media ethics, media law and media and society. She is the cases and commentaries editor for the Journal of Mass Media Ethics and serves on the journal’s editorial board. Before coming to EKU, Whitehouse taught for 15 years at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, where she also served as department chair.