Be able to apply consistent transitions between slides

ICT 0417 – Presentations (Section 19)

Why this topic matters in the Cambridge IGCSE 0417 syllabus

The ability to create a professional presentation is one of the assessment objectives for Section 19 – Presentations. It also links to several other syllabus areas:

• Section 9 – Audience analysis: choosing a template and style that suit the intended viewers.
• Section 10 – Copyright & e‑safety: using only legally‑permitted media and handling files safely.
• Section 11 – File management: saving, naming and organising the presentation file.
• Section 15 – Proof‑reading & quality control: checking spelling, consistency and providing alt‑text for images.
• Section 16 – Graphs & charts: inserting data visualisations that may be linked to a spreadsheet (Section 20).
• Section 8 – Safety: avoiding malware when opening files from external media.

1. Planning Your Presentation

1. Identify the audience (Section 9). Ask:

   • What prior knowledge does the audience have?
   • What tone (formal, informal) is appropriate?

2. Check copyright (Section 10). Use only:

   • Images with a Creative Commons licence or from a school‑licensed library.
   • Audio/video you have created yourself or that is royalty‑free.

3. Choose a file‑naming convention (Section 11). Example: ICT0417PresentationsYourName_2026.pptx.
4. Decide on a folder structure (Section 11).

   Documents → IGCSE → ICT0417 → Presentations → Drafts
   Documents → IGCSE → ICT0417 → Presentations → Final
   

5. Sketch a slide outline (titles, main points, where charts will appear). This ensures a logical flow before you start building slides.

2. Creating a New Presentation

1. Open Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides.
2. Choose New → Blank Presentation or select a themed template that matches the purpose (e.g., “Report”, “Pitch”, “Lesson”).
3. Save immediately using the naming convention from step 1 (PowerPoint: Ctrl + S; Google Slides saves automatically in Drive).

3. Using the Slide Master for a Uniform Layout

The Slide Master (PowerPoint) or Master Slide (Google Slides) sets the default design for every slide in the deck.

1. Open the master view:

   • PowerPoint: View → Slide Master
   • Google Slides: Slide → Edit master

2. Select the top‑most master slide (the largest thumbnail).
3. Configure the following elements (these correspond to Section 11 – File management and Section 15 – Proof‑reading):

   • Fonts & sizes – e.g., Arial 24 pt for titles, Arial 12 pt for body text.
   • Colour scheme – corporate colours or a limited palette (max 3 colours for consistency).
   • Header / Footer – date, slide number, school logo.
   • Placeholders – predefined boxes for title, body, image, chart, and caption.
   • Alt‑text template – a short note reminding students to add descriptive text for every image (important for accessibility).

4. Optional: create additional layout masters (e.g., “Title & Chart”, “Two‑Column Text”) for sections that need a different arrangement.
5. Close the master view – all normal slides now inherit these settings.

4. Core Objects You May Insert (Section 16 – Graphs & Charts)

5. Inserting Charts from a Spreadsheet (Link to Section 20 – Spreadsheets)

1. Prepare the data in Excel or Google Sheets; give the range a clear name (e.g., Sales2025).
2. In PowerPoint: Insert → Chart, choose the chart type, then click Edit Data and paste or link the named range.
3. In Google Slides: Insert → Chart → From Sheets, select the sheet and the required range, then choose “Link to spreadsheet” to keep the chart updated.
4. Format the chart using the Chart Design tab (PowerPoint) or the Chart editor (Google Slides) – add axis titles, data labels, and a legend.

6. Applying Consistent Transitions & Animations

6.1 Why consistency is essential (Assessment Objective 2)

• Creates a professional, cohesive appearance.
• Prevents distraction – the audience focuses on content, not effects.
• Supports logical flow and reinforces section breaks.
• Saves preparation time and reduces the chance of mismatched slides.

6.2 Common transition types (choose one for the whole deck)

6.3 Consistent animation style (Entrance, Emphasis, Exit)

• Pick one simple animation for each object type (e.g., Appear for bullet points, Fly In for images).
• Set the same Duration – typically 0.5 s (range 0.3 – 1.0 s).
• Choose a uniform Start option:

  • On Click – gives the presenter control.
  • After Previous – creates a smooth flow for a series of points.

• Reserve special effects (e.g., Spin, Grow & Turn) for a single slide that marks a clear transition.

6.4 Steps to apply a transition to all slides in PowerPoint

1. Open the presentation and go to View → Slide Master. Changes made here affect every slide.
2. Select the top‑most master slide.
3. Open the Transitions ribbon.
4. Choose the desired transition (e.g., Fade).
5. In the Timing group set:

   • Duration – 0.5 seconds.
   • Start – On Mouse Click or After a set time.

6. Click Apply to All Slides. All existing slides now share the same transition.
7. If you also need a uniform animation:

   1. Select an object on any slide.
   2. Open the Animation Pane.
   3. Choose the animation, set duration and start option.
   4. Right‑click the animation entry and choose Apply to All (or copy the animation and paste onto other objects).

8. Close the Slide Master view (Slide Master → Close Master View).

6.5 Steps to apply a transition to all slides in Google Slides

1. Open the presentation.
2. Select any slide, then choose Slide → Change transition….
3. In the sidebar pick a transition type (e.g., Fade) and speed (Fast, Medium, Slow).
4. Click Apply to all slides. The transition is now added to every slide.
5. For animations:

   • Click an object, choose Insert → Animation.
   • Set the effect, duration and start option.
   • Repeat for other objects (Google Slides does not have a global “Apply to All” for object animations).

7. Hiding Optional or Supplementary Slides (Section 19)

• Right‑click the slide thumbnail in the slide pane.
• Select Hide Slide. The slide will be skipped during a normal slideshow but remains in the file for later use.
• To unhide, repeat the steps and deselect Hide Slide.

8. Safety, e‑Safety & Copyright Reminders (Section 8‑10)

• Never run a presentation from an untrusted USB stick; scan the file for malware first.
• When sharing the presentation online (e.g., via Google Drive), set the sharing permissions to “Anyone with the link can view” only if the content is not confidential.
• Always credit the source of images, audio or video and keep a record of the licence (e.g., Creative Commons attribution).
• Remove any personal data (student IDs, email addresses) before publishing the file.

9. Best‑Practice Checklist (Assessment Objective 2)

• Analyse the audience and choose an appropriate template.
• Confirm all media have the correct copyright licence.
• Save the file using the prescribed naming convention and folder structure.
• Set up a Slide Master with consistent fonts, colours, placeholders and alt‑text reminders.
• Insert core objects; apply a proof‑reading check (spelling, punctuation, consistent headings).
• Link charts to a spreadsheet where possible, and format them clearly.
• Apply one transition to the whole deck (preferably Fade or Push).
• Use a single, simple animation style for each object type; keep duration between 0.3 s and 1.0 s.
• Reserve special effects for a single section‑break slide.
• Hide any optional slides that are not needed for the main delivery.
• Preview the full slide show (PowerPoint: Shift + F5; Google Slides: Present) to verify consistency.
• Perform a final safety check: no external links to unsafe sites, no personal data, file scanned for viruses.
• Save a backup copy in a separate folder or on cloud storage.

10. Quick Revision Questions

1. What are two advantages of using the same transition on every slide?
2. Which view in PowerPoint lets you set a transition for all slides at once?
3. Name a transition type that should be used sparingly.
4. What is the recommended duration range for most transitions?
5. List two objects you can insert into a slide and a tip for editing each.
6. How do you hide a slide that contains optional material?
7. Which syllabus sections remind you to check copyright and to proof‑read your slides?
8. When embedding a chart, which other ICT section provides the source data?
9. Give one e‑safety precaution when sharing a presentation online.

Answers

1. Creates a professional appearance and keeps the audience focused on the content rather than flashy effects.
2. The Slide Master view.
3. Flip (or any other special effect).
4. 0.3 seconds to 1.0 seconds.
5. Image – resize with corner handles and add alt‑text via Format Picture → Alt Text; Table – apply a style from the Table Design tab for clarity.
6. Right‑click the slide thumbnail and choose Hide Slide; repeat to unhide.
7. Section 9 (Audience) and Section 10 (Copyright & e‑safety) – they guide you to consider the audience’s needs and to use only legally‑permitted media.
8. Section 20 – Spreadsheets; data prepared in a spreadsheet can be linked to a chart in the presentation.
9. Share the file with “view‑only” permission and avoid posting personal or confidential information.