How to Learn PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint

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PowerPoint is the most commonly used professional presentation design application. Anyone who wants to persuade audiences, condense information, or communicate essential ideas effectively in an office or professional setting will benefit from learning PowerPoint. The number of options for learning PowerPoint might be overwhelming at first glance. There are books, video tutorials, classes, and more to choose from—it all depends on your learning style and personal preferences.

Here, we’ll discuss the various methods of learning PowerPoint so you can decide how you’d like to start.

What is PowerPoint?

Microsoft PowerPoint is the most commonly used presentation software across almost all professional industries. PowerPoint is one of the most important components of Microsoft’s Office 365 suite, alongside Word and Excel. PowerPoint lets users easily create vibrant and memorable presentations that quickly communicate meaning in a professional setting. Users can add animations, transitions, graphics, and other imagery to their slides, ensuring they produce both communicative and impressive presentations for their audience.

PowerPoint is a slideshow editing tool built to give users the necessary tools to organize information, communicate effectively, and produce presentations to deliver with or without a presenter. PowerPoint makes the job easier and more efficient, whether you're managing important information ahead of a meeting, preparing a sales pitch for a potential client, or compiling important workplace policies and procedures in one place. This versatility has made PowerPoint an industry-standard tool in almost all professional contexts.

Read more about what PowerPoint is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with PowerPoint?

PowerPoint allows users to create vibrant, memorable visual presentations that can serve a wide variety of purposes. PowerPoint’s advanced features allow users to integrate dynamic animations and 3D-modeled graphics into their designs, enabling them to create more complex presentations than simple text projected onto a screen. Whether you are attempting to keep an audience engaged during a critical seminar or make a sales pitch as memorable as possible, PowerPoint gives you the tools to wow your audience.

Some users use PowerPoint to create informative slideshows that condense complicated information into a single, easy-to-digest presentation. This makes the program ideal for both instructors and professionals looking to host informational seminars regularly. In fact, many online classes will use PowerPoint to provide students with the main takeaways from a lecture. Some users, who need to persuade audiences such as entrepreneurs meeting with potential investors, will use PowerPoint to create memorable and persuasive presentations that convince their audience to invest in their product.

In-Person PowerPoint Training

Students looking to learn PowerPoint skills may consider enrolling in an in-person training course. These courses allow students to work directly with a like-minded cohort of students and receive one-on-one instruction from trained professionals. These courses provide students with hands-on experience working with PowerPoint, ensuring they will leave the course with an understanding of the application. The main issue with these courses is that most training providers teach at only a few locations, which can restrict a student’s options for in-person training, mainly if they don’t live near a major city.

All of Noble Desktop’s PowerPoint courses are available in-person at their Manhattan location. Students who commute to New York City can receive expert instruction from professional teachers in Noble’s on-site computer labs. These courses are ideal for students hoping to learn how to design professional-quality presentations using PowerPoint. For students outside the travel time of Manhattan, there are service providers located in other cities such as Training Connection in LA and Chicago or Digital Workshop Center in Denver. To compare the in-person PowerPoint training sessions available in your area, consult Noble’s Classes Near Me Tool.

Live Online PowerPoint Training

For some students, learning PowerPoint in-person may not be an option. They may be too far away from a training center, or they may be unable to commute. For these students, live online training classes are available to provide them with professional instruction from the comfort of their own homes. These courses provide students with many of the same perks as an in-person training session, mainly by letting them interact directly with live instructors who are prepared to answer their questions and guide them through a PowerPoint education. The downside to these courses is that students won’t have access to any hardware or software and may need to acquire PowerPoint independently.

Noble Desktop offers all of its in-person PowerPoint courses as live online seminars. These courses come with Noble’s free retake option, expanding students’ ability to get even more hands-on experience with PowerPoint. Even in a live online course, class sizes remain small, ensuring students can work directly with Noble’s professional instructors. Online training providers such as Coursera and Udemy also offer PowerPoint training in a live online format. Students can compare their options for live online PowerPoint classes using Noble’s Classes Near Me tool.

Free Online Courses and Tutorials

For students who aren’t ready to enroll in a PowerPoint bootcamp or who just want to learn the basics of the program, free introductory resources may be an ideal place to start. Noble Desktop offers a free PowerPoint Presentation Design seminar in which students learn the fundamental theories of design used to create evocative and memorable presentations. No one wants their presentations to bore audiences, and this seminar is designed to ensure that students have the skills required to keep audiences engaged.

Other service providers such as Udemy and Coursera, offer additional free introductory courses teaching students how to use PowerPoint to design presentations. These courses won’t provide comprehensive skills training, but they are ideal places to start learning the basics of PowerPoint. In addition, Microsoft offers students free training tutorials on subjects ranging from PowerPoint templates to using 3D models in a presentation.

Read about more free PowerPoint videos and online tutorials.

On-Demand PowerPoint Classes

Some students may find that their schedule doesn’t allow them to enroll in a live training program. On-demand training options may be ideal for students with work or family commitments who still want to learn PowerPoint. These classes, which vary in form and content, give students greater flexibility over the pace and structure of their instruction. Rather than working on an existing schedule, students can learn and practice when it is convenient for them, which is necessary for some students. The drawback to these courses is that, because they lack a live instructor, it can be easy to get stuck on complex concepts with no source of feedback.

A wide variety of on-demand PowerPoint courses are available to students, and Noble Desktop can help them find the one that's right for them. Some of these courses are free, while others require students to pay a flat fee or enroll in a subscription service. Some of the courses are pre-recorded lectures that allow students to work at their own pace, while others are individual modules that students must progress through in a specific order. Each model has advantages and disadvantages, so students should carefully consider their options before enrolling in an on-demand course.

Which Learning Method is Right for Me?

Students may find that the number of different options they have for learning PowerPoint can be intimidating. The options can be overwhelming, particularly concerns about where and how to learn it. Students must consider their needs and limitations when deciding which course to pursue.

The primary method of PowerPoint training is through live instruction, either in-person or online. These courses allow students to interact directly with live instructors, who are ready to provide feedback and assistance. Many students find these courses the best way to learn professional skills like PowerPoint.

In-person instruction allows students to receive immediate feedback from instructors and collaborate with like-minded colleagues. Additionally, they will likely have access to a service provider’s computer equipment. However, they will need to commute to a campus, adding both time and cost to what is already the most expensive and time-consuming option for learning PowerPoint.

Live online courses address the need to be in a specific location for training. These courses allow students to learn from expert instructors without leaving their homes. However, they may need to provide their own hardware and software, which can be a barrier for some students, and they will miss out on the advantages offered by working close to other students.

For students who can’t attend a live training session, on-demand PowerPoint classes provide an alternative option. These courses give students greater flexibility over their training’s pace and style, making them perfect for students who need control over when and where their training takes place. These courses lack live instructors, so students who become lost in the material need to find other means of assistance, which can be time- and labor-intensive.

Why Learn PowerPoint?

PowerPoint is a useful application to learn for workers in almost any professional business setting. Learning PowerPoint will help professionals communicate information in practical and manageable ways, freeing them up to focus on more pressing concerns. PowerPoint is an incredibly versatile tool, and its uses will vary depending on a user’s needs. Still, almost anyone who needs to communicate with large groups will benefit from learning PowerPoint.

For some users, PowerPoint will complement live presentations by condensing important information they may miss. Many audience members find it challenging to follow a presenter speaking aloud. Knowing how to use PowerPoint will let users ensure their most important information is understood. For others, PowerPoint will help them condense vital information to be easily understood and accessed even without a live presenter. This is ideal for compiling stylesheets, company policies, important links, phone numbers, or other information someone may need to reference in a professional setting.

Read more about why you should learn PowerPoint.

Level of Difficulty, Prerequisites, and Cost

PowerPoint is a relatively lightweight program that is easy to understand and use. New users can pick up the basic functionalities quickly. However, more advanced features like integrating tables and Excel data or importing multimedia content can be more challenging. Students learning PowerPoint will also likely want design and composition training, which some find more difficult than learning technical skills.

There are no set prerequisites for learning PowerPoint. Students will need basic computer knowledge and a system that can run PowerPoint. For more advanced PowerPoint skills training, students may need to learn how to use Microsoft Excel.

While there are several ways to obtain Microsoft Office 365 for free, new PowerPoint users may need to purchase the Office suite. There is a free trial available, but once it expires, users must buy a full license. There is no way to purchase PowerPoint separately from the other Microsoft 365 programs. Users will either need to pay a monthly subscription fee of about $7 or a one-time purchase fee of about $150 for the classic Office programs.

Read about how difficult it is to learn PowerPoint.

Learn PowerPoint with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Professionals looking to learn PowerPoint may consider skills development training through Noble Desktop. These courses, available in-person at Noble’s Manhattan campus and through live online instruction, provide hands-on training in designing and organizing information using PowerPoint. These courses, taught by expert instructors, equip students with the experience needed to create evocative and memorable presentations. Even in online courses, class sizes are kept small to allow for direct interaction with the instructor. Plus, Noble offers free retakes on all its courses, providing students more opportunities to practice building presentations in a professional environment.

Noble offers a PowerPoint Bootcamp, which teaches students how to design compelling presentations, even without prior experience. In this certificate-granting program, students will learn to work with PowerPoint layouts, animations, graphics, layers, charts, and other objects. Advanced skills training includes creating reusable PowerPoint templates, utilizing multimedia features, and recording presentations for later use. These skills prepare students to use PowerPoint professionally.

Since PowerPoint is a design tool, Noble also offers students a PowerPoint Presentation Design course. This class focuses on communicating through PowerPoint and teaches design principles related to color, typography, graphic images, and other visual design elements. While the bootcamp teaches students how to use PowerPoint, this course focuses on designing effective presentations, providing students with the composition and design theories necessary to make their presentations memorable and effective.

Key Insights

• PowerPoint is the most commonly used presentation design software available. Anyone working in a professional environment can benefit from learning PowerPoint skills.
• There are many options for students to learn PowerPoint, each with its strengths and weaknesses. Students should consider their preferences before finalizing a course selection.
• Students can consider in-person training, live online instruction, or on-demand training courses. They should assess if they can travel for in-person classes or if live online instruction fits their schedule.
• No matter how students choose to study PowerPoint, Noble Desktop is there to help them find the right course, offering comprehensive training options both live online and in-person.