One of the most frequent questions posed to the Office of Teaching & Learning from students is “How do I make the lecture materials from my classes work for me?”
Although the Office of Teaching & Learning makes recommendations on accessibility (i.e. font size, contrast, colors, etc.), we do not impose uniform requirements regarding how materials should be presented or prepared. There are two main reasons for not doing so: firstly, every student has different needs and preferences; and secondly, we value our instructors’ content expertise and creative license.
So, what exactly can you do to make the lecture materials work for you? Here are some common related questions and helpful tips:
- How do I change x in my PowerPoint/Word slides/notes? Unless it’s password protected, you have full control over an Office document! If you would like to become a proficient Office user, check out the Office Training Center by Microsoft, the company that makes the apps.
- How do I change x in my PDF slides/notes?
- If you have Word 2013 or 2016 on a Windows PC, you’re in luck! You can open and edit PDF files directly in Word.
- If you have a Mac, you would need to use an app such as Adobe Acrobat Pro (available for purchase at Tech Hub or directly through Adobe) to first convert the file into a format that you can edit, such as Word or PowerPoint. The same app also gives you many editing capabilities directly in a PDF.
- The situation on iPads is a bit trickier with no true solution to converting PDFs into other formats. Fortunately, iAnnotate‘s annotation and editing capabilities are extensive!
- How do I convert my color PDF into black and white? This is also a very easy task with Adobe Acrobat Pro!
- If you don’t see the “Print Production” tab, click on the tiny menu icon at the top right of the Tools pane, click on “Print Production” to turn it on.
- How do I print multiple slides per page? How do I print in color/black and white? Depending on what device and/or app you use, the instructions are slightly different:
- By System: Instructions for Windows, Mac. The Office is still working on identifying good solutions for printing from the iPad.
- By Apps: You will encounter situations where you may print from Adobe Acrobat (Reader/Pro), Word (Windows, Mac), PowerPoint, Chrome, and so on.
Finally, you may want consult with your instructors if you have specific learning needs or require accommodations. They won’t know what you need until you’ve asked. Don’t forget: Courtesy and respect go a long way.
Still having issues? The Office of Teaching and Learning is here to help!