powerpoint
powerpoint is a very nice form of instuction because it can be easily updated with out redoing the complete lesson.
Hi Jennifer:
That's true. There should be a balance of information with any presentation tool we use in the classroom.
Regards, Barry
Powerpoint is a great tool as long as the slides are easy to read. In the professional environment I find that we use powepoint so much that is becomes hard to look at the slides because they all start to look the same. I find it easiest to follow a presentation when the teacher provides powerpoint handouts with no more than 2 slides to a page. Printing the slides as handouts gives the student a place to take notes and the slides are large enough to read.
Hi Anis:
Sometimes animations can contribute to a presentation if we remember a little goes a long way. Sort of like seasoning in a meal - if you can taste the salt, it's too salty.
With PPT, annimations can be distracting or even annoying for some students. PPT is a tool to convey information. We don't want to have the focus on the tool, but the information it carries. True learners will be seeking the information, others won't care if there are animations or not.
Regards, Barry
Being able to go back and add animation to your power point presentation make it more interesting than reading a plain text.
Hi Raegan:
PPT's can be a wonderful adjunct to almost any topic - provided it's formatted properly, is interesting, uses images along with words, and is not too long (or breaks are provided). You're right, as a break from other delivery methods, PPT can be a terrific change of pace.
Regards, Barry
sometimes hard to do with limited computers. this is a great way though to show yoiur lecture via a different source. printing out your powerpoint so the studnet has the opportunity to take notes is imperative.
Hi Robert:
Good plan! If I have a basic PPT, I can add just a slide or two that is information "hot off the press", such as a current newspaper or magazine article, journal, new equipment, or something recent from the profession. This keeps the PPT fresh and the students feel like they're getting the latest information.
Regards, Barry
In the culinary field, where I teach and which changes so often, I do appreciate the ability to change the presentantion without re-doing the entire power point. It helps me keep my lectures up to date and the students feel that they are getting the freshest information or insight to their fast paced chosen career field.
Hi Susan:
PPT can be a real assistance in the classroom. It also has it downfalls. Careful planning and delivery precautions will help assure only the best presentations occur.
Regards, Barry
I agree...and again PPT help keep the class focused on the topic. Plus, as astudy tool, they can help the student focus on what they need to go over in the other resouces.
Hi Walter:
PPT can be a pwerful tool if it is not overused or poorly formatted. Reveal is a nice feature. This lets one point at a time appear on a single slide. Generally, larger fonts with no more than 5-6 points should be used. If there is going to be discussion or a period away from the PPT (say, when using the whiteboard), there should be a blank slide (black screen) ready to not distract from the movement from the slide to the board and back. Finally, if the PPT lesson has a lot of technical points, its a good idea to periodically insert a summary slide to assist reviewing "here's what we've been talking about for the past 15 minutes".
Regards, Barry
PowerPoint can be an effective tool if used correctly. By elaborating and adding depth to the slide, you can create discussion points. It is also important when using this media to incorpate all four learning styles into your lecture. Otherwise, you have the potential to leave students behind.
What are some other PPT delivery methods that you use?
Hi Mike:
Right. PPT at best is a supplement to the needed information the instructor provides to the students - should not be the focus of attention.
Regards, Barry
Our institution discourages modifications of the packaged curriculum powerpoint presentation. However, we are free to create our own as suppliment to the established curriculum.
I use the packaged presentations as a jumping off point of each lecture and flesh out the information with supplemental documents and personal insight/experience. Otherwise, the Instructor is simply reading the same text that the student has in front of them in their book.
That's just narating, not instructing.
Mike
Hi Nathaniel:
Great point. Drawing in your students engages them, which produces a higher quality of learning than most. Teaching provides the best learning. So the closer we can get the student behaving like an instructor (peer tutorials, mentoring, aides, etc), the more effective their learning will be.
Regards, Barry
Hi Andrea:
Good brief, short, bulleted points wiork best. You can always amplify, refer the students to the text - whatever. PPT is just a tool, while you are the instructor.
Regards, Barry
The thing I like about powerpoints is that if you keep them simple, you can draw in your students with information not on the boards. It is extremely important to make them interesting with real examples, other visuals, maybe even a walk to the lab to see the slide in real life. The Power point is not the lesson but rather a tool to help with it.
I was presenting power point's but with way to much information. I will start power point's again but only with information that is needed.
Hi Nicole:
What you describe is a frequent occurence. I remember when we used to have the same problem with overhead projectors.
Although less then desirable, I know some instructor who print of overhead versions of their PPT slides and in the event an LCD projector is not available, they usually can round up an overhead projector.
Regards, Barry
