Powerpoint: The New Textbook
I readily admit that I am not a powerpoint fan. Powerpoint is used incorrectly more times than naught. I have students who ask me in the beginning of the quarter if I will use powerpoint throughout the course because if I do, they have stated that they will not buy the textbook. When did powerpoint become the new textbook?
Hi Candice:
If using PPT, one general, all-purpose guideline to remember about using power-point is this – don’t read the slides to the students. Unless you’re deliberately trying to make a point, reading slides is the quickest way to have students tune out during the lesson.
Instead, it’s better to cover the main points on the slide, and have the students refer to the notes on their own.
Regards, Barry
Hi Ricky:
One general, all-purpose guideline to remember about using power-point is this – don’t read the slides to the students. Unless you’re deliberately trying to make a point, reading slides is the quickest way to have students tune out during the lesson.
Instead, it’s better to cover the main points on the slide, and have the students refer to the notes on their own.
Regards, Barry
Hi Jill:
One general, all-purpose guideline to remember about using power-point is this – don’t read the slides to the students. Unless you’re deliberately trying to make a point, reading slides is the quickest way to have students tune out during the lesson.
Instead, it’s better to cover the main points on the slide, and have the students refer to the notes on their own.
Regards, Barry
Hi George:
One general, all-purpose guideline to remember about using power-point is this – don’t read the slides to the students. Unless you’re deliberately trying to make a point, reading slides is the quickest way to have students tune out during the lesson.
Instead, it’s better to cover the main points on the slide, and have the students refer to the notes on their own.
Regards, Barry
Hi Michael:
Truly, it may not be practical for every learning environment. However, what about as a temporary portion of each class, as a means of breaking up the monotony a bit?
Regards, Barry
Hi Katrina:
One thing to keep in mind for any teacher using PPT is never (never!) read the slides to the student on a regular basis. That should only be done to make a specific point.
Better is to expound on the main ideas on each slide and present those points in a manner the student can engage with.
Regards, Barry
Hi Lawrence:
You make a stong point here - to paraphrase what you wrote, ideally, an instructor needs to expound on the main ideas when using any presentation tool (including PPT).
Regards, Barry
Hi Pamela:
One thing instructor's should be mindful of when using PPT is to never read the slides to the student. Instead, it's considered a better idea to let the student read the slides, then have the instructor expound on the main ideas.
Regards, Barry
Hi Becky:
Also, by having the student write out notes, it may serve those type of students who learn by the kinesthetic method.
Regards, Barry
Hi Carrie:
One of the more common mistakes made when instructors use PPT is reading the slides to the group. While this might benefit "audio" learners, most of the time it just puts people asleep.
The better way is to point out the main ideas and expound on the information.
Regards, Barry
Powerpoint is an extra tool raher than a text book. I have never heard of anyone using powerpoint as a text book. That is an excuse from your students so they do not have to pay for a text book. That is part of the class. It is not their choice to decide what the course entails. That is your decision. Powerpoint is just an extra media to help support what you are instructing. Dont give them the option to tell you they do not need a text book.
Using the PP on your laptop for you rather than projecting it for the students is a fantastic idea.
I teach in a Department of Defense system and military folks have gotten use to PP for everything. It's used for everything from formal lectures to desk side briefs and even informal group discussions and meetings.
Like you I find that PP provides me an outline for the lecture and for my timing but hate using it for every lecture because the lectures can quickly become briefings.
I'm going to incorporate your technique for some of my lectures. The beautiful thing is that I can quickly switch back if I'm lossing the class.
That is what I am finding. Students have complained of being bored with just slides and then also when just using the text. I try to add interesting sidelights and clarifications of course, but it seems a change of pace is needed frequently to hold interest. Jill
I have found that Powerpoint presentations are an effective way to help students focus on the most relevant material within the text, not to replace the text. It also helps as a teaching "outline" to keep me on track and on time.
I agree the power point should not be used as a textbook but as as additional tool to the textbook
When the book is copied onto the powerpoint.
I use power point as the Top 10 key points of each chapter and for discussion purposes. The visual retainment by the student is higher, so they are very useful. I do a gree with your comment they are often used incorrectly.
Powerpoint presentations are great in a business setting in many instances but I have a hard time with it as a teaching tool and in general do not use it.
One of my issues is the structure of most classrooms today: the screen for the projected PP images is right over the whiteboard so that you have essentially no ability to use both media simultaneously. And in teaching chemistry or pharmacy, the flexibility of being able to use the whiteboard for examples and to answer student questions, as well as for the students to work the examples, is very important. At least for the way I teach this does not work.
What I have done is have the PP on my laptop and use it as a way to keep to the class outline for the day. But the only one who sees it is me, and when I have to take a short side road to answer a relevant question, I can use it to get back on track right away.
PowerPoint should not be thought of as a textbook. I use it for every lecture, but I always tell them that this is simply an outline. They still have to read to understand the concepts and retain the "meat and potatoes" of the lesson. I help them understand the my PowerPoint lecture is only a guide to help them understand their reading. I am a huge fan of PowerPoint! I and a fan of technology also, so this fits me. In combination I also use the whiteboard during lecture.
