powerpoint presentations
how effective are lectures presented in this format?
April,
There has way too much PP abuse over the years. You are right on with your comments about limiting the content and focusing the students' attention on the key points. This way they will stay engaged.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
After having read through the discussions on this board I have to say that I can agree and disagree with much. I like to have powerpoint slides for all my lectures if I can, but only minimal information on them. I use them as an outline for the class and for the students to have a format to take notes with. If I put all the information I was going to discuss on a powerpoint slide the students would get bored quickly. Put the minimal information on the slide and use it like you would for an outline for a speech (not all information is contained there).
I believe to print up the pps presentation in advance the way you describe it is definetely a good way. unfortunately as instructors we may confront difficulties by doing so, due to the resources that we need to use. some institutions don't see this as to be more beneficial for students. I know it is and I'm so glad you confirmed what I though was the right thing to do.
Hi John,
I agree with your assessment of how you can bring value to the classroom with your visual media. It has to be well done and varied if it is going to be effective.
Gary
It all depends on how you present it. If you just get up and read them the power point it only affects some learners. I have found that if you can use visual training ads and incorparate other info into the power point it is much more affective.
Hi Jeannette,
Good point. We need to be able to adapt to the learning preferences of our students if we are going to keep them engaged.
Gary
True; however, powerpoint presentations are best for the visual learner. Educators must adapt their teaching styles to the student's learning style.
I agree Jeanna...I use mine in an outline format with bullet points and incorporate many images to enhance the discussion of the topic.
Hi Jeanna,
Good advice about how to use PP presentations. They are a tool and should be incorporated as such. When done this way then they support the lecture when they are used as the communication device for content they lose their excitement quickly.
Gary
I love PPT and use them almost daily in my teaching, however they have never replaced my lecture. I use them as a way to stay on course as I have found that in teaching adult learners, lectures can so often turn into open discussion and eventually trail to far off the subject matter. I use colorful graphics, pictures, and even incorporate mini games to do as a class activity to break up the monotony. Your PPT should not include your whole lecture but simply highlights or bullet points. The actual lecture / lesson plan is always open in front of me when I lecture so I am using a combination to get my point across to my students.
Hi Angela,
Right you are about how PPs should be used and not abused in teaching. Sounds like you have a very good approach to how you see them being effective in your setting.
Gary
PP presentations to not take the place of clear and thorough faculty explanations of course content. I use PPs to outline key concepts. I begin each course by informing students PPs can not be used as a sole resource for accomplishing objectives. Students must be engaged, complete reading assignments and participate in discussion, and collaborative assignments
I agree PP's are meant to help the student understand the course and a lecture must be included along with activities,discussions,assignments etc... I give power points BUT on the first day I evaluate the class, If I feel they are the type to rely on PP's and not even look at the books or discussion H O's I will not give them PP's copies. I give the PP's so they can highlight, visualize and add notes instead of waiting for the entire class to write important key points of lecture. While viewing power points I include in my lectures ,life experiences, scenarios, involve the class in discussion and role play.
I believe this can be effective if only the most important information is placed into the presentation. Sometimes we as instructors put too much information in a powerpoint presentation. The information should be limited to what you want the student to know.
Hi Tiffany,
I agree with you about the use of PPs in class presentation. PPs are intended to support learning not be the sole source of content. I am very familiar with Pivot Point and you are right about the quality this PP brings to the classroom. Sounds like you have a very clear picture of how you want to use PPs to enhance learning without having them just babysit your students.
Gary
I have found that different powerpoint presentations can either make or break a class. I like to use them to keep on track in class...but if they are boring and simple students tend to get bored with it. Pivot Point for Cosmetology has an awesome powerpoint presentation...they use color and pictures it is just enough to keep the attention but not to busy that it is distracting. This way you can get the lecture across and it gives you places to stop for activities so that you can change up the scenery so to speak for the students....powerpoint can be very useful especially if used correctly.
Hi Steven,
I agree and it bothers me when I see PPs used this way. They need to compliment the learning process not be the sole delivery tool. Also, since they are so common the students often have a mind set that they are going to be boring so they just turn off from the beginning of class. There are so many other great ways to be creative in our instructional delivery so we need to use them.
Gary
I personally tend to not be a big fan of Power Point. It works fine as an outline to help students take notes, but I find just jotting things on the dry erase board to be just as effectives, and it has the added benefit to allow me to tweak my approach to meet student needs on the fly.
I had to cover a class for a sick instructor on one occasion. It was a topic I was extremely strong in, and a fairly fun topic as well. The PP he expected me to deliver to the class covered all the same topics I would have covered, but was presented as paragraph after paragraph of text. The end result was two-fold: half the class feel asleep halfway through, and the other half of the class was too busy copying the paragraphs to pay any attention to what I was saying.
Long story short. Slides should be minimalistic outlines to give a road map at most.
Hi Kissie,
Using PPs in the way you mentioned is for students death by boredom. You are right on with your comments about the need to integrate PPs into lectures as needed and use them as support not the headliner of the class. PPs were never meant to have such a role in teaching and yet many instructors use them as such. So sad and definitely not the way to communicate effectively and efficiently.
Gary
