Cross posted at Finding Common Ground
I have to agree with Jim Gates in his Everyone’s a Critic post over at TipLine. I mean, that’s not to say that I haven’t been tortured with a PowerPoint presentation that was too wordy, too flashy, too hard to read, etc… I hear alot of moans, groans and complaints when it comes time to do a presentation. Someone is bound to say (begrudgingly), I guess we’ll use PowerPoint. But, come on everyone uses presentation software - without PowerPoint or Keynote, what else is there to use? If no one is using PowerPoint or it’s not needed, then why did Slideshare show up? And look at this - a slideshare about blogging over at the Cool Cat Teacher Blog.
Maybe the problem is that it’s so easy to use anyone can do it…should the program force the user to complete an orientation about the most effective color schemes, font sizes and animations before the program will let them continue? Isn’t that why the program comes with built in designs - for those people that don’t realize how to create an effective presentation? Seems that like with most issues related to the use of technology, lack of training is the issue here.
I think the message we need to spread is that PowerPoint is not a teaching tool - it is presentation software. Teachers should NOT be presenters in today’s classrooms. Teachers should NOT be using PowerPoint to teach students. Students CAN be using PowerPoint if they’re preparing a presentation. The teacher should be educating those students about effective presentation techniques - think about your audience, don’t fill your slides with text, monitor your message, maintain a consistent appearance, etc…
When it comes time to prepare a presentation, I will continue to use PowerPoint and Keynote, even if it’s a presentation full of screen shots. They may be 20 slides or it may be only one
slide. Do I have to join PowerPoint Anonymous?
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3 responses so far ↓
Vicki Davis // Feb 10th 2008 at 8:25 am
I think it is because powerpoint has been used so poorly. Powerpoint should augment a presentation not BE the presentation. No one wants to be read to… that is for kindergarteners! We expect graphically appealling, exciting presentations and when the presenter puts all their facts on the powerpoint and reads it to us, it is mindnumbing.
PowerPoint has a purpose, but sadly, very few people know how to do it properly.
The rebellion isn’t against powerpoint… it is about bad teaching with powerpoint!
RHewlett // Feb 10th 2008 at 10:36 am
Hi Michelle,
Interesting points about PowerPoint. I had no idea of the unhappiness out there regarding using that application. Since its creation, we all know that it has been widely used, because it does have a lot of cool features, my favourite one being the slide transitions. However, Vicki brings up a good point, in that it does detract from the presentation when too many of the bells and whistles are used, which takes away from the content. I don’t know if I agree with your point on not using PowerPoint to teach. I think it is a great tool to use, especially when teaching technical subjects, as it allows the teacher to put a visual representation of a concept that may be difficult for the students to grasp otherwise. Great topic!
Roma.
Laurence // Feb 11th 2008 at 6:36 pm
I grew up watching my Dad give real slide presentations to physicians and I remember the care he would give each slide while preparing for a presentation. It would take hours to prepare for just one presentation. In some sense, it IS the ease of a program like PowerPoint that takes all of the effort and decision making out of a presentation.
I agree that PowerPoint is a powerful, and often misused tool. The thing is, it’s supposed to simplify the creation process, not the presenting process. The presentation part is still up to each individual’s preparation and skill.
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