Powerpoint - Pedagogy Killer
From Eduwiki
== Debate against use of Microsoft Powerpoint as a Teacher
We think that Powerpoint should not be used in the classroom for the following reasons:
1. Many presenters tend to focus on the technology and not the students. Part of the problem may be limited technology. If the presenter does not have a remote mouse they may not be able to leave the podium because of the need to advance to the next slide. This can and does limit teacher/student interaction. And because PPT tends to be in a darkened room the instructor may not even be able to see the students' reactions. If there are technical problems then the focus is on getting the system working, wasting teaching time.
2. Students may feel insulted when instructors read the slides to them and offer no other instructional input except for the slides. They can read it themselves if the instructor posts them online. And many of them do. So the question is "Why do I need to attend your class?" This is not just limited to the classrooms in academia. I have seen this done in the private sector and in the military. In the military we call instructors who overuse or misuse this tool, Powerpoint rangers. It can be death by PPT. Is using PPT a time filler? Are presentations with 80 slides beneficial to the audience?
3. Poorly designed slide presentations with small characters and bad color schemes can distract and even turn off an audience. Too many animations and special effects may look cute, but do they really get the points of learning across? "PowerPointLessness", a term first coined by Superintendent Jamie Mckenzie is defined as "any fancy transitions, sounds, and other effects that have no discernible purpose, use, or benefit." Focusing on graphics, animations, or sound effects more than course content, class discussion, or effective communication is a pitfall that many educators and students fall into when giving a PPT presentations. Mckenzie says, "It's a neat tool, but it should be thought of as a supplement rather than as a way of providing your basic research". It is true that visual aids are important for all audiences. However, if a presentation is more "visual" and less of an "aid" in helping to understand material then it is inappropriate to use.
REMEMBER The curriculum should drive the instruction, not the technology .
4. When the overhead projector came into wide use many teachers used it in place of the chalkboard. I thought my teachers got tired of standing and writing on the board. IMHO it made teachers less effective, especially for those students that had vision problems. Because of this OH teachers volume tended to be less because many felt that by somehow speaking while sitting that they would have the same effect. That is not the case. Using this analogy, when untrained Powerpoint came into the classrooms it reduced effectiveness because now the visual aspect of learning was reduced to bullets and clauses. This "PPT cognitive style" encourages students to read and talk in bullets and phrases. They will imitate what they see done. It is true that PPT is good for identifying main ideas and supporting details, as well as helping teachers and students to structure their thinking. It should not replace complete sentences and thoughts. A good tool for developing ideas and organizing thinking is INSPIRATION. (Also see the free Cmap).
5. There are many teachers who seemingly have the false impression that by forcing students to use PPT that they will develop their communication skills. Skills learned using PPT are different from those learned to meet effective communications demands. The Columbia space shuttle disaster is cited as an example of how NASA is too reliant on PPT for complex info.
6. Another pitfall in using PPT is the potential for it to eliminate a student's ability to think critically. Processing of information is crucial to learning, but it is often undermined when PPT is misused. Instead of taking notes that may reflect the connections and relationships between topics, students are reduced to transcribing the slides. Again, is it a time filler used when the instructor is unfamiliar with the subject or unprepared for class?
7. PPT should not be used as a crutch. It is the most popular presentation software among teachers and students. Remember that computer models, simulations and visualizations of concepts may be more innovative uses of technology and may prove to be more effective teaching tools. ==
BTSA
Ref: Wired on PPT is Evil
