PowerPoint offers a wide range of features that enable various pedagogical uses. It allows users to create templates for presentations, import multimedia like photos and videos, and add interactive elements like quizzes and menus. Teachers can use PowerPoint to create slideshows that reinforce concepts, and students can build basic static or advanced multimedia and interactive presentations. The simple interface also allows younger students to create basic slideshows while empowering older students to develop more sophisticated presentations.

1. PowerPoint: Technical features, affordances and pedagogy – analysis of technology
Features of the technology Affordances (activities and practice)
Affordances (examples of pedagogy and
designs)
A wide range of slide designs with ability
to create template for entire presentation
Teachers and students can match design to
complement information being presented.
Time is saved by using the template function.
Teachers can provide template for students to
use to scaffold presentation. Students can create presentation to explain
process or demonstrate learning sequence.
Students can create multimodal presentations to
transform a short story into a multimodal graphic
novel.
Students can collaboratively create interactive
games.
Teachers create slideshows to reinforce recall of
sight words and number facts.
Instructional videos can be created with
narration. These can then be uploaded for
students to access prior to classroom discussion.
Multiple choice quizzes can be created so that
students receive immediate feedback and can
only progress when the correct answer is
identified.
Simple interface that is able to be used to
create basic presentations or more advanced
features explored
Students in lower primary can develop the
skills to create basic static slideshows while
secondary students can use more advanced
features to create multimedia, interactive
presentations that can be embedded in various
online sites.
Import photos, video, audio and other
objects and shapes. Video embedding from
online sites function has been improved in
PowerPoint 2010
Shapes and objects can be easily arranged
Additional support materials can be embedded
to support deeper understanding and reinforce
learning.
Students are able to include student created
videos or audio files to provide extra
information and demonstrate learning.
Videos from online sites can be used as tasks
for flipping the classroom.
Saved as movie file
Teachers/students can create instructional
tutorials with narration
Motivational videos created and presented
live, on school website or online.
Interactive capability
Interactive quizzes and learning objects can be
created to reinforce learning
Menus can be added to the start of a
presentation to enable easier navigation of
larger presentations.