This presentation discusses how educators can make use of PowerPoint in the classroom, including best practices and when not to use this technology.

1. Presenting With PowerPoint Using technology to enhance the learning process Barbara Babcock / EME 5403

3. Technology & Learning Over the last decade, technology has played an increasingly more important role in the classroom. Presentation software, such as Microsoft PowerPoint is regularly used by instructors of all subjects, at all grade levels.

4. Technology & Learning - 2 Despite its ubiquity, many educators question the value of PowerPoint as a classroom tool. In PowerPoint and Cooperative Learning: An Ideal Instructional Combination , Harry E. Pence points out that there is very little evidence that use of this technology improves learning.

5. Technology & Learning - 3 Dr. Edward Tufte, a long time critic of presentation slideware, goes so far as to declare PowerPoint evil, and asserts that “ The standard PowerPoint presentation elevates format over content, betraying an attitude of commercialism that turns everything into a sales pitch .” 1 1 . Tufte, Edward. (2003). PowerPoint is Evil . Accessed online June 11, 2006, from http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.09/ppt2.html .

6. Teaching & Learning - 4 The truth is that PowerPoint is simply an educational tool available to instructors. PowerPoint gives strong visual impact to a well-designed lesson, which can help students absorb the material. The technology likewise has the tendency to magnify the flaws in a poorly-designed lesson, which can decrease students’ potential to learn.

7. Using PowerPoint Which came first? The lesson or the PowerPoint? Let the slideshow enhance the lesson—don’t expect it to be the lesson! This section offers some PowerPoint do’s and don’ts.

14. PowerPoint: Friend or Foe of Learning? PowerPoint gives educators the ability to add a visual dimension to a verbal lesson presentation. This combination increases the possibility that the educator will reach learners who are both verbal/text oriented (left brain) thinkers and visually-oriented (right brain) thinkers.