The Use of Powerpoint As a Learning Tool Within the Classroom

Beth G. Keith

ED503

Dr. Holden

9/28/09

The Use of PowerPoint as a Learning Tool within the Classroom

Ever wonder how classrooms of today’s schools would be without the added idea of PowerPoint presentations for lectures, projects, displays, etc.? Both teachers and students should be well aware of the pros and cons of this innovative technology to use within the classrooms. There are many ways to use this type of technology for the classroom environment, no matter what subject is being taught. For the following paper, the topics of how to make presentations more powerful, the effectiveness of using PowerPoint for business courses and the connection between the PowerPoint technology and teaching will be discussed.

There are four main points to keeping a PowerPoint presentation on target (Howell, 2008). The first point is to use the keyboard keys to navigate throughout the presentation (2008). If for some reason a presenter does not have a hand-held remote, they should be well diversed with the keyboard shortcuts to navigate within their show (2008). When a presenter is not familiar with this technique, he or she may loose the classroom’s attention. The second point for a powerful presentation is to remember to pause to reflect. This can be used for two reasons, that of using a reflective pause (Jones, 2003) and for when the speaker wants to speak on the topic being presented without leaving the slides up for the time being (Howell, 2008). Adding excitement to the presentation is the third key for it to be powerful. By using the pen feature on the PowerPoint system, it will help to keep the students involved with the lecture of the slides (2008). The final fourth key to keep in mind when making a PowerPoint show powerful would be to make the entrance and exit just as strong as the slides in between (2008). PowerPoint presentations can also be used within the business courses of a high school or junior college level.

There are many courses that are based around the business disciplines, such as: management, marketing, business law, accounting, economics, statistics, and finance (Burke, 2009). All of those courses could benefit from the use of PowerPoint presentations. However, from the instructional environment, teachers must be precautious of not reading directly off the slides from the PowerPoint (2009). Although, in a study conducted by Ahmadi, Dileepan, and Raiszadeh (2007), there was the idea that the positive aspects of using PowerPoint were outweighed by the negative consequences. There were a percentage of 73 students that believed that the slides of a PowerPoint presentation were helpful to them in understanding the course material (Burke, 2009). Out of the business disciplines listed above, PowerPoint presentations were the most effective within the management, while marketing and economics were followed closely behind (2009). On the lowest effectiveness rating, was the accounting discipline (2009). So there is a difference between the business courses, as to whether the PowerPoint is effective or not. This is based on what the students prefer for that course and what the course content is based on (2009).

Finally, teachers must be aware of how to handle the use of the PowerPoint within their classrooms. Teachers of any type of course must stay on target of the subject being taught, even if using the PowerPoint program to delve more into the topic of discussion. The PowerPoint presentations are becoming more of THE message rather than just a part of what the teacher’s main topic is about (Craig, 2006). The teacher must not allow the PowerPoint to be their “crutch” between them and their students (2006).

In conclusion, like all other ways of teaching, PowerPoint presentations include both positives and negatives of how they are used within the classrooms. However, if teachers follow the right way of how to conduct the PowerPoint, then the students will benefit from that type of teaching. The use of PowerPoint can play a tremendous role on the short-term recall of a student’s learning of the academics within any classroom discipline, not just the business disciplines. It is of importance that if teachers are going to be using the PowerPoint as a learning tool, that they must stay within strict guidelines of how to make the PowerPoint presentations a positive way for students to learn and be involved with the topic of discussion in the classroom.

References

Ahmadi, M., Dileepan, P., & Raiszadeh, F. (2007). Is PowerPoint evil? Students’ perceptions. Review of Business Research, VII (4), p15-19.

Burke, Lisa A.; James, Karen; Ahmadi, Mohammad. Journal of Education for Business, Mar/Apr 2009, Vol.84, Issue 4, p246-251, 6p, 3charts. Retrieved August 24, 2009, from Academic Search Complete.

Craig, Russell; Amernic, Joel H. Innovative Higher Education, 2006, Vol.31 Issue3, p147-160, 14p. Retrieved August 24, 2009, from Academic Search Complete.

Howell, Dusti D., TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, Nov2008, Vol.52, Issue 6, p44-46, 3p, 1chart. Retrieved August 24, 2009, from Academic Search Complete.

Jones, A. M. (2003). The use and abuse of PowerPoint in teaching and learning in the life sciences: A personal overview. Bioscience Eduation eJournal. Retrieved August 10, 2008, from