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An Observation on the Over Reliance on Power Point. By James Paul Zaworski
15

An observation on the over reliance on power

Jan 26, 2015

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Education

James Zaworski

Many educators rely too heavily on power point presentations, and do so often at the expense of their teaching and at the expense of student's interest, and ability to learn.
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Page 1: An observation on the over reliance on power

An Observation on the Over Reliance on Power Point.

By James Paul Zaworski

Page 2: An observation on the over reliance on power

Power Point is a Wonderful Tool in Education.

• I have been an educator for the past fifteen years, and have seen the utility of power point as an educational tool.

• Power point is a great way to illustrate and emphasize, and augment.

• Power point is not the only tool one can use to teach.

Page 3: An observation on the over reliance on power

Teaching a Class With Power Point.

• I have been in schools and institutions which use power point exclusively in the classroom.

• The classes ranged in length from 50 minutes to two hours.

• I have also taught in institutions where there is no power point available at all.

• At best, power point is useful with moderate use.

Page 4: An observation on the over reliance on power

Students Get Bored With Power Point.

• I am currently teaching in a university where power point is available in every classroom.

• Power point is used nearly all the time by all of the lecturers and professors.

• My use of power point has markedly decreased in the five semesters I have been teaching here, as students have told me “power point is boring”.

Page 5: An observation on the over reliance on power

My “10% Power Point Rule”.

• If I use power point in my classes, these days, I do so about 10% of the time, and usually in the first week of class, or to illustrate certain abstract ideas to make them more concrete.

• After the first or second week, I ask the students “do you want a ppt, or the white board and me?”

• Invariably, they want the whiteboard and me.

Page 6: An observation on the over reliance on power

The Novelty of “No ppt”

• Who would have thought that not using ppt was a new and radical idea?

• My students, for one, find it refreshing.• I have 178 students this semester, and they

love our classes, and especially since we do not use power point!

Page 7: An observation on the over reliance on power

Teachers/Lecturers Rely Too Much on Power Point

• I used to manage teachers, and train teachers.• Lesson planning is always very important.• Power point lessons were always part of lesson

planning, to help to teach the class.• It was always a rule of thumb to be prepared for

your class, with a hard copy of your lesson plan in hand.

• A prepared teacher knows what to teach, without a ppt.

Page 8: An observation on the over reliance on power

Power Point as an Excuse For Unprepared Teaching.

• One of my biggest criticisms of using Power Point to teach a class is that teachers and lecturers come to class unprepared, and rely on the ppt to teach the class for them.

• What if the projector breaks?• What is there is a computer virus that

prevents you from using your ppt?• Can you teach your class?

Page 9: An observation on the over reliance on power

Power Point Banned by Fermi!

• Advanced physics lab shuns PowerPoint, embraces the white board

• “With only a whiteboard, you have your ideas and a pen in your hand.”—Andrew Askew, Assistant Professor, Florida State University.

• http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/fermilab-shuns-powerpoint-embraces-social-media/

Page 10: An observation on the over reliance on power

Computer Assisted Learning

• So many educators in so many fields thought the advent of computers in classrooms would mark a revolution in the way we learn.

• Twenty and thirty years on, have computers really made us smarter, better, more analytical and more productive?

• Has “SMART” technology been a revolution in learning, or in marketing?

Page 11: An observation on the over reliance on power

Conclusion.

• Go ahead, use Power Point.• Use it sparingly.• Use it to augment your teaching.• Don’t use it as a substitute for your teaching.• If you do, you will suck as a teacher, and you

will be replaced by a computer!• --James Paul Zaworski, 2014

Page 12: An observation on the over reliance on power
Page 13: An observation on the over reliance on power

The Famous US Army ppt slide.

http://blogs.computerworld.com/sites/default/themes/cw_blogs/cache/files/u98/ppoint.jpg

Page 15: An observation on the over reliance on power

References cont’d.

• http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/fermilab-shuns-powerpoint-embraces-social-media/