AGSC 325
Power Point
Presentation Discussion
Many
teachers today utilize power point as a teaching tool, some effectively and
others ineffectively. Power points should be used only if the students will
benefit from its use; it should be clear, concise, easy to read and straight to
the point. Colors, font size, amount of information per slide, relation to the
lesson plan, and student learning styles all play a vital role in the success
of a power point.
Color
is perhaps the most important aspect merely because when bad color choices are
made, students can not see the words on the slides. Teachers should use dark
wording with a light background or vice versa. Red lettering should not be used
because it is difficult to read on the screen. I chose a background of black
and writing it bright blue. It is very easy to read and is much catchier than
simply a black and white scheme. I chose a non-footed font and used a larger
font size for the titles and a slightly smaller one for the remaining information.
When making a slide, one should generally follow the 6-by-6 rule; that is six
words per line and six lines per slide. If there is more information needed,
add another slide. Too much information makes it difficult for the students to
read and it is just too simple to not take advantage of adding another slide.
When
presenting the power point to students, I will give explanation of all of the
information on the slides and ask them to take notes. This will help visual and
verbal learners by allowing the lesson to be seen and heard. One must be
certain to incorporate an activity for kinesthetic learners as well, such as a
game or hands on activity. A power point gives students the opportunity to get
the information in three ways, and they will learn as long as they are
incorporating one or more of the three which are- listening to the explanation,
looking at the screen or taking notes to help them comprehend and understand
the information. As long as the teacher makes the power point colorful, easily
read and understood, and full of interesting pictures and information, students
should have no problem understanding and retaining the information.
Some teachers take advantage of the
simplicity of the power point and use it ineffectively and at inopportune times.
Power points should not be used if the students will not benefit from them and
they should not be used for every single lesson. One of the key characteristics
of an effective teacher is variability; this means presenting the material to
students in different ways and not merely a power point every single day. As
long as power points are used at the right times and the previously stated
rules are followed, teachers should reap the benefits of a job well done.
This
is a very helpful assignment for future teachers as we will often use power
points to present lessons to students. The rules mentioned previously are key
components to creating a successful power point for students. This was an
opportunity to create something we will actually need for student teaching and
our professional careers.