white boards and power points
both of these methods are benefical but don't read the power point use it only as a reference the student can read the presentation you have to be able to deliver the content yourself
Cecil:
Resources such as PPT's really are only tools. Using a carpentry analogy, the hammer or saw is not the focus but the project in it's finished form. So are educational tools. They should not be the focus of the learning but rather an adjunct that facilitates the learning.
That said, good instructors will utililize effective tools that assist them in obtaining desired student learning outcomes. Used appropriately agumenting instructional lessons with visuals such as is available with the white board and PPTs can help get accoss important points. This is especially true for the visual dominant learner.
Regards, Barry
I don't pass out the power points insted I use them as a guide for lecture and they can refer to the powe point during the lecture to help with taking notes and underline the most important topics discussed within the chapter. I also let the student know that it is their responsibility to learn the material covered in the chapter reading. I give examples using the power point also use it to help keep me grounded on the topic in order so it can make sense. I also use the whiteboard to complete class examples we perform together before compelteing an assignment.
Hi Vonia:
Sounds like you've adopted a good utilization for PPT's.
PPT's can be very dynamic and really help to provide needed information. Similarly, they can be overly bulky, uninteresting, and frankly, boring. I think it really takes a lot of care to to craft quality PPT slides.
It's helpful that many of the publishers now provide instructors with professional grade PPT slides that accompany the text. But as you mentioned, these can only supplement the lecture material, not serve as a substitute for the lesson.
Your use of PPT slides as an outline to keep on track is a good personal observation of one of the true and effective purposes of using a power point. That, along with your whiteboad augumentation should be providing your students a good instructional environment for learning.
Regards, Barry
I don't use power point either, since I teach Math, it's easier to put examples on the White Boards. So then, the student can see it being worked. Also I let them got to the boeard and use a different color marker to try and teach the others. I have noticed if the student can explain it, then they understand it better. Try by error is the best way for mathmatics.
Hi Darin:
I'd agree that paper and pencil along with white board exercises is useful when instructing math.
With that said, I think there is a place for PPT's in math, and just about any other subject.
Examples for PPT in math might be when you are laying out basic principles, terminology, case studies, applications, or even worked examples.
Essentialy, PPT is best used to augment a teacher's lecture or provide more interesting information as the teacher speaks, such as notes, charts, graphs, or images.
Regards, Barry
I find an exceptional tool is to display the Power Point Presentation onto a white board.
In this way, you can have a slide with basic information, and then you can add to the slide by writing on the white baord...in this way, you have the slide plus some additional information.
Students will then feel that additional information is being given to them.
This also works well if you have a diagram or picture. You can draw arrows or side notes to the diagram (using colored markers helps as well).
I get a good response using this method.
Hi Ajith:
Good idea! I know many instructors use this technique, and it is quite useful. You can also have students come to the board and make comments, add to the diagram, label, or make other colored markings just as you would. A varitation of students marking on a PPT slide is having a student or students come to the board and write key information to the side. Then you reveal the next slide and see how many key points they touched on.
Rehards, Barry
I do not pass out the slides either, Vonia. I have found that the students will try to "work ahead" and miss the points I am trying to highlight. I do post the slides on the student's class home page however, in the event they want to review them in the completion of assignments or while reviewing for an exam.
The slides also keep me focused and on task so I am able to cover the material as planned. They are wonderful however, if we become engaged in a lively classroom discussion and must "pick up where we left off," during the next class session!
I also incorporate many pictures into my slides, some serious, some goofy....they keep the student's interest and adding levity to a lecture never hurt anyone!
Hi Laurie:
Good ideas all. Reading ahead is problematic when all of the information on the slide is simply going to be repeated. However, if the bullet points or statements are simply summary of a lengthier discussion provided by the instructor, there may less looking ahead. That's likely as in your "lively dicussion" occasions.
I think it's human nature to take a peek at what's coming next or how much information is prepared. But it's your discussion at the time with access to the PPT's later on that makes for a good lesson.
Regards, Barry
I teach in adult technical education. Our PP is laden with technical information and procedures, which can be very boring. We do give out the slides in paper form to the students and hope that they read and absorb it. When there is a fair amount of information I try to encapsulate the information and transversely, when there are bullets, I expand. PP and the white board when used at the same time can cause a distraction of "dueling" information. After a point is made in one media it should be removed before moving on with the other type of media unless it is supportive of that point. I feel that to effectively teach, we must minimize the distractions and keep the student focused on the lesson at hand.
Hi Michael:
Information overload can be a distraction if not handled correctly. You've identified one approach.
In my classrooms, the dry erase boards and the LCD screen are near the front but not obstructing each other. This prevents having to move the screen in order to emphasize or amplify a point, or, perhaps, respond to a question.
Understandably, not every classroom can have this luxury. Therefore, keeping to one form of media at a time is probably best. In fact, the form of media should not be the focus of attention, rather the information it provides. As instructors, we should use these different forms of media as tools to accomplish a specific task.
Reagrds, Barry
Yes reading the power point is not even profetional because you telliing your student that you are not prepar for the class.
HI BARRY, I HAVE FOUND THAT THE USE OF POWER POINT AS A GUIDE OR FORMAT DURING A LECTURE CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE SPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH TIME CONSTRAINS, IT KEEPS THE INSTRUCTOR GROUNDED TO THE MATERIAL OF THE DAY.
I think this is a great idea. My drawing skills on the white board leave a lot to be desired. I would like to use PPT but my skills are inadequate. Are there any sites, other than the one listed, that would give me a short and sweet education?
Hi James:
As for PPT lessons, if the computer you're working on has PPT loaded, you can always search the "Help" icon and search for tips on specific commands to achieve a desired effect. However, I have found the very basic, "Plane-Jane" type presentations are satisfactory as long the information is concise, brief, and supports the topic at hand. Remember that PPT is just a tool, not intended to be the focus of attention.
Regards, Barry
Good instructors will utililize effective tools to stress the point of the lesson.
Hi Joe:
Good point. Deciding and identifying what is effective can be thought provoking, depending on the topic.
Regards, Barry
We are often looking at electrical diagrams in our power points that we display on white boards.
It is helpful because we can write on the diagram in question to show important areas or where faults are located in a circuit.
Hi John:
Great. Terrific way to bring a static PPT slide to life with on-the-spot emphasis of instructor-directed highlighting.
Regards, Barry
