Using PowerPoint Effectively
– or Not
Examples and Guidelines for the effective
use of PowerPoint
•Slide is too busy
•Color not effective
Well, here’s a lot of text…
One of the benefits of this model is that it allows us to see the importance of an
integrated course and to know when we have one and when we do not. To
illustrate this point, let me describe an extreme case of a un-integrated or disconnected course.
Imagine a course in which the teacher says s/he wants students to (a) “learn all
the important content” and (b) “learn how to think critically about the subject.”
These are the learning goals. But when you examine what actually happens in
class, it is a straight lecture course (this is the “teaching/learning activity”). This
creates the first problem: the teaching/learning activities are NOT aligned with
the learning goals. The students might be able to learn the content from the
lectures, but they definitely are not getting practice and feedback in learning how
to think critically.
Now notice the dilemma this teacher faces when s/he attempts to write the midterm or final exam. S/he can legitimately ask “understand and remember”
questions, i.e., content-related questions. But should s/he include thinking
questions or not?
If s/he does, the assessment part of the course will be properly connected to the
learning goals. But the students will do poorly because they have not had the
appropriate learning activities for critical thinking; hence there will also be a
disconnect between the learning activities and any assessment on critical
thinking.
Less text, but…
One of the benefits of this model is that it allows us to see
the importance of an integrated course and to know when
we have one and when we do not. To illustrate this point, let
me describe an extreme case of a un-integrated or disconnected course.
Imagine a course in which the teacher says s/he wants students to (a) “learn all the important content”
and (b) “learn how to think critically about the subject.” These are the learning goals. But when you
examine what actually happens in class, it is a straight lecture course (this is the “teaching/learning
activity”). This creates the first problem: the teaching/learning activities are NOT aligned with the
learning goals. The students might be able to learn the content from the lectures, but they definitely are
not getting practice and feedback in learning how to think critically.
PowerPoint guidelines
• Overall design
 Use complementary colors
 Contrast text with background
 Don’t let the background distract
 Provide harmony and balance
 Use plenty of white space
 Consider slide transitions
PowerPoint guidelines
• Overall design
 Use complementary colors
 Contrast text with background
 Don’t let the background distract
 Provide harmony and balance
 Use plenty of white space
 Consider slide transitions
PowerPoint guidelines
• Overall design - continued
 Limit information on each slide
 Blank the screen if it distracts from discussion
 Toggle the B or W key on the keyboard
 Use color to
 Organize information
 Enhance meaning
 Avoid bells and whistles that detract from content
PowerPoint guidelines
• Text: Make it readable
 Limit number of lines per screen
 Break sentences into lists
 Use phrases; omit unnecessary words
 Use large size: ≥ 24 point
 Use upper and lower case
 Use novelty fonts sparingly
PowerPoint guidelines
• Text: continued
 Reveal points as you cover them
 Animate text to give visual cues
 e.g., one contrasting view
 e.g., another contrasting view
 e.g., up
 or down
 e.g., out of a picture
 Be consistent with your animations
PowerPoint guidelines
• Use visuals where appropriate
 Images: See CELT or Google images
 http://www.ipfw.edu/celt/
 Charts: import or use PowerPoint built-in charting
 Animation: use PowerPoint or Flash (see CELT)
 Videos: insert or link to external source – e.g., YouTube
 Concept mapping: see CELT
PowerPoint guidelines
• Some examples…
Premise:
Both as individuals and as a
species, humans are
fundamentally social.
Prehistoric evidence
 Law
of survival on the savannah:
“There is safety in numbers.”
n (n-1)
2
Common Sense Survey Results
True
False
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13
Common Sense Survey Results
True
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
3
7
24
31
72 69
45 48
38 31
21
97
76
69
28 31
2
3
10
72
93
1
False
55 52
62 69
79
90
28
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13
Stages of Primary
Socialization
Age
George
Herbert Mead
Egocentric
0-2
 Initially no
separation
 Reflexes
dominate
 6-8 wks: social
smiling
 12 wks: turn
taking
 5-6 mos.: tickling
Jean Piaget
Sensorimotor
Erik Erikson
Trust vs. mistrust
Autonomy vs.
dependency
Stages of Primary
Socialization
Age
George
Herbert Mead
Egocentric
0-2
 Initially no
separation
 Reflexes
dominate
 6-8 wks: social
smiling
 12 wks: turn
taking
 5-6 mos.: tickling
Jean Piaget
Sensorimotor
 Oral discrimination
 Conditioned by signs
 12 wks: contingency
play
 Peekaboo
 6 mos: object
constancy
Erik Erikson
Trust vs. mistrust
Autonomy vs.
dependency
Stages of Primary
Socialization
Age
George
Herbert Mead
Egocentric
0-2
 Initially no
separation
 Reflexes
dominate
 6-8 wks: social
smiling
 12 wks: turn
taking
 5-6 mos.: tickling
Jean Piaget
Sensorimotor
 Oral discrimination
 Conditioned by signs
 12 wks: contingency
play
 Peekaboo
 6 mos: object
constancy
Erik Erikson
Trust vs. mistrust
 Caregiver’s
response
 Needs gratification
 Turn taking
Autonomy vs.
dependency
 Physical
 psychological
Merton’s Typology of Prejudice &
Discrimination
Discriminates?
Merton’s Typology of Prejudice &
Discrimination
Discriminates?
Unprejudiced
Nondiscriminator
Merton’s Typology of Prejudice &
Discrimination
Discriminates?
Prejudiced
Discriminator
Unprejudiced
Nondiscriminator
Merton’s Typology of Prejudice &
Discrimination
Discriminates?
Prejudiced
Discriminator
Prejudiced
Nondiscriminator
Unprejudiced
Nondiscriminator
Merton’s Typology of Prejudice &
Discrimination
Discriminates?
Prejudiced
Discriminator
Prejudiced
Nondiscriminator
Unprejudiced
Discriminator
Unprejudiced
Nondiscriminator
CANALS
Chinese
Native removal
Hispanic colonization
More immigration
from Europe