Powerpoint
A definition or overview of educational purposes of this application
PowerPoint- part of the Microsoft Office suite - was initially developed for business applications as an aid to making presentations – but is one of the most popular applications in schools. There has been some criticism of this use of technology, for detail, see readings below.
Classroom examples
- Teachers First: Search by topic and level
- Education World: Creating classroom presentations
- Dr Alice Christie’s – Using PowerPoint in the classroom
- Microsoft Education: use PowerPoint to develop an interactive story (where the reader decides which path to take when reading the story in a slideshow) or create a photo album using PowerPoint
Hint sheets on how to use the application
Some readings
[We have focused on articles that are readily available at RMIT, usually via the Library’s databases and e-journals]
- Carello, C. (2002). Hi-tech presentations; Are they powerful or pointless? Teaching with technology today, 9(3)
[Short article addressing student learning when using PowerPoint themselves, compared with overhead projector] - McKenzie, J. (2002). Scoring power points. From Now On the Educational Technology Journal, 10(1). Retrieved 8 November, 2008
[Offers “antidotes for powerpoint poisoning” – presentations that are all show and no substance] - Murray, B. (2002). Tech enrichment or overkill? Monitor on Psychology, 33 (4)
[Presents a critical view of the use of PowerPoint - gives some good tips on effective PowerPoint presentations] - Tufte, E. (2003). Powerpoint is evil. Wired Magazine, 11(9).
[Argues that slideware such as power point may “help speakers outline their talks, but convenience for the speaker can be punishing to both content and audience.” With comments such as “PowerPoint's pushy style seeks to set up a speaker's dominance over the audience” – this article is a must read for reflective educators]