PowerPoint Presentations Why use PowerPoint? Amount of information Font Color Extras Examples

Why use PowerPoint? Reach different learning styles Reinforce key information Give clear prompts for assignments Move presentation directly to your web site Keeps instructor organized and on task Serves as Ockham’s razor 1. Visual, color, contrast + usual aural. Especially today’s ‘visual generation’. Non-native speakers of English who need time. Easier to see in a large class. 2. Gives structure, context for information. See it (in color) and remember it. 3. Students often forget what they’re supposed to be doing. This helps them refocus often. 4. Your presentation becomes a resource for studying--once made, it can be referred to many times at students’ convenience. 5. Helps them learn to take notes: there’s a main topic/idea + information, examples to explain it. (my students take notes for the whole class: start out only copying the slides, learn to fill in from what I’m saying)

Amount of information Less is more A good rule: Ockham’s razor: “entities are not to be multiplied beyond necessity” Less is more A good rule: No more than 7 words per line. No more than 7 lines per slide. What do I really want them to know? William of Ockham (1285-1349?) --English, died in Munich? --Franciscan philosopher “Rule” = guidelines to keep in mind

Why use PowerPoint? PowerPoint allows me to reach students of different learning styles because it adds a visual element to my oral presentation. This is especially important because today’s students seem to be more visual than other generations. It helps reinforce the key information in my presentation and keeps student interest focused on the front of the room. It allows me to give students clear prompts for their assignments, especially in-class assignments. They can always look up to refocus their attention to the assigned task. A PowerPoint presentation can be moved directly to your web site so that students can look at it again after class and as many times as they want. PowerPoint forces an instructor to organize his or her lecture and presentation material and keeps them on track and focused. It serves as Ockham’s razor by helping me structure my thoughts.

Why use PowerPoint? Reach different learning styles Reinforce key information Give clear prompts for assignments Move presentation directly to your web site Keeps instructor organized and on task Serves as Ockham’s razor 1. Visual, color, contrast + usual aural. Especially today’s ‘visual generation’. Non-native speakers of English who need time. Easier to see in a large class. 2. Gives structure, context for information. See it (in color) and remember it. 3. Students often forget what they’re supposed to be doing. This helps them refocus often. 4. Your presentation becomes a resource for studying--once made, it can be referred to many times at students’ convenience. 5. Next slide.

Font Choose font size and type for your particular context. Use same font for continuity. Use 2 contrasting fonts to organize information, for emphasis. -- Comic Sans & Arial --

Font Legibility ALL CAPS vs. Upper & Lower case

Font Style Serif Which of these is easier to read? (Times New Roman 36) Sans Serif Which of these is easier to read? (Arial 32)

60: Read this. Font Size 44: Read this. 40: Read this. 36: Read this.

Color Uses: contrast, emphasis, interest Contrast between text & background -- computer projection: dark background, light text -- overhead projector: light background, dark text With newer computer projectors, this difference is minimal

Color Uses: contrast, emphasis, interest Contrast between text & background -- computer projection: dark background, light text -- overhead projector: light background, dark text light background, dark text

Color Use a consistent color scheme for continuity. Avoid reds & greens. Use color sparingly for emphasis. Don’t get carried away!

Slide Transitions Chose one transition and use for all sides Transition should be (almost) transparent Used to draw viewer to the next slide

Extras: Pictures & Animation

Group Discussion How do maps influence our thinking about the world?

Individual Midterm Grades A B C D F 16 41 49 43 22

Images Generate interest Illustrate points Decorate Visual Literacy Content Font Color Amount Extras Visual Literacy

Visual Literacy Russia: From Empire to Federation

Russia: From Empire to Federation

Russia: From Empire to Federation

Russia: From Empire to Federation

Public Speaking Rule 1: Know Your Subject

Public Speaking Rule 2: Know Your Audience

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. . . . It is a period of peace, with explorers setting off to find and study new ideas. A group of students, working together, have managed to reach a new galaxy, and are looking for other travelers there. You are those students, and you have to decide where you will touch down to look for fellow travelers. . . A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. . . . We’re going to take a trip, looking for culture. Let’s choose a small place, someplace not too hard to navigate. Where are we?. You’re all familiar with reports of the moon--where are we going to find culture there? Why won’t we find it? -->culture is a product of life/people Let’s go to the place nearest.