Powerpoint: A Different Whiteboard Dr. Thomas Douglas St. John Fisher College 01/09/2008

“PowerPoint: A Different Whiteboard”  Do you use a whiteboard in your classroom presentations? Have you wondered whether it is worthwhile to translate those classroom presentations into PowerPoint? Would you like to use PowerPoint but don’t think that the classroom presentations you currently use with a whiteboard can be translated to PowerPoint?  This session will discuss what I feel are the good and bad points of using PowerPoint in my classes and will demonstrate some of the advanced techniques that I have used to keep students more actively involved in the classroom meeting using PowerPoint.  Session participants who currently use PowerPoint will be encouraged to add their ideas or describe any techniques they use to make PowerPoint more effective in their classrooms.

Powerpoint: A Different Whiteboard  Some good/bad ideas about using Powerpoint  Demonstrating some ideas which can add spontaneity to the class Extra slides internally linked to a page Using shapes to hide and then reveal information Triggered events Overlaying figures Call outs Highlighting using partially transparent shapes

Whiteboards  Things for which I have used a whiteboard (chalkboard) Definitions Ideas & concepts Discussion points Diagrams or sketches of important concepts Equations Important class activities/information

Whiteboards: the bad side  Skipping lines in my notes (and then going back)  Waiting for students to copy information into their notes Or students not listening as they copy the information  Dealing with material copied erroneously  Multiple sections: forgetting to tell the second section something

 Classes are more organized  Multiple sections will have the same material Hard to forget to tell students important information  The printed notes are neater (no copying mistakes)  You don’t have to wait for them to copy notes from the whiteboard to their papers Students can listen while you present the information rather than split their time between listening to you and trying to copy the information This leaves more time for discussion of the point(s) being presented  After the notes are done, it’s only a matter of making minor changes to update them for future years Using Powerpoint: The good side

 To create an effective presentation, the class meeting needs to be generally well-planned ahead of time Appears to take away some spontaneity Might be difficult  The materials have to be typed or inserted into a Powerpoint presentation Requires knowledge of how to use the software Might be difficult for some types of material Is not always easy! Takes time! Is very easy to “overload a slide with too much information” Using Powerpoint: The bad side

What about classroom spontaneity?  When using a whiteboard, I have been known to deviate from my notes Custom Animations in Powerpoint can allow some spontaneity in the class “Planned deviations”!  Extra slides are added to the end of the presentation and they are “spontaneously” shown These are not given in the version made available to students  Do not have to be used in class (e.g. running out of time)  “Unplanned” deviations can, of course, still be done

Some “spontaneous” events  Using shapes to hide and then reveal information The shape is created to hide information It is shown on the page when the page starts It is removed to reveal the information  Accomplished by setting a Custom animation which makes it disappear It can be a special “trigger” for events in Powerpoint  E.g. Presenting multiple answers “out of sequence”  E.g. Showing step-wise processes from figures Can use overlayed figures or “call outs” Can also hide part of a figure and reveal parts

Summary  Some good/bad ideas about using Powerpoint  Demonstrating some idea which can add spontaneity to the class Extra slides internally linked to a page Using shapes to hide and then reveal information Triggered events Overlapping figures Call outs Highlighting using partially transparent shapes

Powerpoint: A Different Whiteboard Questions? Comments from other Powerpoint users?

 What are the most important uses of the whiteboard in a classroom setting? Pop quiz!

 What are the most important uses of the whiteboard in a classroom setting? 1. Definitions 2. Ideas & concepts 3. Discussion points 4. Diagrams or sketches of important concepts 5. Equations 6. Important class activities/information Pop quiz!

Step-wise use of figures  Adding a shape Drawing toolbar: oval shape Set the color to the background (white) to make the shape hide things Create a link to another slide in the presentation

 What are the most important uses of the whiteboard in a classroom setting? 1. Definitions 2. Ideas & concepts 3. Discussion points 4. Diagrams or sketches of important concepts 5. Equations 6. Important class activities/information Pop quiz! ( redux )