Effective PowerPoint Presentation Communication Skills Effective PowerPoint Presentation

Outline Do you need PowerPoint? The Outline Slide Layout Fonts, Color and Background Graphs Spelling and Grammar Conclusion Slide Questions Slide

Do you need PowerPoint?

Do you need PowerPoint? PowerPoint can help a speaker gain and then keep an audience’s attention PowerPoint can improve listener understanding PowerPoint can save time and add interest Pictures can aid by making a visual connection to an abstract idea Particularly good for graphs and instructional diagrams

The Outline 1st or 2nd slide should have an outline Follow outline for your presentation Place main points on outline slide

Slide Layout Use 1-2 slides per minute of your presentation Write in point form, not complete sentences Include 4-5 points per slide Avoid wordiness: use key words and phrases only

Slide Layout – Bad This page contains too many words for a presentation slide. It is not written in point form, making it difficult both for your audience to read and for you to present each point. Although there are exactly the same number of points on this slide as the previous slide, it looks much more complicated. In short, your audience will spend too much time trying to read this paragraph instead of listening to you.

Slide Layout Show one point at a time: Will help audience concentrate on what you are saying Will prevent audience from reading ahead Will help you keep your presentation focused

Slide Layout – Bad Example Types of Instructional Tools Discovery Learning Individual Constructive Tools Social Constructive Tools Too many in one go! Informational Tools Guided Inquiry Mode of Instruction Individual Instructive Tools Social Communicative Tools Examples of individual instructive tools include traditional tutorial and drill and practice types of programmers. They are typically designed to be used by individuals and are good tools for supporting basic information and knowledge such as the multiplication table. Informative tools provide necessary materials and resources for students to construct their knowledge. Examples of such technologies include encyclopedias and Internet resources. Individual constructive tools are multimedia authoring tools, spreadsheets, word processors, simulations, etc., which can support guided inquiry and can be used constructively. Social communicative tools include video conferencing, lab management systems, multimedia e-mailing and similar systems, which enable communicative processes between users. These tools, however, do not provide the means to organize knowledge and discussions. Social constructive tools, for example, document sharing, computer-supported intentional learning environments (CSILE), MindBridges, MUDs (Multi-User Domain) and MOOs (MUD Object-Oriented) are computer-mediated environments that support the social constructivistic process. These environments generically allow users to negotiate knowledge. Students would be able to generate knowledge and organize their ideas with the support of systems such as CSILE and MindBridges, which thread student discussions along thematic spaces. Direct Instruction Individual Pair Group Complexity of Interactions

Slide Layout – Good Example Types of Instructional Tools Discovery Learning Individual Constructive Tools Social Constructive Tools Progressive & thus focused Informational Tools Guided Inquiry Mode of Instruction Individual Instructive Tools Social Communicative Tools Examples of individual instructive tools include traditional tutorial and drill and practice types of programmers. They are typically designed to be used by individuals and are good tools for supporting basic information and knowledge such as the multiplication table. Informative tools provide necessary materials and resources for students to construct their knowledge. Examples of such technologies include encyclopedias and Internet resources. Individual constructive tools are multimedia authoring tools, spreadsheets, word processors, simulations, etc., which can support guided inquiry and can be used constructively. Social communicative tools include video conferencing, lab management systems, multimedia e-mailing and similar systems, which enable communicative processes between users. These tools, however, do not provide the means to organize knowledge and discussions. Social constructive tools, for example, document sharing, computer-supported intentional learning environments (CSILE), MindBridges, MUDs (Multi-User Domain) and MOOs (MUD Object-Oriented) are computer-mediated environments that support the social constructivistic process. These environments generically allow users to negotiate knowledge. Students would be able to generate knowledge and organize their ideas with the support of systems such as CSILE and MindBridges, which thread student discussions along thematic spaces. Direct Instruction Individual Pair Group Complexity of Interactions

Slide Layout Do not use distracting animation Do not go overboard with animation Be consistent with animation you use Slide transitions should not be distracting Be consistent with transitions

Slide Layout – Transition This transition is annoying, not enhancing "Appear" and "Disappear" are better

Slide Layout – Bad Animation 7 ft Too distracting !

Slide Layout – Good Animation 7 ft Simple & to the point

Fonts Use different size fonts for main points and secondary points this font is 24-point, main point font is 28-point Use a standard font like Times New Roman or Arial Use at least an 18-point font This is Arial 12 This is Arial 18 This is Arial 24 This is Arial 32

Fonts – Bad CAPITALIZE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ If you use a small font, your audience won’t be able to read what you have written CAPITALIZE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ Don’t use a complicated font Italics are difficult to read on screen

Color Use a color of font that contrasts sharply with the background Light on dark vs. dark on light Use color to emphasize a point But only use this occasionally

Color – Example This is light on dark Use a color of font that contrasts sharply with the background Light on dark vs. dark on light This is light on dark

Color – Example This is dark on light Use a color of font that contrasts sharply with the background Light on dark vs. dark on light This is dark on light

Color – Bad Using a font color that does not contrast with the background color is hard to read Using color for decoration is distracting and annoying. Using a different color for each point is unnecessary Using a different color for secondary points is also unnecessary Trying to be creative can also be bad

Background Use a simple background Use backgrounds that contrast with text Use the same background consistently throughout your presentation

Background – Bad Avoid backgrounds that are distracting or difficult to read from

Graphs Use graphs rather than just charts and words Data in graphs is easier to comprehend and retain than is raw data Always title your graphs

Graphs – Bad Example

Graphs – Good Example

Graphs – Bad Example

Spelling and Grammar Proof your slides for: speling mistakes the use of of repeated words grammatical errors you might have make Have someone check your presentation

Conclusion Slide Use a conclusion slide to: Summarize the main points of your presentation

Questions Slide End your presentation with a simple question slide to: Invite your audience to ask questions Avoid ending a presentation abruptly

Effective PowerPoint Presentation Questions?