1. What improvements in attention and effectiveness can be made by using the assertion-evidence slide design in class?
A SoTL Project conducted in Winter 2016 by
Justin Podur
Faculty of Environmental Studies
York University
vs.

2. This talk will show the results of a field-test of an alternative to powerpoint default slide design
The case against ppt defaults
The assertion-evidence design
The field test: environmental management 2400

3. I will first deal with the case against the powerpoint defaults
The case against ppt defaults
Tufte: Powerpoint culture is list culture, it's pitch culture, it's partial sentences and disconnected bullet points. It makes life easy for the presenter but hard for the audience.

4. Powerpoint default presentations collapse complex ideas and disrespect the audience - E. Tufte
If Martin Luther King had Powerpoint

5. Amazon structures meetings around a 6 page memo, read in advance
There are alternatives to powerpoint – E. Tufte
Amazon structures meetings around a 6 page memo, read in advance
Get serious about visuals
Handouts with visuals

6. But if you have a good reason to use powerpoint, then don't use the defaults!

7. Now I will discuss the assertion-evidence design

8. There are now many innovative ways to use powerpoint
Presentation zen
The assertion-evidence design
The assertion
Duarte Design
Lessig method
Comic

9. Assertion-evidence design is used in scientific presentations
The assertion-evidence design

10. Garner et al (2013) found better learning outcomes using assertion-evidence slides
They used default vs assertion-evidence slides and the same audio script, and tested students immediately afterwards on recall and comprehension

11. I field-tested the assertion-evidence slide design in a 2000-level environmental management class
The field test: environmental management 2400

12. Using Moodle Choice polling in-class, students were quizzed and asked how well they followed the lesson
118 registered students
Class Winter Term 2016
Tuesdays 2:30-4:30pm
Regular attendance in lecture ~60
Regularly answered poll questions ~30-40

13. Lessons were broken up into 2-3 parts, with assertion-evidence or default type slides
On the same day, students would experience one module using default slides and one module using AE – and be quizzed throughout.

14. Average number getting the answer right with AE: 27.5 / 40 respondents
Students quizzed slightly better with assertion-evidence slides
Average number getting the answer right with AE: 27.5 / 40 respondents
Average number getting it right with default slides: 25.9 / 39 respondents

15. “How did you feel about this section?”
Students expressed slightly more ease with assertion-evidence slides
“How did you feel about this section?”
AE: “I was able to follow it very easily” / 5
Default: “I was able to follow it very easily” / 5
With great difficulty With difficulty Easily Very easily

16. 10 preferred the powerpoint defaults
When asked directly on the last day of class, with the curtain pulled back:
10 preferred the powerpoint defaults
14 preferred assertion evidence slides

17. Garner et al. (2013) found bigger differences – why?
It was uncontrolled (different lessons) – content variations may have played a role
My AE implementation may have been imperfect
The novelty of in-class polling (and the voluntary nature of each and every poll) may have overridden slide design questions in student's minds
But mostly... I think it's because students are used to powerpoint!
“Will you be posting the slides for this?”

18. Aippersbach, Alley, and Garner found creating AE slides is better for the presenter's learning

19. Taking some novel approach to your visuals (AE, Presentation Zen, Duarte Design, Lessig method, or handouts) will force you to think about how to communicate to your students and may help energize your teaching