1. Blackboards, PowerPoint and Tablet PCs in the Classroom Lecturer, Department of Physics University of Toronto Collaborators: David Harrison, Ruxandra Serbanescu

2. Talk Outline PowerPoint versus Tablet / Blackboard PowerPoint versus Tablet / Blackboard How we process visual information How we process visual information The advantage of the large field of view of a blackboard The advantage of the large field of view of a blackboard When a Tablet PC is appropriate When a Tablet PC is appropriate Case Studies: Classes of 1000, 35, and 85 students Case Studies: Classes of 1000, 35, and 85 students

3. Our experience in a 1700 seat auditorium We taught calculus-based physics to 900 students in one huge section Big central screen, two side screens Tried pure Powerpoint for one quarter Other 3 quarters we used Tablet PC on central screen for real time development Major results, images on side screens Student survey showed preference for Tablet PC method “Medium Pen” was more readable than “Fine Pen”

4. Teaching Physics in a 1700 Student Auditorium

5. This Talk is Canned “Students make it clear that simply replacing the use of the blackboard by a PowerPoint presentation offers them the opportunity to sleep in the dark…” “… even awake, they miss a key element in the learning process: observing a professor think in real time, as he or she develops material step by step.” - quotes from U of T Academic Planning Document, Office of the Vice President and Provost, “Stepping Up: 2004 – 2010”

6. PowerPoint So why am I using it????! The information I’m delivering is descriptive, result-based (…as opposed to analytical or method-based) Audience is familiar with the context You’ve seen this kind of stuff before! You want me to hurry up and tell you the end result! PowerPoint is not the best way to teach new, long argument-based material to an unfamiliar audience. SUCKS!

7. Our experience in a 100 seat classroom – smaller class We taught second year physics to 35 students 14 lectures: Tablet PC presentation, using PowerPoint as well as real-time notes using “digital ink” 21 lectures: Blackboard presentation, plus Tablet PC PowerPoint on the side-screen Student survey showed blackboard-focused method was preferred

8. How We Process Visual Information The visual field has three regions:  Foveal - central 2 degrees of our gaze  Parafoveal - extends 5 degrees out from centre  Peripheral - region beyond parafovea Studies of eye movements show:  Our eyes remain still during fixations (0.2 – 0.3 seconds)  Our eyes move very quickly during unconscious saccades (30-50 milliseconds)

9. How We Process Visual Information When reading, 10-15% of saccades are regressions. Regressive saccades increase with complexity of the text. Sometimes readers jump back many lines. Very large regressive saccades involve spatial memory. If previous text is no longer in the visual field, reading becomes more difficult. If previous text is no longer in the visual field, reading becomes more difficult.

10. How We Process Visual Information When reading, 10-15% of saccades are regressions. Regressive saccades increase with complexity of the text. Sometimes readers jump back many lines. Very large regressive saccades involve spatial memory. If previous text is no longer in the visual field, reading becomes more difficult. If previous text is no longer in the visual field, reading becomes more difficult. The visual field has three regions:  Foveal - central 2 degrees of our gaze  Parafoveal - extends 5 degrees out from centre  Peripheral - region beyond parafovea Studies of eye movements show:  Our eyes remain still during fixations (0.2 – 0.3 seconds)  Our eyes move very quickly during unconscious saccades (30-50 milliseconds) …maybe I should have presented it this way?

11. Blackboards in traditional classrooms have multiple panels Field of view is much larger than a single screen Much more text is visible at once Larger regressive saccades are possible Multiple panels can be planned to display one argument Students can review the argument as a whole. Advantages of Blackboards

12. Comparing Visual Fields Sheet of Paper, held 32 cm away from eyes: 17 x 23 degrees Back of 100 seat classroom (9 m away): Back of 200 seat classroom (15 m away): Back of 1700 seat auditorium (about 60 m away): 4 blackboard panels, each 2.2 x 1.1 m Projection Screen in room All pictures drawn to the same angular scale 7x5m screen

13. Visual Fields are Not the Whole Story Readability of writing depends mainly on Thickness of strokes Distance of reader from board Readability also depends on Size of letters Lighting on board Cleanliness of board Distance of student from the board should not exceed about 10 m BUT:

14. Our experience in a 200 seat classroom – medium class We taught Physics for the Humanities to 85 students Most lectures: Tablet PC presentation, with occasional window-switches to images and animations 1 lecture: Blackboard presentation Student survey showed strong preference for Tablet PC. Students said it was “more readable”.

15. Easily readable readableDifficult to read Blackboard Visibility

16. View from the back of a 200 seat classroom, 15 m away Whiteboard or BlackboardTablet PC

17. Conclusions PowerPoint may not be the best way to present long arguments to a student audience. Blackboards offer:  Large field of view – easier to read and process text  Real time development of material Check readability of your presentation method from the back row! When blackboard is too distant to read, Tablet PC offers a readable alternative – but field of view is sacrificed.