Powerfulpoints

Powerpoints can be an effective learning tool, not only as presentations but the ability to turn them into multimodes, such as webquests and online links. My knowledge of creating powerpoints was limited, but I do know what engages me and what doesn't. I have much to learn about creating powerpoint presentations, and found the 'Powerpoint in the classroom' boring and tedious but, it had some helpful information that I did not know before. I have discovered that you can

• create notes for each slide that can be printed out but will not show up on each slide.



• rehearse the time of your slideshow by using the 'rehearse timing feature'.



• that you could a movies via the 'movie from gallery' feature.

These features will be extremly helpful and will save me time and hopefully make my presentations more effective in the future. Another feature that I recently stumbled on was when I am creating vectors(animations) in Coreldraw and illustrator, that there is no need to cut and paste them onto the powerpoint, you just simply drag them and then create the movement there. This will save me a lot of time also.

Another way of using powerpoints is to create games so that you "make the students part of the learning process". I have included a link below to an interesting Youtube clip 'Using training games to teach in the classroom' it uses games to teach core content' which shows how it can be used to prompt students to think and answer, mainly through visual clues. By using powerpoints as gsmes, all the intelligences would be engaged. Through the use os Howard Gardners (1991) Multiple intelligences theory, the images, and videos will aid the visual learner, the hands on interaction will engage the kinesthetic learner, music and clips for the musical, group activities for the interpersonal and investigations for the intrapersonal, and finally music and verbal speech for the linguisyic learners.

Powerpoints can be powerful if used correctly. We all have seen the clip 'Death by Powerpoint', and understand that it should be used more as a visual cue not the crutch of the lesson. I find that keeping visuals and movements to a mininum has a greater impact as too much can be distracting and annoying. As Prensky (2005) discussed visuals it was not just about fancy graphics but about good ideas and how we use them. As a visual person a do prefer images and I think they are an effective resource if used creatively and correctly.

Links
Powepoint in the classroom - http://www.actden.com/pp/

Using traing games to teach in the classroom - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omnxZJPIuIs

References
Prensky, M. (2005). Engage me or enrage me: What today's learners demand. Retrieved August 4, 2009, from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0553.pdf

Gardner, H (2001). Gardner’s multiple intelligences. Retrieved July 24, 2009 from http://www.kurwongbss.eq.edu.au/thinking/MI%20Smarts.htm