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PowerPoint Reform: a first chapterJanuary 20, 2008 After 10 years, it was time. We could not sit through another bullet-ridden, brain-numbing student presentation. We interviewed the kids. For them it was just as bad.They dreaded each others' PowerPoints. Though we've been using other tools for communication, sometimes the slideshow really seems the best choice. We knew that presentation styles had changed. At conferences and on websites we'd seen so many effective examples. But we knew that breaking 10 years of bad habits was going to be a process. And with PowerPoint so ingrained in our culture, we also expected a fight. So, with Senior Seminar research presentations looming, about two months ago we began our focus on change. Technology coach Ken Rodoff and I worked with classroom teachers to break bad habits. We worked with one English class preparing presentations on Ethan Frome and four Senior Seminar classes. What we shared:
Among the resources we used:
Posted by Joyce Valenza Ph.D on January 20, 2008 | Comments (37)
January 21, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Stephanie Willen Brown commented: I heard Garr Reynolds & some other PowerPoint colleagues talk about presentation skills in a recent podcast. What struck me from that discussion was that we need to teach presentation skills much as we teach writing & math skills. Glad to see someone is taking this on at the school level -- I will try to do it in grad school, but it's going to be tough ...
January 21, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter av2learner commented: Thanks for sharing such relevant and true to life experiences with us.
January 22, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Heather commented: Thanks for this post. I've forwarded it to my faculty as a reinforcement to a discussion we'd had previously about PPT and how it's being misused by students (and teacher!). This gives them an example of another way to develop PPT lessons. Unfortunately, only the TED and Cliff Atkinson's Beyond Bulletts links are viewable -- our district blocks all wikis and most blogs. I doubt my teachers will take the time to look at this from home. Luckily, your blog is still accessable!
January 23, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Ashley commented:
January 24, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Tracy commented: I join you in this mission to improve students' powerpoint presentations. It is a slow effort, but I too encouraged students to complete their slides using the suggestions you cited: more pictures, etc. I am anxious to look at your resources. Thanks.
January 24, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Robyn commented: I have started doing this recently as well, with examples of boring and interesting ppts. I also require a link to a video and links to informative websites. This has really seemed to help.
January 28, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter LaDonna commented: Great info! I will be forwarding this to our network manager who is getting ready to do pd on "basic" powerpoint. We'll see if he teaches bullets or creativity.
January 30, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Randy commented: This is good information for teachers as well as students. Even our teachers get caught up in the production of a powerpoint and lose the focus on content of the presentation.
January 30, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Library Adviser commented: A very timely posting, which has inspired library advisers in our area (in NZ) to take a fresh look at the tools we're using in our presentations to teachers and school library staff.
March 10, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Tracy commented: Like a previous poster, I, too, am studying secondary education at ISU. During my time in school, I have suffered through too many boring power point presentations. For some people, it is akin to reading off notecards, only now we get too see the notecards, too! I think too many people use the power point as the presentation, rather than an aid. I think the tips you gave will help me use the power point more effectively in the future, as both an educator and a student. I especially liked your ideas on how to search for pictures more creativly, like searching for a concept rather an actual image. I also think it is so important to lessen the restraints we put on students. For exaple, you mentioned not requiring a specific number of slides. Putting too many requirements on a project stifles creativity and makes people to that specified amount, just to fulfill a teacher's request. I hope to pass this information on to my future students.
March 10, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Tracy commented: Like a previous poster, I, too, am studying secondary education at ISU. During my time in school, I have suffered through too many boring power point presentations. For some people, it is akin to reading off notecards, only now we get too see the notecards, too! I think too many people use the power point as the presentation, rather than an aid. I think the tips you gave will help me use the power point more effectively in the future, as both an educator and a student. I especially liked your ideas on how to search for pictures more creativly, like searching for a concept rather an actual image. I also think it is so important to lessen the restraints we put on students. For exaple, you mentioned not requiring a specific number of slides. Putting too many requirements on a project stifles creativity and makes people to that specified amount, just to fulfill a teacher's request. I hope to pass this information on to my future students.
May 9, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Susan Ettenheim commented: Joyce - You continue to disrupt my life and allow me to disrupt in the most positive way, the lives of those around me. Thank you! We're going to join you in this crusade!
May 10, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter joycevalenza commented: Welcome aboard, Susan!
May 19, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Brett commented: Yeah I agree thank you for the insight
May 19, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Devin Grant commented: wow just wow this was pretty boring thanks for wasting 8 minutes of my life.I love bullets let them stay in my powerpoint
May 19, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter HOW DARE YOU!!! commented: HOW DARE YOU "DEVIN GRANT"!!!
May 19, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Brandon Fryza commented: Bullets are hot! They pretty much rule
June 9, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Michael D. commented: Joyce,
June 26, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Mark Gudger commented: Excellent! Even at the master’s degree level, the flying clip art shows up in virtually every presentation. I actually had a professor that took off a couple of points for my not incorporating animation in my presentation! I pointed out that the presentation was geared toward adults, not kindergartners and just because you can do it, doesn’t mean you should. He gave the points back...Rock on presentation reformers!
June 26, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter JJ Avinger-Jacques commented: This is so timely for me to read. My Teacher-Librarian cohort just gave our first in-class presentations and they ran the gamut! I just watched your link to PP Extreme Makeover and what a lot of fantastic pointers to make our presentations so much more engaging. Thank you for blogging about this for one newbie!
June 26, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Seri commented: Well, I'm glad I read this post! I've been thinking I'm pretty savvy because I learned to put together a power point presentation last year! :) Guess I'll need to take what I've learned and evolve!
June 26, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter JTreistman commented: It's all about adapting and improving. I see my Teacher-Librarian cohort precedes me (again). We all sat through each other's 15 minute presentations - our culminating projects. The better we get at the skills the more we'll be rockin'! Don't forget to keep light on your feet and look for the humor in things.
June 26, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Sherri commented: This info comes just after I presented for my graduate level cohort. I could see that I may have been able to achieve some of the suggestions, and I'll continue to strive for better. Thanks for the outlined thoughts. I am a person who does like to visually see information bulleted because the ideas are clearer to me. I'll work on the idea of using more slides and images to convey the main point with no bullets. Great Info!
September 7, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Herschel Sarnoff commented: I used Powerpoint in my last 7 years teaching Social Studies and GIS. They were the most powerful teaching tools I had yet encountered. I agree with much of the criticism but if you get it right Powerpoint is best instructional tool we have now. My Powerpoints were so successful that upon retiring I started a small company and have been selling many thousands to teachers around the world.
September 7, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter joycevalenza commented: Herschel, I agree absolutely. It's not the software, it's the way we've come to use or misuse it.
September 17, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter pcosten commented: I am sharing this with the members of my team, and I plan on using these guidelines in my classroom. Thanks so much!
October 19, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter ramerson commented: For years I have watched high schoolers create a 10 slide ppt in a few minutes that sang and danced and earned them an A, while never having learned one fact. I began to work with a few teachers to develop using one ppt slide as an electronic poster with minimal text and powerful images. They used the notes feature in ppt for keywords that would help them present a 3 minute speech on their topic. It works great!
October 20, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Thing #4 -Jennifer coleman commented: I like the way you have discussed different and creative ways to enhance PowerPoints. I think kids would be interested if you put something different than the basic bullets and numbering. I love Word Art and Clip Art. I think these would be a nice touch.
October 21, 2008
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Jennifer commented: The point is to move beyond WordArt and Clipart to compelling images or original art. It's about the audience.
March 6, 2009
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter cypayne.edublogs.org commented: I am greatly impressed but also curious. I would love to do something like this with students but many teachers are intimidated by my efforts to bring something new to the table. How do you overcome this obstacle?
March 7, 2009
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter joycevalenza commented: Cypayne, Most of our teachers were so desperately bored with student presentations that they welcomed the shift. Sell this as a way to wake the everyone up. Offer to teach and help assess. This one shouldn't be a tough sell! Good luck.
March 8, 2009
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Carole Oayne commented: Sorry, I can spell...my fingers do not always know that when I am typing on a laptop..."interesting" is the word I was trying to type.
April 29, 2009
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Carina Pierce commented: I am also a library media specialist student and just started a collaboration project with a 6th grade teacher. The kids are researching and presenting countries. Part of the unit is a PP presentation, and the teachers have the bullets all laid out for the kids (they just have to delete and type in the population number for their country). At this grade level, maybe the point is to just introduce them to PP and how easy it is to use, but I'm thinking there's no reason they can't be much more creative from the very beginning. They have long presentation careers ahead of them, after all. I don't know if the classroom teacher will let me "
May 31, 2009
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Jill commented: At our school, we teach basic PP skills as young as 1st & 2nd grade. I encourage the teachers to have their students 'storyboard' the presentation first, then create the PP with all text only. Once the teacher has approved the text, THEN the student may make changes to background and format and add graphics and animations. I really like some of the suggestions in this article and am going to try to implement them in my classes - fewer words, more jpgs, less clip/wordart. The hardest part is making the students work in their own words and not plagiarize on-line sources.
June 12, 2009
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Suzanne Casart commented: After over 35 years of teaching English, I finally have access to adequate technology to enhance my teaching and my students' learning. My 9th graders have to give speeches. In the past, I've discouraged PP precisely because they (and I) did not know how to use it effectively. Your suggestions will help me immensely to help them. Thank you!
June 25, 2009
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter Denise Kutch commented: Loved your ideas! Thank you! I, too, have been lulled to sleep so many times by PowerPoint presentations. Loved the links to presentations about how to lose bullets, create impact, and show emotion -- all of which connect with the audience.
July 9, 2009
In response to: PowerPoint Reform: a first chapter metrotchr commented: I am grateful for your article on reforming Power Point presentations. You provided links to some excellent websites depicting examples of awesome Power Points. I love all the tips that you gave and I even learned what not to do. I will be able to pass on these tips to my students before they form some bad habits with Power Point presentations.
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