Ed Tech Week 4 PowerPoint Presentations!

Power Point Presentations are designed to create support material for oral presentations. They began in the business world, and have moved into the education front. They have replaced overhead projectors, chalk and dry erase boards as a way to communicate information. PowerPoint Presentations are great tools to use when teaching. Power Points add another dimension to learning by allowing teachers to explain abstract concepts as well as accommodate ALL learning styles. There are many types of learners in the classroom and PowerPoint Presentations allow educators to effectively communicate information to each of them. The types of learners in a classroom include: linguistic, logical mathematical, bodily kinesthetic, spatial, musical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. Linguistic involves verbal and written language such as reading, and telling stories. Logical mathematical learners are good with patterns and numbers. These are the two mostly emphasized learners in standardized tests. The problem is that not all learners fit into these categories. Bodily Kinesthetic learners use the whole body to solve problems, such as dance, hands on activities, and athletic events. Spatial learners have the ability to form and use images while learning. Musical involves songs and rhythm. Interpersonal learners understand others and work cooperatively with them. Intrapersonal learners work better alone. When teachers provide information orally, accompanied by a PowerPoint Presentation, the visual element comes into play which appeals to spatial learners, and adding sound or music includes the musical learner. In conclusion, PowerPoint Presentations are not just fun to watch. A higher percentage of students are engaged during PowerPoint Presentations, and they allow teachers to accommodate multiple learning needs.
I created a PowerPoint to use during the first few days of school to introduce the incoming sixth grade students to the middle school and to discuss proper classroom procedures and expectations. I think it is a good overview of what is expected of the students. To make it better, I would add sound and better fitting clip art and better animations. My 12 year old watched the PowerPoint. She made a few positive comments, and also helped me tweak it to make it more visually appealing to her.