Journal Number Four

“Is PowerPoint Crippling Our Students?”
Kathy Johnson and Vicki Sharp

Kathy Johnson makes the argument that PowerPoint is crippling our students because it isn’t requiring anything back from the students in return for the knowledge the presentation gives. Johnson states that PowerPoint doesn’t provide for interactive and engaging learning. This is the type of learning that is needed which really helps students to engage in and understand the material that is being taught in the classroom. Vicki Sharp, on the other hand, feels that PowerPoint is an amazing educational tool that should be implemented in the classroom to engage students in learning. She believes that the PowerPoint actually motivates students to learn, through its colors, pictures, film clips, and sound clips, rather than discouraging students to learn the material. When students create PowerPoint presentations, they become more engaged in the material because they are able to use their creative side and actually do the research themselves rather than have the information spoon-fed to them in an unexciting manner.

1. What are the benefits of using PowerPoint?
When students create a PowerPoint presentation they are required to seek out information by themselves and, thus, are taking more responsibility for their own learning. Even if this information isn’t presented to the class, only turned into the teacher, it will still benefit the creator because they learn to use the software and learn as they research the given topic. PowerPoint gives teachers educators another alternative to using “the chalkboard and overhead projector” and allow teachers to incorporate different media clips that they may have had difficulty including before the availability of this product.

2. What are the problems of using PowerPoint?
Some problems that may be associated with PowerPoint are that although presentations have the ability to be engaging, not all presentations are and may be worse than other forms of teaching. Because PowerPoint presentations are so structured, if there is a teachable moment it may not always present itself because many presentations don’t allow for student interaction with the teacher or fellow students. This factor doesn’t allow for the full retention or comprehension of material that might otherwise be present.