PowerPoint

bphgravity · Jul 20, 2004

I provide continuing education courses and attend many seminars a year. About 50% or so are presented with PowerPoint Slides. The others are usually workbook packet and dry erase type presentations.

I am considering upgrading to a PowerPoint presentation and want to get some opinions. First from the fellow instructors on the site.

Do you find PowerPoint to be more effective and beneficial to your courses?

I find many of my seminars get off topic during normal discussion, how do you adapt with a fixed slide presentation?

Did you create your own slides or are you using a pre-established presentation?

Now for those whom attended and attend seminars on a frequent basis.

Do you prefer Powerpoint to "hand-written" programs?

Does a PowerPoint program give the impression of a more professional and organized course provider?

Thanks for any suggestion or comments.

Ed MacLaren · Jul 20, 2004

Re: PowerPoint

Bryan, are you familiar with a product called a SmartBoard?
If not, and you ever get a chance to see, or better still, to try out, a SmartBoard, don't miss it.

It is an interactive whiteboard that is used with a digital projector connected to your computer. Any application that you have running on your computer, including PowerPoint, or even a web site, is shown on the SmartBoard.

Now, here is the best part. The SmartBoard is touch sensitive, so you can operate your computer by touching the screen, exactly the way you would with a mouse. You can open or close applications, create files, edit, cut, paste, save your work, etc.
You can mark-up, or draw over the top of, whatever is on the screen.

I used one for the last five years before I retired, and wouldn't want to teach without one now.
To see many other usefull features, check their website-
Smart Technologies

Ed

[ July 21, 2004, 08:39 AM: Message edited by: Ed MacLaren ]

ryan_618 · Jul 20, 2004

Re: PowerPoint

I am very fond of using power point. I use a lot of Mike Holt's diagrams amd pictures (with permission) and then create my own material to discuss between graphics. I think the pictures help, but the bottom line to me is that it is what comes out of the instructors mouth that matters most.

I also use a lot of my photographs in my presentations as well.

charlie b · Jul 20, 2004

Re: PowerPoint

I do not teach courses, but I can claim some skills in giving presentations.

Do you find PowerPoint to be more effective and beneficial to your courses?

I have not used it myself, but my wife has many times. She loves it. She tells me it is easy to set up, easy to change, easy to present. I have played the role of a ?pretend audience,? to allow her to practice a presentation, and have found the PowerPoint slides easy to follow.

I find many of my seminars get off topic during normal discussion, how do you adapt with a fixed slide presentation?

You have a white board (or easel with large writing paper) handy, use it to draw whatever you need for the discussions, then return to the slides.

Do you prefer Powerpoint to "hand-written" programs?

Yes. If I were to present and publish another technical paper (I have done 20, but none in the past 7 years), I would use PowerPoint for the presentation.

Does a PowerPoint program give the impression of a more professional and organized course provider?

Yes. It also forces you to follow several of the key rules of presentation, such as, ?Use only a few words printed in large text on any one slide, so the audience can read the text, but still needs to listen to the instructor, since the entire speech is not on the slide.?

pierre · Jul 20, 2004

Re: PowerPoint

I also work very similar to Ryan's style for presentations. I will add this:

Try not to let the presentation style overpower the actual message you are trying to get across.
The Power Point presentations allow for very flexible presentations, and last minute addition or subtraction. With the proper equipment, you can move about the room and see - feel how the people are responding to your presentation.
I also use an overhead projector, instead of the white board. This allows me to face the audience at all times - NO spit balls - ya know

BTW-pictures from local work seem to get the best results.

Pierre

bphgravity · Jul 21, 2004

Re: PowerPoint

Thank you. Great advice.

PowerPoint

bphgravity

Senior Member

Ed MacLaren

Senior Member

ryan_618

Senior Member

charlie b

Moderator

pierre

Senior Member

bphgravity

Senior Member