Top Ten Tools: Powerpoint

Now many may have an idea of how powerpoint can be used in learning and elearning. We are all familiar with Death by Powerpoint. However, I don't use powerpoint as a presentation medium as much as a springboard for interaction and a nice program to develop graphics.

Affordances

Many already know how to use powerpoint as a presentation platform. However, it is much more powerful. Taking a page from one of my professors, I use powerpoint in place of the chalkboard, almost like a whiteboard. Leaving the powerpoint in the editing mode, I type in key points. I can then save these ideas and post them to the internet (either blackboard or slideshare). Sometimes I will have a title to solicit information from the class, which I type into the powerpoint. This allows me to create a student generated resource, which students can access later. This also helps students that might have had to miss class.

My students in my online classes have used powerpoint as a collaborative document, in which each member designs a part of the powerpoint, then a final powerpoint show is put together either by the group as a whole editing, or using one designated editor. Students then post the powerpoint to present to the group as a whole. This process makes powerpoint a learning tool as students work collaboratively to put the final document together. Many of my students create hypertext and links with their powerpoints.

Finally, I find powerpoint has the best graphic capacity through its chart templates and drawing tools. My daughter uses powerpoint in her spare time to create pictures and design clothes. The various options available to crop pictures, add texture, and change colors makes it easier than some more expensive software I have tried in the past. The size of powerpoint makes it easy to see models. I have designed models in the past, then taken a screen shot which is then used in Word. At this point, this is the only graphic program I use. I have found, more and more, that powerpoint allows my students to develop creatively. In some cases, my students have developed interesting visuals, in other cases, they have integrated music, and in still other cases, they are able to hyperlink and present ideas in a spacial rather than linear way.