Counter-powerpointlessness

Sadly, I knew what the author meant by powerpointlessness before I even read the article. Powerpointlessness is when the product (power point presentation) takes precedence over the process (the actual research, analysis, and human presentation) that the PowerPoint should represent. In her article “Scoring Power Points,” Jamie McKenzie states that individuals should spend 80% of their effort dedicated to completing a project on research and analysis and only 20% of their effort on the PowerPoint presentation communicating this information (McKenzie, 2000). However, she observes that in most cases the opposite is true. A disproportional amount of effort is spent on the PowerPoint presentation over the research and analysis of information. The result is that PowerPoint presentations lack depth because there is no content to be communicated through them. They are shallow, uninformative, and uninteresting. This is powerpointlessness.

I have witnessed powerpointlessness in many college courses. Professors would read through a series of slides restating what students already learned in their reading. While professors did this, students copied the contents of the slides word for word. In these moments there was no discussion, no analysis of the information presented, no cultivation of learning. I hated these classes and often stopped attending them as I could obtain the information presented in class through completing the assigned reading. My reading of the material often taught me more than the powerpoint presentations because I thought about the reading, analyzed the information presented, and I pursued deeper knowledge of the topics in which I was interested.

There are five general antidotes to powerpointlessness: 1)Design artfully 2) Deliver dramatically 3)Emphasize logic and ideas 4) Offer exemplars 5) Provide rubrics. The accessibility of pre-processed images and text through the web lends itself to abuse. It is tempting to simply use what is readily available rather than investing time and thought into the design and delivery of the our presentation. The result is cookie-cutter presentations that are uninteresting and often shallow. A picture speaks a thousand words. So much information and emotion can be conveyed with a few strategically chosen and placed images. Genuine interest in conveyed more readily through one's own art or at least self-chosen art rather than clipart. Nothing in the presentation can replace the human connection. It is important to know your audience when preparing the presentation and then also to constantly be evaluating them as you present. Observe the audiences response and respond to their responses.

As with any good essay or book, the ideas presented must follow a logical order or sequence. People learn best when they assimilate the new information into preformed categories, adding new knowledge to old knowledge. Arrange the presentation in such a way that it mirrors how knowledge would be obtained and assimilated in nature. Group ideas and make connections between ideas for the audience who might be unable to do so on their own. Keep in mind that the presentation is a whole. The individual slides need to reflect and be united by the main thought you are trying to convey.

As with any assignment, exemplars and rubrics that clearly communicate the objective of an assignment and the teachers expectations guide students in successfully completing the assignment. it is helpful to students to see what a finished product that represents what you expect from them. The easiest and most effective way to provide an exemplar is to model the behavior on a regular basis to your students. Use powerpoint as a tool to effectively communicate both content and emotion to your students on a regular basis and they will know what you expect of them. Providing them with a rubric is another simple way to ensure students know exactly what to do.