Tim Allison:  A Virtual Portfolio

The Use of PowerPoint in the Classroom

    In January and February 2004, I took part in a workshop on the use of PowerPoint in the classroom.  It provided some excellent ideas, from promoting students' use of PowerPoint, to the use of this software in teachers' presentations.  The two PowerPoint presentations below illustrate how PowerPoint might be used to enhance a student's learning experience in a unit on embryonic and fetal development; and are a further demonstration of how a teacher's knowledge of the technology available can help make the classroom experience a little more interesting.  In my recent experience teaching grade IX applied science, students worked incredibly well on a computer-based assignment -- even those whose work in the regular science classroom left something to be desired.  I believe that using technology to complement the educational experience enhances the learning of all students.

    High school students, in particular, could be asked to put together PowerPoint presentations, especially if class time were allotted for them to work on these presentations.  Such an activity could easily be the subject of peer- and self-evaluations, as discussed by Black and Harrison, and could therefore lead to improved student feedback.  Further, learning to use this software helps them integrate technology into science, an important topic of discussion surrounding the parachute and chemical car activities, and an aspect of science that many of them may take for granted.  Finally, this forum would give students the opportunity to present their (educated) views on a subject, as discussed by Yager, as well as by Gilbert, Osborne, and Fensham.  Sharing information and ideas is an important part of

    Students who learn by seeing things might benefit from seeing the pictures and reading the captions on the PowerPoint display.  Students who learn by hands-on work will excel at generating their own presentations, and may be able to produce work that is both informative and highly creative.  The use of computers in the classroom has tremendous success, in terms of the students' learning, and in terms of their achievements.

    The presentations below may be opened and viewed -- slides will advance automatically after 18 seconds.

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