powerpoint in the classroom

i have become a bit of a crusader against the abuse of powerpoint, esp. in the classroom.

what started me off was edward tufte's article in wired magazine. at the time it resonated with me, yet still, i took the stand that it is just a tool - which could be used well or used poorly. i even wrote a letter to wired, which was published.

since talking with students in my classes, esp. the multimedia class i teach, in which we touch on powerpoint, discussing it in my own master's classes and reflecting on my own experiences, esp. as an audience member at powerpoint presentations, i have come to the conclusion that - for the most part, powerpoint presentations are not effective. after reading tufte's complete essay and a recent article in the chronicle of higher education entitled, when good technology means bad teaching, i have become more convinced than ever...

i even bought tufte's hilarious, though spot on, poster for my office.

why? well, i claim few original ideas here, but to summarize...

• turns students into passive observers rather than active participants
• powerpoint is speaker oriented not audience oriented
• the teleprompter syndrome where each slide is read
• gratuitous effects which annoy and distract
• the material doesn't unfold - it is just "presented" and the slides are either very thin or very wordy - either way boring or overwhelming
• students don't like it. i recognize this is not always the criteria, but one of the main reasons given for the use of ed tech is that it engages the student more...

that powerpoint is not appropriate in the classroom should be a no-brainer, in retrospect. after all, to what degree are the goals of a sales presentation and education aligned?

to be sure, i have seen some good presentations using powerpoint. however, most of the time it is not the right tool. as tufte points out - some tools are simply better than others. and this is not to say that used sparingly, they can't be effective for presenting some visual aids.

like any recent convert, i am quite zealous and am seeking converts both in my classes and among other faculty. in fact, i am giving a couple of presentations in january on this very topic.

do you have any thoughts on this? love to hear them...