Today I experimented with making my own PowerPoint presentation, using Microsoft Office PowerPoint. This program is very easy to use, and if you are using it for the first time, it will even offer the use of a “Setup Wizard”, to help you through the steps and point out features to you.
I have used this form of technology tool a lot throughout both my schooling, and also now at University. However, it has never occurred to me to use this tool in the classroom! Being so easy to use, I think this tool would be easily implemented in a variety of ways:
Used to display lyrics as students sing along to songs inside the classroom (for example, Unit lessons, “The Ants are Marching”)
To display key points during the teaching instruction throughout a lesson, providing for a variety of learning styles, the PowerPoint display would cater for the visual learners.
As an interactive activity as a class, creating a PowerPoint display on a Unit of work: what the Unit was, what the students have learnt, and how they will apply the newly learnt knowledge.
As an aid to presentations on parade
To display images or pictures collected throughout the term
As an assessment task, for example, students are asked to write a report, and then present the information in a PowerPoint rather than a handwritten report
I really can’t see any negative aspects to incorporating this tool. It is so easy to use, that I believe students of any age could utilise its features and create interesting and individual presentations to display to others. I think this tool is absolutely worth integrating into my classroom!
Hello Kate,
ReplyDeleteI agreed with all your wonderful suggestions on how it's possible to use a power point effectively in the classroom.
I have actually used a few power points in some of the lessons I have been teaching at prac, the the children love having the visual aid!
For example: In a science lesson I implemented; I had a picture of the inside of a seed, and as a class we were able to label it (using an IWB), but then the students drew the labelled diagram in their books. By having the picture up on the screen the children were able to draw a much clearer picture.
The only negative I have found is sometimes the powerpoint becomes quite distractive (especially if you use a moving animation!) and then you'll find the students are paying more attention the the screen then you!
However, the postives definitely outweigh the negatives!
Emily.
Hi Kate!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your positive opinions regarding PowerPoint. I too think PowerPoint is a great tool, not to mention, easy to use! I think it’s really important that the tools that interest us for the classroom are simple and appropriate to use in the early years considering that is what we are specialising in! :)
Like Emily, I have also used PowerPoint to assist me in delivering particular lessons at school and I can honestly say from prior experience with PowerPoint that it is very useful and if used correctly, appropriately and obviously for the right reasons it works really well and the students love it because it is a new and exciting tool to use when presenting information and facts.
I personally haven’t come across any negatives of using PowerPoint for the delivery of a lesson and therefore I could highly recommend the use of this tool to enhance events, activities or information in the classroom. :)
Anna :)
Thankyou Emily and Anna! :) I believe PowerPoint is such a simple and easy to locate tool, I don't know why more people don't use it in the classroom! Thanks for your feedback :)
ReplyDeleteKate