Computer Slide Shows: A

Trap for Bad Teaching

Professor of NeuroscienceDepartment of Veterinary Integrative

BiosciencesTexas A&M University

College Station, Tx 77843-4458E-mail: wklemm@cvm.tamu.edu

Slide Shows Are Ubiquitous

How many of you see slide shows via

televideo?

How many of you see slide shows via

the Web?

How many of you see slide shows in

face-to-face presentations?

So, … what’s the problem?

But first, let’s admit what is good about slide shows

Promote organization

Slick, graphical,interactive

Animated

Photos, complexdrawings

Not Everybody Loves PowerPoint

See critique at http://www.edwardtufte.com

slide shows can

interfere with remembering…

If mis-used,

if principles of good memory practice are not honored.

See http://thankyoubrain.com

Most common examples of misuse. What do you think they are?

Using slide shows as the primary source of information and understanding

Presenting a continuous long series of slides without pausing for reflection,

engagement, and interaction.

ContentInteraction

PresenterInteraction

PresentationMode

AudienceMesmerized

HandoutCrutch

The Trap

More insidious than traditional lecturing

Violations of Good Memory Practice

WORDS

A picture really is “worth a thousand words”

X

Violations of Good Memory Practice

Is audience in a passive, “entertain me” mode?

Do you read your slides? … drone on and on?

Are you and the audience interacting?

Let’s Think About It

The Better Model

Use slides mostly for complex pictures

or animations

Interrupt & RequireEngagement

Re-think DistributionOf Handouts

Dealing with the Room Environment

Use of Pictures Make It Easier to Remember the

Slide Show

See notes field

What To Show On Slides

›See notes.

Audience needs help in remembering the show content

The more they remember:

… the less they have to review later

… the more effective their later review is

Audience needs help in remembering the show content

The more they

remember:

… the less they have to review… the more

effective their later review is

Memory Power 101

http://thankyoubrain.com

Over 150 ideas for better memory

How long is YOUR attention span?

The 10-Minute Rule

How Many Slide Shows Have You Seen That Are Based on the

Principle of the “10-min Rule?”

Put in road signs, then engage with audience.

Breaks

Periodic review slides break the

monotony and help audience

integrate ideas and remember.

Use Slides in Novel Ways

A

B

C

D

See notes.

A Word on Animations

Don’t use too many. It can become irritating and drag out the

presentation

Three Rules for Engagement

Show only a few

slides at a time.

Slow down, let them

ruminate.Make them

DO something.

Think Twice About Distributing Handouts

During or after the show?

Include the

show notes?

Refer to other

sources?

Do they need to

take notes?

Well darn!What Can I Hand Out?

SkeletonNotes

Quizzes,AssignmentsWorksheets

Slides Rich in Detail

Documents

DataSheets

… anything that BUILDS ON the slide show

Remember:YOU Are the Show

Engage, entertain, motivate. It is almost impossible to design a show that does this. You, the presenter have to do it.

Epilogue

A manuscript based on this slide show has been published.

W. R. Klemm, 2007. Computer slide shows: a trap for

bad teaching. College Teaching. 55 (3): 121-124.