It’s All About How They Learn

Hello All,

I love innovation. I'm convinced that the reason many of us gravitated to this course is that our brains seek change, and there is no better place to implement and witness change than at the intersection between teaching and technology.

Within a well established course framework, we strive for continuous improvement and sustainable novelty. Simply requesting the implementation of far more engaging, enjoyable, and memorable PowerPoint performances, both for teachers and students is not far away.

For me, the alternatives to PowerPoint presentations were using blackboard/whiteboard, OHP, and flip charts. Though it didn’t completely eliminate the use of blackboard, the PowerPoint offered some distinct advantages. The PowerPoint presentations could be made in advance, thereby effectively increasing the time available to me to instruct. What's more, the PowerPoint made it possible to provide a much richer quality of media and visuals, including multicolored complicated organizers and pictures which enabled excellent dynamic visual communication.

Even from a practical standpoint, PPT was one form of classroom technologies that cost our school nothing to provide at the moment. (It’s already installed on all our computers, and we've had overhead projectors for awhile). This made budget cuts a non-issue. Alas, I cannot say the same for other forms of technology I would like to bring into play in the classroom.

Other than this, it is important for teachers to avoid the infamous "death by PowerPoint". Simply treating a PowerPoint presentation as a glorified overhead projector filled with notes to be copied down will do nothing but bore students.

If we, teachers, grow more sensitive to students’ learning styles and learning preferences, I think we can enhance our PPT presentations in making them easier for students to relate to and learn from “interactively”. This very issue always reminds me by what Ignacio Estrada wonderfully said, “If children can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”

Best Regards,

Hassan

Comments

  1. My EduTech BlogNovember 15, 2010 at 12:35 AM

    Hi Hassan,
    I'm very impressed with your interactive slideshow. It's very delicate. Have you ever give them to your students? I believe that they would love it very much.

    Best,
    Rahmat

    ReplyDelete
  2. HassanNovember 15, 2010 at 1:54 PM

    Hello Rahmat,
    Thank you really for the comment.
    This interactive slideshow was one of my newly implemented lessons. I could feel the huge difference between introducing it with PPt. The "interactivity" of any lesson will remain merely theoretical until you sense its effect inside the classroom.
    Best,
    Hassan

    ReplyDelete

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