PowerPoint with Purpose

PowerPoint can be an effective presentation aid, when used properly. The technology alone though does not guarantee success. If you have ever assigned students to a PowerPoint project, you have probably sat through a number of presentations like this...

Students, as well as teachers, can get wrapped-up in the "bells and whistles" of PowerPoint. Can you remember when you learned how to change the background, insert a picture, and add animation with sounds? The tools can be fun, but we have to teach students to use them to enhance the content, not create distractions. There are a number of books, articles, and websites that offer suggestions for creating PowerPoints with purpose. Here are some of the guidelines I have found useful:

• Plan and outline the content before you touch PowerPoint
• The "80/20 Rule" - 80% of your time on content research, 20% on PowerPoint
• The "6 x 6 Rule" - no more than 6 bullets, no more than 6 words per bullet
• The "10/20/30 Rule" - no more than 10 slides presented in less than 20 minutes with at least 30 pt. text
• Light background with dark text -or- dark background with light text
• Keep it simple - dissolve/fade transitions, animation only when used to enhance the message, no more than 2, easy to read fonts in the entire presentation
• Cite your sources - under an image, after a quote, and on the last slide for research

It is not always easy to follow these guidelines, but they will help focus the attention on the content of the presentation, rather than the technology itself. Teach your students to ask these two questions:

• How does this slide help my audience understand the information better than hearing it alone?
• Does the slide enhance the content or cause distractions?

With these tips and techniques you and your students will be on your way to making PowerPoints with purpose!