BFTP: Is Powerpoint evil?

Originally published on September 24, 2005

Johnson’s Observation on Multimedia Content:
You can put all the pretty clothes on your dog you want, but he’s still a dog.

Yesterday’s e-mail brought the following question from ISTE’s editor, Jennifer Roland: "Leading & Learning with Technology is looking for a few good editorialists to argue both sides of this question: Is PowerPoint Crippling Our Students? Some say that PowerPoint is an important tool in any classroom because of its real-world applications. Others say it is an unnecessary distraction that leads students to go for glitz over substance. Where do you stand on the issue?"

Good question. Since it is unlikely I’d be considered a “good editorialist” in anyone’s book, I’ll just pipe up here*. The main things I’d think about when looking at working with kids and PowerPoint:

1. PowerPoint doesn’t bore people: people bore people. As an old former speech teacher, I have a bias that PowerPoint falls under the category of visual aid – with aid being the operative word. If we are teaching kids how to use this software, it needs to be within the context of good speaking skills, not in a computer class. But then all technology skills should be taught within the content areas. Yeah, the old stuff like eye contact, expression, and gestures are still important. So is having something worthwhile to say.

2. The sins of the overhead user shall be visited upon the computer user. Tufte, in his The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint (Graphics Press, 2003) makes a compelling case that complex information is not best shared using this software. He argues persuasively that PowerPoint makes it far too easy to reduce complex topics to simple bullet points. He argues that some graphic information is too detailed for the low-rez graphics of the computer screen. I’m just not sure choosing the wrong tool for the wrong job is the tool’s fault.

3. There are more visual learners than meet the eye. Cautions aside, good visuals are exceptionally powerful, and our kids need practice in harnessing this power. Too bad more teachers themselves don’t have at least a fundamental knowledge of good design principles, knowledge of typography, and photocomposition.

A presentation accompanied by a well-designed slide show that helps inform or persuade the audience can be one the products of a good information literacy unit. I get the feeling a goodly number of our kids will be one giving these things as part of their jobs, They may as well do it skillfully.

Keep in mind Johnson’s Rule of Technology Neutrality: Technology is neither good nor bad. The same hammer can both break windows and build cathedrals.

Your thoughts on pitfalls or promises of PowerPoint? What to do you do to make sure the tool is being used well? 

*I’ve weighed in on this topic once already in a 1999 column Slideshow Safety. As with a frightening number of things I’ve written long ago, I’ve found that my thoughts haven’t changed much – which says more about my obstinacy than my prescience. You’ve been warned.

The "Presentation Zen" school of slide design has become fashionable, eliminating nearly all words on slides in favor of only visuals. Since too many of the visuals tend to be generic, I often wonder - why bother with slides at all?

Social networking scenarios

As some of you may know, I love using scenarios to generate discussion about ethical use issues involving technology. (See ethics resources and fair use scenarios.

Jen Hegna from Byron MN and I will be doing a breakout session on the appropriate use of social and educational networking sites at our state conference coming up in a couple weeks. Some scenarios to start a discussion are in order.

For each of the situations below,

1. Discuss the possible ethical issues of the situation.
2. Determine if the safety or well-being of anyone is at stake.
3. What advice, strategy or policy would you recommend to individuals or schools based on this scenario.
4. Share any real-life incidents related to the scenario.

Social Networking Scenario 1: Mr. Blake and Jennifer
High school social studies teacher Mr. Blake has been adding students as friends to his Facebook page, using the forum to answer questions and guiding classroom related discussions. Lately some students have begun asking personal questions about relationships and life choices. Jennifer's mother, who monitors Jennifer's Facebook page, feels uncomfortable about this and brings it to the attention of the principal.

Social Networking Scenario 2: Ms Olson's Camping Trip
Sixth grade teacher Ms Olson posted pictures of the camping trip she and her husband took to the Boundry Waters last summer on her Facebook page. In one of the photos, she is smoking what looks suspiciously like a marijuana cigarette. One of her students finds the photos and shows her friends.

Social Networking Scenario 3: Juan and Philip trade insults
The HHH Middle School is using GoogleDocs as a writing tool and as a means to do peer reviewing. Juan and Philip have used the platform to exchange messages that involve name calling and racial slurs. Philp's parents object when his account is suspended for two weeks, beleiving it will hurt is academic progress.

Social Networking Scenario 4: The social networking ban
After hearing a presentation at a conference, high school principal Miller has banned all "Web 2.0" tools including Facebook, Skype, YouTube, wikis, blogs and Flickr. A number of teachers and many students are upset with this decision but Mr. Miller cites CIPA as a legal reason for blocking the sites.

Social Networking Scenario 5: The blog about blobs
PE teacher Teng has created a widely read blog about teaching elementary physical education and health. In one post, he describes (but does not name) several students and teachers he sees as having poor eating habits that contribute to then having an unhealthy BMI score. One teacher thinks he is writing about her and brings the post to the attention of the principal.

Happy to hear suggestions for other "social networking" scenarios worthy of discussion.

See Carl Anderson's scenarios too.

Image source

Directions for the next tech plan?

I am in the process of writing a "bridge" technology plan. Seems our current district tech plan runs out the end of this school year and the next formal plan for some reason won't start until the 2012-13 year, leaving us "plan-nekked" for the entire 2011-12 year.

Since the Mayans predict an earth-ending apocolypse in 2012, I don't see what the big fuss is about. But, hey, I go along to get along.

Part of writing the bridge plan is taking a look at the 2007-11 tech plan. I am finding this bit interesting since I'd forgotten what we'd actually written. (Sorry, Mary M.) Below are our anticipated directions over the past four or five years. I've added a 1-4 rating for each area (1=no action, 5=total success).

Directions – 2007-2011

As quickly as technology changes, it is almost impossible to predict or plan with any accuracy the specific challenges that will be facing us over the next few years. We can speculate on some general trends:

1. Less emphasis on “technology’ as a separate area of concern; more emphasis on technology as a means to achieve goals of other areas. 3
2. Greater need to train students and staff on ethics, safety and civility when using technology, as well as the ability to evaluate the reliability of information found and to use it purposely. 3
3. Need for formal integration of technology skills into the content areas to meet specific state standards as well as being able to meet NCLB requirements that all students be technologically literate by the end of eighth grade. 3
4. Increased demand for individualized technology training by staff. 2
   
5. Continued, accelerated move to information in digital formats such as e-books, online databases, electronically submitted student work, web-based video conferencing, and video on demand. 2
6. More emphasis on anytime, anyplace access to personal information through web-based personal file space, calendars, and wirelessly networked hand-held devices. Increased access to tools that allow teachers to supplement classroom instruction with online learning opportunities such as class chats, threaded discussion groups, online syllabi and study materials, collaborative workspaces, etc. 3
7. Increased desire by parents for real-time student information available via the web. Higher parent expectations of schools and teachers to provide comprehensive information about school programs and individual student achievement. 3
8. Continued importance of the tools and knowledge needed to do good data-driven decision-making by administrators, building teams and individual teachers. 3
   
9. Increased efforts to assure data privacy, data security, and network reliability. 3
10. Increased educational options for all learners including more choices of schools, more online course offerings, more interactive video offerings, and more computer courseware options. This will result in an increased need for school marketing efforts and increased “consumer-driven” attention. 3

The directions, I believe, were pretty accurate. Nailing any of these task down will continue to be a work in progress.

The interesting question I now have to try to answer is: What might be our directions for the next five years? We will continue to strengthen many of the areas above, for sure, but new areas?

I can think of a few:

1. Addressing the need for personal devices for communication, information access and e-books/e-textbooks, plans for managing such devices, and training for staff on how to incorporate such devices in classroom instruction.
2. Harnassing the power of social networking educational networking and social learning.
3. Continued movement toward cloud computing, use of re-conditioned computers for labs, virtualized labs, use of open source/free software and other labor/money saving strategies to address both higher tech demands and less school funding. (Gulp!)
4. Increased use of digital resources supplementing textbooks including games/simulations.
5. Offering e-book collections through our school libraries.

OK, good minds. what do you predict will be the directions tech use in your school will take between now and 2015?

Assuming the Mayans were off by a few years.

Image source

Original post image to which Jude objected (see comment below).