Moving Past the Evils of PowerPoint:

Lessons in Visual Literacy

TIE 2005

Patrick R. Lowenthal

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Learning Objectives:

1. You will be able to describe some of the issues surrounding the use of PowerPoint

2. You will have a list of strategies that you can use to improve the use of PowerPoint in your classroom

3. ______________________________

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Critiques of Tufte

1. Focused on presentations—not learning

2. Blames tool

3. Over-emphasis on content

4. Does not offer solutions or strategies to improve

5. ______________________________________

6. ______________________________________

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Edward Tufte’s critique of PowerPoint:

1. Low resolution and Bullet outlines dilute thought

2. Deeply hierarchical and linear structure

3. Fragments narrative and data

4. Encourages preoccupation with format, not content

5. Conspicuous decoration and phluff

6. Makes everything a sales pitch

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Additional Critiques of PowerPoint

1. Teacher centered

2. Technology centered

3. _______________________________________

4. _______________________________________

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Four typical ways to use PowerPoint

1. For presentations

2. To teach a class

3. As computer-based learning

4. Student products

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Strategies to improve PowerPoint

#1 Sound Instructional Design

#2 Visual Literacy

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Visual Literacy:

“Visual literacy is … the ability to understand and use images, including the ability to think, learn, and express oneself in terms of images”

Roberts Braden

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

CARP: Contrast

Good Bad

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

CARP: Alignment

GoodToday I went to the store to buy an apple for my grandmother.

BadToday I went to the store to buy an apple

for my grandmother.

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

CARP: Repetition & Proximity

GoodIntroductionxkdkdkdkdkd

Bodykdkdkdkd

Conclusionkdkdkdkd

BadIntroduction

xkdkdkdkdkd

Body

kdkdkdkd

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Typography matters

GoodToday I went to the store to buy an apple for my grandmother

BadTODAY I WENT TO THE STORE TO BUY AN APPLE FOR MY GRANDMOTHER

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Typography matters

GoodToday I went to the store to buy an apple for my grandmother

BadTODAY I WENT TO THE STORE TO BUY AN APPLE FOR MY GRANDMOTHER

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Font Matters

Good

Font

Bad

FONT

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Linda Lohr Activity:

Use typography to express the words:Collaboration Alienation Synergy Bossiness

Use typography to express the words:Anger

Discord Harmony Joy

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Non-linguistic Representations:

Good Bad

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Other Strategies and Recommendations:

1. Twelve Commandments of PowerPoint

2. James Gall & Linda Lohr

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

Some other recommended Guidelines:

1. PowerPoint should support your learning objectives and instructional strategies

2. Avoid PowerPoint templates3. Avoid using more than one level of bullets4. Less is better: less words & less slides5. Avoid distracting clip art or unrelated images6. Avoid distracting slide transitions7. Use CARP to improve design8. Avoid using all CAPS9. Leverage the multimedia: visual & audio when

appropriately10.Don’t let PowerPoint control your teaching

Moving Past the Evils of PowerPointMoving Past the Evils of PowerPoint

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