I accomplished the same thing by using the animation features of PP to introduce ideas, pose questions, and reveal answers in a timely manner. Although I will confess that once my presentations were developed, my prep time decreased dramatically, which allowed me to focus on improving my content. In addition, PP slides kept me on topic and on schedule without the need for separate notes. Of course, I was teaching English and Creative Writing, so maybe PP wouldn't have worked so well for technical subjects.

Some of our professors have adopted Technology and those that don't won't "Teach" our classes. Document Camera's in every room and the white boards are removed. The reason is the poor quality video from a white board vs. a Camera shot on a Doc Cam. These are broadcast in a Live Interactive room to our Satellite locations all around the Valley. As many 300 students per class and the professors are paid per student; they will accommodate the extra work load and balance those in the outlying areas. This saves Parking on Campus which is quickly diminishing daily; as more buildings rise.

As to PP you can use the image in a background that you can write on if you wish; using Adobe Connect. One of our newest Math professors has adopted it and I've seen the results; she can connect her students in the room and at the Satellite Campuses to the same document at the same time and they can perform operations in front of her. This allows her to see their progress and see if they are working the problems correctly to achieve the desired result in an equation. Their is issues of concern from IT because of increase load on the Wireless network; other than that it's a good modality to be added to the classrooms of today.

kv

 

And to the original question, I have found PP to be a powerful instructional tool. I have used it extensively and effectively. However, I have been the victim of presenters who put far too many words on each slide and then read them to me. Ugh!

I tend to do the opposite. I try to use PP slides to present visuals, be they diagrams, schematics, charts, whatever, that have little or no text beyond basic labels. They are their to give me something to talk about, not something to read from.

 

I believe animation would work in technical subject, but, it would take time to develop the slides. Those that invest that kind of time are not likely to share the slides, but, they would be likely to share a whole recorded lecture using those slides.

WBahn said it best when he said "few instructors put in the time and effort to do so."

I seldom use the animation features but get similar effects just by copying a slide and modifying it. That allows me to go back and forth very easily without having to go back to the beginning and then try to walk forward through all the transitions.

But whether you do it my way or use the animation tools, it takes a LOT of time to develop them, especially to do them well. It's very difficult to justify that amount of time when you have no idea if you are going to be teaching a course every again. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I may finally be getting into a position where I can justify that time, at least for a couple of courses, and then I will probably put together several PP and other presentations. I also hope to put together numerous videos (YouTube?) that are very short and concise -- no more than ten minutes each -- that would be indexed by topic so that students can view just the ones that cover what they are interested in. One thing I find very ineffective is when professors simply record their lecture and put the whole thing up as a single huge file that you have to access and meander through to find what you want -- and you seldom know if what you want is in that video or one of the two or three that came before it or after it. I want to treat these as semi-professional productions by planning them out, rehearsing and fine tuning them, the spending some time to apply some post-production editing to polish them up a bit. That will represent a major time commitment, but if it's for a course that I'm going to be teaching four times a year for several years, it is easily justifiable.

 

Some of our professors have adopted Technology and those that don't won't "Teach" our classes. Document Camera's in every room and the white boards are removed. The reason is the poor quality video from a white board vs. a Camera shot on a Doc Cam. These are broadcast in a Live Interactive room to our Satellite locations all around the Valley. As many 300 students per class and the professors are paid per student; they will accommodate the extra work load and balance those in the outlying areas. This saves Parking on Campus which is quickly diminishing daily; as more buildings rise.

As to PP you can use the image in a background that you can write on if you wish; using Adobe Connect. One of our newest Math professors has adopted it and I've seen the results; she can connect her students in the room and at the Satellite Campuses to the same document at the same time and they can perform operations in front of her. This allows her to see their progress and see if they are working the problems correctly to achieve the desired result in an equation. Their is issues of concern from IT because of increase load on the Wireless network; other than that it's a good modality to be added to the classrooms of today.

kv

I'm hoping to try something similar at some point in the near future. I need to first find out more about the technology and the needed infrastructure and what, if anything, we already have in place. I'm hesitant to adopt anything that requires the students to bring their computers to class since that brings up the issue of what to do when students don't, for whatever reason. Most will, of course, but there will almost always be one or two that don't on a given day. I don't think I'm in a position to make it an absolute requirement for a course. We have some rooms that have computers in them, of course, but the problem there is what to do when one or more of the computers are down for some reason. I'm in that boat now in that I'm teaching in a room that has 30 computers and I have 30 students, so I've got no margin at all. With planning and knowing that a good share of students will always have their computers with them, I think I can deal with this -- but it's planning that requires I know well ahead of time what I am going to be teaching. When you are asked to teach a course two weeks before the start of the semester, you just don't have the planning opportunity that is needed.

 

I'm hoping to try something similar at some point in the near future. I need to first find out more about the technology and the needed infrastructure and what, if anything, we already have in place.

There are technologies; most of which are limited. We currently use Cisco C40, C60, and C90's it is overkill I think C40 is a good middle of the road. They do make a smaller less expensive route but; we generally won't deploy them in the Classroom. They are mainly for Boardrooms and Conference Rooms; so I won't discuss them. There are some solutions for broadcast that is a Desktop Client called Cisco Jabber it's more software but would need a lot of connections on an MCU (Multi-Conference-Unit) here we have Utah Education Network and they Broadcast a Television service that is supported by the State. The infrastructure is rather expensive so in a classroom environment the Adobe Connect is a good tool. There is licensing associated with it; but it's more like google groups in a way and just uses a server to connect all participants which is less expensive overall.

What we do here takes time and huge effort; we couldn't do it without UEN's support and the State has deeper pockets than we do; but in the interest of shortening the process for the student and lowering cost to get them onto their degrees a choice made by the State; to give kids a chance while in "High School" to earn University Credit and get the 1010, 1020 and 1050's out of the way so they can pursue their degree or to move on to employment or hopefully Doctorates.

I'm hesitant to adopt anything that requires the students to bring their computers to class since that brings up the issue of what to do when students don't, for whatever reason. Most will, of course, but there will almost always be one or two that don't on a given day.

Students can have trouble connecting mobile devices to the "Adobe Connect Product" just so you know; it's because of Adobe Flash. Puffin can help with these issues for some devices; not sure which ones though.

I don't think I'm in a position to make it an absolute requirement for a course. We have some rooms that have computers in them, of course, but the problem there is what to do when one or more of the computers are down for some reason. I'm in that boat now in that I'm teaching in a room that has 30 computers and I have 30 students, so I've got no margin at all.

I think there are some platforms and Technologies coming in the near future that will compete with our systems but; we are not there yet. Our need to increase enrollment and decrease the need for parking on campus is driving our type of modality. Desktop Clients and Computers, iPad, iPhones, such will be the future using maybe a software solution something that can mimic what we do but is not so costly and able to use an existing infrastructure. Also, once fiber is in the ground throughout counties and states; and wireless systems become capable of such delivery this will drive cost down paving a new pathway to the way we Teach in some cases. Under Grad, Post Grad; these systems will work well to further a degree or help in obtaining one (I'm also including online courses as well.) High school yes only if it's accredited and sanctioned by a University so that the student doesn't waste time attaining credit not recognized by a Major University.

With planning and knowing that a good share of students will always have their computers with them, I think I can deal with this -- but it's planning that requires I know well ahead of time what I am going to be teaching. When you are asked to teach a course two weeks before the start of the semester, you just don't have the planning opportunity that is needed.

I feel for you. I believe your truly concerned with the students maintaining a competent knowledge of course content; and how it will play a roll in their future endeavors.

I think for you that is your primary focus; not to let to many go through the motions or allow parents do their work for them.

Once your in the real world; you won't always have the internet or your parents to save you.

kv

 

I had that guy as a professor once. Calc II.

Anyhow, my favorite was my economics prof who had hand written a whole role of overheat projector notes, the only guy I've ever known to use the spindle on the side of projectors. He was about 75 years old and his secretary and wife would come in and turn the crank on the projector as he spoke I to a microphone in a dark lecture hall of 2500 freshmen. I just thought, every day, "just give us the damn xerox copies." (or "dittos", for those who remember those - and the smell...).

Sadly... I remember those... I'm that old...

 

He would write a line to the end of a board section, return the the left, start a new line, and erase the one above it.

I think that he did it to make sure that the students were taking notes. Taking notes is an excellent way to make knowledge stick... the more senses that are involved in the learning process, the better.

 

I can vouch on the taking notes.

I went back to school when I was a little too old to rely on my memory alone to pass classes and ambition took control.

 

I think that he did it to make sure that the students were taking notes. Taking notes is an excellent way to make knowledge stick... the more senses that are involved in the learning process, the better.

I agree. When you are taking your own notes during a class you are (or at least have the opportunity) to be engaged with what you are writing down. I never wrote anything into my notes that I didn't at least think I understood (sometimes I would discover later that I was mistaken, of course). If I didn't, then I asked a question right then and there. With handouts and slides, it's much easier to just give them a cursory thought and be lulled into the notion that you have the notes and so can always refer back to them if needed. Of course, it is entirely possible for a student to act like an automaton when taking notes, too, but I do think it is less likely.

 

I agree. When you are taking your own notes during a class you are (or at least have the opportunity) to be engaged with what you are writing down.

On a related note, what effect does the lack of cursive writing skills have on note taking speed? As you may know, teaching cursive is almost a thing of the past.

 

Man. My last post got heavily edited by myself.

 

I can vouch on the taking notes.

I went back to school when I was a little too old to rely on my memory alone to pass classes and ambition took control.

For me, by far the most effective way to learn (at least for material that does not have a hands-on component to it) is to prepare before class and take engaged notes in class.

In preparing for class I not only read the material, but I work through all of the examples step by step, at least mentally, and I make sure that I can derive all of the equations and such that are presented. I also outline the material with a pretty strict page limit on the notes -- typically no more than one page of notes for ten to twenty pages of text. This forces me to consider what material is really important and what isn't. I find that if I take the time to do this seriously, that it doesn't matter whether I make good choices or whether I ever refer back to the notes -- the very act of thinking very deliberately about the material really sets a lot of it in my mind, even the stuff I decided to leave out of the notes.

Then when I attend class I have already worked through the material and I can really focus on the finer points that are presented in class. I am in a good position to ask good questions aimed at clearing up any points of confusion left over after the reading and I'm also able to draw connections between things much more easily because I have a good idea of where things are headed.

 

Of course, it is entirely possible for a student to act like an automaton when taking notes, too, but I do think it is less likely.

Yep there is an interaction even though you don't realize it until later.

 

On a related note, what effect does the lack of cursive writing skills have on note taking speed? As you may know, teaching cursive is almost a thing of the past.

I'm not sure. My cursive was never very good unless I went very slowly, while my printing is quite neat even if I go pretty fast.

My daughter's school uses a "cursive first" approach right from kindergarten. As a result, she has developed very beautiful penmanship even at her age.

 

A teacher of mine back then when I studied mechanical engineering summarized it like this:
It's very important that you write your own cheat-sheets... and it's more important that you DON'T use them in the exam....

 

I think that he did it to make sure that the students were taking notes. Taking notes is an excellent way to make knowledge stick... the more senses that are involved in the learning process, the better.

As an undergrad and even a grad student (at first, anyway) there were no websites, no online resources, and no handouts (with very rare exception). You attended class if you wanted to see the material presented and if you wanted a record of it then you took notes. Homework assignments and exam dates were announced in class and if you missed class it was your responsibility to get the information from a fellow student -- you rarely asked a professor to fill you in on material you missed because you weren't there.

Very different from today, where making an announcement in class is all-but-pointless because if you don't make it available electronically and make sure that e-mail notifications go out to everyone then it isn't "fair" if someone doesn't find out because they either weren't in class or weren't paying attention.

 

A teacher of mine back then when I studied mechanical engineering summarized it like this:
It's very important that you write your own cheat-sheets... and it's more important that you DON'T use them in the exam....

I wholeheartedly agree. I used to do that all the time -- make a cheat sheet even for exams that didn't allow them and often not pulling out the cheat sheet when taking exams that did. I've recommended that to most of the classes I've taught. But, of course, most students don't pay attention. My sympathy is limited; they are adults and can make adult decisions -- and pay the consequences of doing so.

 

.

I wholeheartedly agree. I used to do that all the time -- make a cheat sheet even for exams that didn't allow them and often not pulling out the cheat sheet when taking exams that did. I've recommended that to most of the classes I've taught. But, of course, most students don't pay attention. My sympathy is limited; they are adults and can make adult decisions -- and pay the consequences of doing so.

The wold's not fair... it isn't fair that one has to make decisions of such humongous consequences when one is so young and stupid... but that's the way it is, I guess...

 

The closest we get to Power Point is the Nida system..http://nida.com/ ..It's similar in that the lesson(s) are on successive screens, the mains differences are a short quiz every 5/6 pages, a final test, all instantly interactive. During the lesson the student must connect a console to their computer and plug the appropriate lesson card into it. The lesson would have you measure volts, amps, whatever, and type it into the computer. A incorrect answer will send you back to do it again.

It allows student to get familiar with "hands on" at their own pace. It is used only in the first 2 trimesters, and not full time at that.

 

The closest we get to Power Point is the Nida system..http://nida.com/ ..It's similar in that the lesson(s) are on successive screens, the mains differences are a short quiz every 5/6 pages, a final test, all instantly interactive. During the lesson the student must connect a console to their computer and plug the appropriate lesson card into it. The lesson would have you measure volts, amps, whatever, and type it into the computer. A incorrect answer will send you back to do it again.

It allows student to get familiar with "hands on" at their own pace. It is used only in the first 2 trimesters, and not full time at that.

Nice, but unfortunately not every subject can be teached like that.