PowerPoint versus Chalk-and-Talk

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Scott Henley, Jul 7, 2006.

Loading...
  1. Scott Henley

    Scott Henley New Member

    So many colleges are pushing technology these days for delivery of courses (i.e. PowerPoint, WebCT, Multimedia) that perhaps we are losing sight of what is most effective.

    I have done many informal surveys of students in my classes regarding delivery methods and, almost universally, they prefer the traditional chalk and blackboard approach over PowerPoint presentations.

    They feel that the traditional chalk-n-talk is more "interactive", "paced" and "connected" to the students. Whereas, PowerPoint is more "distant", "fast" and "boring".

    Has anyone else noticed this perception as a teacher or has the same opinion (or not) as a student?
     
  2. Han

    Han New Member

    I was just having this conversation..... I do not provide my PPT's , so students will actually write my notes down, to try to understand it. Unfortunately, they just spend time copying down everything, rather than listening. I went to a chalk board approach, and they seemed to write it down when they understand it.

    They resist the chalk board, as they think it is "old", but they seem to understand it more that way.

    I am trying to find the best in between....... I would really enjoy hearing others opinions.

    The only thing I have come up with is to lecture the first half, then conduct an exercise where they apply it, then chapter questions at the end of the chapter.....
     
  3. Bill Hurd

    Bill Hurd New Member

    Chalkboard vs PPT

    My Economics classes love PPTs, however they present most of the material (usually in teams). I then use PPTs to make sure we have covered everything.

    One of my students took notes right on the PPT handout because she "learned better when she wrote it down."

    In my stats classes I frequently go to the chalkboard because it is quicker to draw a bell curve or other squigglies than trying to manipulate a PPT.

    I suppose the answer is whatever works for a particular class.
     
  4. eric.brown

    eric.brown New Member

    The best professors I've had in my B&M coursework didn't use PPT...or any prepared slides. Some used the blackboard, but the most effective method I've experienced was using a projector and transparencies and the prof writing his lecture notes on the transparency while explaining. This method seemed to keep everyone involved and provided ample time for students to write notes.
     
  5. Scott Henley

    Scott Henley New Member

    I think this is a key element to the learning process.

    When I used PowerPoint in the classroom I had a tendency to move more quickly since I didn't have to write anything on the board.

    Since I am almost exclusively chalk n' talk now, I hear very positive feedback from the students. I get the impression that students think that professors that used PowerPoint are "lazy".

    I would really like to hear more feedback on this issue. In fact, I'm goint to set up a couple of polls after I post this message.
     
  6. eric.brown

    eric.brown New Member

    That has been my impression with every professor that uses PPT...they put the PPT up and then just talk without really ensuring that what they are providing is 'information' not just 'data'.
     
  7. Han

    Han New Member

    Scott - I tried your polls, and got an error. ????
     
  8. Scott Henley

    Scott Henley New Member

    Han, they worked for me. Sometimes things work differently in Firefox or Internet Explorer. Try another browser.
     
  9. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    How Technology Affects Students Perceptions of Teaching Effectiveness”, used question

    How Technology Affects Students Perceptions of Teaching Effectiveness”, used questionnaires to determine the impact of MS Office PowerPoint multimedia presentations and a Blackboard course website on the course grades and perceptions of teaching effectiveness of introductory sociology students.

    While the results showed no statistically significant difference in course grades between experimental and control groups, students' responses to standardized teaching evaluations were considerably more favorable in the experimental group. According to Kober (2005), “all measured dimensions of perceived teaching effectiveness yielded statistically significant increases, with substantial increases in perceptions of instructor rapport and grading”.

    Kober (2005) attributes this impact as the result of introduction of technology as obtaining an unconsciously favorable impression of the course. Students not only reacted positively to the instructor's use of technology but through their own use of the technology increased their involvement in the course and came to perceive its teaching more favorably. Kober did not address the possibility of the Hawthorn effect in this study.

    Reference
    Koeber, C. (Jul 2005). Introducing Multimedia Presentations and a Course Website to an Introductory Sociology Course: How Technology Affects Students Perceptions of Teaching Effectiveness. Teaching Sociology. Beverly Hills: Vol. 33, Iss. 3; p. 285 (16 pages). Retrieved online 8 July 2006 from: http://proquest.umi.com.proxy1.innovaeducation.net/pqdweb/?index=0&did=875552021&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=4&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1152147257&clientId=52110
     

Share This Page