Getting Students Engaged:PowerPoints and Learning
Ann Collins, Mickey Schutzenhofer,
and Nathan White
Life After Death by PowerPoint
Our Motivation
Our MotivationStudent Use
Blocked thoughtNo “big picture”Concepts lost
How PowerPoint is used
Use in class
Student Access
Engagement
Lower level
Full Slides Post L imited (no notes)
Cover more material
No post L imited (frantic copying)
Fill-in Slides
Copy of incomplete slides
Limited (focus on blanks)
Time required! 2 copies; in advance
Upper level
Picture Slides
Y/N Large potential Aids to teaching
No Slides No Large potential
Faculty1. What level is your course?
Response ResponsePercent Count
Lower level (100-200) 43.00% 43Upper level (300-400) 57.00% 57
2. How do you primarily present information in class?
Response ResponsePercent Count
Full information/slidesposted BEFORE class 26.00% 26
Full information/slidesposted AFTER class 11.00% 11
Full information/slidesNOT posted 6.00% 6
Fill-in Slides(obviously provided before class) 4.00% 4
Picture Slides ONLY or min. text 16.00% 16
NO Slides 37.00% 37
Faculty (cont.)3. What is the approximate number of slides that you cover in a 50-minute class period?
Response ResponsePercent Count
0-10 59.80% 5810-20 19.60% 1920-30 14.40% 1430-40 3.10% 340-50 1.00% 1
50+ 2.10% 2
4. What percent of students do you observe actively taking notes in class?
Response ResponsePercent Count
0-10 10.10% 1010-20 11.10% 1125-50 19.20% 1950-75 18.20% 18
75-100 41.40% 41
Students
Question 1Taking notes
in class helps you STUDY.
Taking notes in class helps you LEARN.
Strongly Agree 54.2% 75.0%
Agree 37.5% 16.7%
Undecided 8.3% 8.3%
Disagree 0.0% 8.3%
Strongly Disagree 0.0% 0.0%
Response Count 24 24
Students (cont.)2. How
frequently are you inclined to
take independent notes when a
course…
uses slides that are posted before class?
uses slides that are posted after class?
uses slides that are
not posted?
uses slides with fill-in-the-blanks?
uses slides that
contain pictures or
minimal text?
does not use slides?
Very Frequently
29.2% 37.5% 66.7% 50.0% 47.8% 66.7%
Frequently 54.2% 45.8% 25.0% 37.5% 30.4% 16.7%Occasionally 8.3% 16.7% 0.0% 12.5% 17.4% 12.5%
Rarely 8.3% 0.0% 4.2% 4.2% 4.3% 4.2%Very Rarely 4.2% 4.2% 4.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Never 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%Response
Count24 24 24 24 23 24
Students (cont.)3. I enjoy receiving
information in a course
that consists mainly
of slides that are posted before class?
of slides that are posted
after class?
of slides that are
not posted?
of slides with fill-in-the-blanks?
of slides that
contain pictures or
minimal text?
of no slides?
Strongly Agree 58.30% 16.70% 8.30% 37.50% 12.50% 4.20%Agree 20.80% 58.30% 4.20% 29.20% 25.00% 0.00%
Undecided 16.70% 12.50% 8.30% 20.80% 20.80% 20.80%
Disagree 0.00% 16.70% 41.70% 8.30% 33.30% 29.20%Strongly Disagree 4.20% 0.00% 37.50% 4.20% 12.50% 45.80%Response
Count 24 24 24 24 24 24
Some Conclusions:Faculty Responses
Slightly less than 2/3 of the classes use PowerPoint
Most faculty cover <= 10 slides in a class period
Student Responses***Most students responded that taking notes helps
them study and learnStudents will take notes regardless of slidesStudents want slides available to them
***Our student sample was most likely not representative
Discussion
