When I first learned to use the PowerPoint, I was excited and thought that using it would make my class more lively and my teaching more effective. I was right then. It was working to my advantage -- but it didn't stay that way for long. I just woke up one morning and realized that I DON'T NEED THE LCD AND THE POWERPOINT, AFTER ALL.
Let me tell you why I changed my mind about using this presentation tool.
First, making a PowerPoint presentation consumes a lot of my preparation time. Whenever I make a PowerPoint presentation, I make sure it is presentable -- complete with graphics and animation. One hour or a couple of hours is not enough to design a satisfying presentation using this tool.
Second, whenever I use this tool, I notice that some students are just staring at the LCD and no longer looking at me. I don't like this because they tend to simply "wait for the last slide" so they could be dismissed. It's hard to get the students' full attention when they see the colorful and attractive slides. In fact, even if the slides are not appealing, they still prefer to stare and not to contribute to the discussion.
Third, bringing laptop and LCD to the classroom is just like hell. Imagine, I come from the 4th floor of the main building and in order to go to the classroom, I have to go to another building (PS) using the foot bridge. Upon reaching PS building, I have to go to 2nd or 4th floor. Then after class, I need to "travel" again back to the main building. Not to mention the time spent setting up the laptop and LCD in class. This makes using PowerPoint pointless and simply a waste of precious time. So, I gave up on using this tool.
THIS SEM, I switched to the practical and traditional method, especially in my Comm. Theory class. I go to the classroom bringing only few index cards and a white board marker. No laptop, no LCD, no USB.
And guess what, I'm so proud that I had a chance to get rid of the technological tools that delay and limit my power to deliver the lessons well. I'm glad because the lack of PowerPoint helped me discipline the students. They learned to read our lessons in advance (because they won't see texts about the lesson in front of them) and to think (instead of just stare) while discussion is ongoing. Since the class is also paperless -- we don't have any written quiz, instead, we only have oral quiz -- all my students are obliged to read and think.
Without the PowerPoint, I can assure myself of 100% attention from students. In my Comm. 9 class, nobody gets a chance to make unnecessary conversation with each other. And I feel that I'm successful because based on my students' blog entries, they're learning and enjoying the class.
Let me tell you why I changed my mind about using this presentation tool.
First, making a PowerPoint presentation consumes a lot of my preparation time. Whenever I make a PowerPoint presentation, I make sure it is presentable -- complete with graphics and animation. One hour or a couple of hours is not enough to design a satisfying presentation using this tool.
Second, whenever I use this tool, I notice that some students are just staring at the LCD and no longer looking at me. I don't like this because they tend to simply "wait for the last slide" so they could be dismissed. It's hard to get the students' full attention when they see the colorful and attractive slides. In fact, even if the slides are not appealing, they still prefer to stare and not to contribute to the discussion.
Third, bringing laptop and LCD to the classroom is just like hell. Imagine, I come from the 4th floor of the main building and in order to go to the classroom, I have to go to another building (PS) using the foot bridge. Upon reaching PS building, I have to go to 2nd or 4th floor. Then after class, I need to "travel" again back to the main building. Not to mention the time spent setting up the laptop and LCD in class. This makes using PowerPoint pointless and simply a waste of precious time. So, I gave up on using this tool.
THIS SEM, I switched to the practical and traditional method, especially in my Comm. Theory class. I go to the classroom bringing only few index cards and a white board marker. No laptop, no LCD, no USB.
And guess what, I'm so proud that I had a chance to get rid of the technological tools that delay and limit my power to deliver the lessons well. I'm glad because the lack of PowerPoint helped me discipline the students. They learned to read our lessons in advance (because they won't see texts about the lesson in front of them) and to think (instead of just stare) while discussion is ongoing. Since the class is also paperless -- we don't have any written quiz, instead, we only have oral quiz -- all my students are obliged to read and think.
Without the PowerPoint, I can assure myself of 100% attention from students. In my Comm. 9 class, nobody gets a chance to make unnecessary conversation with each other. And I feel that I'm successful because based on my students' blog entries, they're learning and enjoying the class.
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