Using PowerPoint Effectively

Richard Rathe 2009 (Books, Reviews, Technology)

Welcome to my Powerpoint resource page. It will evolve over time as new information and links become available. I should begin by saying that I'm not a Sourpointer. I use PowerPoint almost every week, but perhaps not in ways you'd expect. I view PowerPoint as just another tool—whose use can lead to good, bad, or even ugly results. I'm mostly impressed by how mediocre PowerPoint presentations can be. It creates a path of least resistance that often gets in the way of meaningful classroom interaction. PowerPoint was built for marketing and is great for making a pitch to a potential customer. But colleagues and students rarely want a marketing pitch. Instead they need audiovisuals that support and clarify what the speaker has to say.

I must acknowledge my debt to Edward Tufte who's work inspired me to look deeper into how information is displayed, transmitted, and assimilated—and incorporate these insights into my professional life. His many Books are beautiful to behold and a joy to read. He also has an active Online Forum with many thought-provoking threads. I attended his Short Course in 2007 and can highly recommend it.