Presentations

PowerPoint is a tool that most of us take for granted; and it can be second nature to us just to rattle off some slides to deliver as part of our teaching. However, students are telling us that we may have slipped into bad habits when using PowerPoint.

We are therefore encouraging anyone involved in teaching or presenting to students to take a step back and ask a few questions to see if there is anything we can do to ensure our presentations are getting the best out of ourselves and our students.

Think back to presentations you have seen that have captured your interest and inspired you; what was it about them that was so engaging?

To ensure we are getting the content and delivery right, it can be helpful to ask the following questions:

1. What is the purpose of my presentation?

• marketing / recruitment
• in-class learning (lectures, seminars, or small group tutorials)
• online learning

Ultimately the context will influence how we shape our presentations; but there are things we can do in each of the above contexts to ensure we don't get accused of 'death by PowerPoint'.

2. Can one size really fit all?

Rarely will a well-designed PowerPoint convey absolutely all the information needed to be covered in the session; whilst still being engaging, interactive and legible from a distance.

However, before you delete all your PowerPoints and decide to teach purely through the medium of dance, it is important to identify what it is about your current slides and teaching approach that might be in need of a refresh.

These additional questions might be a useful starting point. Click on the questions below to find tips and examples on how to address each of the bullet points:

3. What do I normally try and include in my slides?

• Lots of info as a one-stop-shop for students who print off the slides
• Lots of info to help act as a prompt for me and my delivery
• Mainly pictures with lots of narrative from me in the session
• Key bullet points that I elaborate on

4. Why might students be 'switching off' in my sessions?

• I have lots of slides that I struggle to get through in the time allotted
• I cover lots of theory in a large lecture / seminar groups and some students may lose track or not understand the topic
• My session is mainly didactic as I have a lot of content to cover

If you would like some support or guidance please contact the HWB TEL Team