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Presentation tools as teaching aids

A thoughtful and well-planned presentation can do more than inform; it can engage and inspire your students and enhance accessibility for all participants. In this guide, you will find inspiration and teaching tips for using PowerPoint effectively in your teaching, both online and in the classroom.

Other presentation tools

There are many other digital presentation tools, but we have chosen to focus on PowerPoint because it is the most commonly used. Some other tools that work similarly to PowerPoint are Mentimeter, Keynote, Google Slides, and Visme. If you are curious about other tools with a different setup, you can check out Prezi and Canva.

Why PowerPoint?

PowerPoint is an excellent tool for enhancing and reinforcing teaching. Through visual elements like images, charts, and video clips, complex information can be conveyed clearly and engagingly. PowerPoint allows for structured presentations where the teacher can highlight key points and follow a logical sequence, which aids students' understanding and learning. It's also easy to share presentations, so students don't need to take extensive notes, allowing them to be used as study materials. Additionally, PowerPoint offers the flexibility to adapt content, making it a valuable aid in both traditional and digital classrooms.

Five principles that can enhance the learning experience

To avoid overwhelming students with too much information at once, Richard E. Mayer, in his book Multimedia Learning, developed several principles that can help enhance the learning experience. The following principles focus on structuring and presenting information in a way that makes it easier for students to absorb and process the content.

  1. Segmentation: Break down the information into smaller, manageable sections. This makes it easier for students to absorb and understand the material, rather than being overwhelmed by too much information at once.

  2. Modality: Limit the information channels to two per slide to avoid overwhelming students. For example, use images and speech simultaneously, or text and speech, but preferably not all three at once. This facilitates focus and understanding.

  3. Pre-Training: Introduce key concepts and terminology before diving deeply into the subject. This helps students build a foundational understanding that they can build upon throughout the rest of the presentation.

  4. Generative Activities: Include interactive elements, such as questions or discussions, that actively engage students. After 25–35 minutes of presenting, it might be time to break up and engage the students. The “ Maintaining Student Focus ” page provides tips on activities. This prompts them to process the information more thoroughly, thereby improving their learning.

  5. Signaling: Use visual cues like arrows, colors, or bold text to highlight the most important parts of your presentation. This helps students focus on what is most relevant and important. Here's a short video showing how you can create signaling in PowerPoint.

Seven tips to improve your presentation

Here are some key tips for creating an effective and clear presentation. By following these guidelines, you can avoid information overload and ensure that your message is delivered in the best way possible:

  1. Focus on You. You are the main focus, not your slides. You are the carrier of knowledge, and you want the audience to focus on you. What is shown on the presentation tool is meant to clarify, reinforce, and explain.

  2. Limit the amount of information on each slide. Avoid long sentences combined with complex images. Summarize and simplify in the text, then expand with spoken information.

  3. Choose images carefully. Images should enhance, clarify, or simplify. Avoid images that might cause confusion.

  4. Use consistent fonts and sizes throughout. Choose one font and header size and use them consistently. A common size for body text is 20 points.

  5. Think carefully about your headings. A good heading should capture the topic you are discussing on each slide.

  6. Check spelling and language. Read through your presentation carefully. Ask a colleague to check for language and spelling errors. Numerous language mistakes can distract from your teaching.

  7. Present information gradually with animations. Students will find it easier to follow your teaching if you present information step by step on each slide. You can do this by using animations in PowerPoint. You can watch a short video that explains how to create transitions and animations.

Webinars and Workshops on Presentation Techniques

If you want to learn more about presentation techniques, here are some tips: