CTAP TWT- Teaching with Technology

1. Designing PowerPoint Presentations Lisa Natwick Holtville High School, Holtville FINAL PRESENTATION CTAP TWT- Teaching with Technology

2. The Scope of this Lesson • This unit is an introduction to PowerPoint, from beginning to presentation. It culminates with a presentation on a student-chosen topic using a Smart Board and LCD projector. • It leads students through the steps of creation and includes suggestions on making slides which are effective through the layout, graphics, animation, transitions and summary text. • I am a business educator at Holtville High School. I have taught Microsoft Office since version 4 on a Windows 3.1 system . • Lisa Natwick, Holtville High School, Holtville, Imperial County • 760-356-2926 lnatwick@ivnet.org

3. Expectations • This lesson is one I have taught before so my expectations really are about the use of the Smart Board and how it will improve student performance. • I expect that the students will learn the unique features of PowerPoint easier because it is much easier to follow my hand gestures and tapping on the board than trying to follow the small cursor. By being able to step closer to the board and physically make changes there, I expect the students will pay better attention and see what I am trying to get them to see, whatever the topic is. • I expect that the students will have an easier time giving their presentations because they will have a “new toy” to experiment with and learn to use. The board will make it easier also because they can look at the audience without trying to stoop over to use a mouse, and they can follow along on the monitor instead of looking at the projected presentation.

4. Actual skills and Learning • About half the class I used for this project had been introduced to PowerPoint the previous year. In the fall, I also taught this unit with no data collection. Only about ¼ of that class had any PPT experience. In both cases, I think the board did offer a positive incentive to present the final project. • The skills learned were: • Basic presentation creation • Slide enhancements such as animation, transitions, graphics, and other elements (objects) • Proper summary levels to keep presentation just a guide to the verbal presentation (unlike this one!) • Use of a Smart Board for presenting a PowerPoint project

5. Successes • Students edited their presentations when I covered the idea of 6 lines, 6 words per line. (not that dramatically, but better) • Students quit animating just to be animating and really thought about what’s best for this slide’s content. • They liked getting a copy on CD. Even if it would have fit on diskette, it made them feel like they had stepped up in technology to get a CD and case. • I learned about student interests and had something I could use in relating to them in other learning situations.

6. Successes • Students taught one another in the use of the Internet, scanner, customized backgrounds and other elements I never covered. They shared their work and when someone asked, “How’d you do that?”, they got to teach!! • Students use PowerPoint now when I give them the option to “create” an answer to some of the questions in the other content units I have taught since this unit (small business ownership, IT department functions).

7. Shortcomings • The students are not very proficient in the vocabulary and rely on the visual cues provided by the projected image when they ask for help instead of being able to follow verbal directions. • Students still tend to watch the presentation on the screen not the monitor which means they talk to the wall not the audience. • Video clip insertion still is not consistent in its performance. I don’t know if this is a Windows issue or what but it makes for a very frustrated teacher and students.

8. Chart

9. Student Work Samples Advanced Proficient Basic

10. Change happens • Even though I did not keep “stats” on the fall class, I did learn from delivering the basic lesson in the fall. • I discovered I needed to be more direct in making suggestions for slide format changes. In the spring, I actually let them give the projects, then as a class, we looked at the slides, made suggestions for change and in some cases actually implemented the changes right there on the board. They could chose to make changes or not and then I graded the projects. (See video) • I will insist on more emphasis on learning the terminology of PowerPoint in the first few days. I need to be able to give verbal directions using the correct terms as I can’t always go to the board. • I will develop a rubric in addition to the score sheet. This will be for all PowerPoint projects.

11. In Closing… • About the Smart Board • I really have enjoyed seeing students use this tool. They like to “play” with the board. I encourage them to talk about what they are drawing or looking for when they think I am not watching and they stop by the board and launch a program or pick up a “pen”. Having taught many computer lessons without one, I can safely say it has been a good investment!! • About CTAP and this lesson • I have been challenged to make formal evaluation criterion more obvious to students. I think I got better results and know the changes I plan to make in this unit can also be made for the other units I teach and will result in better student learning.