Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Changed Focus to PowerPoint in Classroom

My original query was how to make my website more meaningful to my students; however, as I began working with linking presentations to my website and using them in the classroom, I discovered how useful they were as a review tool in the classroom.
Below is a description of how PowerPoint has changed my daily lessons in Literature 12:
I begin each Literature 12 class with a review of the former day's poem that was taught. This review, in the form or a PowerPoint presentation, included review questions (from text) with answers, visual images (from google images; usually classical paintings related to the period and the piece I covered), and audio (iTunes used to copy from my CDs or buy music; music is based on period of poem or occasionally thematic with modern rock or pop music).
This 10 minute introduction engages students, provides me time to check homework and speak with some students individually, and broadens their perspective on the poem and the period of the writer and poem.
One student, Jill, said, "I love these presentations, for they made me reconnect with my musical past as I took piano lessons from childhood and the music, such as today's Messiah by Handel, renewed my interest in classical music.
As for statistical evidence of PowerPoint's effectiveness, I can use provincial exam results, at least loosely. If results are better than last year, it may be due, in part anyway, to the new technology.

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