Creating Class Presentations using PowerPoint

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Creating Class Presentations using PowerPoint
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Why do class presentations?

• Students pay more attention in class
• Adds consistency for different sections (keeps
  instructor on track!)
• Multimedia possibilities engage variety of
  learning styles
• Illustrate a point
• Sometimes a Picture is worth a thousand words

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Considerations for Presentations

• Learning Cues
• Text Guidelines
• Animation Guidelines
• Choosing Color, Backgrounds
• Printing Handouts
• Graphics, Video

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Text Guidelines

• Use Text Sparingly
• No more than 5 bullet points per slide
• No more than 6 words per bullet point
• Use color for emphasis

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Text Formatting

• Optimal size- at least 32 point size. Absolute
  minimum size 24 point
• For maximum readability use San Serif styles for
  main text, Serif styles for Heading
• Limit number of font styles on 1 slide to 3
• Left-align body text

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Text Formatting

• DONT USE ALL CAPITALS AS THEY ARE HARDER TO READ
• Using Title Case Is More Formal And Harder To
  Type
• Using sentence case is informal, easy to read,
  and easier to type
• Italics are more difficult to read than regular
  text

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96 Pt. 72 Pt. 36 Pt. 24 Pt.
Examples of Text Sizes
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Animation Guidelines - Text

• Use animation for control, emphasis
• Limit different animations to 3 per slide
• 1 introduce title
• 2 bring in graphic
• 3 bring in bullet point
• Be consistent. Follow same animation format
  throughout presentation
• Use color in place of animation

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Animation Guidelines - Graphics

• Before adding an animated graphic consider
• Some rapidly repeated animations can bring on
  seizures in sensitive individuals
• Animated graphics can be distracting
• What control do you have over the pace and repeat
  of the animation?
• Will the animated graphic slow download time if
  posted on the web?

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Color Guidelines

• Use complementary colors with high contrast
• Blue or purple backgrounds show well
• with yellow or gold text
• Yellow with black lettering considered most
  readable
• 10 of people have difficulty with reds greens

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Examples
Good contrast
Poor Contrast
Good contrast
Unreadable for Color Blind
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Color In Class

• Color choices should be driven by the classroom
  lighting and size
• Dark or slightly darkened room - use light text
  on a dark background
• Light room - use dark text on a lighter
  background
• Avoid white backgrounds in very large rooms
• Always do a trial run in the classroom

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Color Online

• Eye is drawn to light on a computer screen
• Light text (yellow or white are good) on a dark
  background is preferable

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Color Printed Handouts

• Dark text on white background is most readable
  and saves toner
• To print black white handouts from your color
  presentation
• Choose File Print
• Print what Handouts
• Color/Grayscale Pure Black and White
• Handouts Slides per page (3 slides per page adds
  note-taking lines on right)

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Backgrounds

• Use single background throughout for consistency
• Use simple background that wont distract from
  or obscure text
• If Web posting is an option, dont use a photo
  for the background because of increased download
  time

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Emphasize Learning Cues

• Single phrases
• Short lists
• Questions for students
• Fill-in blanks
• Quotes
• Illustrative photos, graphics, charts
• Video clips (keep download time and players in
  mind)

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Graphics

• Relevant to topic
• Not too big
• Format as .jpg, .gifto accommodate Web

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Video

• Use brief clips
• Relevant to topic
• Common formats (.mov, .wmf)
• Dont interrupt flow include clip at either
  beginning or end of presentation