Untitled - South East Asian Journal of Medical Education

Original research papersAre PowerPoint presentations fulfilling its purpose?M Thomas, B Appala RajuNowadays, most lecture classes areconducted using PowerPointpresentations, assuming that incorporationof computer technologies would enhancestudent learning and sustain interest in thetopic. But is it fulfilling its purpose?Therefore, to understand the studentperspective on this issue, 72 students of IIMBBS were given a questionnaire,wherein they were asked to choose as towhich method of presentation is thepreferred one for the various givenattributes. Chalk board (CB) and PowerPoint (PP) were the two methods thatwere compared. According to thestudents, clarity of words, illustrations, realpictures and summarizations were someof the attributes best dealt with on PP,whereas, explanations, clarity of conceptsand learning to draw diagrams are betterdone on a CB. Majority of students feelthat both CB and PP should be usedsimultaneously in all classes. Anappropriate and discrete mix of both PPand CB would be beneficial for enhancingstudent learning and achievement.Key Words: Chalk board, PowerPointIntroductionLectures still remain the most commonmode of instruction in higher education.Students learn from lectures by listening,observing, summarizing and note taking(Brown & Manogue, 2001). Sometimesunderstanding is achieved during a lectureand sometimes it emerges when studentspour over their notes after a lecture.Lectures can be supplemented withaudiovisual aids for better illustrations,clarity and learning (Brown & Manogue,2001; Brill & Galloway, 2007; Bransford etal., 2001; Lopresti, 2004). PowerPointpresentations were introduced about 10years back in our institution. It was anovelty initially with very few takers. Asteachers gained confidence with the newtechnology and facilities for suchpresentations became available for everyclassroom, regular use became a feature,and 99.9% of the teachers now use itregularly, leaving chalk boards and overheard projectors, a rarity insideclassrooms. With PowerPoint, people feelthat they can get away with practicing less,as they have words in front of them. It hasthus, slowly and steadily become aPSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research,Coimbatore Tamil Nadumethod to dissipate large number of facts,interspersed with illustrations andanimations, all packed in 45 minutes oflecture time. PowerPoint’s design andexpected use, adds to the didactic natureof classroom teaching where there isalready too much of: teacher-centred(Michelle, 2003), pre planned, lockstepdelivery of information, given primarilythrough words (Mason & Hlynka, 1998).Now the essential question is, ‘Is it fulfillingits purpose?’.Visual images are powerful in attractingattention. But is this attention sustained allthrough the lecture? What does thestudent think about the advantages ofPowerPoint presentations over thetraditional chalk board lectures? How doesthe student react to these continuousPowerPoint presentations, class afterclass? PowerPoint can be a powerfulclassroom tool, but is it coming in the wayof learning? Therefore, this study wasconducted to understand a student’sperspective and their choice, as towhether they prefer PowerPointpresentations or chalk boards for theirlecture classes.MethodA questionnaire was prepared anddistributed to all students of II MBBS38South East Asian Journal of Medical EducationInaugural issue