How I use PowerPoint to make learning more engaging

In my role as a 5th grade teacher, I’ve come to believe that one of the best ways to integrate technology into the classroom is to start with the lesson itself.

Lessons can be turned digital, and formatted in a PowerPoint. I teach using PowerPoint or Google Slides. These resources are very user friendly for teachers and students. This makes the process of creating the content easier for the teacher. If
the students are creating a presentation, a simple How-To-Use would cover the basics of where certain options are located and how to use them.

When students create their own slideshow presentation, it makes them use their creativity and it boosts their confidence in themselves. Most of my students love presenting the work they have created because they are proud of what they
accomplished and want to share it with others. It is a way for students to show their abilities and artistic ideas in their work. When students are turning in their presentations, teachers can comment directly on the slideshow. This real-time feedback allows students to see where they made an error, and they can edit just the portion of the presentation where the error was made.

The comments section can serve as a place where teachers give students positive
feedback about their work. Using a slideshow also allows students to have a visual
representation of the topic they’re learning and presenting.

As school returns to normal after COVID, virtual lessons are still used widely and are very popular both in the classroom and in a virtual learning environment.

Learn From Blogs mentions the importance of PowerPoints with virtual classrooms: “To make distance learning easier, the PowerPoint provides different audio and visual tools. Its point-to-point explanation method makes difficult concepts easier for the students.” This visual introduces a new topic while helping engage students.

An article by LearnSafe mentions: “However, don’t let PowerPoint be the teacher.” This means that although they can be a helpful tool, teachers cannot simply just read off slides. There must be more interaction with the students.

Making presentations more interactive

There are strategies to ensure that presentations, including PowerPoints, are more engaging. One method is to add interactive elements. This can be done by adding videos, pictures, and animations. These can be found on copyright-free and public domain sites, and presentation tools also offer the option to select from a bank of existing images, videos, and animations.

Another fun tool is Pear Deck. This tool allows students to go through each slide at the same pace as the teacher. The student cannot edit the slide, but they can answer questions, draw, and select multiple choice. Those answers can then be shown
on the board and be discussed.

Drexel University School of Education mentions another option for a review, called Kahoot!: “Educational apps in the classroom like Kahoot! can be used to review information after a lesson or unit.” Kahoot is a great way for students to practice skills by playing games with other students. It also is a great resource for studying. PowerPoints are study resource on their own–students can study right from the slideshow and can also take information from each slide and put it into the Kahoot!.

One of the easiest ways to incorporate technology into the classroom is with the use of PowerPoints. They keep students engaged, and are an easy resource to use. This can be a very valuable resource–as long as teachers are using it the correct way.