Assessing the use of power point in a classroom setting and its effectiveness

Pages: 187-192
Kassa Gulie Worku (Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia)

This study aims at assessing effective utilization of power point presentation in a classroom setting at Bahir Dar University post graduate diploma in teaching (PGDT) program. For this study, instructors as well as students in the program were selected, interviewed and given open ended questionnaire to 25 students for gathering dependable data. The data obtained clearly showed that the use of power point presentation is totally at risk, i.e. instructors are not using the tool for making it to serve the very purpose it is supposed to be serving regarding to making the instructional process effective, rather it is thought to be, by most instructors, that it makes their tasks accomplished easily. Students have clearly put their concern that the power point technology is not put into effect properly and based on that the participants particularly, student participants gave their own experience based recommendation to the concerned bodies to challenge the power point presentation usage challenges what today’s classrooms are facing. Finally, conclusions were made so as to make clear that power point presentation technology must appeal as many senses of students as possible, otherwise, mere utilization of the media for the sake of utilization would never make it effective and effectiveness mean the extent to which the media plays a role for learners to bring changes they are supposed to as a result of using this medium so as to facilitate for better understanding during students’ learning. Lastly based on the findings of this study, summary, conclusions and recommendations were forwarded.