Blog Entry #6

Kathy Johnson viewed PowerPoint solely as a means of instruction. According to her, PowerPoint is used as a monotonous instructive tool that provides slide after slide of data. The only activity involved in PowerPoint consists of a click of the mouse. If PowerPoint is simply used as an instructive tool, like she has done in the past, then I agree, PowerPoint would be crippling our students. However, Kathy Johnson is crippling PowerPoint by not taking advantage of all it has to offer. On the other hand, Vicki Sharp uses PowerPoint as a constructive tool. The students are the ones creating the PowerPoint presentations instead of the teacher. In this way, PowerPoint can bring out the creative side of kids. The opportunities of PowerPoint are so grand that each student can personalize their own way of presenting the information and ultimately, individualize the way they learn the content. If the students are the creators and presenters of the PowerPoint projects, then clearly, they are highly motivated and actively involved in the learning process.