An interesting article in today’s SMHÂ suggests that the way in which we have been using PowerPoint in many of our churches and educational institutions is in fact working against the learning process, not helping it.
I have had a hunch about this for some time, and have stopped using PowerPoint to accompany my sermons and youth talks. The main reason is that I feel that PowerPoint creates a gap between preacher/teacher and congregation/class, and that simply talking allows much more scope for relationship. The fact that Gen Y’s crave experience over explanation points further to the fact that a speaker who speaks with emotion and engages the crowd will be more likely to have an impact than those who present the information in a formal teaching style.
Even more interesting is the observation that by reading along in our Bibles when the Bible reading is spoken in church may in fact be making it harder for us to comprehend the message.
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wow.
thanks for the link.
Hey Jodie (baby-face…)
Check out http://www.presentationzen.com for presentation tips.
He’s got some great ideas for using presentations (powerpoint/keynote) effectively.
One of the main points – NO TEXT!
Reading while someone is talking confuses the message.
Check it out.
-Ian Tyrrell
Thanks mate…
Some helpful food for thought in all of that….
The Bible Reading issue is a good one, I think we have everyone have a Bible in response to the pre-reformation days, along with the priesthood of all believers being able to look at the Bible themselves and criticise my talks based on that. I wonder if taking the Bibles away would endorse a return to such ideas of the priesthood?
Just thinking
Steve
Interesting point about reading along in our bibles.
Clifford Warne and Paul White pointed out years ago that if the bible reader is a competent one, you’re much better off closing your bible and listening.
I’d still like to have my bible accessible while I’m listening to the message, though.
I also kinda thought that PowerPoint was a little distracting, too, especially when it just says in text exactly what the teacher is saying verbally. I almost feel like the death-by-bullet points insults my intelligence.
Similar to Ian’s comment, might be worth reading Kathy Sierra’s tips on Stop your presentation before it kills again. Some great ideas and great links for using powerpoint wisely 🙂