How Not to Use PowerPoint

After reading a blog by the “Cool Cat Teacher” (a.k.a. Vicki Davis), I found a great video posted on Youtube.com called “How NOT to use PowerPoint”. It featured comedian Don McMillian giving his routine on the pitfalls of PowerPoint presentations, which we can all relate to. Although it’s a comedy routine (and a very funny one), he actually has some very good tips on how to make your PowerPoints better so that people will be more interested in what you have to say during your presentation. He touches on all of these PowerPoint tips:

1. Don’t put too many words on your slides.
2. Don’t put too many bullets on your slides.
3. Watch your visual design and color choices.
4. Use spell check.
5. Keep the number of slides down to a minimum.
6. Be selective of graphs, charts, and other data visuals.
7. Limit the use of animations.
8. Be careful with font selection.

Mr. McMillian elaborates on all of these points in the video. Even though it’s on Youtube, it’s worth checking out on your own time. I believe all teachers and technology specialists will get a laugh out of it and find the information useful.