The term "Death by PowerPoint" refers to the tendency of some people to overuse this program - or any presentation software - for communication and let the presentation, rather than the subject matter, become the focus. Just because you've discovered the wonderful world of presentation software doesn't mean that it's always the right tool. Whatever program you use, let's talk about how to use it most effectively.

     There are many errors commonly made by users of presentation software. The most common ones are putting too much information on each slide, loading the slides with gimmicks, choosing incorrect colors and/or fonts that render the slide unreadable, and depending on the presentation to communicate the information. A few tips for you and your students can make presentations and other lessons most effective.

     First, remember that if you or someone else is orally presenting the information, the slides are merely for illustration and meant to make your major points. The presenter is still the focus, and the attention of the viewer must be on that presenter, not whatever is on the screen. The "six by six" rule is a good giude, meaning no more than six lines of text per slide with each line containing no more than six words. Don't post entire paragraphs on a slide, your viewers cannot read that much from it. Slides should contain no more than bullet points designed to guide your presentation

      Second, while you may be fascinated by the artsy-fartsy background with shooting stars, twirling words, bewildering transitions, and sound effects, you really should stick with something more straightforward. That doesn't mean it needs to be boring; indeed, the proper use of color, fonts, illustrations, even sound and video files, can add greatly to your message. What I'm saying is to avoid getting carried away with the fancy stuff and losing your focus on the message.

     Of course, you need to consider your audience at all times, along with the method and purpose of the learning. A lesson prepared using presentation software may be designed to be accessed by a single viewer at a computer. In this case, you need to design your presentation in such a way as to capture and hold the viewer's attention and simultaneously communictae the needed information. You may have hyperlinks incorporated into the presentation that lead to information that further illustrates a point or calls for completion by the viewer. 

     Third, readability is key. A busy background or a background and font too close in color make it hard to read, leading to an easy loss of the viewer. Consult a color wheel or even just experiment with color combinations to see what works. Unfortunately, I've been subjected to dozens of presentations that make this very basic mistake - I've seen slides with black type overlapping onto a black background. Why bother? If they can't read what is on the screen, they'll lose their focus on everything that's being said as they try to decipher it.

     Fourth, if you are using presentations as part of a didactically presented lesson (as opposed to being a lesson in itself), remember my first point - that the presentaion is only a backup. Assume that your audience can read the slide if needed, and don't read it to them. Again, use the slide to outline and organize main points or to present graphics or other files that further illustrate the lesson.

      As you design the presentation, step back from it and do a quick formative assessment. Have someone else look at it, then ask them what they got from it. Does it meet the critieria above? Is it visually appealing? Does it hold the viewer's interest? Most importantly, does it effectively communicate your message?