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Differentiated teaching is recognizing that individuals have different abilities that result in different needs to learn (Stansberry, n.d.). Differentiated teaching and learning is something that is important to keep in mind when constructing a course and its materials. Without this reflection and effort to make a class more accessible, many will be left behind.

The “Traditional Classroom”

Since the transition to online learning, most classes have been held online and over Zoom. At these meetings, typically all participants and instructors have their cameras off while the materials are presented. These lectures lack peer-peer engagement and are typically a one-sided conversation by the professor (that is not supported by audio captioning). As a result, students may struggle to pay attention or even be able to gain any teachings. 

A Change for the Better

There are many considerations and changes that can be made to make the online classroom a more accessible and friendly place. First, professors can begin by turning their camera’s on and requiring all students to do the same. This will allow students who may struggle to hear the ability to read lips and facial expressions. Further, turning on closed captioning is a small action, but could greatly benefit many. The course delivery should also be changed to involve more peer engagement through inclusive activities. This way, students are able to socially connect as well as reduce the possibility of distraction. By even making these small changes to the “traditional classroom” setting, we can begin to make lectures more inclusive for all. 

References

Alder, E. (n.d.). How Inclusitivity Promotes Student Engagement. Retrieved from https://todayslearner.cengage.com/how-inclusivity-promotes-student-engagement/

Education Week. (2018, September 11). Differentiation Instruction: It’s Not as Hard as You Think. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7-D3gi2lL8

Stansberry, S. (n.d.). Differentiated Learning with Educational Technology. In Applications of Educational Technology. Oklahoma State University Libraries. Retrieved March 13, 2021, from https://open.library.okstate.edu/applicationsofeducationaltechnology/chapter/chapter-2-differentiated-learning-with-educational-technology/

PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is a virtual presentation software designed for the business environment (Britannica, n.d.). Using slides containing images and text, organizations can deliver meaningful presentations using PowerPoint as a visual aid. However, end-users typically struggle to use the application effectively. Commonly, PowerPoint presentations contain too much text and not enough images. Consequently, those viewing the presentation face mind-numbing boredom and little to no educational benefits. Luckily one can follow a series of steps to prevent this and create presentations that will inform and benefit its viewers – as it intended to.

Online there are many websites that contain various information about “what not to do” when creating PowerPoint presentations. However, these sites have one thing in common: they do not inform the reader what to do. Because of this, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the abundance of information and go back to creating the same painful presentation as before. 

Figure 1. Bored at Meeting (Folk, 2011).

Tips and Tricks to PowerPoint Success

Most believe that creating a successful PowerPoint presentation is time-consuming and difficult. Instead, one can design an impactful presentation by following these six simple rules.

Rule #1 One Idea per Slide

Only put one idea per slide. Putting more than one idea on a slide increases the cognitive load of the viewer, therefore decreasing the viewer’s ability to learn or comprehend what is being presented. As such, limit the number of ideas on a slide to one and increase the number of slides within the presentation.

Rule #2 No more than six objects per slide

Do not put more than six objects on a slide. Objects include a text idea, image, and graphs or charts. Similar to rule #1, applying more than six objects to a single slide increases the cognitive load of the audience. If one has more than six objects per slide, either separate these objects amongst multiple slides or pick the six most important objects to use. 

Rule #3 Don’t read the text off of your slide

Do not directly read the text off of the slides. Not only does reading the text directly off the slides interfere with learning (i.e. the redundancy principle), but it is also boring and does not excite the audience. Because of this, only highlight the key “takeaways” on each of the slides and post narration in the presenter box. 

Rule #4 Use illustrative images and short text on your slides

Use illustrative images and short text on slides to deliver your message. Like rule #3, presenters should only highlight key ideas on the slides. Further, using a combination of multimedia to deliver a presentation, promotes learning and applies the modality principles.

Rule #5 Make the most important than the most prominent

Always make the most important message of the slide the most prominent. By making the most important message the most prominent, the presenter can signal to its audience what to focus on. Presenters can apply the signaling principle through the use of an increase in font size, use of color, or other font changes.

Rule #6 Use contrast to move your audience around the slide

Use contrast to move the audience’s attention around the slide. Through the application of contrast, the presenter can apply signaling and coherence principles to facilitate learning by not overwhelming its viewers with information. Rather, the audience is able to effectively move their attention from various information presented on the slide. 

To see how these rules can promote learning, please watch the video by David Phillips, who communicates these six rules through his own PowerPoint. 

(Tedx Talks, 2014).

References

Britannica. (n.d.). Microsoft PowerPoint. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/technology/Microsoft-PowerPoint

Folk, Sandra. (2011). 6 Quick Tips on How Not To Be Boring: Improve Your Presentation Delivery Skills. Retrieved from https://www.thelanguagelab.ca/posts/6-quick-tips-on-how-not-to-be-boring-improve-your-presentation-delivery-skills/

Tedx Talks. (2014, April 14). How to Avoid Death by PowerPoint [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwpi1Lm6dFo

Exams and other standardized testing are the cause of anxiety for many students. During their time at university, students may become overwhelmed by the amount of material to learn or struggle to engage with educational materials in a meaningful way that will result in good test outcomes. Fortunately for some students, they can overcome learning barriers and determine the best way to study, while others are not as lucky. By being aware of the Principles of Learning and the myths about learning, all students can begin to better promote better learning and successfully prepare for standardized tests.

Personally, learning to effectively engage with educational material was difficult. In my first year, I only began preparing for tests days before and typically only read course-related slide decks once. Not understanding the importance of studying habits or techniques, I was always surprised by my below-average scores. However, as I progressed throughout my time at university I recognized that my approach to learning needed to change. 

First, I started studying much earlier (at least one week before the test date) and engaging in a combination of passive and active learning styles. I would begin by reading the course’s textbook(s), slide decks, and supplementary materials. During this time, I would write notes, highlighting key elements and how they related to each other. Once I had completed the readings and initial note-taking, I broke down the material into learning segments to be digested over a series of days. By doing this, I was never overwhelmed by the amount of material and would have the opportunity to review and engage with the material multiple times. When reviewing the material/study package, I would do this both privately as well as in discussion groups to talk about the material and promote learning. For material that remained unclear, I would watch videos and reach out to the course professor to continue the discussion and solidify my understanding. 

By the end of my time studying, I felt confident in my material comprehension and ability to write a good exam. Fortunately, the combination of these methods has always been very successful for me and has resulted in high scores. Although this method approach to studying is much more time-consuming than my previous approach, I have become much more successful and have been able to better learn course materials. 

References:

John Hopkins Medicine. (2017). 5 Tips for Preparing for your PH.D. Candidacy Exam. Retrieved from https://biomedicalodyssey.blogs.hopkinsmedicine.org/2017/04/5-tips-for-preparing-for-your-ph-d-candidacy-exam/

Lane, Chloe. (2022). How can Universities Create a Diverse Environment for Students? Retrieved from https://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/studying-abroad-articles/how-can-universities-create-diverse-environment-students

MooMooMath and Science. (2017, February 2017). Difference Active and Passive Studying. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ5vchaVghE

Principles of Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://psychology.fandom.com/wiki/Principles_of_learning#ExerciseStenger,

Marianne. (2018). 10 Common Learning Myths That Might Be Holding You Back. Retrieved from opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/10-common-learning-myths-might-holding-back/