Additional LC Comments on JC Editorial.docx

8/14/2019 Additional LC Comments on JC Editorial.docx

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PowerPoint alone is dull, but when complimented with media and discussion, class can be

interactive and dynamic, creating the perfect learning environment.

Not every student learns the same way, though. Some may like the visual aspect of

PowerPoint that incorporates colors and images, or it may help significantly with note

organization and focus. PowerPoints condense important informati on to what you need to

know, which is ideal for our generation accustomed to efficiency. We crave optimization. In a

study titled The Effect of PowerPoint Presentations on Student Learning and Attitudes by

Hossein Nouri and Abdus Shahid from the College of New Jersey, students who received

instruction via PowerPoint did not (on average) perform better on quizzes or exams. This

implies that PowerPoint is only preferential for students; it neither helps nor hinders learning. By

adapting our studying styles to simply memorize the condensed and most important

information, we can surely ace a course. However, the issue at hand is not grades. It is that the

method of efficient learning is only memorization, not comprehension. PowerPoint has taken

away the classic struggle of understanding a concept, which is the same process that makes

conquering a concept memorable.

Though PowerPoint has a neutral effect on exam performance, we must consider

everything that PowerPoint leaves out with its style of presenting only what you need to know.

Sure, students want to master the material, but education is supposed to encourage further

thought. We can easily research concepts on these slides ourselves, (at home, for free) but it is

supposed to be the evaluation and critique of these ideas that makes education worthwhile. Upon

graduation, we will not remember what year the Cold War occurred, but rather the causes and

effects of it on the world and perhaps how to recognize and prevent them. Edward R. Tufte, a

statistician known for his writings on information design, discusses these negative effects of


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PowerPoint on our ability to think critically in his book The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint:

Pitching Out Corrupts Within . He says that PowerPoint lends itself to the development of

superficial and simplistic thinking, overgeneralization, imprecise statements, slogans, light-

weight evidence, and abrupt and thinly argued claims. Especially for impressionable college

students entering the adult world where answers are not always evident, this simplistic

mentality is destructive.

Our generation was introduced to PowerPoint at such a young age that we are sometimes

lost without it. We actually assume a class does not have structure if we cannot see the

information organized on a slide. When asked, students at DePaul prefer PowerPoint (even

though it is perhaps the least stimulating method) because they are comfortable with it. We need

to get past our reliance on technology to give us the answers and find them ourselves.

Think of another scenario. We have all had classes with a presentation given in the dark.

Do you remember how many students put their heads down and slept? This is not because of

student fatigue, but boredom. The definition of student from the Oxford Dictionary is a person

who takes an interest in a parti cular subject. Yet, how can we find interest in our classes when

every lecture, and all our information, is modeled the same way? We need to stop silently

watching these presentations, and instead engage our minds and voices in the classroom. We

need to escape from this lazy atmosphere and implement active participation from professors and

classmates. We need to challenge each other and discover new ideas through discussion, pushing

one step further in our learning.

Though PowerPoint can be effective for concrete, factual information, it should not stand

alone in the classroom. We cannot continue to let technology simplify our education. Rather,


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technology should compliment these complex ideas, giving us perspectives we may not have

from a textbook. Knowledge is more than bullet points, it is concepts and ideas. Learning is more

than memorization, it is comprehension. To gain knowledge and learn correctly, students and

professors need to be actively engaged in a journey to figuring things out. We deserve this

journey and we deserve to be inspired. The answers need to be found and debated, not only

stated. Further, knowlege does not need to be condensed or organized to be effective. The

struggle is educating in itself and will be retained much longer than a PowerPoint slide. \

Jessica,

I hope these comments help. Your conclusion so much stronger! I played around withthat last sentence, and while you shouldnt feel compelled to take my words verbatim, I hope mysuggestions help you to generate a clear concluding sentence. This is a great piece and I thinkyou are exactly on track for revising for the portfolio. Even though you are revising this piece,make sure to also include your rhetorical analysis in your Digication portfolio (just star theeditorial so faculty knows its the one you want us to formally assess). I encourage you toreference how both pieces have helped you develop as a writer- (because I can see they clearlyhave!)

There are a few (very minor) places where I think your piece will benefit from sometransitional markers . It will just help your reader stay with you so to speak. I also provide someword choice suggestions. Let me know if you have any questions about what I point out. Goodluck in revising and great work as usual!

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Additional LC Comments on JC Editorial.docx