Is Power Point good or bad, on average? prior probability likes the visual and creative possibilities of Power Point, but all too often, Power Point presentations are terribly boring and poorly executed. Here, for example, is what the famous Gettysburg Address might have looked like had President Lincoln used Power Point to deliver his remarks:
For the whole hypothetical Power Point presentation (six slides in all), go here. Hat tip to The Faculty Lounge, another of my favorite blogs, for this whimsical pointer.
prior probability 
Well maybe it IS time for a prior Marketing person to step into the Legal Arena… Wanna bet if my power points would look like those of the example? Where’s the color, funnel-like shapes and template graphics? I didn’t even know brown and green were a possible color combination for slides. Nay ! the monumental event of this day in ’63, would have called for flash and music embedded within the power. The words and actions of freedom and progress of this Nation’s address of change by our Tall, dark and brilliant 16th president were (are) much to monumental for simple power point. On a side note, perhaps if the nation took less than another 50 years to recognize that women should have additional freedoms as well… then who knows how amazing his power point could have been…
It is important to note that Power Points are not just to put ALL of the information on them, but it’s for the speaker to give their audience the main points of the subject matter. I think Power Points are a great visual aid to use to capture your audience’s attention, and I also think they should be short and simple. It is the presenter’s job to get all of their points across, not a computerized powerpoint. Power Points, if properly executed, are a great tool for presentations if one was trying to ensure their audience knew the main ideas of what they are trying to convey.
Power Points are a great tool of understanding for the visual learner. There are so many different learning styles. When a professor explains a point in a clear and succinct manner via visual aid…it’s almost as if a light bulb can go off. During a presentation, the use of bolding or underlining a phrase is an effective way to get the point of your message across.
Power point presentations are amazing if done correctly. If your power point is interactive with examples, pictures, sound clips, etc., your listeners will be engaged. However, if it a power point presentation is bland–it will be harder for listeners to pay attention to. Overall, power point presentations are a great learning tool, but they can be even better if done correctly.
Power Points are good if they are simple. I had a law professor who put so much info on each slide directly verbatim form our casebook. So boring!
I agree with the majority; power points are a great way to supplement lectures. I personally like to write something down that I am visually being exposed to, while at the same time listening to the actual lecture. In my experience, having a professor read directly from a book (one that I can read myself) is not as helpful as some type of combination that includes power points that helps interpret the material we’ve read. I can quickly go back and reference them to make sure I’m following some type of helpful model to make sure I cover the critical points.