The Importance Of Using Presentation Media In The Classroom

Media is something that is used often as a method of conveying a message or a lesson to students. It is a facilitator to teachers, it encourages students to think critically and last but not least, it is a great way to grab the students’ attention, since it is a more interesting way of learning than how lessons are more commonly executed.

The advantage of using learning media in the classroom is that teachers can save time, sincein most instances, the media presentation has been compiled into an already prepared lesson (it only needs to be created once, for all lessons). This means that it has also been structured carefully and specifically for educational purposes, often changed and adapted over the years, so that it covers a subject thoroughly and accurately.

Learning media can be divided into three categories, namely:

• Visual media.This type of learning media uses visual resources to convey a message, for example, images, posters, and graphics.
• Audio media.This media applies to your sense of hearing and you simply have to listen to the content. Examples are: radios, tape recorders, and telephones.
• Audiovisual media.This media combines both point a and b above, where both seeing and hearing is required to receive the messages communicated.

Tips on how to compile presentation material using Microsoft PowerPoint -
Presentations using the Microsoft PowerPoint application can be placed in the visual media category, since the students simply need to view the material for learning purposes. However, the teacher might also want to discuss the visuals or give a verbal explanation of each slide as the lesson proceeds.

PowerPoint is a multi-media application stemming from the Microsoft Office family and is often used as a medium to deliver learning messages to students, trainees, workshop attendants or even employees. The use of PowerPoint media in teaching is considered very effective because it can be used repeatedly and does not require additional software to run it, since it is installed onto computers simultaneously with the installation of Microsoft Office applications.

Microsoft PowerPoint has an interisting features that can be used to design presentation materials. These features include slide selection, text creation, image insertion, sound illustrations, music, and video, to name but a few. The display of your presentation media will appeal to students if designed well. If driven manually, it will be more likely to attract the attention of more students because operation control can be done according to student interaction. The PowerPoint presentation media is displayed with a projector connection.

Based on my experience in making presentation materials, there are a few things to note in order for the presentation to attract students' attention -

• Avoid using red and yellow as a background color because it will be a very disturbing vision.
• Combine opposite colors between backgrounds and text, avoid using combinations such as brown with green, Purple with blue, and black with blue.
• Add animated effects to presentation material to make it more interesting. Animation effects can be applied to text, graphics, images, lines, and shapes.
• Add a voice or video link on a particular subject if needed.
  The use of appropriate slides plays a big role in the effectiveness of the presentation,if the material looks good, is easy to understand and is presented with good timing, then it will be absorbed and learnt by students effectively.

Best regards,
@abdys

This post has been edited by a member of the @blue-pencil team