importance of using powerpoint presentation

Why PowerPoint Is Important? (The Benefits Explained)

Presentations can be a great way to share ideas and information, but they can also be overwhelming and dull if not done correctly.

Fortunately, PowerPoint offers a number of features to help you create compelling presentations that can engage your audience and effectively deliver even the most complex concepts.

In this article, we will explore the basics of PowerPoint and why it is important, as well as the many benefits it can offer.

By the end of this article, you will be well-equipped to create and deliver powerful and engaging presentations with PowerPoint.

Table of Contents

Short Answer

Powerpoint is an important tool for presenting information in a visual and organized manner.

It allows people to present complex information in an easy to understand and engaging way.

Powerpoint is an invaluable tool for anyone looking to present their ideas effectively.

The Basics of PowerPoint

PowerPoint is an important tool for businesses, as it can help to create professional-looking presentations.

It also has features such as the ability to embed audio and video, as well as the ability to animate objects.

PowerPoint also has a number of features that make it easier to organize and deliver complex concepts in an understandable manner.

For instance, it offers a variety of slide layouts to help users structure their presentations in an organized way.

In addition, PowerPoint supports the use of templates and themes, which can help to give presentations a more professional look.

This makes it easier for businesses to collaborate on projects and ensure that all stakeholders have access to the same information.

Finally, PowerPoint offers a number of features that can help to improve presentations, such as the ability to add notes and comments, as well as the ability to insert charts and graphs.

The Benefits of Using PowerPoint

PowerPoint is an incredibly useful tool for businesses, as it provides a range of benefits when it comes to creating presentations.

This makes it easier to create a visually appealing presentation, which can help to engage audiences and make it easier to retain information.

This means that it is easy to break down complex topics into more manageable chunks, making it easier for audiences to understand the concepts being presented.

Additionally, PowerPoint’s features make it easier to create compelling visuals that can help to keep viewers engaged.

Presenters can easily create presentations with PowerPoint’s templates and features, allowing them to quickly and efficiently create presentations that are both informative and visually appealing.

This saves businesses time and money, as they dont have to spend time and resources on creating presentations from scratch.

This makes it a great tool for businesses that need to create presentations for different types of events.

With its easy-to-use features, businesses can quickly and easily create visually appealing presentations that are both informative and visually appealing, helping to engage audiences and make it easier to retain information.

How PowerPoint Helps Improve Presentations

PowerPoint is an essential tool for businesses, as it helps to make presentations more effective and engaging.

It makes it easy to create professional-looking slides with text, graphics, animations, and other visuals.

PowerPoint also helps to organize complex concepts and deliver them in an understandable manner.

Moreover, the wide range of features that PowerPoint offers makes it easier to create presentations that are both visually appealing and easy to understand.

This is especially useful for businesses that need to make changes to their presentations on a regular basis.

With its easy-to-use sharing options, businesses can easily share their presentations with other people, whether they are in the same office or halfway across the globe.

This helps to ensure that everyone involved in the presentation is able to access it and understand it.

Its features make it easy to create professional-looking slides, organize complex concepts, and quickly and easily update presentations.

PowerPoint is an incredibly powerful visual tool that can help businesses craft compelling presentations.

This not only helps to engage the audience, but also helps viewers to better understand and retain the information.

Furthermore, users have the ability to add animation and transitions to their visuals, making them more dynamic and engaging.

Organizing and Delivering Complex Concepts

Its powerful features make it easy to create visually appealing slides with text, graphics, and animations.

This makes it easier for audiences to understand and retain information more effectively.

You can also use different colors and fonts to highlight important information or to draw attention to specific points.

Additionally, PowerPoint provides tools to help you keep your presentations organized, such as a built-in outline feature and the ability to add notes to slides.

This makes it easy for businesses to collaborate and share ideas with colleagues and clients.

Making the Most of PowerPoint’s Features

One of PowerPoint’s most useful features is its ability to create effective visuals that can engage audiences and help them to retain information better.

By using transitions, animations, and other effects, the presenter can create captivating visuals that will help to keep their audience engaged.

PowerPoint also offers a range of tools for organizing and formatting presentations.

Finally, PowerPoint also includes a range of tools for sharing and collaborating on presentations.

In short, PowerPoint is an incredibly powerful tool for creating engaging and informative presentations.

Creating Compelling Presentations with PowerPoint

PowerPoint is an incredibly powerful presentation tool that can help businesses create compelling presentations that engage their audiences and effectively communicate complex concepts.

By combining text, graphics, animations, and other visuals, PowerPoint enables users to easily create attractive presentations that are both informative and visually appealing.

The ability to add multiple slides and easily rearrange them allows users to structure their presentation in a logical order that is easy to follow.

This can include video clips, audio clips, images and other visuals.

By combining text, graphics, animations, and multimedia content, businesses can make use of its powerful features to create engaging presentations that are both informative and visually appealing.

Final Thoughts

By taking advantage of its many features, businesses can make use of PowerPoint to create compelling presentations that can help them to reach their goals.

Recent Posts

11 Advantages of Using Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations!

By: Author Shrot Katewa

If you suddenly find yourself in a position where you have to present information to other people, you might wonder what software is the best to use to deliver a professional presentation. There are different options to choose from and you just don’t know what to use.

The biggest advantage of using PowerPoint is that PPT files are the most commonly used and widely accepted file formats. PowerPoint is easy to use, cost-effective and boasts a huge online community for support. You also get access to thousands of templates to make your presentation look good.

But, there are several other advantages of using Microsoft PowerPoint for your presentations too. In this article, I’ll some of the most effective benefits of using Microsoft PowerPoint for presentation design!

Note – If you are on the fence but interested in getting PowerPoint, check out this limited-time deal to get Office 365 1-year subscription for the lowest price on Amazon!

1.   Most Widely Accepted File Format

Microsoft PowerPoint is a widely accepted file format where slides are used to convey information. It is a standard component of the Microsoft Office Suite and is compatible with Google Slides, Keynote, and other open-source presentation software.

According to some research results regarding the popularity and use of presentation software, it is estimated that PowerPoint is currently installed on more than a billion computers worldwide ! It is believed that there might be about 30 million PowerPoint presentations created every day.

The advantage of using such a popular and widely used software program is that it is most probably a familiar program for the person you share a presentation with.

2.   Wide Variety of File Export Options

A great advantage offered by PowerPoint is that you can export the whole presentation, or parts of it, in a variety of formats. PowerPoint presentations can also be made available on many different devices, and you can always control what content you want to display.

As you don’t have to send a presentation necessarily in .ppt or .pptx format, the receiver doesn’t require PowerPoint or PowerPoint Viewer to open the presentation.

You can export in PDF format and your layout and design will not be altered. The presentation’s slides can also be saved and exported in .png or .jpg format.

If needed, a presentation can also be exported to a video and saved in Mp4 format. If gifs form part of your presentation, they can be saved and exported as Animated GIFs . 

You always have the print option to export your presentation or parts of the presentation to Word. When you’ve exported it to Word the content can be edited before printing it.

Whichever way of exporting you decide on, you can export the presentation either as a whole or only some of the slides.  And it can be sent as an attachment with an email or you can use the Cloud to facilitate the saving and exporting processes of the presentation.

3.   Provides huge Flexibility in Design & Creativity

PowerPoint provides huge flexibility in design and creativity. You can, for instance, use its visual hierarchy features when you create your slides. With this feature, you assure that the right elements and content catch the eye.

Other features include the merging of shapes, the creation of layers, and the creative use of color. You also get an eyedropper tool in PowerPoint that allows you to use any color from your screen in your presentation!

With the Design Ideas feature , you can create the content of a slide and PowerPoint will offer you a variety of design choices to make it better.

The design features PowerPoint offers can in many aspects be compared to advanced design software solutions like Adobe InDesign. You don’t need separate software to design your slides – PowerPoint provides you with built-in features.

4.   Allows you to Use Creative Templates

The designs of your presentations are what catch the eye and help you to convey your message to your audience. PowerPoint’s creative templates spare you the time of designing your own templates.

However, if you are a good designer yourself, PowerPoint allows you to create your own templates if you want to.

Note – Check out some of the most popular PowerPoint templates on the internet!

When using PowerPoint’s creative templates feature, it automatically generates design ideas to choose from. You get virtually unlimited options because this feature matches the content you are creating to professionally designed layouts in the background.

This template creation feature is a great advantage for users without any design background. It lets you design presentations that look professional even if you don’t have a design background.

5.   Functionality to Use Both Online and Offline

PowerPoint offers you the option to work either online or offline. When you’re using PowerPoint online you can create and share basic presentations directly in your browser. 

But it must be remembered that web-based PowerPoint doesn’t have all the features that you’ll have access to with desktop PowerPoint.  For “normal” presentations the online web version is good enough and you can present your slide show from anywhere where you have internet access.

To utilize all the features of PowerPoint you have to install the software on your desktop device.

PowerPoint offers you the freedom to work online or offline whichever mode suits you the best for a specific presentation. Many PowerPoint users work with both modes – depending on what they are creating and for what purpose.

6.   Allows easy Collaboration and Sharing with other Team Members

PowerPoint is an ideal tool to share and collaborate with team members when you are creating a presentation as a team. You have various options.

You can independently create a presentation and then send it to team members for comments or editing. Or you can work simultaneously on the same presentation with others via web-based PowerPoint or by saving your desktop-created presentation in the Cloud.

7.   Option to Add a vast Variety of Multimedia

PowerPoint provides you with tools to make any presentation more interesting by using multi-media. When using PowerPoint you can in the same presentation have

• text with the option to install additional fonts ,
• videos and video snippets,
• background music,
• a narrator’s voice explaining the visual material on the screen,
• graphics to illustrate tendencies,
• tables to compare information, and more.

And you don’t need separate tools to create interesting presentations – everything is built-in into PowerPoint. You can either just add the various types of files to the presentation or you can add the formats as such into the presentation.   

8.   Suitable for Beginners and Advanced Users alike

The versatility of PowerPoint ensures that on the one hand, presentation creators with advanced design skills are not disappointed with the design tools and possibilities offered by PowerPoint and on the other hand, beginners and people without any designing background can create professional-looking presentations.

 This is one of the most important advantages of PowerPoint – anyone can use it successfully.

9.   Cost is relatively Inexpensive

PowerPoint is normally part of the Microsoft Office package and is included in the Microsoft Office one-off price or subscription. But if you are not a Microsoft Office user, you can purchase PowerPoint from the Microsoft Store at a reasonable price of about $160.

Note – Check out this limited-time deal to get Office 365 1-year subscription for as little as about $60 on Amazon!

Once you’ve purchased PowerPoint you can use it without extra charges to create presentations and to present them for non-commercial purposes. However, there are licensing and relatively small annual fees involved if you use the PowerPoint presentations commercially. 

10. Suitable for Teaching

A PowerPoint presentation in the class is an effective way to reinforce content that has to be retained.

With features like the possibility to record your voice to accompany the PowerPoint slides, it is also easy to convert the presentations that have been used in the class into videos to post online. The students can then review the work done in the class at home.  T

his method works effectively for academic lessons and training sessions.

PowerPoint presentations online can also sometimes be the only way to teach and train students. During the Covid pandemic, for instance, classes are sometimes not possible and online sessions are the only way to keep on teaching.

A large percentage of these online sessions have started as PowerPoint presentations.  

11. Huge Online Community and Microsoft Support for Troubleshooting Issues

Microsoft offers 24/7 support for PowerPoint users and there are literally hundreds of articles online available on how to troubleshoot issues. The huge online community of PowerPoint users is also actively involved on websites like Quora to help fellow users to get solutions for their issues.

Credit to benzoix (on Freepik) for the featured image of this article (further edited)

Presentation Training Institute

A division of bold new directions training, the benefits of using powerpoint in presentations.

You are probably familiar with the phrase “death by PowerPoint†and may have even experienced it yourself. After all, most of us have sat through a presentation where the speaker bored us to death by reading directly from a cheesy slideshow. However, the fact is, when used appropriately, PowerPoint can be an effective tool for communicating your message. 

Microsoft PowerPoint is the most popular presentation tool used by teachers, professionals, and students worldwide. It offers a wide range of features and capabilities that make it easier to convey information and engage audiences. Here we will take a look at some of the benefits of using PowerPoint to craft engaging presentations. 

1. Visual Appeal

Research has shown that 65% of people are visual learners, meaning they need to see information in order to retain it. PowerPoint allows presenters to translate facts, data, and information into visual images that make it easier for the audience to understand. Furthermore, presenters can create visually appealing presentations with a variety of design templates, themes, and multimedia elements that help engage audiences and captivate their interest. 

2. Organization and Structure

Delivering a presentation in front of an audience can be nerve wracking and it’s easy for speakers to lose their place and get off track. PowerPoint provides a structured framework for the presenter to outline their content in a logical and organized manner. A well-designed slide deck can serve as a guide for presenters so they don’t have to worry about forgetting any of their main points. 

3. Audience Engagement

PowerPoint allows presenters to engage their audience through interactive elements such as quizzes, polls, and hyperlinks. These features encourage audience participation and make the presentation more dynamic and memorable. 

4. Explain Complex Information

PowerPoint makes it easier for the presenter to explain complex concepts through easily digestible visuals. For example, charts, graphs, and infographics act as visual representations of complex information. This helps avoid confusion and clarifies information in a way that audiences can easily understand. 

5. Boosts Presenter Confidence

Most people dislike public speaking so it can be helpful to have a PowerPoint as a guide for the presentation. This makes the presenter feel more relaxed and at ease knowing that they don’t have to worry about getting off track or forgetting their material.

What Are Benefits of PowerPoint? A Comprehensive Guide

PowerPoint, a presentation software developed by Microsoft, offers a multitude of benefits for individuals and businesses alike. By following this quick overview, you’ll gain an understanding of how to utilize PowerPoint effectively and what to expect from its range of functionalities.

After completing the action of learning PowerPoint, you will be able to create visually appealing presentations that can enhance communication, engage audiences, and support your points with visual aids. You’ll also be able to customize your slides to reflect your brand or personal style.

Introduction

PowerPoint has become synonymous with presentations. Whether in a classroom, a boardroom, or at a conference, PowerPoint slides are the go-to for anyone needing to present information in a structured, engaging manner. So, why is this software so widely used and important?

For starters, PowerPoint allows users to compile and organize their thoughts in a way that’s visually appealing and easy to follow. It caters to various learning styles – from those who benefit from auditory explanations to visual learners who need graphs, charts, and images to understand a concept fully.

Not only is PowerPoint an excellent tool for education and business, but it’s also accessible. With a relatively low learning curve, almost anyone can pick it up and start crafting presentations. Its relevance spans across different sectors and age groups, making it a universally valuable skill to learn.

The step by step tutorial section will include PowerPoint in the title.

This section will guide you through the basic steps of creating a PowerPoint presentation from scratch.

Step 1: Open PowerPoint and select a theme.

Choose a theme that aligns with the purpose of your presentation.

Selecting a theme is the first step in creating a PowerPoint presentation. Microsoft offers a wide variety of built-in themes that you can choose from, each with its own unique design, color scheme, and font style. This ensures consistency and visual appeal throughout your presentation. You can also create a custom theme if you have specific branding or design requirements.

Step 2: Add new slides and content.

Create and populate your slides with text, images, and other media.

After selecting your theme, the next step is to add new slides. You can insert text boxes to add titles, bullet points, and detailed content. PowerPoint also allows you to include images, videos, and other multimedia elements to enrich your presentation and make it more engaging for your audience.

Step 3: Customize your slides.

Adjust the layout, colors, and fonts to suit your needs.

Customizing your slides is where you can really make your presentation stand out. You can move elements around, change the background color, and select fonts that reflect the tone of your message. PowerPoint provides tools for aligning objects, editing images, and applying various artistic effects to your content.

Step 4: Include transitions and animations.

Add visual effects to your slides and elements to make your presentation dynamic.

Transitions and animations can help your presentation flow smoothly from one slide to the next or emphasize important points. PowerPoint offers a range of effect options, from subtle fades to more elaborate movements. However, it’s important to use these judiciously to avoid distracting from the content itself.

Step 5: Rehearse and present.

Practice your presentation and prepare for the live show.

The final step is to rehearse your presentation using PowerPoint’s rehearsal features. You can time your slides, add speaker notes, and even record your presentation to review it later. When you’re ready, you can present live from your computer, or share your presentation with others through various platforms.

Additional Information

When using PowerPoint, one major tip is to focus on your message and use the software to enhance it, not overshadow it. Remember, your slides are there to support you, not the other way around. You should also consider the accessibility of your content—use high-contrast colors and large fonts to ensure everyone in your audience can easily read your slides.

Furthermore, bear in mind that PowerPoint presentations are not just for live audiences. They can be converted into video formats, shared online, or even printed as handouts, making your content versatile and reusable.

• Open PowerPoint and select a theme.
• Add new slides and content.
• Customize your slides.
• Include transitions and animations.
• Rehearse and present.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is powerpoint mainly used for.

PowerPoint is primarily used for creating and delivering presentations for educational, business, and personal purposes.

Can PowerPoint presentations be shared online?

Yes, PowerPoint presentations can be shared online through email, cloud services, or by converting them into video formats.

Is PowerPoint suitable for professional use?

Absolutely, PowerPoint is widely used in professional settings for meetings, conferences, and other business-related events.

Can you collaborate with others on a PowerPoint presentation?

Yes, PowerPoint offers collaborative features allowing multiple users to work on a presentation simultaneously.

Are there alternatives to PowerPoint?

There are several alternatives to PowerPoint, including Google Slides and Apple Keynote, each with their own unique features.

In conclusion, PowerPoint is a powerful tool that offers numerous benefits for creating and delivering presentations. Its ability to enhance visual impact, promote structure, and increase audience engagement makes it an essential skill for anyone looking to present information effectively.

While there are some drawbacks to be aware of, such as the potential for technical issues and the learning curve involved, the pros of using PowerPoint far outweigh the cons. With practice and creativity, PowerPoint can become an indispensable part of your communication toolkit.

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

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Importance of PowerPoint presentation skills for career success

Powerpoint presentation skills enrich your career growth.

PowerPoint Presentation skills is one of the effective visual communication tools that create the best first-impression among the targeted audience than to any simple content heavy business reports etc. With improved PowerPoint Presentation skills , you can showcase your professional expertise on a daily basis, accelerate your business, and get more of what you want in your business life. It will help you to command attention, gain respect and easily sell your ideas to anyone.

An effective communication is essential for any business to succeed. Successful professionals know how to structure their thoughts, present ideas persuasively, and create a social impact across the masses. The importance of PowerPoint presentation skills is crucial. A well-designed, well-delivered presentation can captivate an audience, convey complex concepts effectively, and make a lasting impact. Understanding this importance and using effective strategies is key to delivering impactful presentations. A white paper by Microsoft Corp. and IDC found that “Communication, integration and presentation skills (CIPs) are needed for 40% of all positions and constitute 11 of the top 20 skills required by 39% of the fastest-growing, highest-paying positions”.

PowerPoint is regarded as the most useful, accessible way to create and present visual aids, be it in front of potential investors, a lecture theatre or simply in front of your colleagues. Visual Sculptors is one such PowerPoint design companies which envision your business plans and convert them into quality PowerPoint presentations.

PowerPoint presentation skills – Presenting Before A Group

PowerPoint Presentation Skills augment your career progress

When you search online ‘PPT on presentation skills’, you can get links to multiple sources, each offering slide decks and reading materials for you to enhance your presentation skills. Having strong PowerPoint presentation skills can greatly enhance your career growth. It allows you to effectively communicate your ideas and proposals to colleagues and clients, making you a valuable asset to any team. Additionally, it can help you stand out in job interviews and presentations, showcasing your ability to deliver engaging and impactful presentations.

Before seeing the advantages of presentation skills for career growth, let us touch upon the basics of PowerPoint presentation as a medium for effective communication, in the following paragraphs.

PowerPoint – A powerful tool for communication

Microsoft PowerPoint enables users to create professional presentations with a user-friendly interface. It offers templates, design options, and animations for visually appealing slides. Pre-designed templates aid in efficient presentation creation without sacrificing quality.

Making PowerPoint is widely used in the business world as it integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft PPT tools, making it efficient for creating and sharing presentations. Designing and customizing presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint allows for a unique and engaging experience. Its features make it essential for professionals looking to make a strong impact with their presentations.

Using a PowerPoint slide is important for presentations, offering a visually engaging way to share key information. Through design elements like graphics, charts, and animations, a slide can effectively convey complex ideas. A well-designed PowerPoint slide captures attention and strengthens the presenter’s message. With pre-designed PowerPoint templates, creating professional presentations is easier. They offer various designs to cater to different styles and topics, enhancing the impact of slides for success.

Crafting a PowerPoint Presentation takes time

Creating a successful PowerPoint presentation needs careful planning and attention. Using templates helps in organizing info and creating visual appeal. Templates can be customized to fit specific needs and branding. Layouts are crucial in making professional and engaging presentations. Presenters can choose from a variety of layouts to effectively convey their message and capture the audience’s attention.

Topics for PPT presentation must be chosen carefully to match the purpose and audience. Samples and templates can boost the visual appeal of the presentation. Topics may cover company updates, product launches, and training sessions. PowerPoint slide design is crucial for effective presentations. It enhances message impact and engages audience. Visual hierarchy, text-image balance, and color-font use are important in design.

The goal is to create a visually appealing presentation that conveys your message. PPT design includes PowerPoint background designs setting the tone and theme. Balancing design and content can leave an impression on your audience. Looking to enhance your PPT presentation skills? Our presentation skills PPT is a comprehensive resource designed to help you master the art of business presentations.

Using PowerPoint Templates

Additionally, using PowerPoint templates saves time and ensures a cohesive, professional look for your presentation. Samples can inspire layout, visuals, and content ideas. Selecting a topic, reviewing samples, and using templates are key in creating successful PowerPoint presentations. Templates are essential for professional, visually appealing presentations and help organize content effectively.

With different options like business, education, and creative themes, there’s a template for every need. The PowerPoint templates enable easy customization by adding images, charts, and graphs for a better impact. They save time, maintain consistency, and add a professional touch to slides, making presentations compelling.

Top 10 advantages of PowerPoint Presentation Skills for career growth

1. Improved Communication Skills:  By honing PowerPoint presentation communication skills, one can achieve business success by effectively communicating the business ideas, driving the necessary call to action. This skill is essential for career growth as it helps to convey complex ideas to colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.

2. Increased Confidence:  Creating and delivering PowerPoint presentations can help individuals build confidence in their public speaking abilities. PowerPoint presentation skills is highly valued in many industries and can lead to career advancement opportunities.

3. Enhanced Creativity:  PowerPoint presentations offer a wide range of design options, allowing individuals to showcase their creativity and design skills. This can be particularly useful in industries such as marketing and advertising. Improving PowerPoint presentation skills facilitate soliciting customers, clients and helps in sales and promotional activities.

4. Improved Time Management:  Creating a PowerPoint presentation requires careful planning and time management skills. These skills are highly valued in the workplace and can lead to increased productivity and efficiency.

5. Better Organizational Skills:  Creating a PowerPoint presentation requires individuals to organize their thoughts and ideas in a logical and coherent manner. This skill is highly valued in many industries and can lead to career advancement opportunities.

6. Increased Engagement:  PowerPoint presentations skills can be highly engaging and interactive, allowing individuals to capture the attention of their audience and keep them engaged throughout the presentation.

7. Improved Problem-Solving Skills:  Creating a PowerPoint presentation requires individuals to think critically and creatively to solve problems and present their ideas in a clear and concise manner. PowerPoint presentation skills involve better problem solving skills and be able to present them meaningfully for the audience to understand and to drive a better call to action.

8. Enhanced Technical Skills:  Creating a PowerPoint presentation requires individuals to have a basic understanding of technology and software. Using abreast of technologies for data visualizations helps an individual to better present the growth statistics. The PowerPoint presentation skills greatly help an individual to gain authority and mastery in the subject matter.

9. Improved Teamwork Skills:  Creating a PowerPoint presentation often requires individuals to work collaboratively with others, improving their teamwork skills and ability to work effectively in a team environment.

10. Increased Visibility:  Creating and delivering PowerPoint presentations can help individuals increase their visibility within their organization and industry. This can lead to increased career opportunities and professional growth.

10 Potential benefits of using PowerPoint Presentations

1. First-Impression:  A great corporate presentation design creates the best-first-impression among the targeted audience, bringing in multi-channels of market penetration strategies and business growth. Innovative presentation designs (visual patterns) triggers the AIDA model (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action) in the customer’s mind. PowerPoint presentation skills with aesthetic designs in the slides is a sure to success formula. Management consultants extensively use PowerPoint presentations for their client meetings. Preparing presentations form part of their daily work routine.

2. Makes one more expressive:  PowerPoint presentations help people to creatively express themselves. Be it video or static presentation, the impact of a PowerPoint presentation skills never fails to leave a mark with the audience.

3. Breaks the barrier of boredom:  Presentation design agencies do offer their services in enhancing the slides by adding appropriate design elements, background music, different formats of motion and visibility including animation and transition, powerful visuals that brings life to the otherwise static slides. This engages with the viewer and creates a good recall value with positive impact.

4. Customizable templates:  With the millennial mindset, use of customizable professionally designed PowerPoint slides gain popularity and reach, around the globe. Professional design templates give the ease to work, room for creative visual aids that saves time, maximizing the reach and usefulness.

PowerPoint Presentation Skills – Using Templates

5. Real-Time Collaboration:  PowerPoint presentation allows real-time collaboration among the team that spread across different parts of the globe, providing actionable insights, informed decisions that build transparency and trust among the people involved. The importance of presentation skill in online business meetings is paramount, as it allows real-time collaboration among the team that spread across different parts of the globe. It provides actionable insights, informed decisions that build transparency and trust among the people involved.

PowerPoint Presentation Skills – Virtual Meetings

6. Streamline the process and aids in decision making:  With the customized features of scalability, accessibility, and creativity, PowerPoint helps to analyze various aspects of the content being presented, that streamline the process and aids in decision making.

7. Live broadcast:  Live broadcast of the PowerPoint slides makes it a useful medium to reach a wider audience that suits well with abreast of latest technologies, constantly evolving and adapting to dynamic changes of the business world. Be it online or presenting in real time before the audience, PowerPoint presentation skills enrich your career growth in client solicitation, sales promotion and marketing activities. Taking design support of professionals gives you an edge with the competition by revamping your existing company as a traditional company with contemporary thinking.

PowerPoint Presentation Skills – Engaging High-Level Presentations

8. The wide range of file integration:  Microsoft PowerPoint has a wide range of file integration options including PDF, Word, Excel and other formats, that can be easily integrated with slides, giving the flexibility to combine and collaborate across file formats and business scenarios. By using SharePoint, we can also collaborate and edit the same file with multiple users in parallel.

9. Flexibility:  PowerPoint presentations have the flexibility to suitably edit, modify, delete or add the various design elements including of text content, that gives complete control to the designer to create tailor-made slides that go in line with the business operations and as per client requirement. There is also an ease of quick navigation/file saving across the pages even be it a 100+ page deck without any snag.

10. Saves time:  PowerPoint presentation has features for customized templates, multiple design layouts, flexibility to integrate and collaborate different file formats, convertible to other formats including that of social media applications. Presenting your complex voluminous data into visual presentation saves your precious time.

PowerPoint Add-ins used by Management Consultants

• Mekko Graphics
• Office Timeline
• PowerPoint Labs

Use of add-ins helps in effective data visualization, including charts , graphs , Office timeline , Gantt chart , and more.

Seeking professional help

On average, 28.7% of a company’s leadership report spending at five hours or more each week making PowerPoint slides. Overall, more than 11% of the average employee’s time is spent on designing business presentations. Seeking a professional PPT design support saves your valuable time that can be utilized for your core business functions. Thus, a professional PowerPoint design will be helpful in presenting your business goals to your target clients. Seek the professional support to enhance your slides to take them to the next level of creativity.

This assists in building your image as well as presenting your ideas more thoughtfully with the desired impact and recall value. PowerPoint presentation skills assist in building confidence to deliver your business ideas with authenticity. This skill is in high demand, as businesses keeps evolving to changing trends and the needs of customers. So, be a fresher or a seasoned professional, it is imperative to hone your PowerPoint presentation skills that goes a long way in building career success.

• How can presentation skills help you in your career?

Proficient presentation skills can significantly augment one’s career prospects. Individuals equipped with the ability to present effectively are more likely to be recognized by their superiors and may be afforded opportunities, such as negotiating deals with clients. Therefore, investing in honing one’s presentation skills can be a wise career move, facilitating professional growth and success.

2. What is the importance of Microsoft PowerPoint in my future job career?

The significance of Microsoft PowerPoint in one’s prospective professional trajectory cannot be overstated. Its versatile functionality enables managers to effectively disseminate information and conduct efficient team meetings. Marketers can leverage its capabilities to effectively communicate a brand’s identity and value proposition. Freelancers can utilize it as a digital portfolio or pitch deck to showcase their skillsets and capabilities to prospective clients. In summary, Microsoft PowerPoint is an indispensable tool that empowers presenters to achieve their diverse objectives with consummate ease and professionalism.

3. What is the importance of presentation skills in presentation?

Proficiency in presenting is an essential tool that fosters ingenuity in students by enabling them to craft imaginative and captivating slides to augment their discourse. The employment of presentation aids undoubtedly elevates the quality of the presentation, and the production of such aids facilitates the fortification of students’ self-assurance.

4. What are 5 benefits of using PowerPoint?

• Foster Collaboration
• Exude Design Flexibility
• Work Remotely
• Export in Various Formats
• Integration with Microsoft Office
• User-Friendly and Versatile

5. What is the purpose of presentation?

The medium of presentation serves as a conduit for the dissemination of knowledge from a speaker to a group of listeners. Presentations can take the form of demonstrations, introductory remarks, lectures, or speeches, with the purpose of informing, persuading, inspiring, motivating, fostering goodwill, or introducing a new concept or product.

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What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of PowerPoint

Explore the Advantages and Disadvantages of PowerPoint in our latest blog. Discover how this popular presentation tool can enhance communication and engagement while also exploring potential pitfalls. Gain insights on harnessing its power for effective presentations and navigating its limitations for more impactful business and educational content.

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The average salary of a PowerPoint expert in the UK is £40,000 GBP per year, according to Talent.com . In this blog, you will get to know about the Advantages and Disadvantages of PowerPoint. Let's dive in deeper to learn how it can impact your presentations!  

Table of Contents        

1) Advantages of PowerPoint  

2) Visual appeal and aesthetic design  

    a) Easy to use and accessible  

    b) Efficient information organisation  

    c) Disadvantages of PowerPoint  

3) Conclusion       

Advantages of PowerPoint   

PowerPoint is a powerful software tool developed by Microsoft that enables users to create visually appealing and engaging presentations. It offers various functionalities and features that make it a popular choice for individuals and professionals who want to convey information effectively. Here, we will explore the Advantages of PowerPoint and how it can enhance your presentations. Let's dive into the benefits it offers:  

Visual appeal and aesthetic design   

One of the primary Advantages of PowerPoint is its ability to create visually appealing presentations. With a vast array of design templates, colour schemes, and graphical elements, PowerPoint allows you to add visual appeal to your slides. This visual enhancement can captivate your audience's attention and make your presentation more engaging.

Easy to use and accessible   

PowerPoint is known for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible to users of any level. Its intuitive design and straightforward navigation enable users to create presentations quickly and efficiently. Moreover, PowerPoint is compatible with various operating systems, ensuring broad accessibility across different devices.  

Efficient information organisation   

One of the significant Advantages of PowerPoint is its capability to organise information effectively. With features like bullet points, numbered lists, and hierarchical structures, you can present your ideas in a logical and organised manner. This helps your audience understand and retain the information more easily. 

Enhanced audience engagement   

PowerPoint offers various features to enhance audience engagement during presentations. Animations, transitions, and multimedia elements can make your slides dynamic and captivating. Additionally, interactive features like hyperlinks and embedded videos can encourage audience participation, making your presentation more memorable.  

Time-saving and convenience   

These templates offer professionally designed layouts and graphics, allowing you to focus on the content rather than spending hours on design. Furthermore, PowerPoint's autosave feature automatically saves your work, providing convenience and peace of mind. 

Unlock the full potential of your presentations! Learn how to use PowerPoint effectively and create compelling, professional slides .

Versatility and compatibility   

PowerPoint's versatility is another key advantage that sets it apart as a presentation tool. It offers broad features and compatibility options that make it highly adaptable to different content formats and sharing platforms.  

a) Support for various media formats:  

PowerPoint provides support for a diverse range of media formats, allowing you to incorporate different types of content into your presentations. You can seamlessly integrate images, videos, audio clips, and charts, enhancing your slides' visual appeal and interactivity. You can create engaging and immersive presentations that resonate with your audience by leveraging these multimedia elements.   

The ability to incorporate various media formats in PowerPoint allows you to leverage different modes of communication. Visual elements, such as images and charts, can help illustrate complex concepts or data, making them more understandable and memorable. Videos and audio clips, on the other hand, can add a dynamic and interactive element to your presentation, allowing you to deliver information in a more engaging and captivating way.  

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b) File conversion and sharing options:  

Powerpoint Presentations can be easily converted to different file formats, offering flexibility in sharing and distribution. Whether you need to share your presentation with colleagues, clients, or a wider audience, PowerPoint enables you to save your slides in formats such as PDFs, video files, or even images. This versatility ensures that your presentation can be accessed and viewed on various devices and platforms, making it convenient for your audience to engage with your content.  

Converting your presentation to PDF format can be particularly useful when you want to share a finalised version of your slides while preserving the formatting and layout. PDF files are widely compatible, allowing anyone to view them using a PDF reader without the need for specific presentation software.  

In addition to PDF, Powerpoint Presentations can also be saved as video files. This format is ideal for situations where you want to share your presentation online, embed it on a website, or upload it to video-sharing platforms. By converting your presentation to a video, you can ensure a consistent playback experience across different devices and platforms.  

Furthermore, Powerpoint Presentations can be easily shared through various online platforms and cloud storage services. Whether you choose to use email, file-sharing platforms, or cloud storage solutions like OneDrive or Google Drive, PowerPoint's compatibility allows you to collaborate with others and share your presentations effortlessly.  

Collaboration and sharing options   

Collaboration is made easy with PowerPoint's sharing and collaboration features. Multiple users can work on a presentation at the same time, making it ideal for team projects or group presentations. With cloud storage and sharing platforms, such as OneDrive or SharePoint, you can share your Powerpoint Presentations with others, enabling seamless collaboration and feedback exchange.  

Professionalism and credibility   

PowerPoint's professional look and vibes contribute to the overall credibility of your presentation. The polished design and layout options help create a sense of professionalism, which can enhance your message's impact. By using PowerPoint, you can convey your ideas with authority and leave a lasting impression on your audience.  

Multimedia integration   

Incorporating multimedia elements is a breeze with PowerPoint. You can easily insert images, videos, audio clips, and animations into your slides, making your presentation more dynamic and engaging. Visual and auditory aids can significantly enhance the audience's understanding and retention of information.  

Presenter support and notes   

PowerPoint offers several features to support presenters during their delivery. The presenter view provides a helpful tool for managing your presentation, displaying speaker notes, and previewing upcoming slides. You can also add speaker notes to individual slides, ensuring that you don't miss any crucial points during your presentation.  

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Disadvantages of PowerPoint   

Overreliance on visuals   

While visuals can enhance a presentation, overreliance on them can be a disadvantage. When too much emphasis is placed on visuals, the audience may become distracted or miss essential information. It's crucial to strike a balance between visuals and textual content to ensure the message is effectively conveyed.  

Potential for information overload   

Powerpoint Presentations have the potential to overwhelm the audience with excessive information. Presenters may feel compelled to include every detail on the slides, leading to information overload. It's important to prioritise key points and keep the content concise and focused to prevent overwhelming the audience.  

Lack of interactivity   

PowerPoint is primarily a one-way communication tool, limiting interactivity during presentations. While you can incorporate interactive elements, such as hyperlinks or quizzes, the level of interaction is often limited. This can hinder audience engagement and participation, particularly in scenarios that require active involvement. 

Limited customisation options   

While PowerPoint provides various design templates, the customisation options may be limited compared to dedicated design software. Presenters seeking highly customised and unique designs may find PowerPoint's options somewhat restrictive. However, for most presentations, the available templates and customisation features are sufficient.  

Technical glitches and compatibility issues   

Technical glitches and compatibility issues can occasionally occur when using PowerPoint. File corruption, formatting inconsistencies, or software compatibility problems can disrupt the smooth delivery of your presentation. It's crucial to test your presentation on the actual equipment or platform to minimise the risk of technical difficulties.  

Dependency on the presenter   

Powerpoint Presentations often rely heavily on the presenter's ability to deliver the content effectively. A presenter who lacks public speaking skills or fails to engage the audience may negatively impact the overall effectiveness of the presentation. Developing strong presentation skills and practising delivering your presentation is important to ensure a successful outcome.    

Not suitable for all presentation types   

While PowerPoint is a versatile tool, it may not be the best choice for all presentation types. For instance, highly technical or data-heavy presentations may require more specialised software or tools that offer advanced data visualisation capabilities. It's important to assess the specific requirements of your presentation and choose the appropriate tool accordingly.  

Accessibility challenges   

Powerpoint Presentations may pose accessibility challenges for individuals with disabilities. Issues such as small font sizes, lack of alt text for images, or inadequate colour contrast can make it difficult for visually impaired or hearing-impaired individuals to fully engage with the content. It's important to follow accessibility guidelines and make accommodations to ensure inclusivity.  

Copyright and intellectual property concerns   

When using images, videos, or other media in Powerpoint Presentations, it's essential to respect copyright and intellectual property rights. Failure to obtain proper permissions or give proper attribution can lead to legal issues. It's crucial to use licensed or royalty-free media or obtain explicit permission from copyright holders before including them in your presentations.  

Risk of boring and monotonous presentations   

Powerpoint Presentations have earned a reputation for being boring and monotonous if not designed and delivered effectively. The reliance on bullet points and text-heavy slides can result in a lack of variety and engagement. It's important to employ storytelling techniques, incorporate multimedia elements, and vary the presentation format to keep the audience interested and attentive.  

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Conclusion       

We hope you read this blog and understand the Advantages and Disadvantages of PowerPoint. PowerPoint's versatility and compatibility make it a powerful presentation tool. With support for various media formats and easy file conversion, it allows users to create engaging presentations and share them seamlessly. PowerPoint is a valuable resource for effective communication and impactful presentations.  

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Frequently Asked Questions

PowerPoint offers twelve common types of slides, including Title, Picture, Text, Agenda, and more, each designed for specific content and presentation purposes. 

The three main views in PowerPoint are Normal View for editing, Slide Sorter View for organising slides, and Slide Show View for presenting. 

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10 Tips to Make Your PowerPoint Presentation Effective

You may have heard of the famous 10/20/30 rule , devised by Guy Kawasaki , for designing presentations. This rule states that using 10 slides in 20 minutes at a 30 point minimum font size is the most effective presentation strategy—but what does this really mean?

The most important thing to remember, particularly if you’re using PowerPoint to convey your message, is to keep your audience in mind when preparing your presentation. Your audience wants a relevant presentation, not just something that is visually appealing .

A common mistake speakers make when designing PowerPoint presentations is being too passionate about it that they put everything they know into it. In trying to get their point across, presenters tend to use complex jargon and impart too much information, leaving the audience confused about the actual purpose of the presentation.

So how can you simplify your information but still convey a powerful message to your audience?

Here are 10 suggestions:

1) Cut out the wordiness

Ironic as it may seem, an essential part of proving a point is to use a minimal amount of words per slide so that the audience is focused on you, not on the screen. It’s rather difficult for any kind of audience to read texts and listen to you at the same time. If you have longer statements, break them down into multiple slides and highlight the key words. This doesn’t mean you limit your content to dull, boring facts. Feel free to incorporate anecdotes or quotes as long as they’re relevant and support your message.

2) Add pictures

Instead of more words, supplement your ideas with vivid imagery. Again, the key is not overusing photos to the point that it makes your presentations look unprofessional. Photos should only be used if they promote or emphasize the main idea of your slide.

3) Use appropriate animation

Like pictures, use animation only when appropriate and only if you’ve completely rehearsed your presentation with the animation flow. Otherwise, they will be distracting and will make it appear that you’ve designed your presentation in poor taste.

4) Don’t overuse numbers

As with words, minimize the amount of numbers you present in each slide. If you have charts that summarize the total figures toward the end, then you no longer need to fill up your entire chart with the little numbers on the scale.

5) Use large fonts

Aside from the obvious reason that larger fonts are more readable, size dictates the impact of your message and a larger one makes it easier for your audience to clearly grasp what you’re saying or want to highlight. Aside from font size, pay attention to the spacing between paragraphs, rows, and columns; you don’t want your text to appear jumbled.

6) Maintain consistency

The whole objective of your presentation is to drive home a point, not to make your presentation look cheesy. Keep your font sizes and the size and format of a box on one page consistent throughout your slides.

7) Limit bullet points

Keep your bullet points to a maximum of 5-6 per slide. In addition, the words per bullet point should also be limited to 5-6 words. It’s also wise to vary what you present in each slide, such as alternating between bullet points, graphics, and graph slides, in order to sustain the interest and focus of your audience.

8) Choose colors and contrast effectively .

Use bold colors and high contrast. A color may look completely different on your monitor than it will when projected on a large screen.

9) Tell a story

Everyone loves a good story , especially if it’s something that they can easily relate to. A good story begins with a problem and the more irritating the problem is for the audience, the more effective your presentation will be once you’ve provided a possible solution for them.

10) Be flexible

In order to develop a strong connection with your audience, you need to be flexible with your slides. During your speech, you may feel that some slides have become unnecessary; therefore you want to prepare your presentation in such a way that you can easily interchange or eliminate them. Conversely, prepare some optional slides in anticipation of questions or ideas you expect from your audience. This will give your presentation the “wow” factor.

When using PowerPoint to deliver a PowerFUL point, your goal isn’t to design the best presentation but the most effective one. This means creating a presentation that your audience can connect with through interest, participation, memory recall, and ideally, learning something useful.

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What Are the Key Benefits of Using PowerPoint in Teaching and Learning?

Table of Contents

The Importance of PowerPoint Presentation in Teaching

An education-based PowerPoint presentation templates have become an integral part of teaching in today’s classrooms. They provide educators with a versatile tool for delivering engaging and interactive lessons. PPT presentations also offer numerous benefits for students, including the ability to improve concentration and comprehension levels.

Additionally, by using PowerPoint slides in conjunction with other instructional materials, such as textbooks and handouts, teachers can ensure that all students are able to access the information being presented in class. PowerPoint presentations can be a powerful tool for teaching and learning when used effectively.

The main reason behind this is that PowerPoint presentations enable you to interact with your audience psychologically. So, here we’re going to discuss the power of PowerPoint in education.

In most cases, presentations are designed for businesses and applied very commonly in business areas. Moreover, presentation slides are likewise used in the education sector and can make your educational or research content compelling.

Let’s get started. Scroll now to read the key benefits of using PowerPoint in teaching and learning .

Why PowerPoint Templates Are the Best Tool for Teaching?

PowerPoint templates are an excellent tool for teaching. They provide a consistent and professional look to your presentations and help keep your ideas organized. Presentation templates also make updating and changing your slides easy, so you can always keep your presentations fresh and up-to-date.

When teaching a subject like biology, getting your audience interested in what you have to say is essential. PowerPoint templates can help you set the tone for your presentation and reinforce the type of content you will discuss. There are various templates out there, so you can find one that will let you teach your subject efficiently and keep things neat and organized.

In addition, PPT slides can be easily shared with other teachers so that you can collaborate on projects and assignments. Overall, PowerPoint templates are a versatile and valuable tool for any teacher. With their help, you can create engaging and informative presentations to help your students learn and succeed.

How PowerPoint Templates Let You Engage Your Students or Audience?

At present, it’s more important than ever to be able to engage your audience. Whether you’re giving a PPT presentation to a group of students or speaking to a potential client, you need to be able to capture their attention and keep them engaged.

One way to do this is by using PowerPoint templates. With templates, you can create visually appealing and informative presentations. By using engaging visuals and helpful content, you can ensure that your audience stays interested in what you’re saying.

In addition, templates can help you save time when creating presentations. All you need to do with everything already laid out for you is add your content. Accordingly, templates can help you create professional and effective presentations.

Although presentation skills are essential for everyone, they are particularly important for educators. After all, a large part of a teacher’s job is to present information to students engagingly and effectively. Fortunately, there are some simple tips that can help to improve any presentation.

• First, it is important to be well prepared. This means clearly understanding the material that will be covered and knowing how to effectively communicate it to the audience.
• It is also significant to be aware of the audience’s level of knowledge and adjust the presentation accordingly.
• Finally, it is significant to be confident and keep the presentation interesting using various techniques such as humor, stories, or multimedia elements.

By following these tips, any teacher can deliver a successful presentation.

How to Create an Educational Presentation Quickly?

PowerPoint templates are a great way to teach your students detailed data. For your lessons to be practical, you need your students to focus and pay attention, so having templates allows them the tools they need to learn more effectively.

It’s a wise way of helping children in school hone their PowerPoint skills. Many children feel overwhelmed when they have to start creating presentations from scratch-templates give them a structure they can follow and tweak to make their own.

Additionally, templates can be reused multiple times, which saves you time in the long run. With so many benefits, it’s no wonder that PowerPoint templates are becoming increasingly popular in educational settings.

If you’re finding a way to help, your students learn more effectively, consider using PowerPoint templates in your next lesson.

However, you can create an informative and engaging presentation with some preparation and organization. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Choose a subject that is interesting and relevant to your audience.
• Gather information and resources on the topic.
• Outline your presentation content.
• Create visuals or slides to accompany your presentation content.
• Practice giving your presentation.
• Time yourself so you can keep it within the desired time frame.

Let’s walk through the best practices to create a unique educational PPT presentation.

Choose a Subject That Is Interesting and Relevant to Your Audience

When creating an educational PowerPoint, choosing a subject that is interesting and relevant to your audience is essential.

This will help engage the audience and ensure that they learn from the presentation.

Also, choosing a relevant topic will help keep the audience’s attention focused on the PowerPoint. There are a few different ways to determine what subject would be most exciting and pertinent to your audience. One way is to consider the age range of the audience.

Another way is to think about what type of information would be most helpful to them. Additionally, you can research the interests of the audience ahead of time. Considering these factors, you can choose a subject for your PowerPoint that will be both interesting and relevant to your audience.

Gather Information and Resources on the Topic

If you want to create an educational PPT presentation, it’s essential to gather information and resources on your topic first. This will ensure that the PowerPoint is informative and accurate.

There are a few different ways to go about gathering information. One option is to do some online research. Another option is to visit a library and look for books or articles on the topic.

Once you have brought together all the necessary information, you can start putting together your PowerPoint presentation. Remember to include only appropriate information and to present it in an organized and visually appealing way.

If a little effort is put into creating a PowerPoint, you can come up with an educational presentation that you will like.

Outline Your Presentation Content

You will need to describe your content thoroughly when creating educational PowerPoint slides. This will be useful to organize your thoughts and ensure that your presentation is cohesive and informative. Begin by brainstorming the main points that you want to cover.

Then, create an introductory presentation outline, including an introduction, body, and conclusion. Once you have a general overview of your content, you can begin to flesh out the details. In the body of your presentation, include supporting evidence for each point you make.

In conclusion, summarize the key points of your presentation and leave your audience with something to think about. By wisely and efficiently editing and structuring your content, you can create a captivating and interactive PowerPoint lesson that is both informative and interesting.

Create Visuals or Slides to Accompany Your Presentation Content

You must include visual components to reveal information in an instructional PowerPoint presentation. It will help to engage the audience and provide them with a more immersive experience.

Additionally, visuals can help clarify and strengthen the key points you are trying to communicate. If used effectively, they can also help to add interest and excitement to your presentation.

When choosing visuals, be sure to select ones that are high quality and relevant to your topic. Avoid using too many visuals, as this can overwhelm your audience.

Instead, focus on choosing a few useful visuals to support your presentation and help your audience understand your message better.

Practice Giving Your Presentation

Whether you are allowed to give a speech, practice builds expertise. By practicing your presentation, you can ensure that you are delivering your material in the most effective way possible.

Being careful with your delivery, body language, and overall clarity is essential when practicing. Remember that eye contact is key and that you want to project confidence in your ability to speak on the topic at hand.

It can also be helpful to tape-record yourself so that you can listen back and identify areas that may need improvement. With a bit of practice, you will be capable of giving an educative and memorable presentation.

Time Yourself So You Can Keep It Within the Desired Time Frame

If you’re planning for an educational presentation, it’s important to time yourself stay within the desired time frame. This can be exceptionally important if you’re giving a presentation to a group of students who have a limited attention span.

You can ensure that your presentation stays on track and doesn’t run over by timing yourself. There are a few different ways to time yourself. One option is to use a stopwatch or timer.

Another option for keeping track of where you are in your presentation is periodically checking the clock.

Whichever method you choose, ensure you give yourself enough time to practice to stay within the desired time frame when giving your presentation.

How an Educational PowerPoint Presentation Skyrocket Your Success

A well-designed PowerPoint slide can be the key to success in any educational setting. A PowerPoint presentation can help students grasp complex concepts and remember key points by organizing visually appealing and easy-to-understand information.

Additionally, a PPT presentation can add excitement and interest to a dull lecture or dry text. When used effectively, a PowerPoint presentation can engage students and encourage them to participate actively in learning.

As a result, an investment in a professional educational PowerPoint presentation can pay off handsomely in terms of student success.

PowerPoint templates are must-haves for both inexperienced and veteran educators. One of the top reasons is that it saves hours of manual work and struggles.

For instance, if you’ve picked a premium customizable education PPT template, it only requires a couple of minutes to edit and craft your presentation layout. It means you can develop professional PPT presentation infographics within half an hour.

There are countless templates that educators can use for a wide variety of subjects, including maths, science, humanities studies like literature and history, and many more.

It allows your children to have a hands-on, experiment-based curriculum where they can visualize key concepts while paying attention to multimedia elements tools provided by PowerPoint templates along the way.

Now, let’s walk through the top tips to present an impactful educational PPT presentation that will comprehensively drive knowledge to your potential audience.

• Arrange your presentation objective in a way that attracts your audience and familiarizes the area of discussion in seconds. You can use animated PPT templates or other visual aids to make it attractive and appealing.
• Try to insert at least one brief one-liner highlighting the relevance and benefits of learning that particular topic.
• Include self-image or videos to personalize your presentation content.
• Add animations and slide transitions to explain the key learning steps.
• Include charts, maps, infographics , images, and graphs that illustrate your topic at hand. A well-organized chart could be vital to driving your point home. Regarding corporate PowerPoint presentations , adding Gantt Charts and other business-related details is better.
• Avoid having several ideas on one single slide. It may overwhelm your viewers.
• Leave a little more white space around each element in your PPT slide.
• No need to add every sentence you intend to speak on your PowerPoint slide. Instead, add sharp points that are easily read and comprehended. Then, explain it.

It is not surprising that technology has fundamentally changed education. In former times, the only way to learn about a topic was to hear a lecture from a professor in a classroom. Today, virtual presentations have become an essential tool for educators. There are many reasons why online presentations are so valuable in education. So, learn how to create virtual presentations that capture your audience’s attention .

Advantages of Purchasing Fully Editable PowerPoint Presentation Templates for Teaching

As we discussed above, PowerPoint templates are a great teaching tool for many reasons. They allow the presentation to maintain a uniform look and feel, which is key for understanding the message. Moreover, it can quickly add sense to your teaching.

It is the only wise choice to purchase a fully-editable premium PowerPoint presentation layout for teaching purposes. Then, you can professionally teach your audience the way you want to educate them.

Here are the top reasons why one should turn to fully editable premium education PPT infographics:

• Fully editable PPT themes for education will let you overcome the stress of starting with a blank slate each time.
• All premium education PowerPoint layouts are made with plenty of ideas and unique designs to effectively present your education or research topic.
• When you have a fully editable PPT theme, you will easily add videos, images, and your brand logo.
• You can edit and customize anything in the layout without losing quality in minutes. There is no need to have any design skills to edit and customize them.
• These editable PowerPoint presentation templates will help you save hours of manual work and confusion.

Top Points to Keep in Mind While Preparing a PowerPoint for Teaching

Characteristics that your students like about education PowerPoint slides are:

• Graphs, charts, and maps can increase the understanding of content.
• Bulleted lists that let them focus on the top ideas.
• Animations and slide transitions are the best visual aids.
• Cliparts and creative layouts.
• Present your ideas in short phrases rather than lengthy paragraphs.
• Spoken words with images are better than pictures with text.

Note: Cliparts are the perfect choice to get your audience’s attention in seconds. It is helpful in education PowerPoint presentations for small children and students. However, try to avoid Cliparts if your presentation is for technical students or medical students.

Characteristics that your students don’t like about education PowerPoint slides are:

• Too many ideas on a single slide.
• Templates with too many colors.
• Irrelevant images and WordArts decrease understanding and learning compared to presentation layouts with no picture or animation.

Find the Best Education PowerPoint Presentation Slides for Teaching

PowerPoint presentations have a great power to share your ideas comprehensively, especially for educational purposes. Therefore, picking the suitable PowerPoint presentation template that fits well will help you significantly convey your presentation.

Moreover, choosing the appropriate theme or design is the base part of the entire PPT presentation.

There may be several PPTs available in the free source, but always remember that they may not assure you the quality and features needed for a powerful PowerPoint template.

Therefore, it will be wise to pick a premium PPT template designed by professionals . Selecting an ideal template for creating an attention-grabbing educational presentation is crucial if you wish to make your presentation’s tone professional. Thus, say goodbye to typical, boring PowerPoint templates that ruin your presentation.

Explore the top highlights of our exclusive educational PowerPoint presentation template below:

• 100% Fully editable PowerPoint slides & design elements.
• 2 Aspect ratio (4:3 & 16:9).
• One-time purchase (Free download for life).
• Unlimited downloads (Come back anytime to download the files again).
• Lifetime free updates (We update by adding more slides regularly).
• Lifetime free customer care support.

There you can view the best-in-quality education or research topic presentation themes designed by our expert graphic designers.

You can find a selection of creative, unique PPT themes here at FlySlides , in addition to education PowerPoint templates or research presentation PPT slides. All our premium PowerPoint templates are fully customizable and come with unlimited download and update options.

Besides our PPT templates, we also have a tremendous selection of fully customizable Keynote presentation templates and Google Slides themes . So it’s up to you to select your preference. With FlySlides, you can quickly create your education presentations on PowerPoint, Keynote, and Google Slides.

You can also refer to:

• Tips to Develop a Powerful Business Presentation .
• 10 Proven Tips to Make a Great Sales Presentation .

What’s more, Look into our library and take a look at our templates. They’re available in as many presentations as you want and skyrocket your success as a PowerPoint presenter. Why waste your precious time? Just explore our top selection of PowerPoint presentation layouts for education and find the best templates for your next presentation .

Written by FlySlides Editorial Team

FlySlides is one of the leading and high-quality Free and Premium PowerPoint, Google Slides & Keynotes Templates providers on the internet.

FlySlides is one of the leading and high-quality premium PowerPoint, Google Slides & Keynotes Templates provider on the internet

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Microsoft PowerPoint: How to Use It to Teach

Microsoft PowerPoint is a powerful teaching tool and this is how it can help your classroom

Recent updates

This article was updated in October 2023

Microsoft PowerPoint is a powerful slide-based presentation tool that can be used by teachers and students as a way of communicating digitally. This comes as part of the Microsoft Office 365 package so, if your institution uses that, you may already have access to this power tool.

This lets you create presentations from scratch or -- helpfully -- using templates that allow you to input the data you need to end up with a professional finish, fast. Since the software is cloud-based, it can allow you to jump between devices while working on a single project that's also easy to access and share.

Of course there is some very direct competition from Google, which is free. So can Microsoft justify the price that goes with its PowerPoint tool?

Read on to find out everything you need to know about Microsoft PowerPoint for education.

• Best Digital Tools for Teachers
• What is Google Classroom?

What is Microsoft PowerPoint?

Microsoft PowerPoint is a slideshow presentation tool; in fact, it was one of the first and is still one of the most famous and widely used. Mainly aimed at business use, PowerPoint is crammed full of powerful features.

For schools already using the Microsoft ecosystem of software, this is a very easy tool to integrate and allows for simple sharing of presentations with students, other teachers, and parents. Go beyond the Microsoft world though and that can become more difficult unless you're using the online specific version of PowerPoint, as opposed to the more feature-rich full software – but more on that in the cost section below.

Microsoft PowerPoint can be used from scratch but also offers a broad library of templates that allow for quick and easy construction of presentations with a high-quality finish. That means the end result can be more engaging and can take far less time and effort to create, both for teachers and students.

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Collaboration, in real-time, is also an option in the case of the online version of PowerPoint, making this useful as a place for students to work together even when physically distanced.

What's new in Microsoft PowerPoint?

In recent months Microsoft has announced a slew of updates. This is nothing new, but for education specifically, these are the points that are of interest. 

Microsoft had added an enhanced Teleprompter view in Recording Studio. This includes an auto scroll feature that allows teachers to easily refer to a script while keeping eye contact in the video recording.

Tasks are a new addition to PowerPoint, which allow teachers to annotate points on student work, so as to assign an action for them to carry out in their work.

Reactions are a useful new feature that let you react to something without having to type words -- letting students know you've seen it, without opening up more dialogue or costing you time.

How does Microsoft PowerPoint work?

Microsoft PowerPoint follows the layout you may have experienced before in Word or Excel. You start with a selection of template options, or a blank start, which brings you into the editing mode. This has the slides down the left of the screen with a larger central part showing the current slide. Above that are the options in word and icon formats.

Editing is very easy, as when you select a section of the slide, that element will then be available to customize with prompts popping up to help. Drag-and-drop is also an option for moving items about or adding images into your slides, for example.

So the basic use of Microsoft PowerPoint is simple enough, however, there are lot of options. This could be daunting except Microsoft offers plenty of support so you can dive into those options to explore more. The Microsoft 365 support center has how-to articles, step-by-step video tutorials, an active community forum, and even a 24/7 live chat support team.

Once you're happy with your presentation, you can share it using a simple link, or you can present it to the class in the room or digitally by simply hitting the play icon. This also lets you see one screen, behind the scenes if you like, while the students just see the slides as each comes up – ideal if you want to keep notes and answers hidden.

What are the best Microsoft PowerPoint features?

Microsoft PowerPoint ease of use makes it a great tool for education. The ability to drag and drop images, music, video, files, and more into the slide and have the software do the work of converting and fitting it is an often underrated feature.

Collaboration is a great feature that allows students to work together on projects. Since students can see one another's changes, live, they don't need to be in the same room or in communication to work effectively together. Of course, having a bit of a plan of who does what also helps avoid any overlap.

Thanks to the wide use of Microsoft tools, there is a broad array of devices on which PowerPoint will work, from desktop computers and laptops to tablets and smartphones. It also plays nice with lots of projectors and smartboards, making presentations in varying locations an easy option, all using digital content stored in the cloud.

Microsoft PowerPoint offers great 3D support, making it a useful tool for sharing images, renders, and more. From physical objects in design or science class to virtual interactive maps, there's lots you can integrate into a Microsoft PowerPoint slide.

How much does Microsoft PowerPoint cost?

Microsoft charges for PowerPoint in varying ways, including a free option.

The Office 365 A1 plan gets you a host of online (slightly limited) versions of the apps, including PowerPoint, for free . This also comes with Outlook, Word, Excel, OneNote, Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, and more.

Step up to the Office 365 A3 plan , at $3.25 per user per month for staff or $2.50 per student , and you get all the above. You also get access to the full desktop apps as well as additional management and security tools.

Go for the top Office 365 A5 plan and it's $8 per user per month for staff and $6 per student . This gets you all the above plus "best-in-class intelligent security management", advanced compliance and analytics systems. 

Microsoft PowerPoint Best Tips and Tricks

Work together Create a project on the big screen, as a class, to work out how to use the software and work through any issues as a class.

Collaborate Set up groups for projects and have them work collaboratively to see how this tool can function across the cloud to enhance teamwork and the end results.

Try templates Encourage students to work with the templates to find ways to expressing what they need in the most time efficient way possible.

Luke Edwards is a freelance writer and editor with more than two decades of experience covering tech, science, and health. He writes for many publications covering health tech, software and apps, digital teaching tools, VPNs, TV, audio, smart home, antivirus, broadband, smartphones, cars and much more.

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17 Advantages And Disadvantages Of PowerPoint

PowerPoint is a versatile and user-friendly multimedia presentation program compatible with most devices. It lets you make and share limitless presentations with ease. However, it comes with a fair share of disadvantages, like the complex features and tools, issues with performance on less powerful computers, and its price.

1. Available for All Major Operating Systems

2. abundant features, 3. widely accepted, 4. lots of themes and templates, 5. versatile interface, 6. relatively easy to use, 7. support various formats, 8. smooth integration with other office programs, 9. support add-in, 10. compare documents, 11. relatively easy to collaborate, 12. available mobile version, 13. password protection, 14. lack of innovation, 15. a bit complex to learn, 16. some performance issues on weak systems, 17. it’s relatively expensive, advantages and disadvantages of powerpoint – at a glance.

• PowerPoint is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android , and the web.
• PowerPoint has a rich set of features , including templates and themes.
• Even for beginners, PowerPoint is relatively easy to use .
• PowerPoint enables customization through a wide range of add-ins .
• PowerPoint simplifies collaboration with others by allowing easy sharing and editing of presentations.
• PowerPoint has limited innovation over its three-decade history, potentially making presentations feel dated.
• Learning to use PowerPoint’s features and tools can be complex for some users.
• PowerPoint may have performance issues on less powerful computers.
• Compared to alternatives, PowerPoint can be relatively pricey if purchased outright.

Advantages Of PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is an excellent tool for presentations and more. Here are some of its key advantages:

PowerPoint is available for both Windows and macOS , as well as for mobile devices running iOS and Android. This makes it a convenient tool for creating presentations, regardless of what type of device you are using. You can also use PowerPoint for the Web in a web browser, making it even more accessible. Not a lot of presentation software offers such flexibility.

PowerPoint is the most feature-rich presentation software out there. It has everything you need to create a professional-looking presentation, including built-in templates, themes, and much more. Other presentation software simply cannot compete with PowerPoint in this regard.

PowerPoint is the most widely used presentation software, and it’s the industry standard tool for preparing presentations. People are generally familiar with how PowerPoint works, which makes it easy to use when giving presentations. It is also the most compatible presentation software , meaning that it can be opened and viewed on just about any device.

PowerPoint comes with a variety of built-in themes and templates that you can use to make your presentation look more professional. If you’re not a design expert, these templates can be a lifesaver. With just a few clicks, you can make your presentation look great without spending hours on design.

The interface of PowerPoint is also quite versatile. You can easily access all the needed features by using the toolbar options. Its interface is also customizable , so you can change it to suit your needs better.

PowerPoint is relatively easy to use , even if you’ve never used it before. Of course, it takes some time to learn all the features and how to use them effectively. However, you should be able to start creating basic presentations without much trouble.

You can open and edit presentations saved in various formats with PowerPoint. Some of the supported formats include pptx, ppt, gif, mp4, jpeg , and more. This is a convenient feature if you need to import or export presentations in variable programs. Other presentation software supports only a limited number of formats.

PowerPoint also integrates smoothly with other Microsoft Office programs, such as Word and Excel. This makes it easy to create presentations that include data from other Office programs. Moreover, PowerPoint files are supported by most online storage services, such as Google Drive and Dropbox, for seamless sharing.

PowerPoint also supports add-ins , which are small programs that add additional features to the software. There are a large number of add-ins available for PowerPoint that you can use to customize your presentations further.

The Review feature in PowerPoint allows you to compare two presentations side-by-side . This is a handy feature if you need to spot the differences between two versions of a presentation. It’s especially useful when you want to review the changes to your presentation made by someone else.

PowerPoint makes it relatively easy to collaborate with others on a presentation. You can easily share your presentation with others and allow them to view it or make changes by sharing a link. This is a convenient feature if you are working on a team project.

PowerPoint is also available in a mobile version , which allows you to create and edit presentations on the go. You can download the PowerPoint app for free from the App Store or Google Play to use on iOS or Android devices. This is a handy feature if you need to make last-minute changes to your presentation.

One of the features of the PowerPoint software that most users find useful is the password protection feature. This allows you to set a password for your presentation so that only those who know the password can open and view it. Most other presentation software does not include this component.

Disadvantages of PowerPoint

Now that we’ve looked at the advantages of PowerPoint, let’s take a look at some of its disadvantages:

It’s been around three decades since PowerPoint was first released, and in that time, it hasn’t seen a whole lot of innovation. This lack of innovation can make it feel dated compared to some of the newer presentation software options on the market. Some users find PowerPoint slides boring, as there is not much scope to create creative or interactive presentations.

The features and tools of PowerPoint can be a bit complex to learn , especially if you’ve never used the software before. It can take some time to get a grasp on how to use all the features effectively. And if you want to create more complex presentations, it may take even longer.

PowerPoint can also have some performance issues, especially on weak systems. The software can be a bit resource-intensive, so it may run slowly on older computers . Additionally, large or complex presentations may take longer to load and may not run as smoothly as you’d like.

If you want to purchase PowerPoint outright, it’s relatively expensive compared to some of the other presentation software options on the market. Google Slides offers many of the same features as PowerPoint, but it’s free to use.

PowerPoint is a widely used presentation software that is available for all major operating systems. It offers a large number of features and is widely accepted.  However, it can be a bit complex to learn and is relatively expensive. Despite these disadvantages, PowerPoint is still a popular choice for creating presentations.

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eLearning Software

7 Advantages of Using PowerPoint for eLearning & Online Education

Last Updated: 02/12/2024

By Scott Winstead

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There’s hardly any tool that fits an average eLearning professional’s objectives better than good old PowerPoint. In fact, a recent survey found that 69% of instructional designers use PowerPoint at least once a month as they create their online courses and modules. Personally, I regularly use PowerPoint to craft engaging and interactive learning experiences that go beyond traditional slide decks. It’s the gold standard for the industry.

In this article, I’ll share 7 important benefits of using Microsoft PowerPoint for eLearning applications.

1. Simple yet sophisticated

One of the things I love about PowerPoint is its remarkable balance of simplicity and power. It’s a tool that’s intuitive enough for beginners to pick up quickly, yet powerful enough to satisfy the creative and technical demands of advanced users.

PowerPoint’s extensive suite of features, effects, and animations is truly second to none, offering a ton of customization options that can transform a basic set of slides into an engaging narrative journey.

This kind of versatility is especially beneficial in eLearning, where the engagement of learners is a top priority.

It’s been quite a while since some caustic observer coined the “death by PowerPoint” expression. Picture a corporate meeting with yet another team lead or business trainer rolling out boring facts in an interminable series of tedious slides…turns out, it doesn’t have to be that way.

We are no longer condemned to click-and-read PowerPoint presentations that can definitely kill the fun of eLearning or business initiatives.

In order to create engaging interactive online courses, you just need to learn how to use the advanced options of the product.

2. Scalable functionality

Whether you’re creating a brief tutorial or an extensive training module, PowerPoint can accommodate your project with ease. It’s designed to grow with your content, allowing for everything from simple slide sequences to complex interactive courses with branching scenarios.

PowerPoint is a highly flexible solution that also works seamlessly with dozens of third-party tools.

Many of them are free, like VEED ( review ) which lets you add audio to PowerPoint presentations .

Gantt chart fans may consider Office Timeline , one of the best PowerPoint add-ins , that allows you to add beautiful timelines and charts to your presentation right in the interface.

These are just a couple of examples; a full list would be huge and, at that, far from exhaustive.

New plugins are conceived every few months to facilitate or enrich rendered material.

3. Easy to convert, easy to share

You can easily convert PowerPoint presentations into any popular format (video, HTML5 to embed on your website, Word document, PDF). And it’s easy to share a PowerPoint presentation online .

Why not turn your deck into a video file?

A couple clicks – and you go live on YouTube.

You could use third-party add-ons like Movavi or Wondershare, or convert PowerPoint content right from the software (from version 2010 onwards).

If you are looking for a more scalable format than PPT, try HTML5 or Flash. There is a host of free and paid converters available on the web. Find one with the appropriate quality, convert your slides, upload to a slide sharing/web hosting service, get a code generated, and there you go.

Save-as-PDF might be a good option as well. You can’t go wrong with this lightweight and universal format recognized by any modern device. Watch out for quality disruptions, though. Some of the visual bells and whistles, not to mention animations and transitions, will surely get lost. In some cases, like extended text editing needs or greater compatibility, you may want to reduce your content to a text document. Just export the slides into Microsoft Word, and possibly elaborate the bullets into a full-fledged article.

4. Reliable and always up-to-date

After all these years, PowerPoint continues to evolve, consistently staying current with new features and functionalities that enhance its utility and user experience. Microsoft’s commitment to regular updates means that PowerPoint is a tool that grows with the times, integrating cutting-edge trends and user feedback into its development cycle.

For us in the eLearning field, this means we’re always equipped with the latest in presentation technology, from AI-powered design suggestions to real-time collaboration features. The addition of new templates, accessibility options, and integration with other Microsoft 365 apps ensures that PowerPoint remains a forward-thinking tool for creating educational content.

5. The cornerstone of eLearning

Educators and business users alike will find all the necessary tools to create a full-fledged course in PowerPoint.

Many content authoring and eLearning solutions build on the PPT platform to deliver extended functionality like quizzes, scoring, analytics, interactive elements, and many others, but the core remains unaltered.

Be that as it may, all authoring tools replicate PPT functionality, in whole or in part, or even lack some features by contrast. Strictly speaking, you can construct your own eLearning suite from PowerPoint bundled with standalone free tools.

6. Ample template library

A PPT template is a pattern of a slide or batch of slides that you can save as a .potx file. PowerPoint templates include theme colors, fonts, effects, layouts, background styles, etc.

Users have an opportunity to create custom templates, store, reuse and share them with fellow presenters.

There is a vast library of free built-in templates. Pick a template that seems a good fit for your presentation or eLearning course, add your content (keeping best practices in mind), and deliver to the public!

7. Easy access to guidelines and instructions

Need to perform a specific task? Would you like to consult external resources?

There’s a bunch of information and free resources available on the web. You don’t have to waste time on in-depth research: just type in “PowerPoint guide” in Google, and receive an overwhelming amount of data.

PowerPoint boasts a vibrant user community comprised of amateurs and professionals from all walks of life. Office.com, bloggers and presentation gurus are there to answer your questions and give recommendations at no cost.

At the end of the day, we all love good content, and the more skilled PPT users out there, the merrier.

Tips and tricks

Here are some best practices that are worth following when you conceive a quality presentation or eLearning course.

• Design a “look” for the course. Use tools within the software to create shapes, gradients and more, to make your course feel unique and branded. Explore “Shapes”  for creating your eLearning design template and backgrounds. You can choose to fill shapes with textures, change transparency to create overlays, use them as menu bars, and so on.
• Ensure easy navigation . It’s no secret PowerPoint allows learners to advance whenever they click the screen. That’s the hallmark of a classic presentation! Disabling this feature may actually do a lot of good, since you get more options for interactivity and custom navigation corresponding to your narrative or course logic.
• Employ Slide Masters . Feel like giving your course a professional look and making it easier for learners to follow? Set up Slide Masters to ensure a consistent layout. You can also re-use layouts and forget about matching up colors or re-shaping positions every time you generate a new slide. Configure your Slide Masters from the very beginning, before you start handcrafting the eLearning course. It’s a no-brainer, yet it pays off well in the future.
• Interactivity is key. As we mentioned before, PowerPoint provides a wealth of animations and effects. This can be pretty much anything: quiz questions, text appearing on click, embedded objects, etc. Configure a desired object to animate when the learner clicks the slide. Make it fun and make it memorable when you add interactivity to your eLearning experiences!
• Leave some space unfilled. Your presentation wants a whiff of fresh air. Don’t overcrowd the Powerpoint slides with too much text. This may seem like common knowledge, but it’s worth reiterating. If there is excessive content on the slide, chances are the learner will fail to process it and, ultimately, lose the key point. Stick to the message. A presentation is no monograph, it’s an interactive hassle-free way to transfer ideas.
• Use custom PowerPoint themes. Despite what we said above about the blessing of ready-made templates, anyone familiar with PowerPoint or any Windows-based content will tell apart standard themes the instant they see them. This might give someone the feeling you didn’t go the extra mile to deliver a genuinely spectacular course. Make yourself stand out from the crowd and go beyond just changing theme colors. Get some professional designer help, if needed, to provide highly engaging and visually attractive content.

A Final Word on eLearning PowerPoint Usage

Like it or not, PowerPoint is here to stay. If you are short on time and resources, it may be the only eLearning development software you have available.

Considering that almost every authoring solution or learning management system can be traced back to PowerPoint and its powerful functionality, it’s safe to assume PowerPoint will remain the key power broker in eLearning for years to come.

Have any questions about how to use PowerPoint for eLearning and online education? Share your thoughts by commenting below.

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Quick 5 benefits of PowerPoint presentation in Education

Benefits of PowerPoint Presentation in Education: When it comes to teaching, every educator has their own methods. Some may thrive in a lecture setting, while others prefer an interactive environment where students can participate and ask questions. With many schools switching from traditional lectures to PowerPoint presentations, you might wonder which is best for your class. Which style of teaching is more beneficial for your students?

That answer will differ depending on your teaching style, the subject matter of your course, and how much interaction you want from your students. Both methods have pros and cons, but it largely depends on the class you’re teaching. If you’re still unsure which one is better for you and your students, keep reading to learn more about the benefits of PowerPoint presentations in education over traditional lecturing.

Table of Contents

Why use PowerPoint presentations?

PowerPoint presentations have become a staple of business meetings, but they can also be helpful in the classroom. For example, if your students are taking an English literature course and are reading a novel or poetry collection, using a PowerPoint presentation can make it easier to get through the material.

Students can focus on the author’s words while you move the PowerPoint slides to help them understand them. Unlike a traditional lecture, where one person speaks and everyone else listens, PowerPoint presentations allow for more interactive learning.

Students have the chance to respond to the material and learn from their peers, making the class more of a collaborative experience. PowerPoint presentations are also a great way to get students involved and engaged in the material. They can ask questions about the content and interact with one another during the presentation.

Even though you’re at the front of the classroom, PowerPoint can help you get the class involved. If you want to incorporate more visual aids into your course, PowerPoint presentations are a great way to do so. Some studies have shown that humans remember what they’ve seen more than what they’ve heard. Therefore, using PowerPoint presentations in the classroom could improve students’ retention and memory.

The benefits of using PowerPoint presentations in class

Using PowerPoint presentations in class has many benefits for educators and students. Primarily, it can help you save time. Instead of spending a large chunk of your class time lecturing, you can condense your information into a PowerPoint presentation, allowing you to move on to other concepts quickly.

It is also easy to share your PowerPoint presentations with your students outside of class, especially using cloud-based apps. You can also use your presentations to organize your thoughts and keep track of your course outline at a glance. PowerPoint presentations are a great way to incorporate visuals into your lessons, making concepts easier to grasp for students who learn better visually. Students can also use their laptops or computers to view your PowerPoint presentation, making it easy for them to follow along without having to be directly at your computer.

Please don’t give up if you’re struggling to stay focused in class because you find technology distractive. You can engage CustomWritings to help you learn the ropes. As a custom presentation writing service, it has specialized in helping struggling students catch up with the rest by providing high-quality projects, PPTs, speeches, and essays are written from scratch. They can handle PowerPoint presentations of all kinds and levels. Visit their website for inquiries and orders, and you won’t be disappointed.  

Benefits of PowerPoint Presentation in Education for Learners, Educators, and Schools

These days, when a student walks into a classroom, their expectations are high. They want to be engaged and feel like their time is well spent. They want to learn and get their money’s worth. The best way to do this is by using a PowerPoint presentation to engage them in the learning process.

A PowerPoint presentation is going to allow you to bring in visuals. This, in turn, will help you deliver a more interactive, hands-on lesson that will engage and excite your students. The best way to do this is by collaborating with your students and getting them to bring their creativity into the lesson. PowerPoints have also helped institutions lower operational costs. While the initial cost of acquiring the system, i.e., laptops, projectors, etc., can be high, schools save in the end through less printing, chalkboard paintings, etc. These are just a few advantages of PowerPoint presentations in education.

The importance of PowerPoint presentations for students in college

When students have an opportunity to contribute to the classroom in a meaningful way, they are more likely to feel empowered, invested, and engaged in the material. To make this happen, you will have to open the floor and allow your students to collaborate.

This is where a PowerPoint presentation can shine. It can help your students get hands-on with the material, allowing them to explore different ideas, take risks, and become critical thinkers. The best way to do this is by creating a collaborative workspace that will allow your students to partner up, explore their ideas, and contribute to the lesson in a meaningful way. Additionally, since most learners are addicted to technology, it is easier to grab their attention with PowerPoint presentations.

The Drawbacks of Using PowerPoint Presentations in Class

Although you can use PowerPoint presentations to save time and get your students more engaged in the material, there are a few drawbacks to keep in mind. If you don’t create a clear path for your students to follow, they may get lost. Make sure each slide has a clear, concise message. This can prevent students from getting distracted. Your students also need to know when they should be paying attention to you and when they should be viewing the PowerPoint presentation. This can be hard to manage and may cause students to miss important information.

The Drawbacks of Traditional Lectures for Students

Educators who prefer traditional teaching methods may wonder, “How does PowerPoint help students learn?” If you opt for the traditional lecture setting over a PowerPoint presentation, remember that this is not the most interactive teaching method.

If your students feel like they are sitting in darkness, they may feel disengaged and uninterested in the content, leaving them behind on tests and exams. Another drawback to traditional lectures is that you can’t quickly go back and review the information if a student misses it or needs a refresher. If you make notes on a projector or whiteboard, they are difficult to review after the fact.

Conclusion: Benefits of PowerPoint presentation in Education

Choosing the right style of teaching for your students can be difficult. Luckily, there are pros and cons to both the traditional lecture setting and PowerPoint presentations. When deciding which one is best for your classroom, consider your teaching style, the subject matter of your class, and the amount of interaction you want students to have.

See Also: Top 7 business challenges in SharePoint Online

You may also like this article, SharePoint Challenges: Top 7 business challenges in SharePoint Online

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As a SharePoint and Power Platform Maven, my greatest joy comes from sharing my expertise with colleagues, friends, and the tech community, helping them navigate the ever-evolving world of technology and guiding them through the dynamic landscape of modern technology.

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7 Reasons Why You Still Need PowerPoint

Meetings are critical to business success, but they consume a lot of your most precious resource – time. One meeting among a small team can fill an entire day’s worth of hours. And studies show that disorganized meetings are associated with lower market share, innovation, and stability. So, how can you ensure your meetings are both effective and efficient?

PowerPoint can help! Get more out of every minute in meetings by employing PowerPoint presentation design. When used well, PowerPoint is still a meeting’s most indispensable tool. At eSlide we have seen our clients experience greater meeting success – and greater business success – through better visuals and better meeting communications.

Here are seven reasons why you still need PowerPoint, and why you should use it at your next meeting:

1. PowerPoint Keeps Meetings On Topic

A good PowerPoint helps the presenter keep the meeting organized and moving at a good pace. With virtual meetings, keeping an audience focused is even more of a challenge, so having a good PowerPoint presentation design will help the presenter stay in command of the audience’s attention. Even simply using an agenda slide will help attendees stay on topic and ensure you accomplish what you need.

2. PowerPoint Boosts Presenter Confidence

Most people dislike public speaking so anything that makes the job easier is a win. Having a well-designed slide deck can serve as a content guide for presenters, so they don’t have to worry about forgetting any of their important points. This allows them to relax and feel more confident so they come across as more knowledgeable, authoritative and engaging. All of this makes it more likely that audiences will pay attention and be convinced by their message.

3. PowerPoint Enables Quick Communication of Complex Ideas

PowerPoint allows presenters to translate complex ideas, facts, or figures into easily digestible visuals. Visual representations of information activate the right hemisphere of the brain, which allows viewers to interpret, expound, and engage with what they’re seeing. In the case of a PowerPoint presentation, this right-sided brain function makes perfect use of the software’s primary purpose, i.e., translating detailed information into visuals that enable the presenter to avoid audience confusion and keep the meeting moving.

4. PowerPoint Makes Your Presentation and Presenting Better

The act of creating a PowerPoint deck – putting ideas ‘on paper’ – forces the presenter to hone their message. By going through this process, they become more familiar with their content. This refinement exercise gives them a better chance of delivering a well-crafted and well-executed presentation. Think of it as a series of practice sessions that solidify a presenter’s ideas in their own mind, resulting in a stronger, more focused presentation.

5. PowerPoint is Perfect for Visual Messaging

PowerPoint is often maligned for being boring, but this is a problem of use rather than something inherently wrong with the software. When used properly, i.e., as a visual medium, it’s the perfect vehicle for communicating in meetings. Research shows that the brain consumes and comprehends images more effectively than words alone. Using visual representations of information in a PowerPoint presentation design allows the audience to digest the presenter’s ideas instantaneously, without the need for additional explanation.

6. PowerPoint Allows the Audience to Be ‘In The Moment’

When a presenter uses PowerPoint, attendees know they can have the deck afterward so they can focus on listening rather than taking notes during the meeting. This allows the audience to give the presenter their full attention, going on the journey as the presenter tells it. And because a PowerPoint deck is a perfect post-meeting handout, the presenter’s work is done when the presentation is finished.

7. PowerPoint Helps You Deliver a More Memorable Message

Well-crafted PowerPoint presentation design that makes the most of this visual medium enables an audience to remember ideas and messages better. Studies show that humans retain visuals easier than they do words, whether spoken or written down. Therefore, a presenter is more likely to move their audience to action if the audience can better recall what it is they have been asked to do after the meeting is over.

Bonus Tip: PowerPoint Presentation Design Professionals Save You Valuable Time

Your time is valuable, so don’t spend it on anything you don’t have to. eSlide has been working with top executives from Fortune 500 companies around the globe for more than 20 years. PowerPoint presentation design and enhancement is all we do. Let us focus on your presentation design, so you can focus on your content and meeting preparation.

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Teaching with PowerPoint

When effectively planned and used, PowerPoint (or similar tools, like Google Slides) can enhance instruction. People are divided on the effectiveness of this ubiquitous presentation program—some say that PowerPoint is wonderful while others bemoan its pervasiveness. No matter which side you take, PowerPoint does offer effective ways to enhance instruction when used and designed appropriately.

PowerPoint can be an effective tool to present material in the classroom and encourage student learning. You can use PowerPoint to project visuals that would otherwise be difficult to bring to class. For example, in an anthropology class, a single PowerPoint presentation could project images of an anthropological dig from a remote area, questions asking students about the topic, a chart of related statistics, and a mini quiz about what was just discussed that provides students with information that is visual, challenging, and engaging.

PowerPoint can be an effective tool to present material in the classroom and encourage student learning.

This section is organized in three major segments: Part I will help faculty identify and use basic but important design elements, Part II will cover ways to enhance teaching and learning with PowerPoint, and Part III will list ways to engage students with PowerPoint.

PART I: Designing the PowerPoint Presentation

Accessibility.

• Student accessibility—students with visual or hearing impairments may not be able to fully access a PowerPoint presentation, especially those with graphics, images, and sound.
• Use an accessible layout. Built-in slide template layouts were designed to be accessible: “the reading order is the same for people with vision and for people who use assistive technology such as screen readers” (University of Washington, n.d.). If you want to alter the layout of a theme, use the Slide Master; this will ensure your slides will retain accessibility.
• Use unique and specific slide titles so students can access the material they need.
• Consider how you display hyperlinks. Since screen readers read what is on the page, you may want to consider creating a hyperlink using a descriptive title instead of displaying the URL.
• All visuals and tables should include alt text. Alt text should describe the visual or table in detail so that students with visual impairments can “read” the images with their screen readers. Avoid using too many decorative visuals.
• All video and audio content should be captioned for students with hearing impairments. Transcripts can also be useful as an additional resource, but captioning ensures students can follow along with what is on the screen in real-time.
• Simplify your tables. If you use tables on your slides, ensure they are not overly complex and do not include blank cells. Screen readers may have difficulty providing information about the table if there are too many columns and rows, and they may “think” the table is complete if they come to a blank cell.
• Set a reading order for text on your slides. The order that text appears on the slide may not be the reading order of the text. Check that your reading order is correct by using the Selection Pane (organized bottom-up).
• Use Microsoft’s Accessibility Checker to identify potential accessibility issues in your completed PowerPoint. Use the feedback to improve your PowerPoint’s accessibility. You could also send your file to the Disability Resource Center to have them assess its accessibility (send it far in advance of when you will need to use it).
• Save your PowerPoint presentation as a PDF file to distribute to students with visual impairments.

Preparing for the presentation

• Consider time and effort in preparing a PowerPoint presentation; give yourself plenty of lead time for design and development.
• PowerPoint is especially useful when providing course material online. Consider student technology compatibility with PowerPoint material put on the web; ensure images and graphics have been compressed for access by computers using dial-up connection.

PowerPoint is especially useful when providing course material online.

• Be aware of copyright law when displaying course materials, and properly cite source material. This is especially important when using visuals obtained from the internet or other sources. This also models proper citation for your students.
• Think about message interpretation for PowerPoint use online: will students be able to understand material in a PowerPoint presentation outside of the classroom? Will you need to provide notes and/or other material to help students understand complex information, data, or graphics?
• If you will be using your own laptop, make sure the classroom is equipped with the proper cables, drivers, and other means to display your presentation the way you have intended.

Slide content

• Avoid text-dense slides. It’s better to have more slides than trying to place too much text on one slide. Use brief points instead of long sentences or paragraphs and outline key points rather than transcribing your lecture. Use PowerPoint to cue and guide the presentation.
• Use the Notes feature to add content to your presentation that the audience will not see. You can access the Notes section for each slide by sliding the bottom of the slide window up to reveal the notes section or by clicking “View” and choosing “Notes Page” from the Presentation Views options.
• Relate PowerPoint material to course objectives to reinforce their purpose for students.

Number of slides

• As a rule of thumb, plan to show one slide per minute to account for discussion and time and for students to absorb the material.
• Reduce redundant or text-heavy sentences or bullets to ensure a more professional appearance.
• Incorporate active learning throughout the presentation to hold students’ interest and reinforce learning.

Emphasizing content

• Use italics, bold, and color for emphasizing content.
• Use of a light background (white, beige, yellow) with dark typeface or a dark background (blue, purple, brown) with a light typeface is easy to read in a large room.
• Avoid using too many colors or shifting colors too many times within the presentation, which can be distracting to students.
• Avoid using underlines for emphasis; underlining typically signifies hypertext in digital media.

Use of a light background with dark typeface or a dark background with a light typeface is easy to read in a large room.

• Limit the number of typeface styles to no more than two per slide. Try to keep typeface consistent throughout your presentation so it does not become a distraction.
• Avoid overly ornate or specialty fonts that may be harder for students to read. Stick to basic fonts so as not to distract students from the content.
• Ensure the typeface is large enough to read from anywhere in the room: titles and headings should be no less than 36-40-point font. The subtext should be no less than 32-point font.

Clip art and graphics

• Use clip art and graphics sparingly. Research shows that it’s best to use graphics only when they support the content. Irrelevant graphics and images have been proven to hinder student learning.
• Photographs can be used to add realism. Again, only use photographs that are relevant to the content and serve a pedagogical purpose. Images for decorative purposes are distracting.
• Size and place graphics appropriately on the slide—consider wrapping text around a graphic.
• Use two-dimensional pie and bar graphs rather than 3D styles which can interfere with the intended message.

Use clip art and graphics sparingly. Research shows that it’s best to use graphics only when they support the content.

Animation and sound

• Add motion, sound, or music only when necessary. When in doubt, do without.
• Avoid distracting animations and transitions. Excessive movement within or between slides can interfere with the message and students find them distracting. Avoid them or use only simple screen transitions.

Final check

• Check for spelling, correct word usage, flow of material, and overall appearance of the presentation.
• Colleagues can be helpful to check your presentation for accuracy and appeal. Note: Errors are more obvious when they are projected.
• Schedule at least one practice session to check for timing and flow.
• PowerPoint’s Slide Sorter View is especially helpful to check slides for proper sequencing as well as information gaps and redundancy. You can also use the preview pane on the left of the screen when you are editing the PowerPoint in “Normal” view.
• Prepare for plan “B” in case you have trouble with the technology in the classroom: how will you provide material located on your flash drive or computer? Have an alternate method of instruction ready (printing a copy of your PowerPoint with notes is one idea).

PowerPoint’s Slide Sorter View is especially helpful to check slides for proper sequencing and information gaps and redundancy.

PowerPoint Handouts

PowerPoint provides multiple options for print-based handouts that can be distributed at various points in the class.

Before class: students might like having materials available to help them prepare and formulate questions before the class period.

During class: you could distribute a handout with three slides and lines for notes to encourage students to take notes on the details of your lecture so they have notes alongside the slide material (and aren’t just taking notes on the slide content).

After class: some instructors wait to make the presentation available after the class period so that students concentrate on the presentation rather than reading ahead on the handout.

Never: Some instructors do not distribute the PowerPoint to students so that students don’t rely on access to the presentation and neglect to pay attention in class as a result.

• PowerPoint slides can be printed in the form of handouts—with one, two, three, four, six, or nine slides on a page—that can be given to students for reference during and after the presentation. The three-slides-per-page handout includes lined space to assist in note-taking.
• Notes Pages. Detailed notes can be printed and used during the presentation, or if they are notes intended for students, they can be distributed before the presentation.
• Outline View. PowerPoint presentations can be printed as an outline, which provides all the text from each slide. Outlines offer a welcome alternative to slide handouts and can be modified from the original presentation to provide more or less information than the projected presentation.

The Presentation

Alley, Schreiber, Ramsdell, and Muffo (2006) suggest that PowerPoint slide headline design “affects audience retention,” and they conclude that “succinct sentence headlines are more effective” in information recall than headlines of short phrases or single words (p. 233). In other words, create slide titles with as much information as is used for newspapers and journals to help students better understand the content of the slide.

• PowerPoint should provide key words, concepts, and images to enhance your presentation (but PowerPoint should not replace you as the presenter).
• Avoid reading from the slide—reading the material can be perceived as though you don’t know the material. If you must read the material, provide it in a handout instead of a projected PowerPoint slide.
• Avoid moving a laser pointer across the slide rapidly. If using a laser pointer, use one with a dot large enough to be seen from all areas of the room and move it slowly and intentionally.

Avoid reading from the slide—reading the material can be perceived as though you don’t know the material.

• Use a blank screen to allow students to reflect on what has just been discussed or to gain their attention (Press B for a black screen or W for a white screen while delivering your slide show; press these keys again to return to the live presentation). This pause can also be used for a break period or when transitioning to new content.
• Stand to one side of the screen and face the audience while presenting. Using Presenter View will display your slide notes to you on the computer monitor while projecting only the slides to students on the projector screen.
• Leave classroom lights on and turn off lights directly over the projection screen if possible. A completely dark or dim classroom will impede notetaking (and may encourage nap-taking).
• Learn to use PowerPoint efficiently and have a back-up plan in case of technical failure.
• Give yourself enough time to finish the presentation. Trying to rush through slides can give the impression of an unorganized presentation and may be difficult for students to follow or learn.

PART II: Enhancing Teaching and Learning with PowerPoint

Class preparation.

PowerPoint can be used to prepare lectures and presentations by helping instructors refine their material to salient points and content. Class lectures can be typed in outline format, which can then be refined as slides. Lecture notes can be printed as notes pages  (notes pages: Printed pages that display author notes beneath the slide that the notes accompany.) and could also be given as handouts to accompany the presentation.

Multimodal Learning

Using PowerPoint can help you present information in multiple ways (a multimodal approach) through the projection of color, images, and video for the visual mode; sound and music for the auditory mode; text and writing prompts for the reading/writing mode; and interactive slides that ask students to do something, e.g. a group or class activity in which students practice concepts, for the kinesthetic mode (see Part III: Engaging Students with PowerPoint for more details). Providing information in multiple modalities helps improve comprehension and recall for all students.

Providing information in multiple modalities helps improve comprehension and recall for all students.

Type-on Live Slides

PowerPoint allows users to type directly during the slide show, which provides another form of interaction. These write-on slides can be used to project students’ comments and ideas for the entire class to see. When the presentation is over, the new material can be saved to the original file and posted electronically. This feature requires advanced preparation in the PowerPoint file while creating your presentation. For instructions on how to set up your type-on slide text box, visit this tutorial from AddictiveTips .  

Write or Highlight on Slides

PowerPoint also allows users to use tools to highlight or write directly onto a presentation while it is live. When you are presenting your PowerPoint, move your cursor over the slide to reveal tools in the lower-left corner. One of the tools is a pen icon. Click this icon to choose either a laser pointer, pen, or highlighter. You can use your cursor for these options, or you can use the stylus for your smart podium computer monitor or touch-screen laptop monitor (if applicable).  

Just-In-Time Course Material

You can make your PowerPoint slides, outline, and/or notes pages available online 24/7 through Blackboard, OneDrive, other websites. Students can review the material before class, bring printouts to class, and better prepare themselves for listening rather than taking a lot of notes during the class period. They can also come to class prepared with questions about the material so you can address their comprehension of the concepts.

PART III: Engaging Students with PowerPoint

The following techniques can be incorporated into PowerPoint presentations to increase interactivity and engagement between students and between students and the instructor. Each technique can be projected as a separate PowerPoint slide.

Running Slide Show as Students Arrive in the Classroom

This technique provides visual interest and can include a series of questions for students to answer as they sit waiting for class to begin. These questions could be on future texts or quizzes.

• Opening Question : project an opening question, e.g. “Take a moment to reflect on ___.”
• Think of what you know about ___.
• Turn to a partner and share your knowledge about ___.
• Share with the class what you have discussed with your partner.
• Focused Listing helps with recall of pertinent information, e.g. “list as many characteristics of ___, or write down as many words related to ___ as you can think of.”
• Brainstorming stretches the mind and promotes deep thinking and recall of prior knowledge, e.g. “What do you know about ___? Start with your clearest thoughts and then move on to those what are kind of ‘out there.’”
• Questions : ask students if they have any questions roughly every 15 minutes. This technique provides time for students to reflect and is also a good time for a scheduled break or for the instructor to interact with students.
• Note Check : ask students to “take a few minutes to compare notes with a partner,” or “…summarize the most important information,” or “…identify and clarify any sticking points,” etc.
• Questions and Answer Pairs : have students “take a minute to come with one question then see if you can stump your partner!”
• The Two-Minute Paper allows the instructor to check the class progress, e.g. “summarize the most important points of today’s lecture.” Have students submit the paper at the end of class.
• “If You Could Ask One Last Question—What Would It Be?” This technique allows for students to think more deeply about the topic and apply what they have learned in a question format.
• A Classroom Opinion Poll provides a sense of where students stand on certain topics, e.g. “do you believe in ___,” or “what are your thoughts on ___?”
• Muddiest Point allows anonymous feedback to inform the instructor if changes and or additions need to be made to the class, e.g. “What parts of today’s material still confuse you?”
• Most Useful Point can tell the instructor where the course is on track, e.g. “What is the most useful point in today’s material, and how can you illustrate its use in a practical setting?”

Positive Features of PowerPoint

• PowerPoint saves time and energy—once the presentation has been created, it is easy to update or modify for other courses.
• PowerPoint is portable and can be shared easily with students and colleagues.
• PowerPoint supports multimedia, such as video, audio, images, and

PowerPoint supports multimedia, such as video, audio, images, and animation.

Potential Drawbacks of PowerPoint

• PowerPoint could reduce the opportunity for classroom interaction by being the primary method of information dissemination or designed without built-in opportunities for interaction.
• PowerPoint could lead to information overload, especially with the inclusion of long sentences and paragraphs or lecture-heavy presentations with little opportunity for practical application or active learning.
• PowerPoint could “drive” the instruction and minimize the opportunity for spontaneity and creative teaching unless the instructor incorporates the potential for ingenuity into the presentation. 

As with any technology, the way PowerPoint is used will determine its pedagogical effectiveness. By strategically using the points described above, PowerPoint can be used to enhance instruction and engage students.

Alley, M., Schreiber, M., Ramsdell, K., & Muffo, J. (2006). How the design of headlines in presentation slides affects audience retention. Technical Communication, 53 (2), 225-234. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/43090718

University of Washington, Accessible Technology. (n.d.). Creating accessible presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint. Retrieved from https://www.washington.edu/accessibility/documents/powerpoint/  

Selected Resources

Brill, F. (2016). PowerPoint for teachers: Creating interactive lessons. LinkedIn Learning . Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/PowerPoint-tutorials/PowerPoint-Teachers-Create-Interactive-Lessons/472427-2.html

Huston, S. (2011). Active learning with PowerPoint [PDF file]. DE Oracle @ UMUC . Retrieved from http://contentdm.umuc.edu/digital/api/collection/p16240coll5/id/78/download

Microsoft Office Support. (n.d.). Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities. Retrieved from https://support.office.com/en-us/article/make-your-powerpoint-presentations-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-6f7772b2-2f33-4bd2-8ca7-ae3b2b3ef25

Tufte, E. R. (2006). The cognitive style of PowerPoint: Pitching out corrupts within. Cheshire, CT: Graphics Press LLC.

University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Medicine. (n.d.). Active Learning with a PowerPoint. Retrieved from https://www.unmc.edu/com/_documents/active-learning-ppt.pdf

University of Washington, Department of English. (n.d.). Teaching with PowerPoint. Retrieved from https://english.washington.edu/teaching/teaching-powerpoint

Vanderbilt University, Center for Teaching. (n.d.). Making better PowerPoint presentations. Retrieved from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/making-better-powerpoint-presentations/

Suggested citation

Northern Illinois University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. (2020). Teaching with PowerPoint. In Instructional guide for university faculty and teaching assistants. Retrieved from https://www.niu.edu/citl/resources/guides/instructional-guide

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5 Advantages of Using PowerPoint and Google Slides for Your Presentations

Every free template that we design at Slidesgo can be used in Google Slides and PowerPoint. This allows you to choose your preferred software for presenting or customizing the template . Have you ever wondered what the advantages of each software are? Keep reading to find out! 

5 advantages of using PowerPoint

5 advantages of using google slides, powerpoint vs google slides.

As one of the applications of Microsoft Office, PowerPoint is used to create and work on professional presentations. These are its main features: 

• Easy to use : PowerPoint is quite intuitive and its interface is similar to that of other Microsoft Office programs. If you’re used to working with Word or Excel, then familiarizing yourself with PowerPoint won’t be a problem.
• Multiple customization options: Thanks to its image editing capabilities, you don’t need to resort to graphics editors. You can trim pictures, add filters and effects to them, adjust their brightness, contrast, saturation and transparency without having to close your presentation at all.
• Compatible with different formats: PowerPoint allows you to import and export different file formats, such as .pdf documents, .mp4 videos and many image formats, including .gif, .tif, .png or .jpg, among others.
• Compatible with other Microsoft Office programs: Since they belong to the same office suite, you’ll be able to enrich your presentation with charts from Excel spreadsheets or tables from Word documents.
• Versatility: PowerPoint is the most used tool and the one almost everybody knows when it comes to presentations. It is popular in education and the business sector, for example.

There’s only one main requirement regarding the use of PowerPoint: you’ll need to have Microsoft Office installed on your computer. 

Remember, if you have any doubts on how to use PowerPoint, we have a section called Slidesgo School where you’ll find quick tutorials that explain this and many other functionalities.   

You’ll find this presentation program within G Suite or your Google Drive account panel. To access Google Slides, you just need a device connected to the internet (you can even install the app on that device, granting you offline access). These are the main advantages of this program: 

• Easy to access: Having your presentation stored in the cloud allows you to access it anytime. You no longer need to carry an external device with your file.
• Encourages teamwork : As with other G Suite applications, multiple people can see and/or edit the document simultaneously.
• Compatible with other Google applications: Since they belong to the same company, Google Slides supports charts from Google Sheets, pictures from Google Photos and even multimedia content from YouTube.
• Instant auto-saving: Your presentation is stored in the cloud, which means Google Slides automatically saves every time you change something. You can be 100% sure your work won’t be lost.
• Free : You just need a Gmail account to start using Google Slides. Creating an account is free and it merely takes a couple of minutes.

In our Slidesgo School section, you’ll find tutorials on how to use Google Slides, just in case you have any doubts about this presentation program.   

To summarize, here’s a comparison table where you can have a look at the differences between PowerPoint and Google Slides:

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