What Did We Learn From PowerPoint?

I've been teaching since 1999, and sometimes I like to pretend it's still 1999. That would mean a chalkboard, or perhaps a whiteboard, and maybe a technology station you'd roll in. And that would mean I'd be careful not to have my back turned to students while writing too much on the board. Most importantly, my focus would be on engaging students, posing questions, probing, encouraging civil conversation, answering questions, etc. The conditions for a good learning environment were on my side: no phones, no wired classrooms. Soon, though, things changed, and phones started to show up, and technology changed. I certainly didn't mind the demise of blackboards because I didn't like chalk all over me. I was happy with a whiteboard, a drop-down projection screen, and the ability to show videos in an efficient way. I also liked when YouTube came along, because short videos were a good option. When PowerPoint emerged, I was a skeptic, because it was a presentation program, and I think of teaching as something different than a presentation. The slides became the thing, with bulleted information, and gimmicks, and it seemed to me the focus was on the content and not how students engaged with the content. It gave too much power to technology, in my opinion. At some point I read a piece that pointed out that students can pay attention to the slides, or the professor, but not both, and that stuck with me. I always say this: I've seen great PowerPoint presentations, especially from my students. A nice, easy on the eyes PowerPoint (or Canva) can be a treat, and effective for delivering information and facilitating conversation. To be clear, talented instructors and students use presentation software in effective ways, and power to them. Overall, though, I don't know how much was gained by PowerPoint becoming a pedagogical norm. 

So much time on screens, with today's smartphones, ubiquitous Internet, and of course, our favorite villain, social media. Let's not try too hard here: 99% of us spend too much time on screens. The suggestion to "touch grass" is a good one. I don't miss newspapers in the same way I don't miss chalk. I don't miss ink on my hands. So, I'm not saying we should return to physical newspapers and chalkboards and leave out newer technologies. I'm saying we give too much over to technology, and that our eyes don't need to be on screens so much of every day. We can talk, debate, argue, and a lot of that can occur without technological aid. I'm not a dinosaur or scared of technology. I taught an online course called Sociology of TikTok. I guess I'm a hybrid, mix in the old with the new. 

Perhaps you see where I'm going. I think the AI skeptics have good reason to be skeptical. Of course AI can do good things and good professors and students will unleash a lot of positives in using it. But I think we should be careful and cautious and somehow focus on how to stay human in the age of AI. 

Conclusion: Too much technology, bro! 

Crafting a Cell Phone Policy with Students

I haven't been in a classroom since December 2011. Following the Fall 2011 semester, I enjoyed sabbatical leave. I return to the classroom in September. I'm looking forward to teaching again. I'm not looking forward to cell phones. For an excellent discussion about cell phones and texting in class, I recommend this piece by Nathan Palmer. I agree with Nathan's comment that "you can stop cell phone use, but the costs aren't justified by the rewards." I totally agree with Nathan that I don't want to use up my goodwill by policing students' cell phone use. I ultimately view the War on Cell Phones as a war that can't be won.

For many years I've included a perfunctory statement in my syllabi asking students to not use cell phones during class time. Students respond to the policy by "politely" using their phones underneath their desks, as if I can't see them. Sometimes I ask students to put their phones away, other times I don't have the energy to do it. There's so much cell phone use, I can't stamp it all out. My colleagues generally admit they are also at a loss for what to do, although a few will boast that no student would dare use a cell phone in their class. Maybe it's true; maybe a few people have squashed all cell phone use, but I have a hard time believing that it came with no cost to their relationships with students.

So what am I going to do in the Fall semester? Instead of writing a lame statement prohibiting cell phones, on the first day of class I'm going to ask students to develop a policy about the use of cell phones. I'm going to ask them what they think a reasonable and fair policy should be. I plan to do this in each of my classes. Keep in mind that professors aren't the only ones who dislike Texting While Learning. Students do not uniformly support the use of cell phones in class. Some of my students have complained to me about the use of cell phones in class. Some students find the use of cell phones as distracting as I do. Considering that students bring a range of viewpoints to this subject (as with any subject), it will be interesting to see how it plays out. What do you think of the idea of including students in the development of a policy on cell phone use?

How will this work? I'm not a power-hungry authoritarian type, but I'll have veto power when students design the policy. So if all they come up with is "Cell phones can be used at all times, for any purpose whatsoever," I'll be forced to block it. But I can safely predict that students will design a nuanced proposal. As I work with students to make policy, I'll have them consider several key questions: (1) For what purposes are cell phones appropriate? (2) Should cell phones be used for Twitter, assuming that tweets involve class-related content? (3) What limits should exist on cell phone use? (4) What is a proper way to ask a student to stop using their cell phone? (5) Is it only the professor who should ask a student to stop using their cell phone? (6) What, if any, consequence should there be for a student who ruthlessly and rudely uses a cell phone throughout class? 

Assuming that students work together with me to form a sensible plan, it will become the official policy for the semester. It might take a long time to work out the details (possibly even the entire first session), but I think it's a valuable use of time.


In all, I want this to be an exercise in thinking about the use of cell phones during class time. I hope students will care more about cell phone use after having a hand in shaping the policy. However it works out, students will discover on day one that I value their input and encourage their participation in class.

Lost in the Supermarket

I spend lots of time in the supermarket. They are everywhere in my suburban community. My two children behave pretty well in the supermarket. I put my one-year-old in the cart and hand my four-year-old groceries to put in the cart. Once in a while, there's some soothing music from the 1980s to enjoy. In all, it's not a miserable experience, so I always volunteer to do the shopping for our family.

I would shop more happily if people didn't stop dead in their tracks to text or use their mobile device in some other way. It's not uncommon that I'm cut off by a person who stops suddenly to check their phone and start tapping. Today, a woman walked slowly in front of me, barking at someone through her phone: "YOU CALLED BOTH MY PHONES!!!" I don't know why she brought two phones to the supermarket, but I'm sure she had a good reason. And then the idea came to me: maybe one day they'll make the aisles bigger and make special lanes for people to use their mobile devices. Right now, the supermarket feels like a crowded highway. One day, maybe the supermarket rulers will figure out a way to ease the traffic. One tip for those folks: lay off the giant-size carts, but keep those little carts coming. Small carts and lanes for texting and making calls, there's your recipe for success. Thanks. Gotta go now and listen to The Clash.

E-Mail and Conversations

Sherry Turkle's opinion piece, "The Flight From Conversation," was published more than a month ago in The New York Times. Her main point is that nothing substitutes for face-to-face conversation. Alongside Twitter and Facebook, she mentions e-mail as a form of communication that pales in comparison to face-to-face conversation. She says that when we communicate using technology, we do so in a faster, less nuanced manner than when we converse in person. In face-to-face conversations, she says, we are more attentive to other people's viewpoints.

I've thought about her piece a lot since reading it last month. Today, it occurred to me that my best friendship has been sustained by e-mail. My best friend and I graduated from college in 1994. Since then, we have almost always lived 500 miles apart. We get together in person a few times a year. Between visits, we rely on e-mail to stay in touch. Neither of us like to use the phone. Never have. But we both like e-mail and have consistently used it in the course of our friendship. Sometimes the messages consist of frivolous one-liners and not-so-important updates. Other times they have included serious exchanges filled with deep meaning. There are things that are hard for me to say to anyone's face, for fear of being judged for what I have to say or how I say it. E-mail has allowed me to say what I want to say in a careful and measured way. Turkle sees this as a problem. Human relationships are messy and we use technology to clean them up, she says. To that I would say without e-mail, there are things I never would have said to anyone in any way. In college and graduate school I hid a lot of my thoughts in diaries. I've opened up since then, but not totally. There are lots of thoughts I choose not to share. E-mail allows me to carefully share some of those sensitive thoughts. I don't see this as being shortchanged. Nor do I want to pick up the phone every time I want to share a book recommendation with my friend or ask him for a movie recommendation. Occasionally he sends me a hilarious account of something that happened to him. Then I can read it 2-3 times because it's such a great story and I get to enjoy it more than once.

Aside from describing the centrality of e-mail in an important friendship, I want to briefly say something about conversational skills. Being a college professor, most of my daily conversations are with students. Unlike me, they grew up with cell phones. For many of them, Facebook is a vital part of their lives. And yes, they are experts at texting. I also find they possess good conversational skills. I regularly speak with students face-to-face. I am generally impressed by how they carry on conversations. They send me e-mails too, but it's not a flight from conversation. Turkle is right in saying that human relationships are rich. I think that all of the ways we communicate make our relationships rich. We talk, we text. We text while we talk. There are so many ways to enjoy each other. I like a good conversation as much as anyone. But in my life I've found that good conversations are hard to find. So I'm happy to connect with people in any way that I can.

So Far, The Tell Me What To Do App Gets Mixed Reviews

When Karen Jackson heard about the Tell Me What To Do App, she wanted it right away. "I've just never been good at making decisions," she admitted. "I figured it might help me with decisions both small and large." Karen reports that the app had an unexpected use: it picked the name of her first child. "I never would have thought an app would choose the name of my first born, but I just couldn't decide on a name for my daughter." The app picked Fortune. Does Karen like the name? "It took some getting used to," she acknowledged, "but I've come to love it and I think the app did a super job."

Joe Sinclair has found a practical use for the app. He uses it mainly to decide which television shows he should watch. "Used to be I couldn't decide between sports or politics. The app kept selecting MMA, something I'd never seen before. Now I love it!" MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) is something that he and his wife now watch together. "Joe and I could never reconcile our different tastes," his wife Shirley says, "but something about MMA just suits both of our tastes. Now I like to say that nachos and MMA are the secret to happiness." Well said!

But not everybody likes the Tell Me What To Do App. Megan Watson, a high school history teacher, occasionally strays from the state-mandated curriculum to teach history subjects of her own choosing. But considering the immense history ignored by her curriculum, she has trouble deciding how to strike out on her own. Unfortunately, though, the app hasn't picked any winners for her. "No matter what topic the app selects, my students are desperately bored and apathetic. I just wish the app could do a better job of choosing an exciting topic." Touche!

Franklin Powers, a gray-haired gentlemen who runs a convenience store, describes the app as "just okay." "It's like anything in life," Franklin says in a philosophical tone, "not all good, not all bad. Honestly, I find it's decision-making ability is similar to my own. You win some, you lose some." When I asked if he'll stick with the app, he paused, then said: "I think so. You've got to give this thing a chance. I figure with the law of averages and all, there's plenty of good decisions to come. I say, take me out of the equation." Good point, sir!

I talked to lots more folks about the app, so keep an eye on my reports. I haven't decided exactly how to discuss what I've found in my research, but I have a suspicion I just might use a certain app to help me out!

Alone, Well Enough

A couple of years ago it seemed like everybody was in their own world, lost in their headphones, focused on keeping to themselves. Now it seems like everybody is connected all the time (see Facebook). People seem eager to be part of something, to be a valued piece of a network. Has the balance shifted to near-constant interaction and connectivity? Can anyone strike a balance between solitary contentedness and social interaction? Does anyone care to?

Author's note: this post is just a simple thought that occurred to me during a quiet moment this morning.

The Tell Me What to Do App

Are you unable to make good decisions? Do you find it hard to get out of your own way? Is it impossible for you to make the right call? If so, you're in luck! The "Tell Me What to Do" app is available now and promises to be the hottest item in 2012.

Unhappy in a relationship, but don't know if you should end it? Or are you tired of being single and thinking of getting back with your ex? The app will tell you what to do! Unsure if you should tell friends and family that you're really a raging conservative who loves Glenn Beck books? Consult the tell me what to do app! Can't figure out if you should go shopping the day after Thanksgiving with the masses? Already planning to be a super consumer but not sure what to buy? No problem, the tell me what to do app will figure it out for you! Are you confused by people who aren't exactly like you? Don't know what to say to them? If so, the tell me what to do app provides an easy fix! Have you lost your moral compass? Are you lacking in ethics? No problem, the tell me what to do app is a master of knowing exactly what to do and when to do it!

Why bother with your own decisions when an app can make them for you? Imagine how much more efficient your life would be if you didn't have to worry about any life choices. The app can tell all of us what to do! Order now!

On PowerPoint

I won't call PowerPoint a villain. That's too strong, in my opinion. I don't see it necessarily as an enemy to good teaching and learning. I will also say that PowerPoint is definitely not a superhero. In no way do I see it as rescuing teachers and students. So if it's neither villain nor superhero, what is it? What does it do to our teaching? At best, what does PowerPoint accomplish? At worst, how does PowerPoint get in the way of good teaching and learning?

In general, I'm not a fan of PowerPoint. It seems to me like an extra option that one might get when buying a car or cell phone. Just because it's available doesn't mean I have to use it. But just because I don't love it doesn't mean others can't make good use of it. I understand how PowerPoint can effectively organize information and efficiently distribute it. I can see how the animation of text and the inclusion of graphics can help to gain and maintain the attention of students. I even use it once in a blue moon myself. It's just another tool in the box for me. Not as vital as a hammer or screwdriver. Just the 100th tool in my box that I can use on a rainy day. Sorry for the mixed metaphors.

I am not against the use of PowerPoint. I only ask people to reflect on the purpose for using it. I also ask people to think about how often they should use it. Using PowerPoint once in a while is very different than using it day in, day out. Take the students' perspective: how awful must it be to settle into a PowerPoint presentation every single class? I am a proponent of mixed methods: using a variety of teaching techniques to engage students and actively involve students in their learning. If PowerPoint is one of those techniques, wonderful. I just don't see how the regular use of it enhances learning (that's not just my personal opinion, there is some academic literature to support that viewpoint). By the way, if one looks long enough at the literature, one can find evidence to bolster one's point of view about PowerPoint.

Bottom line: we all know that technology doesn't do the teaching for us. We are the teachers; technologies aid our teaching. No one would say that using PowerPoint as a crutch is a good idea. If PowerPoint helps you be a great teacher, go for it. Does it? If PowerPoint is your default mode of instruction, ask why that's so. Teaching is a blend of style and content, a constant challenge of presenting information in an interesting way that results in students learning that content, and then being able to apply what they've learned in some way. What tools help you achieve your teaching goals? What tools make you a better teacher?