Powerpoint woes

I guess many may have read, in the recent Digital Life (Straits Times April 10 2007) a study done by Australian researchers show that the use of PowerPoint Presentations, is actually making it harder for students to process information.

The above findings is contrary to the previous stand of many that PowerPoint Presentations are helpful and thus aid students in studying. This is due to the research finding stating that the "human brain retains more information if digested in verbal or written form, but not both simultaneously." (the quote was quoted ad verbatim from The Straits Times, Digital Life, Page 27)..

This finding is in support of what students have already feedback to teachers. The use of PowerPoint exacerbates what is already boring. It makes interesting lessons boring and boring lessons worse.

The situation is made alot worse when the presenter already dumped all the information on the PowerPoint slides and is just reading from it. This coupled with the fact that every other PowerPoint presentation looks the same as it comes from the same set of templates is just unbearable.

To be fair, PowerPoint can be a good supplementary tool for teaching. However, the use of PowerPoint for everything is simply distasteful. In my opinion, it should not be used as a main medium for teaching. It really cuts out the interaction and excitement of a lecture.

But what really marvels me is that why does it need to take a study to prove a point? I believe by now, many students would have complained about excessive use of PowerPoints in school. So the question becomes "Why wait so long for the study?"... "Are things going to change now that the study is out?"

The answer to those questions lie outside my scope...

Don't think it (petition) will work..

Went to the temple at eh.. (I don't know the name of the road in english..).
However, was quite surprised when I saw there was an appeal to sign a peition nearby. It was about the "Huang Na" case. They were petitioning for the president to spare Took's from the gallows..

I could see that they have quite a number of people who signed, but I seriously doubt that will actually help. In most cases, this will only count as "public feedback" and will never be taken into account.

In any case, we'll just have to wish them luck.

Discrimination.. disorders

Did you read the article in today's "mind your body"??
Well, it was on the tourette disorder, a neurological disorder which causes sufferers to haave frequent tics and other complex motor tics. It may even cause some to utter swear words frequently and uncontrollably.

The article featured an interview with a person who has this disorder. As I was reading the story, it occured to me that society has not completely abandon the word "discrimination". A modern society, more highly educated, but discrimination is still not eradicate. Probably discrimination is not very wide spread here, but what about other places??

It was especially hard for him in school. He mentioned his high school, which turns out to be my school... Are we actually do that? That really goes against the culture and tolerance of the school... Probably his time was different from what the school is now....

To him, a simple question like "whats wrong with you?" is taken to be embrassing to him and a sort of discimination and feeling of awkwardness which many would not understand. This display of "care" may instead turn out to have opposite effect.

From here, we must realise that we may, at some point, discriminated against someone, or even cause someone to feel rejected without ever knowing about it.....

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