Yesterday I was disappointed - though not surprised - at the standard of PowerPoint presentations. I suppose that, as I had spent four years receiving presentations by IT professionals, I had become accustomed to good PowerPoint practice. Two talks by teachers seconded to government departments highlighted different failings in their presentations.
The first speaker’s slides were all far too busy with background images and picture frames around an overkill of text and bullet points. The second speaker tried too hard with gimmicks like animations; specifically one where four web pages are animated then reduced to all fit on one slide. She also used a wireless remote to change the slides, even though she stood beside the laptop for her entire talk.
These “personal touches” distract the audience from the subject matter and what the speaker is attempting to address. I found the following video on YouTube that highlights the misuse of PowerPoint.
Today I began my PDGE (Secondary) in Maths. It’s been nearly six months since I was offered a place and I couldn’t believe the time had finally come.
Orientation was the name of the game today. There was 3 hours of introductory talks from course co-ordinators, chaplains, learning, SLC and the library - all very informative and some quite humourous! After signing my name to the professional code and submitting to a year of RE, there was an informal meeting with the subject co-ordinator including having a mugshot taken.
The 37 other Maths students and I then headed downstairs for the introductory social event - obligatory cheese & wine - that rounded the day off nicely!
Tomorrow is registration and a talk from Global Student Teaching about the possibility of doing one of the 3 school experience blocks abroad - very tempting…
This morning I had an interview at the University of Glasgow for a place on the Postgraduate Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in Secondary Maths. I’m pleased to announce that I was offered a place, pending completion of a top-up course, to join the course in August!
