Differential use and benefits of PowerPoint in upper level versus lower level courses

Abstract

The study examines whether college instructors use PowerPoint differently in upper level versus lower level courses and whether PowerPoint differentially affects the learning and behaviours of students in those courses. The authors surveyed 191 students from 14 psychology classes and found that instructors teaching higher level courses use PowerPoint more frequently and are more likely to make the slides available to students than those teaching beginning‐level courses. We also found that students in upper level courses reported greater benefits associated with the use of PowerPoint than those in lower level courses.

Keywords:

• improving classroom teaching
• pedagogical issues
• post‐secondary education
• teaching/learning strategies

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the members of the Hope College Psychology Department for assisting in the development of the questionnaire used in the study and for distributing the questionnaires in their classes. We also thank John Shaughnessy and David Myers for reviewing a draft of this paper.