It’s a good question!
Most teachers tend to use a word processor, such as Microsoft Word, to create resources for the classroom. However, most word processors are pretty limited in the sort of functionality needed for use with a learning platform.
Sure, you can create diagrams, insert pictures, add text and, if you’re skilled, you can achieve a great deal but word processors tend to be limited in their output and PowerPoint has a number of outputs that fit very well for use within a learning platform.
PowerPoint also has excellent drawing tools and so creating good-looking diagrams is very easy and you can use the presentation in your lessons in the classroom more easily than using a document from a word processor.
Ok, I’ll admit it, I like using PowerPoint, I’m probably a fan – there I’ve said it – I like PowerPoint. But it’s not because I slavishly follow whatever PowerPoint puts in front of me – it is because PowerPoint has the tools that I need to build effective e-learning resources that I can use in a learning platform like Moodle.
Here’s an example. I was helping to re-create an existing work sheet that had intitially been produced using Word. The diagram was simple and the page layout was OK but it lacked something, some excitement I guess. So I set about recreating the diagram in PowerPoint, why? Well, the drawing tools are great but it was the output that interested me.
The whole project was to produce a Book resource for Moodle. I needed the diagram as part of a page I was creating in the Book. So, why use PowerPoint? It’s because you can output a slide as an image or the whole presentation as a series of images. To include the diagram I just needed to output the slide as an image and upload to the page in the Book. Nice and simple, no need for additional image creation/conversion software.
That’s just one reason why I like PowerPoint. Anybody else out there willing to share?
