I started using Microsoft's PowerPoint, from Office 2000 Professional, in my grades 7/8 World History class for my students. The response from them has been overwhelming, to say the least! I have their attention by using sound effects; I can include pictures and graphics and attractive backgrounds so that my visual students can really get the full effect of what I'm trying to teach.

I have used a 27 inch color TV monitor connected to my computer with an S-cable. For the hardware, we utilize TView Gold, available for under $200. The appeal can be even more dramatic with a larger TV monitor. The situation I have found is that my students like to have the lights out so the colors come through more strongly, and they are able to see the text more clearly. If you utilize this type of setup, you may want to do what you can to minimize the glare from sunlight shining in via doors or windows.

PowerPoint is an extremely versatile product, whatever you may think of Microsoft as a company. I have used it in the past as a business owner, and now I can take it into the classroom. I have been able to do this with my administrator's full support after having taken an Advanced Media and Technology class during my graduate session in the summer of 2003. At the time that I took the class, all of my professors were using PowerPoint in some fashion for their courses, and they really had my attention.

What do you suppose happened when I brought something new into my History class? The students ate it up! They loved it! No more plain black and white overhead transparencies. No more wondering what was under the sheet for them to copy. My classes instantly became more enjoyable, and the students were able to give more correct answers than before, even the ones who have struggled with me.

If you decide to utilize this powerful product, please be aware that your work load will probably double in size. I know that mine has. The upfront work is intense, but if you keep your information on the computer, you can pull it out again next year. It has been easier to transfer my notes to the screen, and I'm learning more each time I work with PowerPoint. Be sure to include sounds, pictures, appealing backgrounds, even video if you can get some. Experiment, experiment, experiment! Use transitions, sound effects, links from the Internet, if you have access to the World Wide Web in your classroom. Consider using the slide show as a quiz/test review or as a bellwork activity. I am personally convinced that there is no limit to what you can do in your classes with experimenting withPowerPoint.

Ask your students what they think: feedback is essential from them. If a color is too bright, they'll tell you. If they have difficulty reading the text, they'll tell you that, too. Mine definitely have, so I have found it essential to go back in and make some changes before the next class.

An excellent resource that I recommend is the book Teachers Discovering Computers: Integrating Technology in the Classroom by G.B. Shelly, T.J. Cashman, R.E. Gunter, and G.A. Gunter. This guide will give you more ideas than you can shake a stick at, if you will simply put your mind and effort into it. You may also find a site that is located on Microsoft.com worth further review. It's Design Gallery Live; this link will open a new window.

Feel free to try some new things that maybe you hadn't considered before. If you do, please share some feedback by sending me an email. After all, aren't our young people worth it?