Limitations and Pitfalls of PowerPoint Presentations: Najran University Medical Students' Point of View

Abuobieda Bala Abusharib¹, Ihab Hamed Nourein ², Mohammed Ayed Huneif³, Abdelrahman Mohamed Abdelrahman¹, Moawia Ali Elshaikh ⁴

¹Assistant professor of Pathology, Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Najran University, KSA.

²Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Najran University, KSA.

³Assistant professor of Pediatric, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Najran University, KSA.

⁴Assistant professor of Community Medicine, Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Najran University, KSA.

Corresponding Author E-mail abuobiedha@hotmail.com

Tel: +966563408555

Accepted 26 March, 2015

Abstract

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Najran University College of Medicine in Saudi Arabia. The aim was to find out some of the disadvantages of the PowerPoint presentations from the students’ points of views. Only undergraduate medical students were included in the study.  A questionnaire was designed that includes demographic data along with other data about PowerPoint presentations. One hundred and ten students participated in this study voluntarily, data was collected and analyzed using Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS Program). Result showed out of the total (n=110), 95(86%) of the students believed that PowerPoint presentations have a lot of pitfalls and limitations. Approximately half of the students 57(52%) reported that the most boring factor in the presentations was the large number of slides being presented. About 60 (54%) of the students considered that dim light was the first distracting factor. Whilst 28(25%) said that the flying text or slides during changing to the next one is the most distracting factors. Whereas, 74(67%) of the group reported that twenty to thirty slides per one hour presentation is quite suitable slides number in the presentations. Additionally, 73(66%) quoted that only six bullets in one slide were a quite suitable for effective presentation. Finally, 83(75%) of the whole group stated that mixing PowerPoint with conventional method of whiteboard chalks and talks is the most effective method of teaching. The authors concluded that most of the students believed that PowerPoint presentations have a lot of limitation which can make the presentation dull and boring. Also it is concluded that the use of integrated methods of chalks and talks in association with PowerPoint presentation is the most effective and satisfying tool for the students.

Keywords: Medical Education, Disadvantage of PowerPoint presentation, teaching methods.