Twelve tips for effective PowerPoint presentations for the technologically challenged

PowerPoint provides teachers with the opportunity to create dynamic and innovative presentations that not only command attention but also are fun to use. This paper offers practical advice and encouragement to potential users who may consider themselves to be 'technologically challenged', that is, those teachers who have always wanted to make more use of technology in their teaching, but lacked the confidence and/or the basic computer skills to actually go out there and, 'just do it'. This advice covers basic and practical tips on such matters as the size of text, fonts and use of colour. It also covers some of the specific features of PowerPoint which some users have difficulty with. This includes the 'build', 'transition' and 'Clip Art' features. Perhaps the most useful tips, however, are the warnings about the technological traps and pitfalls which may strike the unwary or, most importantly, the unprepared!