La présentation électronique en ses paradoxes : regards d’étudiants et de professeurs universitaires

Abstract

Introduction: The usefulness and relevance of the PowerPoint presentation given to students in university classes do not make consensus. Objectives: To document the use of PowerPoint presentations in university classes and explore teachers’ and students’ perceptions about it. Method: A mixed research strategy was used to study PowerPoint presentations designed by twelve teachers, their perceptions and educational intentions, and perceptions of students about the impact of PowerPoint on their learning process. These perceptions of the participants were grouped under four themes: content management, student attention in class, communication and taking notes during class. Results: Several teachers and students find the use of this technology to be systematic, however creating a distance between the teacher and students that seems bad for learning. Many appreciate its technical qualities, but few recognize it as a facilitator of learning. The electronic presentation appears to gather all the defects of its qualities, when perceptions of teaching intentions and learning are studied. Conclusions: The educational relevance of PowerPoint needs to be revisited to ensure a use that really meets the pedagogical intent, with awareness of its strengths and weaknesses in the communication with students and their learning process.