Train the Trainer, Pedagogical Approaches, releasing the Power in PowerPoint

In the first decade of the last century Padraig Pearse was using slides on a projector called the Magic Lantern at St Enda’s school in Rathfarnham as part of his pioneering, individualised, student centred approach to education. Today more than 100 years later slides, PowerPoint slides, are one of the most commonly used tools in the classroom.
PowerPoint although ubiquitous is often underutilised by educators. Through the delivery of a National Train the Trainers program for upskilling in low energy building, ninety lecturers involved in construction education took part in a module on Pedagogical Approaches. As part of an optional section of the course the majority of the cohort 78% chose to receive training on how to embed and edit videos as well as create videos using PowerPoint. Though all daily users of PowerPoint, they felt that this was an area that could benefit both them and their students. While the training was technical it also focused on the basics of how and when to use video appropriately for educational purposes. The appetite for video has never been as great, currently accounting for over 70% of all global internet traffic and rising. As a first step towards reconstituting (TEL) Technology Enhanced Learning, educators must embrace the basics of how and when to use video effectively. What better way for all educators to start this journey then with rediscovering the power in PowerPoint.
The focus of this presentation is to demonstrate the training delivered as part of the Pedagogical Approaches module for the Qualibuild Train the Trainers programme. A synopsis of the student’s insights into the training sessions will be presented, as well as some potential opportunities and challenges of providing such training at an institutional level.