The aDROIT (Decorative, Representational, Organizational, Interpretational, and Transformational) Functions of Pictures in PowerPoint Presentations: Illustrations for the Educational Psychology Classroom

• In Event: Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: Representations as Pedagogical Tools in Preservice Teacher Education

Abstract

Today, the wide use of PowerPoint slides in classroom lectures and the almost limitless number of pictures available on the internet have combined to facilitiate the use of adjunct pictures in classroom presentations. Yet, what are the functions of these pictures, and do they benefit learning? In this paper, I describe five “aDROIT” functions pictures can play as adjunct aids to text (i.e., decorative, representational, organizational, interpretational, and transformational), and argue that pictures do facilitate learning. Further, my poster will provide examples of the five types via actual slides developed for my educational psychology classes. I hope to promote the use of pictures in PowerPoint presentations, and to encourage instructors to select pictures that go beyond representational ones, as appropriate.

Author

• Russell N. Carney, Missouri State University