Teaching PowerPoint in an MBA program.

POWERPOINT HAS become something of a standard business communication tool, for better or worse. The "worse" part of that formulation is something of a cliche in the business world, and poor use of the tool can be damaging to a business manager's career progress. For several years, I have been using a two-part approach to teaching PowerPoint skills in the classroom. This happens within a required core management communication course in an MBA-level curriculum, with a highly diverse student body, especially in terms of communication skills. About half of our students are international, and a majority of those are nonnative English speakers. In all student categories, however, there is a wide range of communication skill and experience. My objective is to provide knowledge of the effective design and use of visual aids at a level appropriate for MBAs from a top school and to ensure students gain initial practice with those techniques. This method helps ensure a certain baseline skill level, but all students achieve visible, measurable improvement, even the more …