audio, and audiovisual to produce much more interesting presentation. Multimedia supposedly means the process and presentation of information in two or more media
involving high technology. Similar to the previous meaning of multimedia, Cohen said that “multimedia
can also be defined as a mean of accessing, storing, sharing, processing, editing, selecting, presenting, and communicating information through a variety of media.”
12
According to the above definition, multimedia has totally functioned the use of computer system. In this modern era, the complex system of multimedia may not be a
barrier for people or especially teachers to utilize it. Another definition from Shelly explained that “multimedia is as those technologies that allow user to create new
forms of interaction, expression, communication, and entertainment in a digital format.”
13
Based on those definitions, multimedia lets teachers be more active in designing their presentation. By using the combination of texts, colors, graphics,
animations, and audios, teachers can strengthen their performance because the program combines the benefit of each kind of learning media. The use of multimedia
is actually proposed to optimize the presentation by showing the fascinating explanation to the audience; it also helps teachers teach either visual, auditory, and
kinetic students. To sum up, this kind of technological media can support teaching and
learning process; teachers as the main actor in the class may design an attractive process for students. Students are motivated to learn because of an impressive
teachers’ presentation. Therefore, learning from that interactive technology can be more efficient, and students may achieve a better mastery than only remember the
material. On the contrary, teachers should notice the creativity of using the technology, for it can be out of focus of the learning objective.
12
Louis Cohen, A Guide to Teaching Practice, London: Routledge Falmer, 2006, 5
th
Edition, p. 60.
13
Gary B. Shelly, et al., Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom, Boston: Course Technology, 2010, 6
th
Edition, p. 6.
4. Guidelines in Choosing Learning Media
For the first, graphics media emphasizes on visual aids as its strength in teaching; meanwhile audio media determines its purpose on reinforcing sounds or
music in the class. For all kinds of media stated before, each media has its own strength and weakness in its application; thus, teacher is expected to be able to select
the most appropriate media to be implemented in teaching process. Actually, there is no the best media in teaching because it depends on the
condition and any other factors influence the use of media. As a director in the class, teachers should consider the advantage and disadvantage of each media. Before
utilizing such a media, teachers should think about first, what the instructional objective want to be achieved. Second, the characteristic of students is also the
crucial thing to be considered, and many other considerations influence the selection of media. Some guidelines are provided for teacher in choosing media before they
apply the media in the classroom. Here are some. a. Teachers should consider that media are appropriate to the learning
objective. b. Teachers should make sure the media can support the teaching and
learning process. c. Teachers should evaluate the availability of the equipment before utilizing
it in order not to slow the process. d. The media should be relevant to either the students’ need and ability or the
school condition. e. Teachers should make sure students recognize and understand the media
used easily. f.
It is also important that a teacher is a person who utilizes the media, thus heshe must be expert in using the chosen media.
g. Media which is used should be effective and practicable.
Teachers should recognize which one the most relevant media to their teaching, besides the consideration of cost, place, and procedure to use it. Basically,
teachers and students will not make much progress in the process if they rely solely on the ordinary media. Therefore, the guidelines give teacher some consideration
before deciding and developing which one can exactly facilitate the process. All in all, the role of media in the classroom will give a positive effect to the teaching
process if they are relevant to students’ need and teaching point.
B. Microsoft Power Point
1. Definition of Microsoft Power Point
Microsoft Power Point is one of software available in Microsoft Office. Power Point provides a program to facilitate people deliver the information through a
sophisticated presentation. Previously, Power Point is widely used in business. People function Power Point to present the information related to economic, but now, people
may use Power Point in educational context. O’leary defined “Power Point is a graphics presentation program designed to help people produce a high-quality
presentation that is both interesting to audience and effective in its ability to convey message.”
14
By using Power Point, people can add graphic, animation, or video into their presentation. It is proposed to make the information which is being delivered
can attract people’s attention, so they catch the intended point of the speaker. Supported by other definition from Stephen Haag, “Power Point is a fully-featured
presentation graphics application capable of creating dynamic slide show, and it can contain audios, videos, graphics, and be fully interactive.”
15
In line with that, the progress of Power Point in this era can also be implemented to teaching. Teaching is not merely a process to give knowledge to
students, but it deals with the complex activity, such as to persuade, motivate,
14
Timothy J. O’Leary, Microsoft PowerPoint 2002, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002, p. 1.7.
15
Stephen Haag, Microsoft Office Power Point 2003, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004, p. PP 1.3.
educate, and entertain the students. Thus, Power Point may be an alternative media for teachers to do those activities simultaneously. In teaching process, Power Point
can be something that allows the user to produce simple attractive diagram, which needs certain skill of the users to design entertaining style into their slide
presentation.
16
Actually, the use of Power Point is quite easy because the software is directly available in Microsoft Office program. Nowadays, software of Power Point has been
known by mostly people, furthermore the icons to operate this program is widely comprehended by people who are even not a programmer. Thus, the procedure to use
it, is as simple as Microsoft Word. Therefore, although teachers are not a programmer, they can operate this program to develop their teaching easily.
Other definition defines “Power Point as a multimedia allows people to use stunning visuals-graphics, charts, diagrams, photos, and artworks with video, sounds
effect, and narration.”
17
Basically, Power Point is multimedia that combines the advantages of media, namely visual, audio, and audiovisual into the slide presentation
program. Microsoft Office Power Point needs computer system and other sufficient components to support its software. For delivering knowledge in teaching, “Power
Point program permits teachers to add all kinds of visual and audio aids.”
18
Therefore, Power Point surely facilitate the students with different characteristics without alter teachers’ role in the class.
The recently development of technology hopefully can initiate teachers develop their style in teaching. Based on the definitions above, it can be concluded
that Power Point is a type of presentation software which allows the user show colored text and image with simple animation and sound. It can be easily utilized by
teachers to design such a something new into their teaching. It assists teachers with
16
Nicholas B. Oulton, Killer Presentations, Oxford: How to books, 2007, 2
nd
Edition, p. 7.
17
Harry Mills, Power Points, New York: AMACOM, 2007, p. 30.
18
Donald R. Cruickshank, The Act of Teaching, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006, 4
th
Edition, p. 191.
simple and fascinating presentations. Teachers may decrease their speech to avoid much explanation, and strengthen the essential point to students. In other word,
teachers will create an efficient and effective teaching to get the learning objective.
2. The Advantages of Microsoft Power Point
Generally, technology gives teachers much opportunities to create a more deeply impressive teaching. Teachers may utilize those all technologies with the
purpose to improve the quality of teaching. One of those technologies which is quite possible to use in the classroom is Microsoft Office Power Point. Power Point
provides a program to facilitate teachers design a high quality presentation, thus it allows teachers to be more creative in designing a learning material.
Delivering such knowledge to students via Power Point incorporates slides with graphics, sounds, texts, and colors. Clark and Pavio argue that information
which is elaborated through either visual or auditory association provides better memory than words.
19
In another word, through interesting presentation, students will give more attention to the material; they will process the information better with the
help of either visual or audio elements. Therefore, the presentation via Power Point may not give big effect to teaching if teachers provide text into slides without images
or sounds. When teachers present the material, the first thing that should be done is
grabbing students’ attention. When teachers get students’ attention, it may cause the increase of students’ understanding because they focus on attending the presentation.
Referring to it, the better quality presentation makes the better teaching process. Harry Mills says that “seventy-five percent of what people learn comes from the
visual aid, 13 percent through hearing, and the rest through smell, taste, and touch.”
20
Consequently, the utilization Power Point as a learning media is acceptable because
19
Karen Gardner, Power Point and Learning Theories, Transformative Dialogues: Teaching and Learning Journal, Vol. 5, July 2011, p. 2.
20
Harry Mills, op. cit., p. 57.
