In a recent Bio 43 lecture, the following equation appeared at the bottom of a PowerPoint slide explaining “Offspring Genotype Frequencies”: Q’=1/2*2PQ+2PR+(1/2)Q2+(1/2)2QR=2(P+1/2Q)(R+1/2Q)=2pq. As the professor waved his laser pointer around and explained the slide, filled with variables and other equations, I took a look around to see if other students were as unengaged as I was. A roomful of blank stares, tapping pencils and busy Facebook checkers indicated that very few of us were processing or benefiting from anything the professor was saying. By the time I tuned back into the prof, the next slide was up, this one filled with more charts and equations.

I thought to myself, “It’s cool, the lecture will be posted on Coursework, and I can look through it later.” Upon further reflection, I decided it wasn’t cool at all. What is the point of sitting in Hewlett for an hour when I’ll have to go over it all by myself later? Lecture should be a time of quality explanation of concepts, and out-of-class work should be for re-familiarization of those concepts. Something tells me that, not long ago, this was how things worked at college. But this isn’t how it works anymore, and I think this is largely the fault of professors’ dependency on PowerPoint. So far this year, I have taken the following classes that used PowerPoint as the primary lecture tool: Advanced French Grammar, Chem 31A and B and Bio 43. All of these classes, however, require writing and derivations that simply cannot be presented effectively on a slide. When a prof takes the time to write on a board, students are able to visualize the logic of equations and the structure of sentences. It also forces the class to move at a pace conducive to note taking.

Lectures that don’t depend on PowerPoint are typically more engaging, as well. I hear that Robert Sapolsky just gets up and talks during his Human Behavior Biology class — sans PowerPoint — and that’s supposed to be one of the most interesting classes on campus! In my own class schedule, I have encountered very few professors who either 1) don’t use PowerPoint or 2) use it effectively. Only Econ 50 with Ran Abramitzky gives me hope that some profs can overcome PowerPointlessness. He used a tablet laptop, and his slides contained a title and some x and y axes. Then he filled everything in as he spoke.

My observation is that professors who use PowerPoint tend to load a lot of text and graphs onto their slides, post the slides on Coursework and call that a lecture. I ask you, fellow students, to not settle for such half-ass teaching. There is something you can do, and that is give feedback. Shoot a quick email to your prof or head Teaching Assistant and mention that you would appreciate on-the-board explanations. Mention these issues in your end-of-quarter evaluations. Our professors are certainly capable of teaching in different ways — they just have to know the demand is there. I sent one email to the head Bio 43 TA, and, the next day, the professor mentioned in class, “I know that these equations don’t mean much to you like this on the slide, but go home and practice and you’ll get it.” Obviously that wasn’t the response I was looking for, but it was a start. What if more people sent emails and spoke up? Save Stanford from the infectious PowerPoint trend. Otherwise, you’re being gypped of time, money and respect.

John Mulrow is an Earth Systems major.