Incorporating Active Learning With PowerPoint-Based Lectures Using Content-Based Questions

Instructors often use Microsoft PowerPoint lectures and handouts as support tools to provide students with the main concepts of the lectures. Some instructors and researchers believe that PowerPoint encourages student passivity. We conducted 2 studies to determine whether the use of content-based questions (CBQs) would enhance learning when combined with traditional PowerPoint lectures. Our results indicated significantly higher quiz scores and exam scores when students used CBQs in comparison to using only the traditional PowerPoint lecture and handouts. The results suggest that it is possible to incorporate effective active learning methods into PowerPoint-based lectures.