I am most likely in the minority when it comes to disliking PowerPoint presentations. I understand that PowerPoint presentations are an easier alternative to reading or buying the book, but the key word in this column is balance.

Balance refers to professors’ ability to incorporate a number of varying teaching methods in their lectures. Benefits of balance are simple, but for brevity I will explain two.

Foremost, students learn best in different ways, specifically seven different ways. Although PowerPoints satisfy those who learn best visually and verbally, those students who learn best socially, kinesthetically, and logically often have their needs unmet.

I am what some describe as a “high-activity learner.” Often during a PowerPoint, my mind tends to wander and I become disconnected from the presentation. Granted, maybe it is my fault for reading the book before class that day, but my frustration with class after class of PowerPoints is not without justification.

The justification for my balanced crusade is that when we graduate from this prison of perpetual PowerPoints, the information we will have to learn is not going to be presented to us in slide form. Instead of being led through memorization of facts, we will have to talk and learn from others, experience the best procedure by trial and error and think abstractly about information we have to seek.

That is why I cannot understand why professors’ best does not include a balanced approach with PowerPoint presentations, in-class activities, real-life experiences and abstract discussion that require students to form a rational answer and not just something they pulled out from their butt.

The only reason why I can think you, professors, rely on PowerPoint presentation is because you are lazy. Why require students to know the material before class when you can just read it to them? Why spend time formulating an intriguing lecture when you can copy and paste from the book? Especially, why put in extra effort when you get paid either way?

My aggravation with PowerPoint presentations is at its greatest when referencing my last preceding question. I pay to be taught. What is the point of paying a professor’s salary if the knowledge I gain in class is no greater than what I could have got from buying the book? If a subject is best taught strictly via PowerPoint, then I say it is time to start laying off professors. Cut costs by making it an online class, or install text-to-speech software on classroom computers and have an undergraduate click through slides and collect Scantron homework assignments and tests.

PowerPoint presentations are best used for review or to quickly cover supplementary material; although, I can tolerate PowerPoints even as much as two-thirds of class time. But when all you do is read verbatim off the PowerPoint that is verbatim from the book, I do not call you a professor. I call you a thief.