The Impact of PowerPoint on Learning and Attitudes: A Dual-Coding Perspective on Short- and Long-Term Memory across Representational Styles
Author : Dr. B Jai Ganesh
Abstract :
In recent years, the use of multimedia tools such as PowerPoint presentations has significantly increased in accounting classrooms worldwide, yet their impact on student learning and attitudes remains underexplored. This study examines whether the use of PowerPoint in an accounting course enhances students’ short-term memory, long-term memory, and perceptions of class presentations and the instructor. An experimental design was employed across two sections of an Accounting Principles II (Managerial Accounting) course over one semester. One section was taught using PowerPoint as the primary instructional tool, while the other followed a traditional delivery method. Findings indicate that PowerPoint presentations may positively influence student attitudes toward both the instructor and the delivery of course content. However, results provide no conclusive evidence that PowerPoint improves short-term or long-term memory. These outcomes align with prior media comparison studies, suggesting that the instructional medium itself does not directly determine learning effectiveness.
Keywords :
PowerPoint, learning, attitudes, short-term memory, long-term memory, representational style, dual-coding theory.
