ABSTRACT
Background: Teachers are often in dilemma on how to use illustrations effectively in teaching Anatomy using multimedia (for e.g., PowerPoint) slides. 態ackground� is an important element for creating illustration-based PowerPoint slides but is often overlooked when designing such slides. Some general guidelines on the PowerPoint slide background for presenting textual materials are available, but guidelines on the background for presenting illustrations in PowerPoint slides are almost nil. This descriptive type of observational study was part of a broader research that was designed to assess the preferences of Bangladeshi Anatomy teachers towards different types of background of illustration-based PowerPoint slides and their perceived influence on learning.Material & Methods:A survey was conducted among 39 Anatomy teachers from Bangladesh. Seven PowerPoint slides with one same pair of Neuroanatomy illustrations but seven different types of background dealing with the following characteristics were shown to them to collect their preferences and perceived influence on learning: White/Light-coloured homogeneous/Dark-coloured homogeneous; Slightly decorated/Heavily decorated; Related to subject/Not related to subject. Resultsand Conclusion:The survey revealed that most of the participants preferred either light-coloured homogeneous background (around 64%) or white background (around 60%). The least preferred (about 18%) one was the heavily decorated background not related to the subject. Some interesting trends of preference were also observed, including those related to male and female teachers as well as to their length of experience. In most Anatomy teachers� perceptions, learning would be influenced by using their preferred 慴ackgrounds�. Although the results of the present study reveal some insight into the preferences of Anatomy teachers and their perceived influence of different illustration-based PowerPoint slide 慴ackgrounds� on learning, further studies are recommended on larger samples focusing on more specific issues of PowerPoint slide backgrounds before making any conclusive comments on these issues.
ABSTRACT
Background: 態ackground� is an important visual element for creating multimedia (e.g., PowerPoint) slides on which text and illustrations are placed. Although some general guidelines for the background for textual materials on PowerPoint slides are available, detailed and specific guidelines on the background for illustrations are almost lacking. As part of a broader research, this qualitative study was designed to assess the preferences of Anatomy postgraduate students towards different types of background of illustration-based PowerPoint slides and their perceived influence on learning.Material & Methods:An FGD was conducted among eight Anatomy postgraduate students from two medical colleges of Bangladesh. Seven PowerPoint slides with one same pair of Neuroanatomy illustrations but seven different types of background dealing with the following characteristics were shown to them: White/light-coloured homogeneous/Dark-coloured homogeneous; Slightly decorated/Heavily decorated; Related to subject/Not related to subject. The discussion was on which background they liked most and why, and whether they think that the background would enhance students� learning.Resultsand Conclusion:Six broad 憈hemes� emerged from the FGD: 1. No single type of background yielded a unanimous preference. 2. Coloured homogeneous backgrounds seemed to be the most preferred type with no clear-cut difference between the light-coloured and dark-coloured ones. 3. Preferences for white or slightly decorated background was moderate. 4. Among the slightly decorated backgrounds, preference for those related to the subject was greater than for those not related. 5. No preference was shown for the heavily decorated background not related to the subject. 6. Despite some positive comments regarding the influence of slide background on learning, no definitive conclusion could be drawn. While these results provide some baseline answers to the research questions, further studies addressing more specific issues of background and viewer characteristics are recommended.