Powerpoints and The Word

Tim at Life in Student Ministry left this post. Here is an excerpt:

Finally! Now there’s scientific research to confirm what I’ve always felt: PowerPoints that present the same text that’s being spoken is actually detrimental to its retention. I’ve always disliked “death-by-bulletpoints” that put into written form exactly the same thing that the speaker is saying. I almost feel like the speaker is insulting my intelligence: “I know, teacher, I heard what you said,” or “Yes, I may be deaf, but it’s a good thing I can read.”

Bert made a similar post at Create Your Communications Experience. Here is an excerpt from his:

"Australian researchers may have pronounced the death of the PowerPoint presentation."

I don't think so, but there is a very interesting article in the Sydney Morning Herald today that would help about 90% of the in person PowerPoint presentations that are given in business.

Researchers at the University of NSW found that the brain cannot process written and spoken information well at the same time. (Thank you for the tip from Michael Huxley via Guy Kawasaki.) The principle finding among some of the other controversial conclusions is "It is more difficult to process information if it is coming at you in the written and spoken form at the same time."

Both of which read this.

These two left me thinking so I left Tim a comment on his site which is as follows. I leave you to think about it.

hmmm…very interesting Tim…seems this is going around a lot in the blogosphere as I just read it as well Bert Decker had a similar post.

Now here is my dilemma.

1) I have no problem with the research out-right as that is not my field of study.
2) I agree that powerpoint can be way overused. It should be used very simply. I very rarely use more than 10 slides total including my title graphics. I actually loved how you put in that you use them which was a very creative idea that has me thinking about how to implement it.

Here is where I will seperate and go to the extreme:

If the research is true and legit. As a pastor who is teaching the Word we very often as people to read along with us in the Word. This very research could apply there as well. No…Yes…Thoughts????

What are your thoughts????