Comparing students’ evaluations and recall for Student Pecha Kucha and PowerPoint Presentations

Two experiments compared student reaction to and memory of peer presentations using either a fast-paced, images only format (Pecha Kucha) or a traditional PowerPoint presentation. In experiment 1, students saw a prerecorded 5-minute PowerPoint, 10-minute PowerPoint, or 5-minute Pecha Kucha presentation. Students rated the presentation and wrote down main points. One week later students completed an on-line survey. There were no recall differences, but a visual purpose rating was higher for Pecha Kucha. In experiment 2, students watched two presentations (10-minute PowerPoint and 5-minute Pecha Kucha) in a counterbalanced within-subjects design (same procedures used). Although students rated the Pecha Kucha presentation more positively, there were no recall differences. Results suggest Pecha Kucha is a useful student presentation style that maintains similar levels of retention.