ABSTRACT
With the advent of widely available multi-media presentation packages such as PowerPoint it is possible to develop instructional packages that can be widely, and rapidly, distributed via CD-ROM and the internet. This paper reports the development of a PowerPoint presentation that informs the consumer about chemical hazards in the home and the workplace. Three versions of the presentation were presented to a total of 36 students. One group were presented with screens containing bullet points about the hazards, a second group saw the same material but images of the animated character Homer Simpson appeared with the bullet points, and in a third version Homer Simpson’s image and soundbites of his exclamations accompanied the bullet points. A subsequent retention test revealed that the third version, with images and soundbites, resulted in significantly better retention than the other versions.
