Well, it is that time of year when it is nothing but one group project after another. Projects can take on any number of forms, some relying heavily on computers and some not using computers at all.
Last night I did a presentation in which 75% of it consisted of power point and videos found online. This definitely added to the stress factor beforehand, because as we were setting up, we discovered that our opening video would not play, and it was key for introducing the presentation. Then, we found that the music would not play for the power point, and without it the power point would not be nearly as effective. After quickly scrambling to resolve these situations, we were able to pull off the presentation without any glitches. We were already feeling nervous to begin with, but these problems prior to the presentation definitely escalated our stress levels. I can think of a number of group presentations I have been in and watched that have encountered similar problems, and when these problems cannot be fixed the consequences can be disastrous to the presentation.
I am currently preparing for another presentation for Thursday that does not involve any technology at all. Rather, we are doing mock interviews, story telling, and using posters for visual impact. We don't have to worry about anything going wrong, because we will have total control over everything. This will definitely cut down on any anxiety we might be feeling, because we don't have to deal with the "wild card" of computers.
Although these two presentations are very different in the mediums we use to present them, I think that both are informative and engaging. It seems like so many people feel obligated to use power point in their presentations because it is "the thing to do". It is a great tool that can add a lot to a presentation, but I don't think presenters should solely rely on it. Many people think that a presentation will only be effective if power point is used. This is not true - I have seen plenty of boring power point presentations. Power point, when used effectively, can really enhance a presentation, but it should not become the presentation. An engaging speaker often doesn't need any visual aid. And there are so many other mediums to use in presentations that present information in a fresh, creative, interactive way - skits, stories, activities, posters...there are so many inspiring options, we should not feel limited only to power point.
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2 comments:
Certainly PPT has been used in so many bad ways but also in some great ways. I'm sure Alec has shown you some excellent examples. I've recently discovered a very cool tool that could be a very neat way of presenting.
http://scrapblog.com
All the best.
if there is anything i've learned in my two years of teaching in Taiwan, it's to have a backup plan! I can't tell you how many times I've been told there is technology available to me only to find it won't work, or no one in the school knows how to use it. I especially appreciate powerpoint in ESL classes because the students can both read and listen to instructions. Many ESL students can understand something they read but may struggle to understand the teacher's accent, speed etc. I've created a couple of picture-based lessons that relied a lot on powerpoint and I would have been VERY stressed out if they didn't work. But in any case, my general rule is have an activity or icebreaker that doesn't require technology to open the class just in case it takes time for everything to get set up! I can't believe You're finished your semester already :) I think this comment might be longer than your actual blog entry.....oops...anyways, I'll try to call you soon ok!
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