Prior to this session we were asked to create a presentation containing photographs of ten items which resembled us as a person. Caunt (2010) advises that when planning a presentation, you must consider how you would like it to look before choosing the presentation software. Therefore, I pre-planned some ideas and looked at numerous presentation software to see which would work best for me. I found that the PowerPoint software was extremely easy to use. I liked how simple it was to add new slides, images and text. I was also able to duplicate slides which made it easy to keep the layout on each of my slides the same. Another aspect of the PowerPoint software I enjoyed using was the notes – I will discuss this further down as it benefitted me greatly during the delivery of my presentation.
Although I was extremely nervous to speak in front of the group, I feel as though my presentation went well. Rosania (2003, p.23) reports that “an easy and effective practice method is to give the presentation over and over in front of someone you trust as if he or she were sitting in the audience”. And therefore, I ensured I had practiced my presentation at home in front of my partner. I feel this had a positive effect on the delivery of my presentation as it allowed me to feel more confident and also allowed me to make some changes prior to the session.
Zaremba (2014) states that from a report of five students who had recently undertaken a presentation, preparation is the main factor to reducing speech anxiety. While I had already practiced the presentation numerous times, I also considered the location of the presentation and what I would need to do in order to have the software ready to present in that specific room. Therefore, prior to the session I had saved my presentation into my USB Drive which enabled me to load it instantly onto the university computers. As it was my first time using a MAC PC, I was given some instructions from Mark on how to load up my presentation from my storage drive, and also eject the drive safely to reduce the risks of any files being corrupted. My organisation skills and the advice from Mark really helped my presentation begin easily and smoothly which reduced some of my worries.
During my delivery, the PowerPoint software allowed me to view my notes on the computer screen while the group could only view the PowerPoint slides on the projector screen. This benefitted me as it enabled me to expand on each of my ten things naturally and confidently to the group.
I also feel as though the presentation allowed members of our group to interact and engage with the ten things better as I was able to add images to the slides. This could be a great benefit when teaching different topics in order to help students understand better. I also noticed that because I was at the front of the room, all of the group were involved which sparked interesting conversation and engagement throughout.
While many students have stated that they have suffered with a ‘death by PowerPoint’ experience during their time in education, I found that it worked extremely well for myself and I believe these are some of the reasons why:
– I was the first person from my group to present, this helped the group to stay engaged throughout.
– The slides were set to on a 20 second timer to ensure I did not talk too much on one slide.
– Only three bullet points of writing were entered on each slide and I expanded on there in my own words. This ensured the group were more focused on what I was saying rather than constantly reading the slides.
– The images I used were large and colourful.
My peers and my tutor really helped me to feel comfortable while I was talking, and their obvious engagement with my slides helped me to feel more at ease. I also enjoyed watching my peers and getting to know each of them a little bit better through the use of their ‘Ten Things’ presentations.
Throughout this session Mark took a humanistic approach to teaching. During each presentation, Mark was extremely respectful to each individual students ideas nodding throughout and listening intently. Winnick (1990) states that “the humanistic teacher values and respects individual differences and emphasizes the worth and dignity of all persons”.
The humanist theory which was founded by Carl Rodgers also identifies that teachers which undertake this approach take on the role of a ‘facilitator’ (Smith and Colemann, 2009). Following my presentation, Mark identified that we have numerous similar likes and dislikes, from here we discussed some resources which would help me as an individual. According to Kemm and Close (1995, p.97) a facilitator “questions, challenges, fosters curiosity, guides towards relevant resources and encourages active participation in all aspects of the learning process. Therefore, throughout the session Mark took on the role of facilitator undertaking a humanistic approach to learning and teaching.
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Reference List
Caunt, J. (2010) Organise Yourself. London. Kogan Page.
Kemm, J . and Close, A. (1995) Health Promotion: Theory and Practice. Hampshire. Palgrave Macmillan.
Rosania, R. (2003) Presentation Basics. USA. ASTD Press.
Smith, L. and Coleman, V. (2009) Child and Family-Centred Healthcare: Concept, Theory and Practice. Hampshire. Palgrave Macmillan.
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