Why focus on presentations?
The ability to give compelling presentations is crucial for instructors, staff members, and students alike. Developing public speaking and presentation skills can help you achieve your academic, research, and professional goals.
Opportunities and challenges
Attention
Given the prevalence of online platforms and social media, presentations must compete for audience attention. Since higher education lives, in part or in whole, in virtual/online spaces, incorporating elements of participation and connection from popular social media platforms can enhance learning experiences and engagement.
Length
Research-based recommendations on length vary depending on different factors (context, audience, and key takeaway points); however, all evidence indicates that the shorter the presentation, the greater the retention (Manashra et al., 2021).
Best practices
Keeping the following design principles in mind when developing a presentation structure will help foster participation and communication and enhance learning outcomes:
- Deliver information in manageable “chunks”
- Use relevant visuals
- Use text sparingly
- Reveal text as you speak it
- Create interactivity
Visuals and effective design principles
Effective presentations use visuals to complement spoken words rather than relying on text-heavy content. When creating multimedia, you can use minimalist design, appropriate image/video/audio selection, and consistency in font to create engaging presentations.
Technology and accessibility
Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Canva are three different software applications that can be used to create slide-based presentations, each with its own features and considerations. In addition, you can use various platforms for synchronous presentations (Zoom, etc.) or asynchronous presentations (Panopto, VoiceThread, etc.). Proper citation of multimedia content and accessibility considerations are important when sourcing images and presenting work online.
Interaction
You can use polls, games/simulations, breakout groups, visuals/props, storytelling and other strategies to enhance audience engagement, which is crucial for effective presentations.
Keeping your cool
Even though leading a presentation can be nerve-wracking, you can use different strategies to help calm nerves, present confidently, and engage the audience:
- Prepare thoroughly
- Practice delivery
- Incorporate breathing techniques and mindfulness practices
- Use notes effectively
- Address difficult questions by acknowledging the query and addressing the underlying need
Enroll in
this sprint
![Photo of an audience listening to a speaker](/sites/default/files/2023-08/presentations.jpg)
Sprint 1.G Presentations perfected
Missouri Online’s self-paced mini-course will help you review best practices and create a new (or modified) presentation that is engaging and effectively communicates information.
Resources
Bozarth, D. J. (2021). Video viewer study. TechSmith Corp. https://assets.techsmith.com/Docs/TechSmith-Video-Viewer-Study-2021-Report.pdf
Duarte, N. (2008). Slide:ology: The art and science of creating great presentations. O'Reilly Media. https://www.duarte.com/resources/books/slideology/
Mayer, R. (2020). Multimedia learning (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/highereducation/books/multimedia-learning/FB7E79A165D24D47CEACEB4D2C426ECD#overview
McLuhan, M. (1964/1994). Understanding media: The extensions of man. MIT Press. https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262631594/understanding-media/
Tufte, E. R. (2006).Beautiful evidence (Vol. 1). Graphics Press. https://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/books_be
Created on May 3, 2024