I ended up doing my presentation on the Characteristics of Heroes. I based it on a thesis I did three years ago. I knew that I only had seven minutes to do the presentation, so I was not able to put everything in there. However, when I thought about it, this one was easier to do in the time I had. The other idea, cutting the Iliad based on Plato, would have taken too much time and I think it will be better for an instruction session rather than a presentation.
I did a lot of preparation for this presentation. I really had to be realistic about the time and in the end I think that the simpler version I ended up with because of the time was better than if I would have done something a little more complex. I also took the time and opportunity to use new presentation software. At first, I was not going to use visuals at all, but I found that I really wanted to use visuals (pictures) to help the class understand what and whom I was talking about. I used Prezi for the first time. I really took the time to structure the presentation in a way that would have very little words and just enough visuals.
I also tried to make the presentation have humor. I used simple anecdotes about the Greek heroes as examples to connect the characteristic to something they might remember. I used pictures that were funny or were familiar, like Brad Pitt as Achilles. I also put a punch line at the end. I used Harry Potter as a quick ending example of the characteristics for a recap and to make the presentation funny. I also stated a point that Harry Potter is not a Hero in order to make the audience think, as well as make the presentation memorable. It definitely was my opinion, but I knew most did not agree with it, so I added it to spice things up.
I repeatedly practiced the presentation, timing myself and using the Prezi. I think the presentation flowed well because of the Prezi, as well as my preparation and the cutting out of the information that the audience did not need. I spent a lot of time talking and thinking about the presentation. I believe I did well and met the goals I set out for myself:
1) Practice
2) Good flow of Presentation- both with the software and the information presented
3) Engage Audience
4) Add Humor (Try Humor)
5) Do not rely on the Slides
6) Use Prezi for the first time
7) Make visual and interesting
8) Hit Timing
9) Provide recaps and repeat self
However, there are things, upon reflection, that I would like to improve. I also know I will be getting feedback later, so I can also look at those things I can improve.
1) I thought I could improve the transitions. I think they might not have moved as well as I would have hoped.
2) I think I could have slowed down and calmed down a little more
3) Be confident in my practice. I knew I had it and I did not have to look at the slides at all. But I did a little.
My reflection on the second part of the class is that active learning and lecture-based learning have their uses and their places. I especially like a combination of the two. I know that I have had many classes that have combined them. I have found them to be some of the best classes I have had. However, I know that I am more of an active learner, but I know that others are not. I learned that there are many ways that you can use active learning, from the simple to the not so simple.
I will have to do more thinking about what I want to include as an activity, but I think I am going to take parts of the Iliad and have the groups talk about them and the Plato cuts together, then to report on what would be cut and what that would do to the poem. I want them to think about what people say about education and if that is really the way to go.
Finally, I had a Reference Assistant meeting today. I found that Carrie is really great at presenting and lecturing. She took the active approach. It was fun and really made me think about how I can give instruction at the reference desk. I want to model myself after her. I really want to add humor and find ways to engage the audience in the learning. I have found that students will meet you if you try and get them engaged even a little. I also found:
1) Make lists are useful for remembering and recall
2) Be enthusiastic
3) Have a plan and be ready
All of these we have already talked about in the class. Now I am really taking a notice and I hope I can actively include them in my upcoming session.
Burgan, M. (2006). In defense of lecturing. Change Magazine, 38(6), 5.
Grassian, E. S., & Kaplowitz, J. R. (2009). Information literacy instruction: Theory and practice (2nd ed.). New York: Newal-Schuman. Chapter 6 [read p.94-108].
Keyser, M.W. (2000). Active learning and cooperative learning: understanding the difference and using both styles effectively. Research Strategies 17(1), 35-44.
Ridgeway, T. (1989). Integrating active learning techniques into the one-hour bibliographic instruction lecture. Coping with information illiteracy: bibliographic instruction for the information age: papers presented at the Seventeenth National LOEX Library Instruction Conference, Ann Arbor, MI.
Rosenbaum, H. (2000). Teaching electronic commerce: Problem-based learning in a virtual economy. Journal of Informatics Education and Research 2(2), 45-58.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Teaching Reflection 3
The readings for this week were all about presentation skills. One of my favorites was the PowerPoint on using PowerPoint for presentations. I also enjoyed the videos from class on great presenters like Steve Jobs and why, as well as the ten tips for presenting. All gave advise that I have heard and have experienced before. The change was taking an active role and really thinking about using the advise for my upcoming presentation. Here are the things that stood out:
1) Practice, Practice, Practice. I have practiced presentations in the past and have found them to go well. However, I don’t usually make it a habit. I am going to take the two presentation/instruction session this semester to actively make a habit out of practicing. That also goes for my other class and the presentations I have to make in them. I am also going to practice with the visual aids, like PowerPoint, not just practice the material. I want to make sure that I do not rely on the Slides. I want to make the presentation without looking at the Slides at all. I will not write down everything I am going to say, but I will know what I am going to say.
2) Humor. I know that I have wanted to practice using humor in my presentations/instruction sessions. I definitely want to try that during class and see how it goes.
3) The presentation process. Outline for audience, use visuals, make it simple, leave them wanting. I unusually put in thought about my presentations. However, I am going to try and put more thought into the presentations. I am going to give it a flow like Steve Jobs. I also want to try an incorporate the surprises or the visuals that will keep the audience engaged (like how he came out with a manila envelope to present the Mac Book Air and how thin it was). Repeating or having a theme is also important and I want to make sure I stay on topic. I also need to work on my transitions (that goes with the flow of the presentation).
I am still working on what I am going to talk about in my presentation and what I am going to teach in my session. However, I have narrowed it down to Characteristics of Heroes and how to cut the Iliad based on Plato’s republic chapter’s 2 and 3.
Grassian, E. S., & Kaplowitz, J. R. (2009). Information literacy instruction: Theory and practice (2nd ed.). New York: Newal-Schuman. Chapter 12.
Knowledge documentation and job aids.
Techniques (2006, November/December). Leadership matters, 10-11.
Lifehacker. Five ways to not suck at Power Point.
1) Practice, Practice, Practice. I have practiced presentations in the past and have found them to go well. However, I don’t usually make it a habit. I am going to take the two presentation/instruction session this semester to actively make a habit out of practicing. That also goes for my other class and the presentations I have to make in them. I am also going to practice with the visual aids, like PowerPoint, not just practice the material. I want to make sure that I do not rely on the Slides. I want to make the presentation without looking at the Slides at all. I will not write down everything I am going to say, but I will know what I am going to say.
2) Humor. I know that I have wanted to practice using humor in my presentations/instruction sessions. I definitely want to try that during class and see how it goes.
3) The presentation process. Outline for audience, use visuals, make it simple, leave them wanting. I unusually put in thought about my presentations. However, I am going to try and put more thought into the presentations. I am going to give it a flow like Steve Jobs. I also want to try an incorporate the surprises or the visuals that will keep the audience engaged (like how he came out with a manila envelope to present the Mac Book Air and how thin it was). Repeating or having a theme is also important and I want to make sure I stay on topic. I also need to work on my transitions (that goes with the flow of the presentation).
I am still working on what I am going to talk about in my presentation and what I am going to teach in my session. However, I have narrowed it down to Characteristics of Heroes and how to cut the Iliad based on Plato’s republic chapter’s 2 and 3.
Grassian, E. S., & Kaplowitz, J. R. (2009). Information literacy instruction: Theory and practice (2nd ed.). New York: Newal-Schuman. Chapter 12.
Knowledge documentation and job aids.
Techniques (2006, November/December). Leadership matters, 10-11.
Lifehacker. Five ways to not suck at Power Point.
Teaching Reflection 2
The three readings for this week’s class all reinforced the fact that teaching or creating a teaching session is a design process. The things that you have to think about are the users, their needs, the tasks that you need to get through to fit those needs and the users, and to have goals and objectives for the outcome. The instruction session has to have a context. The context will let you know, as a teacher or presenter, how much information and where that session should go as far as what level of skills are you going to give to the users.
For example, if I was just going to do a presentation (which I will in a few weeks), then I do not need to get the audience to reach the highest level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. I want them to reach the level of understanding (second level) not the highest level where they would be able to do a project or create something based on my presentation. Presentations are generally shorter than a class session. There is not enough time to get the audience to that level unless it is one in s series of presentations or the people in the room are experts that already understand what you are presenting. However, in these cases you will either get to the point where the audience will be able to create something or the experts are just there for the information in order to question or incorporate in their research. These are different contexts and expectations.
Treating an instruction session or a presentation like a design process put me in a place where I was familiar. I am use to and know the design process well through my classes and work. The hardest part was the learning objectives. Learning objectives are a little different than objectives in general, when we are talking about designing something tangible. I found that the use of verbs was important. I had to make sure that I also was more specific on what the objectives were. When creating objectives, you really have to think about the needs and task analysis. The objectives have to be broken down just like a task analysis, into its simplest parts. Once I understand that and take down objectives, I have to look at them and be realistic with the context. The time I have and the users (learners) could limit, change, or expand on my objectives. For example, if I was teaching a class at the graduate level for Political Science and I knew most of the students came in with a B.A. in Political Science, then one of my objectives would not include teaching them to understand the basic concepts and theories of Political Science.
The final thing I learned was that you have to have an outline. Once you have an idea of what you might teach, what the user’s prior knowledge might be, and the context in which you are going to teach, then you can create an outline. I know that the outline will change as I start planning and designing the instruction session, but I will have a start and I will know what I will have to work on in order to teach what I am planning to teach. I will know if the time and what I want to teach is realistic. I will also start to think about how I am going to teach the session: paper v electronic, interactive v lecture, etc.
My reflections for this week are on that fact that I need to approach a teaching session or presentation like a design process. I need to think about learning objectives in specific and smaller units. Finally, I need to have an outline after my initial analysis, that will most likely change as I go, but will give me a place to start and to plan.
BCIT Learning and Teaching Centre. Writing learning outcomes.
Morrison, G. R., Ross, M. S., & Kemp, J. E. (2004). Designing effective instruction. Hoboken, NJ: J. Wiley & Sons. Chapters 4, & 5.
Luongo, N. Bloom's taxonomy.
For example, if I was just going to do a presentation (which I will in a few weeks), then I do not need to get the audience to reach the highest level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. I want them to reach the level of understanding (second level) not the highest level where they would be able to do a project or create something based on my presentation. Presentations are generally shorter than a class session. There is not enough time to get the audience to that level unless it is one in s series of presentations or the people in the room are experts that already understand what you are presenting. However, in these cases you will either get to the point where the audience will be able to create something or the experts are just there for the information in order to question or incorporate in their research. These are different contexts and expectations.
Treating an instruction session or a presentation like a design process put me in a place where I was familiar. I am use to and know the design process well through my classes and work. The hardest part was the learning objectives. Learning objectives are a little different than objectives in general, when we are talking about designing something tangible. I found that the use of verbs was important. I had to make sure that I also was more specific on what the objectives were. When creating objectives, you really have to think about the needs and task analysis. The objectives have to be broken down just like a task analysis, into its simplest parts. Once I understand that and take down objectives, I have to look at them and be realistic with the context. The time I have and the users (learners) could limit, change, or expand on my objectives. For example, if I was teaching a class at the graduate level for Political Science and I knew most of the students came in with a B.A. in Political Science, then one of my objectives would not include teaching them to understand the basic concepts and theories of Political Science.
The final thing I learned was that you have to have an outline. Once you have an idea of what you might teach, what the user’s prior knowledge might be, and the context in which you are going to teach, then you can create an outline. I know that the outline will change as I start planning and designing the instruction session, but I will have a start and I will know what I will have to work on in order to teach what I am planning to teach. I will know if the time and what I want to teach is realistic. I will also start to think about how I am going to teach the session: paper v electronic, interactive v lecture, etc.
My reflections for this week are on that fact that I need to approach a teaching session or presentation like a design process. I need to think about learning objectives in specific and smaller units. Finally, I need to have an outline after my initial analysis, that will most likely change as I go, but will give me a place to start and to plan.
BCIT Learning and Teaching Centre. Writing learning outcomes.
Morrison, G. R., Ross, M. S., & Kemp, J. E. (2004). Designing effective instruction. Hoboken, NJ: J. Wiley & Sons. Chapters 4, & 5.
Luongo, N. Bloom's taxonomy.
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