[New Trier Curricular Technology] A Presentation About Presentations

I was lucky to travel west to present at the largest educational technology conference (west of the Mississippi) in Palm Springs. It's called CUE (Computer-Using Educators). While I had rehearsed and near-obsessively sweated the details of my session room, it was affirming to see that I was not the only one who put in such thought into presenting in front of others. Mark Standley, an author and Alaskan educator, gave a remarkable talk entitled "The Art of Digital Presentations", in which he skillfully measured and then responded to the energy level of his audience in real-time. It was fun but a little unnerving to observe the "meta" aspect of delivering a presentation about what makes a great presentation.

Standley correctly stated the danger of (mis-)using PowerPoint: "Too often the technology becomes the presentation and the speaker's voice, message, and ideas are secondary." Though many of his ideas were deceptively simple and seemingly subtle, I would argue that these small pieces of advice (selection featured below) add up to a much more engaging and enriching experience for both presenter and audience.
  • Provide handouts. Because half of your audience will be uncomfortable without them.
  • Remember that adults like to talk to each other. Provide opportunities for that to happen.
  • The average "wait-time" is about 4 seconds. But the average wait-time should be 11 seconds.
  • Choose two "anchor-points" on the floor when speaking in front of an audience. Avoid mimicking the "caged tiger" on a stage and don't hesitate to join your audience physically as a fellow learner.
There were many other ideas offered which you can see on his website, but I found the most surprising part of his talk was about credibility: according to Standley, the most believed piece of information is from an overheard conversation. If that's true, it might explain why so many commercials feature "hidden camera" testimonials!

This Is How I Know

For my Personal Vitamin D! ;)

By Ron Sexsmith, Exit Strategy of the Soul

From the darkness to a seed of light
From a garden to a sheet of ice
I feel you move in every sunrise
In the trembling of the leaves
This is how I know you're near me

From the ashes of a broken home
I sent a message to the great unknown
And through the music on the radio
You came to set me free
This is how I know you're near me

This is how I know our trials are not in vain
This is how I know we'll rise and love again
This is how I know

From a moment to a sea of days
From an ocean to a single wave
Out of nothing came the miracle
That loved us into being
This is how I know it will be