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Evaluations and feedback are essential for effective design and delivery of a course. Upon completion of every course I teach a survey is made available for participants to complete (the return is around 80%). Questions presented to the participants are related to the course content, materials, connections to the curriculum and state standards as well as instructors knowledge, organization, support and availability. The information received from the survey will often times result in making some modifications within different unit/modules along with changes in the amount of time spent on a specific topic area. A pre-assessment (survey) is also sent to participants ahead of class to gather information on internet access, technology skills, knowledge of content, grade level and curriculum area. There survey includes an open ended question for other concerns. This has been helpful in gauging the amount of time needed for instruction along with customization towards curricular areas.

Knowledge of the content for instruction is significant. Participants for a course rely upon each of us as experts and look for us to provide the highest level of training possible. The worst impression one can present is the inabilitiy to respond accurately to a question or fumble through the content being delivered. We need to be continuously on alert and checking for changes or updates. I will often spend the night or morning before a class checking websites and links to make sure something hasn't been changed or removed.

Technology can be overwhelming to our students and if we are asking them to utilize specific tools we need to be available to provide support as needed. There are a number of databases that are utilized in my courses and teachers sometimes find it difficult to set up teacher accounts, create folders and save content to specific folders. I have already seen the value of creating a short video to walk-through the steps, instead of a phone call or face-to-face meeting. The short video used to demonstrate highlighting and annotations has spark the idea of creating video to set up teacher accounts among other items for certain databases used in my course.

Kathleen, I agree with you that technology can be overwhelming to students…adult or school age….maybe more for adults.  Right now I am teaching the Para Certification class to 42 adults, and I am amazed that some people do not know how to do the basic functions on the computer. But, I am determined that everyone will be successful.  Being new to online learning, I can identify, though, with the feelings of inadequacy or panic that my adult students have felt. When taking Ollie: Introduction, I was so appreciative of Mary's patience and help with technology.  Now Evan is assisting.  The video clips are very helpful.  A participant can see, hear, and then do which is multisensory.

I agree that video clips can be very helpful. My experience in trying to talk my mother through navigating her new iPad over the telephone reminds me of how futile and frustrating for all this can be. Providing a video and screenshots can be extremely helpful in helping to guide people in using technology that is new to them.

I appreciate the flexibility of the feedback and timely grading- when the assignment is done. This has been very helpful in trying to balance a career, household, and extracurricular schedules.

Timely and constructive feedback to enhance learning has been well documented in educational research for face-to-face instruction. I am finding as a student taking part in online learning, it is critical for me to have feedback to enhance my learning.  It is not about the grade.  I want to learn.   I want to know that I am understanding what is being taught and I can apply that learning. 

I think this is really interesting becuase I never really thought about how necessary it is to have a basic understanding of web design when one is an online instuctor. I guess it makes sense becuase you have to figure out ways to visually represent content to your audience. It seems as though the best online instuctors wouldn't necessarily be those with the best understanding of threir content, but rather the best understanding of how to communicate that content in an effective, visual manner.

I think this is a really important expereince for an online teacher to have, and maybe one that is taken for granted. Online teacher need to have the experence of what it is like to be an online learner to understand what works in online instruction and what doesn't.

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At this point in my online learning, as a student going through this class it is very apparent what the differences are between online teaching and face to face. I think that each instructor should be required to take an online class such as this to help guide them in how to be a more effective and helpful instructor.

This is another great idea. I am a very visual person. This would help me better prepare myself for the presentation.

I think sticky notes will work well for me as I like to be able to move things around.  I do this with students as a class activity and it works well.  I think it will work for the planning stage too.

I agree. I can recall information if it can be related back to me in some way. Make it relevant to the audience.

Never thought of having contrast in a presentation. Contrast does keep the audiences attention.

I know I do this often.  It's a balancing act to figure out what the primary point of each lesson and yet also provide enough background for students to know the why. I want them to be able to talk about the evidence-base. It's important to recognize that the why can be done in a simple way.

I do this as well.  Sometimes I need to let the background information come out as I'm talking and adjust if I feel I need to tell more as I find out their understanding.  Sometimes I give them way too much information when they would understand better if I kept it simple.

In the past I have planned my words first and the visuals were added later to break up my words. So I wasn't really looking at the presentation as a whole.  This is definitely a new and better way of planning!

This seems like it would be second nature to me, but I need to include more of this.  I use lots of visual examples, but this is different...using visuals to make points (rather than lots of bullets of information).

"So What?" Great question.  I want students to know some content in order to apply it to their own teaching and interactions with children.  If I am just giving them facts without asking the "So What? or So that?" question I might be overloading them.  This could help me learn to simplify

Weaving the facts into the story or connecting the facts back to the story will help them stick.

I know stories work when I see students use the stories or examples when they answer essay exam questions!  The story makes the concept stick.

Bullet points only make us think we need to take notes and memorize.  We rush to get them all down and don't pay attention to what is being said.  Stories help us remember!

I often find that with bullets, now that most people will send you the outline or hand it to you, that I just start making a to-do list with (look over this later) as one of them!

Some times I think bullets get a bad rap with Garr. I like them in many situations. But, they tend to be a crutch more than a tool in presentations.

Love this! I got a little distracted watching Kamishibai on youtube!

Larger fonts are also easier to read. It's very frustrating to watch a presentation where you have to squint.

I had an instructor at ISU years ago who used very strict word limits on essay responses. I learned to eliminate all unnecessary words and focus on getting right to the point.

Thomas- Interesting! I would have been in trouble in that class.

Sure but I think you might have fewer concepts and more slides but I get the point. Less is better

Ten concepts seems like a LOT!  

I remember stories so much better than facts.  I have noticed the kids in my class do too.  I have realized that when telling stories I need to think about the important details though and leave out the unimportant stuff.

This is probably why most people enjoy fiction more than nonfiction.  However, nonfiction can be in storytelling form too- true stories!

So true! Storytelling is synonymous with "narrative", not "fiction", since many true stories are just that... true and stories.

This is true, the problem is, I don't always know of a story to tell that has meaning to me.  However, even a story that doesn't have major meaning to me is easier to recall than a bunch of bullet points.

These are easy to remember and useful!

It is easy to remember, but might be difficult to implement! 

Maybe this means that delivery of content is often NOT where we should use PowerPoint! I think we have often been using it for the wrong purpose.

I'm definitely a normal human being.  Ten concepts might be too many for me even.  

This rule wouldn't work in the elementary classroom as a Kindergarten font would then be 3 or smaller!  However, I do think it is a great rule when working with adults.  If we are going to try to keep it to six words or less per slide then 30 font would work well.

Interesting equation! 

Great way to think about keeping everything in the right proportion.

This should be easy when presenting in a classroom and for me easy when presenting to teaching staff as well.  However, if I ever have to speak to a larger group that I don't know as well, I will need to do some investigating in this area.

I don't usually do this but have started on my final presentation in "analog mode" and it seems to be a lot more efficient so far.  I'm not very far along though but I do feel in the end I will feel like starting with paper and pencil will have been a great help with planning.

I never have considered this before, seems like it would be helpful in organizing ideas.

I can't over- emphasize how important this is for me. It might be just me, but it does help get my thoughts out there and then see how they connect.

Why don't students just read the book? Our job in presenting is to answer that specific question. The tough part is figuring out the why for each student.

This is such a solid point! When I go into a class or a presentation, I want to know that I am there getting authentic, tailored-to-fit instruction that I couldn't find elsewhere. This is what keeps the audience interested. I unfortunately know too many college students that would learn how a teacher lectures and from there decide whether or not they would need to show up through the semester in order to pass the class. As a presenter, you should always be indespensible.

Thomas, I liked the way you framed this. To a certain extent, the information we need to learn is prevalent in this informational age. In a way, teaching = presentation

I like this technique. I try to create stories that my students find interesting. Sometimes the most effective stories involve my past failures.

Stories are good, but only if they are not over-used.

I teach a business class and students so often try to write a business plan with flowery language and unnecessary details. Interesting to see the common threads between selling a business and selling a lesson.

Understanding your purpose for presenting can be very crucial. I was recently at a technology and literacy conference in Chicago. I went to the conference to collect strategies and network with other teachers for ideas. I also knew going into the conference that all of the presenters would inspire and motivate me as a teacher. This is what I was most looking forward to even though it wasn't part of the description for what the conference was about. Knowing how your purpose aligns with your audience's purpose is key.

This is so true! People make a change out of an emotional appeal that they have encountered that drives the change. Reason just helps justify acting on the emotional response for acting.

There is a fine balance sometimes working with 14-year-olds. Often, "fluff" draws them into the content - it seems that the "fluff" may have a place in what you say but not on the slide itself.

Heather, this is a good point. I think teachers are much better at this than other public speakers, and Garr is probably talking to non-teachers here. Teachers have quite a bit of expertise at telling a story and connecting it to the relevant point of the lesson. Maybe the only "danger zone" for teachers is spending too much time on the anecdote, but that is not a very often situation.

This is where the idea of having your own detailed cue cards is very important. If you aren't clear, you may miss the points you need to talk about due to the minimalist slide presentation format.

It also seems that in a classroom setting, when students can see you as being vulnerable and overcoming a conflict at some point, it helps them to be more willing to take risks in your class!

I think 20 minutes is appropriate for a pitch, not necessarily for a class period. That said, we wouldn't spend an entire class period on one point.

True. I think his general audience for this book is sales pitch presenters. Probably the better way of thinking about this is that spend 20 minutes presenting the info in the class, and the other 20 minutes is interspersed q&a with student, checking for understanding, handling classroom management, etc.

A 20 minute presentation would be perfect for my kindergarteners!

Great question to ask yourself before even beginning to put together a presentation.

Such a simple concept to keep in mind for success.

I'm guilty of this. on many occasions. more focused information with a one-page overview handout out after the presentation is my current thinking...

As I prepare my thoughts for my final presentation (which is what I'm currently working on for beginning of the school year) I think to myself: which three big ideas to I want to convey about Office 365 to all K-12 staff. My initial thoughts are 1) communication and collaboration, 2) access, and 3) simplicity.

I struggle with where to begin. If the software is easy, and not used for the final presentation -- like evernote or onenote, or a mind mapping program, I like to begin there. I like using my whiteboard, but it limits my access to my thoughts--unless I take a picture I suppose, but I prefer either OneNote in O365, or an engineers notepad to layout and organize--along with some stickies!

Selling points for O365 - collaborative, simple, accessible. done. :-0

Guilty. Again. Stick to the (mental) script...

Live performances. Authentic practice. I think live wrestling matches in practice and simulated races in dragonboat paddling: both make the real thing far less nerve-wracking. Preparation = confidence.

And engagement is key. I find myself much more engaged when a presenter related the facts to a story.

This is a good lesson. Especially effectively continuing on with the presentation with the technology acting up...

Good questions to remember even before beginning the PowerPoint! 

I have been a part of many of these types of presentations during professional development. 

I completely agree...these as the worst .. I dread PD for that fact...what do I remember from these .. nothing

I feel a presenter has a clear idea of where the presentation is going if they take the time to outline ideas beforehand. 

I have learned this in my presentations! The more I rehearse, the more I know my topic and the better I feel during the presentation. 

Students are often overwhelmed by the work load when they get to college.  It's important for me to remember to acknowledge that they are overwhelmed and give them survival tips!

Good point! Acknowledgement goes a long way towards your end goal of persuasion.

This is a very helpful strategy. Or I build in a pair and share, small group activity, an opportunity to use materials, etc

The pair/share is my staple... when planning, if I can't think of something more profound to put in there, I will put in a rhetorical question and do a pair/share. It does do wonders for keeping the audience engaged.

Well, maybe for a presentation at a conference.  This isn't even practical for daily work in the classroom with the teaching load and preps I have!  

Agree, that might be great if you only give a few different presentations, but I have daily hour long lectures to present just to get all the content in before the AP exam.  I would never sleep!!

This seems like a lot! 

I had to give so many presentations as a principal. It would have been impossible to spend 10 hours for each hour! I know I did early on when I first started my presentation career, but certainly not as it go going!

This is very true! The presenter will keep the audiences attention if they start the first 2-3 minutes strong.

Great idea! This will help you be better prepared when they come up.

I agree it helps to be prepared. With my divided staff, I always tried to play devil's advocate with myself to prepare myself for the inevitable. Sometimes, I won my "argument". Sometimes not, but I always tried to be prepared with facts.

Engage your audience in a hands on activity if possible during your presentation. Keep them active and engaged.

Good suggestions for breaking up the time.  My presentations are always long, I need various activities for keeping the students active.  

Interesting thought. Images that are very busy can take time for the audience to digest, give time for them to comprehend the images and the presentation.

I like the thought of just blacking out the slide show every once in a while using the B. It gives the audience a short time to digest and yet continue with the presentation.

Great tip! You will learn a lot from watching yourself present.

I did this last year when working on my National Board Certification.  It was very eye opening, I noticed everything odd that I did (speech, questions, movements).  

I found this to be the most helpful strategy during my student teaching as well! 

This is something I do a lot as a conductor, but haven't used it in presentations as much as conducting - what a good tip!

I love doing this! I always videoed my student teachers and when I started giving staff presenations, I always had someone tape it for my own review. It's amazing what you notice that you didn't realize took place!

I've been telling my business students this for several years. If you can find something you are interested in, your enthusiasm toward that product or service is evident. I guess it makes sense that it would translate into the things we speak about.

yes, do what you love and love what you do. It matters.

I like this technique. I think it helps create a bond with the group if you make eye contact and hold it for a few seconds before moving on. Scanning without holding eye contact seems awkward to me and insincere.

Scanning the group seems so unnatural to me. I DO make eye contact with different audience members. Granted, I scan to find that individual but it is not a robotic look around and I do settle on someone.

We use dual 42 inch displays in our training rooms. They work very well for freedom of content. Blacks and whites are all reproduced well but text size is critical. The monitors almost force better slide design by becoming illegible when too much text is placed on the slide.

I think they're the norm just because they speed up the preparation side; not because they increase engagement or comprehension.

Some business places require this, I know that my sister who has shadowed me in this venture is forced to follow that outline and she hates it. It is also the format that original note taking strategies were taught decades ago, and we just can't seem to move past it despite all of the evidence that it doesn't work.

I think this is an easy trap to fall into. If we've got a screen full of bullets and text, when we get a bit nervous, we resort to reading.

No doubt everyone in the room can read the slides themselves! This is one of my biggest pet peeves when being an audience member so I am very conscious of it.

So true, I've seen the atmosphere in the classroom change on a day I wear something more casual. On the same note, I think students seem to respect our opinions more when we are more formal. I tend to start a new semester with more formal clothing, then back off to make them feel more comfortable in sharing their opinions once I've earned their respect.

I will be doing more of this.  I have been too dependent on the speaker note function of PPT.  

As technology in the classroom advances, this will be even easier to do.  Presentations done on a large screen TV versus a projector will make all the difference.  

This is a good reminder.  

This would be a good time for a hands-on activity or an activity that involved the audience to move around. 

I have noticed that the most resilient of students are engaged during video clips. If used appropriately and strongly, they can be powerful motivators to vest students in the information being given to them.

Interesting viewpoint! 

I have heard teachers are the worst listeners so I can only imagine what the timeframe would be for professional development! 

A presentation where the presenter really knows their material are the most engaging.

This is true.  It makes me think of sermons in church- my attention span is often short and my mind wanders easily when the minister says something that makes me think of something else.  I find that when the presenter (or minister) holds my attention best when they keep it short and don't repeat themselves.  I also find humor to bring my attention back if I do get distracted.

Getting close to the audience really helps make it feel like a conversation.  

I think this is very true but sometimes we have to make presentations where we don't really have a passion.  For instance, if I were a principal, I might have to present something on safety or some sort of new law or requirement.  I may not have a passion for this but can probably still make it more interesting than it really is if I work at it.

The kids in my class always ask me to turn the lights off when we do anything with a projector.  I think it might be because I have a gigantic window in my classroom that lets in a lot of light.  I usually don't give in and will remember this now and keep the lights on.

I have the same problem. It is almost always a problem to see if we leave the lights on. I like the idea of creating ambiance though. I have invested in some floor lamps to use this year. I guess we will see how well that works? I am second guessing them now with this information.

I try to do this but sometimes people still come up with something I never expected.

This is so true but also hard to anticipate everything the audience will be thinking.

As with anything, the more practice the better!!!

I have noticed in teaching this very same thing. The difference between engaging students or distancing them from the content is how passionate the teacher is about the information and about teaching it. Passion is key for engagement with students.

This is so true! This happens all the time at our church. I love my pastor dearly and wouldn't trade her for the world, but she has a bad habit of saying "in conclusion" about 5 times before actually closing. I do notice these are the times I am most alert during the sermon. Naturally, an audience can only hold focus for so long before drifting. I want to try to get my students to my "in conclusion" before they lose their main focus.

This is so true! When we prepare for opposing viewpoints, we not only have a chance of winning over more of the audience but we also learn our content better. I know that I always seem to learn the most when I am forced to teach it to someone else!

It is so important to remember to be mindful and cautious when we are talking about possibly offending anyone in our audience. If we are not careful, we could lose all credibility as a speaker from being careless with diverse beliefs in the audience.

I think this really applies to the FIRST DAY of class. As I prepare for upcoming lessons and new faces, I am reminded how important this really is in the first days of school. I hope to possibly have a new "get to know you" presentation idea from this class for those first few days!

I think that as teachers we are sometimes really bad at showing kids the amount of work we put in. There is a difference between complaining and being transparent. When my students realize that I spend two hours outside of their extra rehearsals working for them, they work harder for me. It is important to go about this by not acting burdened but by demonstrating that you believe in the work so you are willing to carry the weight - they are more likely to feel the same way too.

This is REALLY true and as a musician, is a great connection I can make for my students to the level of rehearsal we put in for a concert. If they can see that this type of rehearsal is important in the business world too, it may help them to find it more relevant to practice. The problem is, I don't know many people willing to put in this kind of time!

I love this quote!

I'm actually going to purchase one right now!

I generally appreciate when skeptical audience members challenge the topic I'm discussing for exactly this reason. It gives me a deeper understanding of what I'm trying to explain...

True. Just like in practice for sports, if we don't do a live run, the presentation most likely won't go the way we want. And in doing this we prepare ourselves for the unexpected. 

And if we want to sell what we are presenting we need to rehearse. I'm on my 4th round of my current presentation that I will share...

We've purchased Camtasia, which allows for screen and video recording at the same time...