Presentations and Group Work Study Skills Workshops 2015 Presentations and Group Work

Session outline Interpersonal skills Giving presentations Group work Considering the audience Being prepared Structuring your presentation Confident delivery Communications skills Group work Working effectively with others Strategies for managing groups

Interpersonal Skills Discussion questions – 5 minutes Make a list of all of the different scenarios at university that require use of interpersonal skills Why are students asked to give presentations? Why are students asked to work in groups? In small groups, discuss each of the questions. Feedback to whole group and mindmap responses

Giving Presentations What makes a presentation ‘good’? What will the tutors be assessing? - ability to summarise key information - ability to structure an ‘argument’ - quality of preparation and delivery - use of supporting visuals Mindmap responses to what makes a presentation ‘good’ – ask students to consider presentations or lectures that they have found effective. Delivery style – overcoming nerves TASK: In pairs, do shapes exercise – Ask students to sit back-to-back and one student to describe the shapes to be drawn by the other student. The ‘drawer’ is not allowed to communicate. What did they learn? What features of communication did you recognise from this game? What sort of descriptions work best? How did you respond to being given information you didn’t understand? How does this relate to giving presentations?

Consider Your Audience Purpose? Aims? Audience? Length? Purpose? Why have you been asked to give this presentation? Aims? Are you being assessed? If so, what is their marking criteria? Audience? Who are the members of the audience and what do they do? (e.g. assessors, peers, employers) What interests your audience? What is the benefit to the audience of listening to your presentation? What do they already know about the subject? What is the relationship between yourself and the audience? How will what you are going to say affect them? Will you shock or upset them? Length? How long are you being asked to present for? Will you leave time for Q&A at the end?

Effective communication Never assume knowledge Give an overview – introduction Make sure your presentation is structured Check understanding & make sure your audience are still engaged – check body language Be aware of the language you are using Be flexible and adaptable, use a variety of media if possible and re-cap. Be enthusiastic!

Being Prepared Get your ideas down – mind maps, lists, diagrams Structure - Introduction, main content, conclusion, references Visual aids – power point, handouts Prepare prompt cards Rehearse Other questions to consider: What technology will be available? Handouts: What will you put on it? Additional information Diagrams/ Graphs When will you give it to the audience? Beginning – to make notes? Middle– to add interest End – as a reminder Is it clear and helpful? Powerpoint slides: Title slide Keep it simple Font size, colour, backgrounds Animations Practise Try using the presentation planner on ASK

Structuring Your Presentation Title Introduction Main Body Conclusion Questions Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, tell them what you told them! Title - make sure it's clear and relevant Introduction - Introduce yourself; state the topic, aims or purpose of the presentation and provide an outline of the discussion Who are you? Why are you giving this presentation? What will be covered? What are your objectives? What’s in it for them? Use an opening attention grabber...? Main body - Make your case as you would with an essay; support your views with reasons and evidence; keep it clear, concise and direct Details in smooth, logical order Link and recap between points Illustrate points with e.gs Support points with reasons & evidence Clear, concise, direct Conclusion - Restate the main points, develop some conclusions and review the implications, then bring it to a clear end  Summarise main points Develop conclusions & review implications Bring the presentation to a clear end Ask for questions Questions - Leave enough time at the end of your session for the audience to ask you questions

Overcoming Nerves Often, students spend so much time worrying about the presentation, they leave little time to prepare what to say! Preparation and rehearsals help Arrive early Check out the room first Take water with you Act confident! Reflect & evaluate

Giving the talk Non-verbal communication Speak more slowly and loudly than you normally would Don’t apologise for anything you think could be better Look up and make eye contact to break down audience into individuals Use pauses to get your breath back! TASK: In pairs or small groups, prepare a two minute presentation on ‘how to make a cup of tea’ or ‘why I came to university’ – use flip chart. Handout ‘Assessing oral presentations’ Present to whole group and offer feedback on presentations

Group Work Discussion - Identify one occasion when you were in a group that worked well. What made the group successful? http://www.learnhighergroupwork.com/episodes.php Relate to skills set needed for presentations

Creating a Team What practical steps can be taken to ensure effective group working? Have a positive attitude Get to know your team – identify strengths Create a productive environment Ground rules Group working practices Decide on roles within the group Check understanding of the task Establish goals Share contact details Agree meeting dates Technology can work well to maintain group projects - What’s App, Facebook groups, Skype If problems are encountered – address them and/or speak to your lecturer

Resources ASK website advice on presentations & group work student.brighton.ac.uk/ask Learn Higher Resources http://www.brunel.ac.uk/learnhigher/giving-oral-presentations/ http://www.learnhigher.ac.uk/groupwork//index.php