Effective Conference Presentations Maximise the opportunity

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Effective Conference PresentationsMaximise the
opportunity
Jim McKenna Leeds Metropolitan University
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Preparation sequence

• Mind to Paper to Action
• Look, Think, Act, Look, Think, Act, Look, Think,
  Act,

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Four Cornerstones of Effectiveness (and
prediction)
A responsive environment
Self motivation
Biological capacity
Skill to construct and carry out a plan
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Self motivation
A responsive environment
Biological capacity
Skill to construct and carry out a plan
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Outstanding teachers
Teacher flops
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You matter

• How can you prepare yourself better?

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Control the environment
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Commandments How to Give a Bad Talk

• Untidy is fine the idea speaks for itself
• NEVER waste space
• Long sentences are fine
• Small text is OK
• Colour is just showing off
• Pictures are for weak minds

Reading from the screen ensures accuracy (and
blocking eyelines adds mystery!) NEVER skip
slides in a long talk Practicing underlines low
quality
This is most important. Even if you break the
others, this can save you.
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Think what THEY want
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Your options

• Show
• Tell
• Ask

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Remember the importance of repetitionPrimacy
effectsRecency effectsHow many musclesin the
human body?
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Suggestopedia

• A clear topic?
• Make it simple
• Be direct
• Show a deep understanding of the topic
• Stick to one message
• Keep the slides simple
• Use a clear title slide
• Use an opening slide to show the presentation
  structure
• Use graphics and pictures

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Suggestopedia

• Preparing the slides?
• Short and to the point watch out for info
  overload
• Link them to the aims and objectives
• Repeat the message
• Ensure flow from one slide to the next
• Use link slides (pictures?)
• Save presentation on the PC being used in the
  presentation venue

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Suggestopedia

• Presenting complex (data) slides?
• Make simple slides complexity doesnt help
• Work for maximum impact
• Prefer graphs, figures etc over tables
• Use colour
• Use build up slides
• Provide only the summary (but have the data for
  back-up)
• Use video/ DVD
• Link to familiar examples

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Suggestopedia

• Preparing yourself?
• Practice, practice, practice. Perfect practice.
• Rehearse out loud and in front of others
• Know the audience
• Speak slowly time your delivery
• Make it interesting to you!
• Wear confortable clothes
• Suss out where you will be delivering
• Prepare physically food, sleep, toilet!
• Control your breathing
• Think positively about what you are doing
• Video yourself
• Drink water to avoid a dry mouth

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Suggestopedia

• Connecting with the audience?
• Pitch the content to match their understanding
• Look at them (eye contact)
• Smile when you look at them
• Include a joke and/or practical tasks
• Use open body language
• Welcome people as they arrive
• Use humour
• Check their understanding ask, votes (hands)

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Suggestopedia

• Delivery methods?
• Do something unexpected
• Move away from the podium
• Use a remote mouse
• Show confidence
• Use animation and enthusiasm
• Move during the talk
• Clarity and repetition
• Be original but not gimmicky
• NOT reading slides

Fun stories, real life examples Be
genuine Generate audience participation Time your
delivery Change your tone and pace (for
variety) Practice with your visual aids
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Suggestopedia

• Ensuring smooth transitions?
• Why do they have to be smooth?
• Show the progression of your idea
• Link points as you move forward
• Practice the narrative flow
• Have slides Introduction, Middle, End
• Check audience understanding

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Suggestopedia

• Better delivery with each method?
• Evaluate how it went last time
• Learn what works with each approach
• Practice on an audience
• Ask for feedback
• Copy others and learn from mistakes

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Suggestopedia

• Structure and timing?
• Repetition (rule of three)
• 1-2 slides/min
• 6 x 6 rule for words on each slide
• Favour the message over sticking to slides
• Capitalise on primacy and recency effects

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Suggestopedia

• Ending with a bang?
• Emphasise a controversial interpretation
• Visual or verbal stimulus (joke, picture)
• An ending question or provocative statement
• Finish with an open-ended idea

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Suggestopedia
Items for a conference presentation evaluation
form? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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• Things I intend to make into presentation
  strengths
• Three action points for me
• 1.
• 2.
• 3.

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• http//www.psichi.org/conventions_tips.asp