In the last chapter, we provided guidelines for writing better proposals for AECT presentations. If you followed those suggestions, or did comparable things on your own, there is a good chance that your proposal will be (or already has been) accepted. If so, you deserve congratulations, but your work is not done. Your next task is trying to ensure a good presentation at the meeting. Just as there are good classroom lectures and poor ones, the quality of presentations given at professional meetings is highly varied. Some are interesting and informative, while others are deadly dull. There are definite techniques that you can use to increase the chances that yours will be interesting and informative. We will describe the techniques that we use in the following pages, starting with suggestions for initial planning. Readers familiar with instructional design will probably note the similarity of these strategies to those they might recommend for virtually any type of didactic presentation, such as a course lecture. The goal in each case is to combine good content with an effective delivery style.
As a first step, plan and organize your presentation by constructing an outline of the major topics. If you have written a full paper written (as is recommended for most types of sessions), its major sections should provide a fairly good basis for deciding what to include. But there is no need to wait until you've written a paper; your AECT proposal should do as well (after all, the reviewers liked it!). Check the information that you were sent regarding your session and plan your outline accordingly. Note the time assigned for session which might vary from 30 minutes to 90 minutes, and the number of presenters or papers you have included or are bundled with your session. Although 30 minutes may seem like the whole week when you start preparing, the time will fill fast. Plus, you should allow time at the end for questions and maybe a discussant’s comments. Also, be sure to keep your audience in mind. Although typical audience members will have an interest in the general topic you are presenting (distance education, multimedia design, instructional theory, etc.), they may not be very knowledgeable about the specifics of your focus. Thus, try to maintain a balance between scholarly (or technical) rigor and understandability to general audiences. (Anyone who is interested in the details can always request that you send them a complete paper.)
Typically, the type of presentation made will dictate the general format used. Table 1 and the discussion below provide suggestions for three categories: a) Development projects, b) Literature reviews and analytical papers, and c) Research papers. These listings are not intended to be exhaustive or to apply to all papers in these categories; use them according to their fit with your subject and objectives. We have provided percentages of time to devote to each point. These are merely suggestions and you should feel free to change the emphasis for your paper. Be sure to leave time at the end for questions. When you've constructed your final list of major topics, add subordinate descriptors to note the important points under each.
Table 1. Typical Emphases of Three Types of Presentations
I. Development Project
Purpose
What problem or need is addressed? 25%
Background Information
Literature
Assessment Data
Description of Product 25%
Key components
How they differ from others
Application 25%
How to apply
Where to apply
Strengths & Weaknesses 15%
Best application
Least preferred application
Summary 10%
Needed improvements or extensions
Implications for research or new development
II. Analytical Papers/Literature Review
Purpose
Topic area 10%
Significance of topic
Rationale
Related Literature 25%
Relevant theories
Key research or research areas
Methods (if relevant) 10%
Analysis method
Article selection criteria
Results/Conclusions 35%
Findings
Differences with prior conclusions
Implications/Applications 20%
How can results be applied?
Predicted outcomes
Area of greatest impact/utilization
III. Research
Clear statement of the problem 15%
Topic area
Significance of study
Hypotheses/questions
Brief review of literature findings
How does this study replicate or extend prior research?
Description of research methods 25%
Subjects and basic design
Important materials
Procedure
Findings 25%
Major results
Relation to hypotheses
Conclusions/discussion 25%
Interpretations
Implications
Suggestions for further research
Let's now briefly consider the three types of presentations treated in Table 1. For development projects, in which the purpose is to describe or demonstrate a new technological application, major emphasis should be given to conveying (a) the purposes of the project; (b) the nature of the new application, model, or product that resulted; (c) how the application or product should be used; and (d) what its strengths and limitations are compared to existing alternatives. For analytical papersand literature reviews, the presenter should stress (a) what the topic area is and why it is important; (b) what the existing theories, beliefs, and/or practices are; (c) what new ideas are suggested from his/her analysis of the existing work; and (d) the implications of that analysis for researchers and practitioners. Time limitations will prevent you from providing a detailed discussion of the literature. You should focus on a few of the key issues that will be of interest to your audience. Research presentations are generally patterned on the traditional format of the written research report. Accordingly, main sections will consist of (a) an introduction that describes the topic area, literature base, current research interest, and hypotheses or research questions; (b) a methodology part that describes participants (subjects), design, materials, and procedures; and (c) a description of results and a final discussion. Obviously, in a 15- to 25-minute research presentation, there will not be sufficient time to discuss each of these areas in detail. Thus, limit your treatment of incidental or background information (e.g., details involving prior studies or present analyses), while emphasizing four essential concerns: what is unique (or important) about your study, what was done, what was found, and what the findings imply for future research and practice. In a concurrent session, you will typically want to avoid presenting complex statistical tables. Summarize your results and then direct the interested reader to tables in the full paper.
Given the identification of AECT with expertise in instructional technology, there is the natural expectancy that its presenters will use technology effectively. Aside from implying skills in designing and displaying presentation materials, “effective” technology utilization also means “selective” technology usage. Simply put, don't employ technology where it is not needed. Carefully examine your content outline and consider how each part can best be conveyed. Are there places where you could use technology to make an idea clearer, more salient, or more interesting to your audience? If so, decide what type of presentation would be best given that content, the room size and layout, and practical constraints.
The key consideration is that the technology enhances the presentation, not detract from it. Electronic presentations such as PowerPoint slides that are legible, attractively designed, and used to highlight important points can be quite effective in this regard. They will not work well, however, for conveying details, as in a complex figure or table of numbers. For those purposes, prepare a handout or consider orienting the discussion to “the big picture” instead.
If your presentation is centered on a product or application (such as a multimedia unit or website), carefully weigh the advantages of demonstrating the actual materials versus discussing them using screen shots. Discovering that an appropriate computer, projector, or Internet access is not available can totally destroy your presentation as well as put you in the wrong frame of mind. Also, uncertainties about audience size, the positioning and availability of electrical outlets, and room conditions in general leave much to chance regarding how visible and effective the demonstration will be. If your equipment needs are quite complex, you may need to determine if it is even feasible to make an adequate presentation in the allotted time. (W.C. Fields would have probably much preferred performing with kids before using a laptop with very slow, intermittent Internet access and a small projector screen before an interested audience.) As a backup, you may want to prepare detailed notes that you can use in case your technology fails. Then, if you encounter a computer-related problem, you can still discuss your key points. If you are doing a presentation with PowerPoint we suggest taking several backups, and if you need to access a web site, we encourage you to create a copy on a CDROM as a backup if your Internet access is unreliable or unavailable. We typically create a CD or two with our presentations, and we upload them to a web site where we can download another copy if we happen to loose one of our disks or the computer dies. As a last resort, think of how you will make your presentation if you cannot use a computer. It has happened before and it will happen again.
Once you have drafted your presentation outline and determined which technology to use, it's time to prepare for the actual talk. Regardless of your experience and skill as a lecturer, this remains one of the most important steps toward ensuring an effective presentation. There is an old story about a well-known orator who was asked how much time he would need to prepare for giving a 10-minute speech. His reply was “one week.” When asked next about his preparation needs for a 30-minute talk, he surprised the interviewer by asking for only one day. “Well, in that case,” the interviewer asked, “what would a three-hour talk require?” The confident reply: “I'm ready for that right now.”
The point here is that making a brief presentation is in many ways much more difficult than giving a “full-period” lecture. In the former case there is little opportunity to expand, shift direction, interact with audience members, adapt to their reactions, or entertain them with humorous stories, or personal anecdotes. The “simple” task is to describe your work in an interesting, clear, and informative way using your allotted time! Your content outline should handle the information part of your talk, while rehearsals will help you to strengthen its flow and pacing. Make your final few rehearsals “dress” ones incorporating your technology and perhaps a few colleagues as an audience. A reassuring thought here is that rehearsing a 20-minute talk only takes about 20 minutes--a very small time investment for such a large return.
Convention time is here! You have designed and prepared your presentation as described above, and are ready to deliver it. When you arrive at the convention site, take the first opportunity to check the room in which you will be presenting as well as the scheduled time. The actual room layout and seating capacity may differ from what you expected. If such should occur, you will have time to consider any adjustments that might be needed in your presentation. At a recent conference we arrived at our room, the first presentation of the conference, with adequate time to setup. Another group was using the room as a computer lab and there was no equipment available for our presentation! We spent a hectic 30 minutes with a group of attendees trying to find a room and equipment—not a great way to start the conference or presentation!
When you leave your hotel room for your session, be sure to collect all needed materials: (a) note cards or notes, (b) handouts, (c) computer equipment and disks, (e) several copies of your complete paper. Having the complete paper with you can be valuable should you need to look up some information in response to a question. We do not suggest, however, routinely distributing copies to all audience members, since only a certain percentage will be genuinely interested in reading the full report. Rather, we suggest a 3-5 page summary with important figures and tables be distributed at the beginning of your presentation. You can also include your email or url to request or download a full copy of the paper. Then, you can direct the audience to the tables and figures as you describe them. By taking a few extra copies (say, 5-10) of the full paper to the session, you probably can accommodate most of those who ask; any remaining requests can be emailed or downloaded.
Arrive at the room 15-30 minutes or so early. This early arrival will give you time to set up your equipment, arrange your materials, relax if you're feeling a little nervous, and meet the session chairperson and any other presenters. Be courteous and allow the previous group their allotted time before you begin to setup for your presentation.
During your presentation, concentrate on keeping the audience's attention. The same rules that apply to effective teaching apply here too. Clear enunciation, appropriate pacing, and interest or enthusiasm are three important qualities. Look at the audience as much as possible and not down at your paper. If you feel comfortable spending extra time on something that seems to interest them, by all means do so–it will enhance your presentation. But be careful about longer digressions. The usual result is running out of time before getting to your main findings or conclusions. Regardless of how well you are pacing yourself, someone might signal you when there are about two minutes remaining. If it looks like you are running a little behind, speed up the pace by omitting less important information. In a real pinch, proceed directly to your conclusions; they provide the summary and integration that the audience will most want to hear. Do not talk past your limit; it is unfair to other presenters.
Well, speaking of limits, we are probably getting close to exceeding ours. Thus, as is desirable in a presentation, a brief concluding statement is in order. Ours is that preparing to give a presentation at a professional meeting, using the above guidelines, does not require a great deal of effort in view of what stands to be gained. Long before you arrive at the convention you will have spent considerable time working on your study or project, and additional time writing the convention proposal. The reward is discussing and promoting your work before a professional audience, and receiving feedback and recognition in return. An enthusiastic and well-prepared presentation takes advantage of this opportunity, while an uninspired, sloppy one wastes it. And, as we have found, giving a good presentation makes us feel better about our work and ourselves as well.