Reflection on learning in AEP

a) What are the most valuable things you learned about the process of preparing and delivering presentations? (2 or more):

There are two things I think that are most valuable in the precess of preparing and delivering presentations, which are thorough rehearsal, and use of visuals. First, I realized the importance of the thorough rehearsal when I finished the Presentation No.1 and 2. In the preparation process, I did not do a rehearsal of the presentation, but I had a vague idea of what to speak in the presentation, and I thought it would be enough. But when I delivered the presentation, I often lost my way and could not speak fluently. After I did a thorough rehearsal on Presentation No.3, I could memorize the whole structure and what to say in the presentation, so I could focus on other things such as body language and eye-contact while speaking. Second, I think use of visuals is important because it is hard to understand what the speaker wants to say just by listening to it, especially when the audience is non-native. And it is more likely to lose concentration without visuals. Visuals gets the attention of the audience and makes easier to understand the contents.

b) In what presentation skill areas do you feel you have made progress or improved your awareness? (2 or more)

I think I made progress in especially 2 presentation skills, which are use of visuals, and use of voice. First, I think I improved on using visuals since I realized the importance of visuals as I said before, and worked hard on it. I learned in the class that you should use visuals which are simple and easy to understand, and should not use a lot of visuals in one slide. I tried to apply those elements on my slides, and I think it became much better than before. Second, I tried to improve my use of voice after I watched my own presentation on the video. I did not know before I watched the video that I do not speak clearly. After that, on Presentation No.3, I tried to speak as clear as possible, and I improved a little bit. However, I still have the space to improve.

c) What points do you want to improve further in your future presentations? How can you improve those? (2 or more)

There are two points that I want to improve in the future presentation, which are body language, and emphasis.First, I want to improve my body language in the future presentation because I think body language is very important when delivering a presentation, and I was not that successful in that element. I think body language is important by the same reason of the importance of use of visuals: It is hard to understand what the speaker is trying to say just by listening. Body language gets the audience's attention and it pretty much determines the tension of the presentation. In this course, I became able to speak freely without the script and focus on the audience, but the body language was not sufficient. I would like to improve my body language and be able to deliver a presentation more actively. Second, I want to be able to make more emphasis on both voice and body language. As I said before, in this course, I became able to speak more freely without the script, but I could not think about emphasizing the important parts. From now I want to be more concise on the emphasis and be able to deliver a presentation with high and low tension.

Presentation No.3

Reflection on Presentation No.3

a) The process of preparation and rehearsal:
Our group did 2 group works and we made suggestions to each others slides and script. We also collected a lot of information by primary and secondary sources. We interviewed one of the leader of the Hope for Haiti icu, and I personally did a lot interviews to the members of the organization.
I did a lot of rehearsal on my part of the presentation, so that I could speak naturally without looking at the script. This was my goal for this presentation so I am satisfied.

b) The effectiveness of the introduction:
At the introduction of our group presentation we showed a video so that people who are watching could see what is going in Haiti and this made people emotionally moved and made it easier to understand why they actually need the help.
At my part of introduction, I started with the question, "How can we help them?" I think this caught the audience's attention and it was effective.

c) The persuasiveness and organization of the content in the body:
First, we showed how desperately Haiti needs help and reached to the audience's emotion. Second, we introduced an organization that can help Haiti and improve the society, and explained how it is effective to make a change. Finally, we showed the credibility of the organization. This structure made the presentation logical and persuasive.

d) The conclusion and Q&A:
The conclusion made it clear the short term effect and the long term effect of the donation. It made the ending persuasive.
The Q&A part was OK. We could answer all of the questions and confirmed if we hed answered the questions they asked.

e) Use of visuals:
Almost all of the slides had some kind of visuals and connected to the contents so that I think it was easy to understand. Especially, visualizing the short term effect and long term effect of the investment to the organization was very effective and persuasive.

f) Body language: Eye contact, facial expression, gestures, and posture:
I think I improved a lot on Eye contact, gestures and postures. Since I prepared a lot compared to Presentation No.2, I could focused to the audience much more.

g) Use of voice:
I tried to speak clearly as much as I can because my natural voice it not that easy to listen to. And I think I achieved my goal. My partner told me that my voice was clearer than last time.

h) Future Goals:
Although I improved a lot compared to the last presentation, there are many things I have to work on. I have to speak more clearly, use visuals more effective, make more eye-contacts with the audience, and so on. I want to be a more sophisticated speaker.

Presentation No.2

Reflection on Presentation No.2
1. Preparation/Rehearsal
I simulated in my mind what to say on each slide, but did not write down because I thought I would get disturbed by the script and not being able to focus on the other aspects. However, my simulation was not enough that I forgot what to say many times during the presentation.
2. Content / Overall Impression
I think I got the attention of the audience when I used my bad example, but as everybody suggested, I should have focused more on the solution and not focusing too much on the examples.
3. Voice
I think I speak clearer and used emphasis than last presentation, but still it was a little hard to listen when I saw the video.
4. Body Language
I tried to use more body language than last time and I think it improved. But there were many unnecessary moves as well, such as touching the watch, and repeating the same gesture too much.
5. Visuals
I think I did well on choosing the visuals. I tried to make it easy as possible to understand, and tried not to use much images on one slide

Goals for Further Presentation
Next time I will try to not only simulate in my mind but actually practice in front of the mirror. Even though it would not be exactly the same in the real presentation, going it through once will help me to know which part I am not well prepared.
I will also try to use clearer voice and try not to make unnecessary body gesture.

My goals for Presentation NO.2

Purpose - Teach everybody, and especially ME how to finish their HW on time. I suppose many of the students sometimes cannot submit their HW on time. I am ALWAYS late on time. So I would like everybody to be able to stop making excuses to their teachers and start finishing their job on time.

Audience - My teacher Marc and the 8 classmates in the AEP class at ICU.

Logistics - 5 min. max + short Q&A with the slides with visuals and keywords.

Attention-Getter: It grabbed my attention when she talked about the irony that the problem she grapples is "defining" poverty. It made me think of how I define poverty.

Credibility: She says in the beginning that she has been working on issues of poverty for 20 years. This shows this woman's credibility.

Topic: She gives the topic of this presentation, "poverty" in the very beginning and it was very easy to understand.

Preview of Points: She didn't gave her points in the beginning, but she actually did not have many points.

Presentation No.1 Reflections and Self-Analysis
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First of all, I did not set a goal clearly before I started my presentation. I really felt that setting goals before the presentation is very important. I often lost my way during I was speaking.

1. Successfully achieved purpose / main message?

Reflection: I wanted to convey my passion on the importance of creating the opportunity for Israeli and Palestinian students to meet each other. I think I okay but not perfect.

Ideas for Improvement: It could be better if I explained more about how conference influenced the participants, not just talking about background knowledge on the issue

2. Use of voice? (rhythm, emphasis, pausing, variation)

Reflection: I was not speaking clearly at all. It sounds like I am sleepy.

Ideas for Improvement: I should speak louder and clearer. I have to work on the emphasis and the rhythm too.

3. Use of body language? (posture, gestures, eyes, face)

Reflection: I was using body language, but most of it was the same.

Ideas for Improvement: I want to be able to use different gestures, and also facial expressions.

4. Use of visuals?

Reflection: I think I did well on using visuals by using simple visuals. But maybe it was hard to understand about the issue on that map.

Ideas for Improvement: I have to choose a better map or graph to describe the details. Also I think I can put in more words.

5. Preparation & rehearsal process?

Reflection: NOT ENOUGH. I got a little bit nervous and lost my way few times. Also I was not managing my time.

Ideas for Improvement: Do rehearsal at least few times before give a presentation. Going it through from beginning to end will make you analyze the thoughts.