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About / Programs / STEAM@Schoolcraft / Presentation Tips

Your STEAM Presentation: 7 Key Tips for Success 

Created by Chris Wood

Note: You don’t need to perfectly meet all these guidelines, but the more the better!


Tip #1: Presentation & Originality

  • Your presentation consists of clearly original and innovative ideas, content, and activities that highlight the unique attributes of your topic.
  • Feel free to use already existing content, but the goal is to create your own material to the maximum extent possible.

Tip #2: Audience Engagement

Try to engage with your audience rather than just speak at them. The goal is an actively engaged audience, rather than a passive one.

Question Your Audience

Spice up your presentation with open-ended questions. Examples: has anyone played with Legos as a child? Does anyone still play with Legos? Did Albert Einstein work on the development of the atomic bomb? Ask for personal testimony, e.g. who can share a story about the worst job you ever had? Who considers themselves to be a very left-brained or very right-brained person?

Demonstrations

If at all possible, consider some kind of live demonstration. Make your presentation activity-based to the maximum extent possible!

Gaming and Polling

Walt Disney, I think, said: “I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained.” So true. Check out the following engagement tools:

  • Kahoot!: Make learning awesome! Kahoot! delivers engaging learning to billions. Teachers, students, businesses, and parents all use Kahoot! for group learning, e-learning, distance learning, and self-study everywhere!
    • Sign up with Google account
    • Training Video: How to use Kahoot! in the Classroom
  • Mentimeter: Collect polls, data, and opinions from participants using smart devices.
    • Sign up with Google account
    • Training Videos:
      • Create your first Mentimeter presentation
      • 5 Ways to use Mentimeter to Engage and Interact with Students
  • DirectPoll: Live polling
  • MindMeister: Free mind maps
    • Training Video: How to Create Engaging Mind Map Presentations
  • PearDeck Google Slides add-on: make your google slides presentation interactive with google templates.
  • PollEverywhere: Create polls
  • Whiteboards:
    • SketchPad
    • Blackboard Whiteboard

Tip #3: Visuals

  • Your presentation includes easy to follow queues, and prompts that appeal to attendees and enhances their grasp of your topic. Include videos, graphs (https://www.canva.com/graphs/), charts, and images.
  • No dis-embodied voices. Lively, easy-to-view graphics are essential — but don’t overdo it! Your presence (your face!) needs to dominate your presentation. Consider multiple simultaneous on-screen frames. Try to always be on the screen. Other frames can contain videos, graphs, charts, and images.

Tip #4: Citations

  • Show or mention your key sources – it lends credibility!

Tip #5: Relevance

  • Your presentation includes practical applications relevant for today’s cohort of students and community members.
  • Connect to today’s issues.

Tip #6: Preparation

  • For oral presentations, 12 minutes is a really short amount of time! Rehearse your presentation many, many times!
  • Meet with your assigned STEAM Committee Contact–they look forward to providing a lot of helpful feedback!
  • An Info-Session will take place on Friday, May 1st from 11a-12p via Blackboard Collaborate  
  • Dress Rehearsal workshops will take place Wednesday, May 20th 10a-12p, 1p-3p remotely

Tip #7: More Great Advice

  • 10 Ways to Keep Your Audience Engaged During an Online Presentation
  • What mistakes do people often make when they give online presentations?
  • How to Master Audience Engagement When You Present

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    Center for Experiential Learning

    Livonia Main Campus

    Schoolcraft College

    18600 Haggerty Road, Livonia MI 48152     
    734-462-4400     
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