Tag: assignment

Presentation Strategies

Presentation

Tips

  • Format
    • What form will your presentation take? Prezi, PowerPoint, Google Slides, a skit, a song?
    • Slides should be visual! Choose images, colors, and fonts carefully. (Cite all images and videos!)
    • Follow the rule of 7 (aim for 7 words or less on each slide).
    • Know of all your material without reading it from the presentation slides.
  • Flow
    • Avoid repetition!
    • Practice together as a group.
    • Speak slowly and clearly.
  • Interactivity
    • Engage your audience.
    • Make eye contact with your audience.
    • Design a survey, quiz, Q&A, or something to solicit responses from your peers.
  • Timing
    • 15 mins to present, 5 for questions.
    • Practice makes perfect.

The goal is to be engaging and informative. Watch Shark Tank and TED Talks for inspiration.

Pitch feedback

On each pitch post, answer the following questions in the comment section.

  1. What excites you about this project and why?
  2. What do you want to see more of and why?
  3. What additional evidence does the audience need for you to be convinced that this research is complete?

Essay in class

In this class we have discussed how technology has impacted the education system. Both The Nether and Ready Player One show a fictionalized version of our future. Compare how both Jennifer Haley and Ernest Cline demonstrate the positive and negative impacts of Virtual Reality (VR) on our education system, and make a clear argument about how you feel VR should be incorporated into our classrooms.

  • Use in-text citations for paraphrasing, summary, and quotation in MLA format.
  • Use direct evidence from both texts.
  • Aim for at least 2 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman, size 12, 1 inch margins.
  • Make sure to have a thesis statement and transitions.

Final Assignment

For your final project you will use all of the readings and discussions we have had throughout this semester to inspire your own creation: a virtual reality experience that focuses on the education system. You may draw from your own personal experience, the readings we have done, and outside research to design a short VR application intended to educate your audience. Consider using the NYTimes VR applications as inspiration ans models for your work. You will design this simulation as an entry to the grant competition being held by the U.S. Department of Education:

https://haptic.al/department-of-education-virtual-reality-42f5ce1187dc#.bvdpaqmgi

Please review the specific criteria here:

https://www.edsimchallenge.com/

Grant Winner Selection Criteria

The following criteria will be used to select the winner(s):

  • Learning Outcomes.
    Contains clearly defined academic, technical, and employability learning objectives; (1) spurs change or improvement in the user’s knowledge and skills; and (2) evokes empathy in the viewer.
  • User Experience.
    The simulation prototype demonstrates an engaging user experience on par with commercially available entertainment games.
  • User Interface.
    The simulation prototype exhibits a thoughtful user interface design on par with commercially available entertainment games.
  • Commitment and Research.
    The submission (1) demonstrates the entrant’s evolution and improvement of currently available VR applications; and (2) illustrates the entrant’s ability and intention to improve upon and scale the simulation beyond the prototype.
  • Implementation Strategy.
    The submission describes a detailed plan for implementation that takes into account potential barriers such as cost and technological constraints, including integration with existing and future technology, and proposes potential solutions to overcome such barriers.
  • Long-term Vision.
    The submission: (1) demonstrates a plan for encouraging collaboration among the developer community, including making aspects of the solution available through open source licenses; and (2) provides a vision of how the entrant’s plan will stimulate the broader educational simulation market.

To accomplish this task, the project will be broken down into steps.

  1. Individual pitches: each student will conceptualize and present their idea for a project in 3 minutes. The class will vote on the top 4 or 5 projects. (10 points)
  2. Group contracts: in small groups of 3-4, students will outline their plan for this project and assign roles and responsibilities for each student to accomplish. A timeline and due dates will be established. (5 points)
  3. Formal proposals: each group will compose a 5-7 page proposal for their project meeting the criteria of the competition. The proposal will include outside research, citations, and a bibliography. (50 points)
  4. Storyboard: each group will create a demo of the simulation by making script and storyboard for their prototype. (20 points)
    Storyboard (Hints and Tips)

  5. Final presentation: this is your mock presentation to the U.S. Department of Education. You will present all of your research and your prototype using: PowerPoint, Google Slides, Prezi, Emaze, handouts, poster, etc. You have 12 minutes plus 3 for questions (15 total).
    The final presentations are during our final exam period. Feel free to bring food/drinks to share!100 points total

Pitch

For your final project you will be creating an educational VR experience that evokes empathy. The first step in this process is to pitch your idea to your potential investors (your classmates). To accomplish this you must present:

  • A 350 word abstract in MLA format. Post this to the blog under tag “pitch.” Find examples here: http://www.umt.edu/ugresearch/umcur/sample_abstracts.php
  • A description of your intended audience and an explanation of how you will reach them.
  • A clear purpose and an explanation of why this is educational and evokes empathy.
  • Citations and evidence of research.

You will have 5 minutes to present, and I will time you. Think of this like a Shark Tank pitch. You want the presentation to be convincing, dynamic, and well researched. Be prepared to answer questions from the audience.

Provocations

Throughout the semester you will notice “provocation” assignments built into our syllabus. They are often broken into groups and correspond to longer works of fiction. Provocations are meant to provide context and support for your student-led discussions in class. In order to complete these assignments you must:

  • Read the assigned text very closely and annotate it thoroughly.
  • Choose one section of the text you found most interesting/problematic/controversial/stimulating and summarize it in 5-7 sentences.
  • All direct quotes, paraphrasing, and summaries must have an MLA citation.
  • Construct a complex question for your classmates to answer about that section of the text that will spark a lively debate.

On the blog, you will post your provocations BEFORE class time as indicated on the syllabus. ONLY post when your group is listed on the syllabus. Use the category and tag provided by your professor for each post.

These posts will be graded on a 5 point scale:

  • 5points= An engaging, thought-provoking post that shows attention to detail and comprehension of the text. Grammar and mechanics must be practically perfect (edit carefully!). Direct evidence from the text with a citation must be included.
  • 4points = An accurate summary and well-composed question that may contain a small, but not catastrophic, misreading or errors in grammar and mechanics.
  • 3points= A sloppy post that shows little effort and does not include the elements listed above.
  • 2points= A post that is a day late, or difficult to read, or phrased in a way that students would be unable to respond.
  • 1point= A post that is a week late, contains numerous errors, and does not contribute to the conversation.
  • 0points= The post does not exist.

Please create these summaries and questions yourself: DO NOT STEAL OTHER PEOPLES WORK. If I find you have plagiarized these posts you will be reported. If you are struggling please come see me or email me with questions.