Course Relections

We have officially come to the end of the beginning of this Master's program. With the conclusion of this first course I can look back and clearly record some progress and lessons learned. It seems to me that these past 9 weeks flew by. Maybe this is because we packed each week with new and exciting assignments gearing us toward an action research paper accompanied by a presentation. It could be because this course fell smack dab in the middle of my work and family life (both of which are full time jobs). Mainly, I feel this time passed quickly because I truly enjoyed every minute of it!

I would do myself and this course an extreme injustice if I didn't start with our instructor Matt Earnhardt. Matt made this course for me. All of this stuff I learned was relatively new and a bit confusing at times, but he kept me focused and informed. I never felt that I couldn't shoot him an email, ask a question, or pick his brain. He was quick with grades (which helped me chart my progress) and quick with replies. I couldn't have asked for a better instructor for my first Master's level course. Thanks Matt for everything!

I felt the course was more than adequate in preparing me for in-depth research as a leader. I was reintroduced to the Hunt Library and its vast amount of resource material. I learned qualitative and quantitative research methods to gather information. Literature reviews and annotated bibliographies were new to me, and I can now see how they can guide my research in the future. I also learned that you can not trust everything you find on the Internet. I already had a good idea of that one, but using the CARS technique to validate a sources was quick and effective. But the biggest lesson I learned was in action research.

By conducting my action research I can honestly say that I am a better facilitator for my Security Section. I chose to introduce some critical thinking elements into my training regiment. I got to weigh the pros and cons of old methods of training with using CT and discovered that everyone benefited from thinking critically about our training topics... especially me! I learned that action research sparks an ongoing process to implement an idea and continue to improve on it. I am better for it and my guys are interested in our training times together.

Overall, I have nothing negative to say about this course and its development. There were times when this new (and sometimes confusing) information seemed overwhelming, but Matt was there to keep me focused. He let me figure it out by pointing me in the right direction and letting me "go with it". If this first course has any reflection on the next steps in this journey then I am all in for one heck of a ride.

On to the next one!

JP

Good Presentation Design

If you have ever sat through a Power Point presentation and felt well rested at its conclusion I can completely empathize with you. Why are most visual presentations so incredible boring? How do presenters of the "Death by Power Point" really think their audiences are getting anything out their presentation? Why must we suffer?

To answer these questions I took a closer look at why most business presentations are horrible. Gary Reynolds discusses the "Power Point Culture" in his article Presentation Zen. He describes a disconnect between audience and presenter when the presentation lacks creativity. It is not Power Points fault! PP is a useful tool to create a slide show. The blame lies with the creator (or lack there of). he points out some very basic concepts that can make a boring presentation into something memorable.

First, Reynolds touches on the misuse of multimedia tools. The Internet is full of tools a presenter can use to build a solid visual display of information. But what is the best way to use all these tools? Understanding how the audience processes information is a good step. Taking a gander at who you are presenting to is another. And, keeping it simple is probably the most important. His research shows that narration with visuals is better than narration alone, and people learn better when words are narrated rather than text. Too much visual can detract from the process and the delivery must be presented in an organized and integrated way.

Second, planning is vital for a presentation to be well received. Inputting some thought into the material, organizing, creating a story, and rehearsing are keys to success in preparing a great product. Gary suggests to start with the end in mind and gain an understanding of the overall purpose of the presentation. People don't plan to fail, they just fail to plan. Sketching out the presentation from start to finish before ever opening up Power Point (or any other tool to build a slide show) is the only way to inject creativity into a final product.

Finally, good old fashioned showman-ship helps to round out a solid performance. Making eye contact and stepping away from the podium can help build a connection with your audience. Using a remote control clicker to move through the slides is another great idea. But most importantly, pace throughout the presentation is vital. Keeping the information moving at a steady pace will keep the audience engaged. Subtle pauses can help to allow ideas to sink in, and gives you a pulse check on your audience.

Delivering a great presentation does not have to be difficult. using online tools like Prezi.com can really impact a slide show. Keeping it simple yet entertaining will help to keep the focus. Rehearsing your material will build confidence in your abilities and knowledge of the subject matter. Being creative in a building a presentation takes a little work and time, but we will all be better off for it!

Remember... The best way to get to Carnegie Hall is with PRACTICE!

JP