Initially I thought that I would do better in an informal setting because it would be a low stress environment, but the lack of structure opposed to that of a formal presentation stressed me out more. My first presentation was much worse than my second due to the stress of organizing correctly and the time constraints. I knew all my information but it was difficult to review many years of history in just a few minutes.
I think I was well spoken and made eye contact with my audience, but I think my nerves got to me initially when I started to present. This made me a bit quieter and I tended to look down at my paper frequently. In a small group setting such as the Ed Cafe setting it is important to remember to bring visuals. Although visuals might seem unnecessary in a small group setting, they are very essential to your audiences attention span and interest in the topic. I learned that no matter how big or small a group is, visuals are key to involving your audience and getting them interested in your presentation.
I hope to improve on my small group presentation skills, mainly because I have not had much experience in this. I am used to doing presentations in a large group setting and having a very organized and set presentation. This informal setting stressed me out more than I expected and made me not as confident in my knowledge.
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Bev Sykes: basykes
- Taken on August 11, 2010
- San Rafael, California, US
- Panasonic DMC-TZ5
The USHRS Blog 
historyfriend
May 30, 2013
This is an interesting and important reflection. Some people do better in a formal setting where there is a more controlled setting. The informal exchange of an EdCafe is definitely a place where the presenter can feel vulnerable. As a teacher, I have learned to be okay with not always having a ready response to every exchange. Do you think that the more informal setting more closely mirrors the way people interact in the “real world”?