Starting this project, I thought the hardest part would be remembering what to say. But after watching all four groups present on Zoom, I realized there is a lot more that goes into a good presentation than just knowing the information. The way you organize your ideas, use your slides, speak to the audience, and even handle small problems can completely change how people experience your presentation. Looking back at everyone’s work also made me think more about my own strengths and the things I still want to improve. So, with all of that in mind, let’s get into what I learned from these presentations and what I want to improve moving forward.
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𑣲.After watching all four group presentations in our Zoom class, I feel like I understand public speaking a lot better than I did before. At first, I thought presenting online would probably be easier than presenting in person because you are not physically standing in front of a room full of people. But after doing our own presentation and watching the other groups, I realized that Zoom presentations have their own challenges too. You still have to keep people interested, speak clearly, organize your information, and find ways to connect with the audience even when everyone is behind a screen.
One thing I really liked about this assignment was seeing how different every group was. Even though we were all presenting information from the same textbook, every group had its own style. Some presentations were more visual, some included a lot of information, some were easier to understand, and others focused more on interacting with the class. Watching all of these different approaches showed me that there is not only one correct way to give a good presentation.
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𑣲.One of the biggest things I noticed was how important it is to keep people interested during an online presentation. When everyone is watching from their computer, it is very easy to get distracted. Because of that, I think the way the slides are designed becomes even more important.
The presentations were easier for me to follow when the slides had short points, pictures, and clear information instead of entire paragraphs. When there was too much writing on the screen, I sometimes found myself reading instead of actually listening to the speaker.
This made me realize that PowerPoint slides should support the person speaking, not replace them. The speaker should be able to explain most of the information in their own words while the slides give the audience something simple to follow.
This is something I want to improve in my own presentations too. Sometimes I put more information on my slides because I am scared I might forget something. After this project, I think it is better to understand the information well enough that I can explain it naturally instead of having every sentence written in front of me.
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𑣲.Preparing my sections of the presentation also helped me understand the textbook more than just reading it.
My sections included evaluating and selecting a speech topic, identifying a specific purpose, creating a thesis statement, and using narratives. Before working on these topics, I did not really think about how many decisions happen before someone even starts presenting.
For example, choosing a topic sounds easy, but you have to think about whether the audience will actually care about it, whether you can find enough reliable information, and whether the topic is small enough to explain in the amount of time you have.
I also learned that simply knowing your topic is not enough. You need to know what you want the audience to understand at the end. That is where the specific purpose and thesis become important. Having a clear main idea helps keep everything connected and makes it easier to decide what information belongs in the presentation.
Narratives were also one of my favorite concepts because stories can make a topic feel more personal. Facts and definitions are important, but sometimes a short story or real example can make the audience understand the idea much faster.
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𑣲.Another thing I noticed throughout the presentations was how useful examples are.
Sometimes a textbook definition can sound complicated at first, but once someone gives a simple example, the idea becomes much easier to understand. We learned that speakers can support their ideas with things like examples, narratives, facts, statistics, definitions, and testimony.
Personally, I think examples and stories are some of the easiest ways to connect with an audience.
For example, someone could explain the definition of stress, but if they talk about a college student having three exams and several assignments in the same week, most students can immediately understand what they mean. It makes the information feel more real instead of just being something from a textbook.
I would definitely like to use more examples like that in future presentations.⠀
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⠀⠀⠀⠀𑣲.One of the things that stood out to me was the use of Kahoot.I think something interactive works especially well in a Zoom class because everyone has already spent a lot of time watching the screen and listening to people talk. Having an activity gives the audience something different to do.
The Kahoot made the presentation feel more interactive and gave people a reason to think about the information instead of only hearing it. It was also a good way to see if people actually remembered what had been explained.
This made me realize that audience interaction does not have to be complicated. It can be something like a Kahoot, a poll, a question in the chat, or even asking everyone to think about an example.
In future presentations, I would like to include more things like this because I think it helps people stay focused, especially online.⠀
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⠀⠀⠀ 𑣲.Every group had something different that caught my attention.One of the presentations really stood out because of its visual style. The colors, pictures, and overall design made it memorable. That showed me that visuals can have a big effect on what people remember after a presentation is over.
Another group had a lot of information to explain, which made me realize how difficult it can be to include everything important without overwhelming the audience. There has to be a balance between giving enough information and making sure people can actually follow it.
I also liked when groups broke complicated information into smaller sections. Textbook concepts can sometimes sound more difficult than they really are, so when someone explains them in simple words and gives examples, it feels much easier to understand.
Watching all of the groups made me realize that different speakers have different strengths. One person might be really good at explaining, while another person might have great visuals or be better at interacting with the audience.
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𑣲.One thing I think almost everyone could improve was timing.
Some presentations ended up being longer than expected. When several people are presenting together, it can be hard to predict exactly how much time each person is going to need.
I do not think the solution is speaking faster because then the audience might not understand anything. I think the better solution is planning how much time each person has and deciding which information is really necessary.
Transitions between group members are also important. When everyone knows exactly when their part starts and ends, the presentation feels much smoother. If people are not sure whose turn it is, even a few seconds of confusion can make the presentation feel less organized.
For a future group presentation, I think practicing the whole thing together at least once would help a lot. It would make it easier to see if one section is too long or if the transitions need to be improved.
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𑣲.Another thing I learned is that speaking naturally is not always easy.
When you are nervous, having your notes and slides in front of you makes it very tempting to just read everything. Zoom makes this even easier because the audience cannot always tell exactly where you are looking.
But I noticed that when someone explained the information in their own words, I paid more attention. It felt more like they were actually teaching the topic instead of repeating something from the screen.
This is probably one of the biggest things I want to improve about myself.
I want to use my notes as support instead of depending on them completely. I also want to work on looking toward the camera more, because even though eye contact is different on Zoom, looking at the camera can still make the presentation feel more personal.
I also want to improve my confidence and my speaking pace. Sometimes when I get nervous, I speak faster without realizing it. I think knowing my information better and practicing before presenting will help me feel more comfortable.
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𑣲.The Project Managers' feedback was also useful because it gave us another perspective.When you are the person presenting, you are usually thinking about your own information, your microphone, your slides, and what you need to say next. Because of that, you may not notice things like speaking too quickly, reading too much, or spending too much time on one section.
Having someone else watch and give feedback can help you notice things that you did not realize yourself.
I also liked that the feedback included both positive comments and things we could improve. I think constructive criticism is much more helpful when someone recognizes what worked while also explaining what could be better next time.
It made me realize that nobody is supposed to become a perfect public speaker after one presentation. Every presentation is another opportunity to learn something and improve.
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𑣲.Overall, these presentations taught me that public speaking is about much more than having correct information.
Organization, visuals, examples, audience interaction, timing, confidence, and the way you communicate your ideas can completely change how people experience a presentation.
For my future presentations, I want to keep my slides simple and visual, use more examples, and find ways to involve the audience. I also want to improve my timing, look at the camera more, and depend less on reading from my notes.
I think one of the most useful parts of this assignment was being able to watch other students present. It gave me the opportunity to see different styles and think about what techniques I would like to use myself.
Even though presenting through Zoom is different from standing in front of a classroom, it still takes preparation and confidence. After watching all four groups and thinking about my own presentation, I feel like I understand my strengths and weaknesses better. The biggest thing I want to improve is being able to explain my ideas in a way that feels natural, clear, and interesting instead of feeling like I am simply reading information from a screen.
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Here’s a video that can help and give us some useful tips for our next presentation. 𑣲𝄞˖ ݁♬⋆.˚𝄞⠀
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❀⋆.ೃ࿔ THANKS FOR READING.ᐟ❀⋆.ೃ࿔⠀⠀
Double wow! This is awesome! Great creativity!!
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