Wrap up and Reflection

I have to say, your presentations were by far the funniest and most entertaining I have seen as a class. Nice work. And while your levels of project successes varied among tribes, I think you all learned about the complexities and possibilities of community outreaches as well as the importance of good communication skills.

Here are the questions I'd like you to answer for the final reflection paper:

1. What techniques did you use to prepare for a public speech when you first came to this class?
2. How did your experiences in this class change or re-enforced the way you prepare for a public speech?
3. What did you learn about communication in your final group project?
4. How did your past experiences in this class help you prepare for the final presentation?
5. What did you like best about the class? What should I change for next semester?
6. Anything else you'd like to say?

Email your reflection paper to me by or before 12:30 p.m. (just after lunch) on Thursday, December 15. Remember, there is no final exam in this class, so don't bother coming to class. Just email this refection to me. 

It was a pleasure getting to know you all. Visit me in the Studio!

Last Day of Class!

Tomorrow is our last day of class, and I'm looking forward to hearing about your experiences reaching out to the community. 

I've pasted below the rubric we designed in class. I also posted a link to the actual Google document on our Facebook group, but thought I'd paste it here as well.

This project is worth 50 points. Here is how those points are distributed.

Tribe (20 points)

• Cohesion
• Time Limit
• Full Group Participation
• Entertainment Value 
• Interaction with Audience 
• Quality of Pictures/Video

Individual (10 points)

• Body Language
• Appearance
• Fluidity of Speech
• Transitions to other speakers

Classmates will evaluate speeches based on how engaged/entertained they were by the presentation. (10 points)

Tribes will also evaluate each other based on the work each tribe member contributed to the project. (10 points)

Remember, after this assignment you have one more reflection due before our exam time is over. I will post the questions on this blog. You need to email me your refection before our exam time is over. We will not meet for our final. 

If you have any questions let me know. 

Reflection and a Video: Kinda like dinner and a movie, but most reflections are not edible

While Tuesday's class didn't go the way I expected, I hope you all are figuring out more and more exactly how your final presentation will come together.  I'm excited to see what you come up with and hope you have fun communicating with your group and the campus/community.

Before your final presentation, I want you to watch your Persuasive Speeches and reflect on your experience and presentation. (You can come by my office in the Noel Studio with a USB Drive to get a copy of your video, or take your chances on the technology in the classroom to download your video.) Once you watch your video, write your responses to the questions below and give them to me on or before the beginning of class on Thursday, December 8.

1. Your Persuasive Speech was your third speech in the class, how do you think you've been able to progress as a speaker?
2. What do you feel are your strengths as a presenter? Give me some examples you noticed in your video.
3. What about your presentation style do you feel could be improved? Again, give me some examples you noticed while watching your video.
4. Based on what you noticed in the video, what steps do you plan to take to prepare for your final presentation in this class? Be specific.
5. What about this speech assignment did you find challenging? What did you enjoy? What could I do to improve the assignment for my next class?

Remember, we have one more reflection due by Thursday, December 15 at 12:30 p.m. (that's the end time for our final exam.) After your final presentation, I will post the questions on this blog. Answer these questions and email them to me before the day/time above. This will be your final exam for this class.

For Thursday watch this Ted Talk. Consider how the speaker uses video and pictures to help us understand his project.



Have a fantastic Wednesday!

Thanksgiving Video

We had a good turnout in class today, and I think you all made good use of our time. Your tribe now has a speech outline finished, so you should know how your videos and photographs will be integrated into the final presentation.

Your outlines may change as your project progresses, but I hope these outlines serve as a helpful starting point.

Have a great turkey day on Thursday. I'll see you back in class on Tuesday. Until then, watch this video. Consider how Anna uses video and photographs as she talks about her project.



Have a happy Thanksgiving break!

Meet in Groups on Thursday and Syllabus Overview

I hope class today has helped you formulate your project and that you all are going to have fun applying some of the concepts you learned in our reading and class discussions to a small-group, community-outreach project and presentation.

On Thursday I'll be presenting at NCA, so use that time to plan or actually conduct your project. Here is the syllabus for the rest of the semester, so we all have a sense of where we are heading (please note, this plan may change):

Week 14
November 22: Discuss Ted Talk (see below for embedded video); In class composition of final outline; Final outline due by the end of class
November 24: Thanksgiving

Week 15
November 29: Discuss Ted Talk; Cloud-based software overview and workshop
December 1: Final Presentation Workshop - Meet in class

Week 16
December 6: Final Presentation Practice Run - Meet in class
December 8: Final Presentations

Week 17
Finals Week: Skill Development Self-Assessment Assignment due during exam period. Class will not meet for a final. Write where you feel comfortable. Turn in assignment via email before exam period ends.



See you on Tuesday.

A few things to do before class on Tuesday

Now that you know your new tribe and project (see blog entry below), I want you to begin thinking about ways that you will present your experience to the class as a tribe. I think the video below is a good example of a group of people having fun and then sharing their experience using public speaking, video, and photographs.

Unlike the video below, you will present with your entire tribe, but you will be using video and photos of your project to share with the class.

Also, as you watch the video, think about the unique ways Chris gets people's attention and makes people laugh. 

Remember, I'm presenting at a conference on Thursday, so be sure to attend class on Tuesday. You will have class on Thursday to complete your project. Tuesday, therefore, is a very important day to plan your project and talk about ideas with me. If, for some horrible reason, you cannot come to class on Tuesday, be sure to contact your group. Don't be left out of the project.

Since you'll be working in tribes to complete this project, I want you to read Epilogue A (pgs. 392-398) which discusses working in groups. 



Have a great weekend!

New Tribes: Here are the projects you've chosen

I'll post more in the next day or two, but for now I wanted you to know what projects are formed and who is assigned them. Congrats to those who pitched the winning topics. I think we'll have some good experiences and learn something about communication in the process. 

Be the Light
1. Lauren
2. Mackie
3. Liz
4. Michelle

Hypermilling
1. Ben P
2. Trevor
3. David
4. Hillary

Relay for Life
1. Molly
2. Cassandra
3. Ben W
4. Aubrey

Richmond Nightlife
1. Don
2. Sean
3. Evan
4. Malachi
5. Robert

Recycling
1. Micah
2. Matthew
3. Victor
4. Carmen

Ronald McDonald House
1. Kaitlyn
2. Bree
3. Chinonye
4. Shukura

Last Day of Persuasive Speeches: Thursday, November 10

We heard 12 persuasive speeches on Tuesday, so we are right on track to finish up our speeches on Thursday. If you didn't give your speech on Tuesday, be sure to attend class on Thursday to present.

After we finish the speeches on Thursday, I will ask you to write out a list of your top 10 projects. I will do my best to put you on a project that is as close to your first choice as possible. If you are not in class, I will put you in the group of my choice.

Once these new tribes are formed, I will post the chosen projects and tribe members along with the homework due on Tuesday.

Get those Xtranormal likes and prepare for speeches on Tuesday

We tried something new today, and I hope you had a positive experience with Xtranormal. I thought it would be a unique and memorable way to "discuss" chapter 11 in the book. Some of you might have had some fun with the project, and that's great.

If you haven't done so yet, post your link on our Facebook group (EKU Class), and vote for the videos you like the best. If you were absent today, the prompt for the assignment is on the Facebook page; just scroll down a bit.

Ask your friends/family to "like" your video if you want; it doesn't matter to me, but keep in mind that the video with the most likes by the beginning of class on Tuesday, November 8 will be rewarded. In fact, the entire tribe will get bonus points, so help each other out.

Thursday I'll be traveling to a conference, so be good. Use class time to practice your presentation. Scroll down on the blog entries to refresh yourself on the assignment if needed.

See you Tuesday and have a productive weekend.

Outlines and reflections and flyers, oh my.

Our discussion about the recruitment speech was really insightful for me. You all have grasped so much of the abstract concepts from the book. I really enjoyed the unique ways you analyzed the organization and appeals the speakers used.

On Tuesday, our next class, your outline is due and so are your speech reflections. I also want you to read Chapter 11. Focus on characteristics of effective delivery.

Bring your flyer to class. It should be on a 8.5 by 11 piece of paper. This should serve as a visual reminder of what your topic is and what your group may be doing if formed. You can also display the flyer with the doc cam while you speak.

Remember, on Thursday I'll be presenting at a conference, so I want you to use the time to practice.

Bring Outline Drafts to Class and Read Chapter 15

Our final outlines for the persuasive speeches are due on Tuesday, November 1 along with the reflections on your informative speeches, so I'd like you to bring in a printed copy of your outline to class this Thursday.

We will begin the class with a guest presentation. The presentation will be persuasive in nature, so I want you to take notes to see how the speech is organized and how the speaker(s) make a connection with you, the audience. I'm interested in what you think works in the presentation as it pertains to chapter 15 in the book.

After the presentation we will get some feedback from the tribe on your outlines. Remember, outlines are worth 25 points.

Have a productive Wednesday.

Read Chapter 10 and other important information

We braved the chilly, rainy weather only to suffer the unrelenting heat from a broken furnace, but we did get to talk about our speeches and work through some ideas. I hope our computer glitches didn't set you back.

If you are still struggling with speech ideas please let me know. Email me. Now. Or ask Siri if you have an iPhone 4S. Or make an appoint at the Noel Studio. Don't wait.

For Tuesday's class, I'd like you to read Chapter 10 in your book. I'm not assigning a video because I want you to watch your own video. If you were not in class today--or if your video isn't working--email me, set up an appointment, and bring your USB drive to my office to get a copy.

After you watch your informative speech, I want you to write a reflection paper. The prompt is written in the blog entry below. These reflections are due on November 1 (the same day your outline is due), but you can bring it to class early if you'd like.

Have a great weekend.

Reflection Questions

What did you learn from your first speech that you applied to your informative speech?

What did you like about your informative speech?

What would you like to do better?

What steps can you take to improve your next speech?

What about the informative speech assignment did you find helpful? What about the assignment should be changed?

Any other comments?

Focusing your topic and more plans for your persuasive speech

Thanks for experimenting with Prezi today. I think this structure may be helpful with providing ideas and feedback on our topic ideas. As such, I want you to log back into our group Prezi, choose a box, put your topic and a brief description into the box (if you haven't already), and provide comments on three other speech topics. Put your name, then the comment using the "body" font.

Remember the "locavore restaurant" idea was mine, so it doesn't count for comments. If you were not in class today, email me asap and I'll send you a link.

The outline for your persuasive speech is due November 1. The speeches will be on November 8 and 10. The goal of your speech is to present an idea for a project, adventure, or experience to the class and try to convince them to join you on your mission. You will also create a flyer to help remind people of your project idea.

Remember, our Persuasive speech is 3 to 4 minutes long--no longer. You will have no technology except the doc cam, which you can use to project your flyer, which will be persuasive in nature.

If you have any questions email me or set up a meeting to talk in the Noel Studio.

Also for Thursday, be sure to read chapter 8 and watch the video below. (Here's a link.)



Have a great Wednesday!

Coming up with a Persuasive Speech topic

We got so much covered today; thanks for keeping up and staying focused. 

This weekend I want you to come up with a plan for your next speech. Read posts below if you forgot how the assignment works. And please, feel free to bounce ideas off of me via email. I should be online most of the time.

Have your topic idea ready for class on Tuesday, and read Chapter 6 in your book. We may have some class time for you to get feedback on your speech topic ideas, so if you have a few, bring them all to class.

I also want you to watch the video below by Graham. (Here's a link.) I think it's fitting because his speech could be a project proposed to the class.



Have a great weekend.

Survey

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SApostel

Fall Break: A few things that need to be done

Well, we almost got through all our informative speeches, but due to the technical glitch today in class we still have speeches that will be covered when we get back from break on Thursday, Oct 13.

For that class I want you to read Chapter 14 in the book. It's a good discussion of how persuasion works, something you all should consider as you begin your next speech. Bring some ideas to class, we'll us some of that time to discuss them in groups.

I also want you to watch this short video (here's a link). Consider how Marcin proposes we change the way modern civilization works:



Have a fun and safe Fall break!

Last Day of Informative Speeches: Thursday, October 6

Our Informative Speeches are about over, and I've learned so much. Thanks. We will finish up these speeches on Thursday, so be sure to attend--especially if you haven't presented yet. Thursday is the last day for these speeches.

Some of you have asked me about the next speech we will give in class. It's a persuasive speech in which you will have 6 minutes to present a project to the class.

This project should be something that could be completed with four or five people in one class period after one class period of preparation. I've seen a wide range of projects completed: fundraisers, volunteer work, prayer walk, condom distribution, litter collection, random acts of kindness, community garden plans, awareness campaigns, promotional material production ... the project depends on you, your interests, and your imagination.

Your mission is to get four or five people in the class excited enough to put your project first on their list.

Based on your presentation, the class will vote on projects they would like to complete. I will form groups based on how you vote, and the project will be done. Your final speech will be entertaining in nature, as you present, with your group, what you did for your class project.

We can talk about this next speech more in class. But I just wanted to give you a heads up, so you can begin thinking of some project ideas. Feel free to comment on this blog post or email me with any questions.

Have a great Wednesday.

Speeches Begin Thursday

We got a lot covered in class today. I hope you enjoyed my little talk and our discussion on designing visual presentation aids. Standing behind the podium (most of the time) and giving my talk let me know how you all will feel as you present. Thanks for talking me into it.

For class on Thursday, be prepared to deliver your informative speech. We had four volunteer, but we may need four or more other speeches. I will ask for volunteers; then I will draw names at random. If you are not ready to go, you will have points deducted.

Your participation during the speeches will be graded as well, so make sure you provide helpful comments and feedback to your peers. The quality of your comments is part of your grade. If you are absent during the speeches, you will have points deducted.

I want us all prepared and ready to go on Thursday. I feel that's the fairest way to approach these speeches. Email me if you have any questions or post something on our Facebook group.

Take another look at the speech rubric I handed out just to be safe. Please practice and do well. We are all pulling for you and want you to engage us as audience members.

Have a great Wednesday.

Outlines Due Tuesday

After today's class discussion I hope you have a good idea of what you plan to do to gain and hold your audience's attention. Our speeches begin on Thursday, but I'll be picking up your outlines on Tuesday--our next class. I'll pick them up at the beginning of class, so have them printed or you will have points deducted.

Our reading for this weekend is chapter 9 in the book. It's about writing and designing an outline and provides valuable input to the outline that you'll be turning in on Tuesday, especially pages 208 and 209.

I also want you to watch this short video (here's a link). I thought it was interesting considering our discussion on engaging with your audience because it brings up different cultures. 



Have a great weekend.

New Tribes and a new project

Wow, what a busy class. You should have plenty of feedback on your outlines and a good idea of what you need to accomplish to prepare for your introductory speech. I hope you enjoy working in your new tribes and that you all pull together to create the best speeches in the class.

Remember, once our speeches are over, you'll be able to vote on your favorite speeches (not from your tribe). If any tribe has two of the top five speeches, that entire tribe will get bonus points.

For Thursday, I'd like you to read chapter 13. I also want you to watch this short video (here's a link); focus on the section of the book I mentioned in class.



Have a great Wednesday.

Central Ideas are looking good, now let's consider organization

I had a great time in class today and hope you found our discussion beneficial. You all have some interesting topics for your next speech. I'll be interested to see if any of your Facebook friends comment on your speech topic.

For Tuesday, watch the video below by Ken Robinson (here's a link). Think about how the section we discussed in Chapter 7 applies to his discussion.

I also want you to have a rough draft of your outline typed out and printed, ready for class. It should demonstrate that you are thinking about the organization of your speech. You should have access to the document as a digital file as well. You can email it to yourself or put it on the cloud--Skydrive, Google Docs, Dropbox, it's up to you, but we may have some time to work in this in class.



Have a great weekend.

Adapting to your Audience...things to consider

I had a great time playing with Edistorm today, and I hope you found the session helpful as you brainstorm ideas for your next speech.

Remember, the Informative Speech must be five to six minutes long. The topic is open, but I want you to find something that you want to know more about. Your passion, your narrative of the search to find the information can really help you connect to your audience. You are in a tech-savvy room. Feel free to use the technology: Prezi, PowerPoint, xtranormal, videos, music. Just make sure it's content you created or that I approve.

The speech is worth 50 points. Your audience will assign 10, and I will use the rubric we discussed in class to assign 40.

The point is: focus on your audience. Don't tell us things that we can find on wikipedia or YouTube. Collect, refine, and deliver a speech that really excites and interests you, and your audience will usually enjoy listening.

For Thursday, read Chapter 4 and focus on the section we discussed in class. I also want you to watch this short video.



See you Thursday!

Strategies for finding and developing a topic

The first speech is finished! Congratulations on presenting in public, working in small groups with new people, and working with new technology. Those are big challenges and I hope you are pleased with your work.

For Tuesday's class, read Chapter 5 in the textbook and watch the video below. Here's a link to use if the video isn't showing below.

As you watch this video of Eva, consider how she comes up with research topics.



Have a safe weekend. See you Tuesday.

Group Presentations

We've got our Prezis ready to go and actually started presenting today. Thanks to those who volunteered to present first.

On Thursday we will finish up our tribe introductions. Since your tribe should be ready to go, I'd like you to read Chapter 3 in our book. Focus on overcoming barriers to effective listening.

Check out this talk by Evelyn Glennie. Here's a link in case the video below isn't working. It's a long video, but I think you can get some food for thought if you watch the first 16 minutes.



Enjoy! See you Thursday.

Preparing for your Introductory Speeches

Who would have thought our discussion on Ethics would be so much fun? I hope after our class you have the tools necessary to articulate why something may not be ethical in a given situation.

For Tuesday's class, I want you to finish up your tribe's Prezi. You should have a main image/metaphor selected. This weekend is the time to set up your individual section of the Prezi. Find something in the metaphor you connect with, tell us how it relates to you, and use that as a bridge to share something about yourself with the class.

Remember, your tribe has 30 seconds to introduce the tribe and metaphor; you (as an individual speaker) have 1 to 1.5 minutes to speak, and your tribe has 30 seconds to wrap up your discussion.

We will use the beginning of class on Tuesday to get everyone on your tribe on the same page. Then tribes will be selected at random to present. Do not be absent. Read the syllabus to find out why.

Take care, do good work, have a safe Labor Day.

Prezi Meeting and Tribe Presentations

I really enjoyed our discussion on overcoming speech anxiety today in class. As we continue working on our tribe presentations, I hope you feel more comfortable with your first speech assignment in this class. Your metaphors are looking good and it seems like most of you have a good grip on Prezi Meeting.

For Thursday, I want you to read Chapter 2 in the textbook. Focus on the section we discussed in class and see how it applies to the video below.



Here's a link to the video just in case: http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_beware_conflicts_of_interest.html

Hope you enjoy your Wednesday.

Prezi Fun and Tribe Metaphors

Learning about Prezi was a time to play and explore. We don't get many times in our adult lives to create things for fun, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

For our next class we'll be working with Prezi meeting on a group presentation. I want you to think about possible visual metaphors for your tribe and be ready to talk about them on Tuesday. You can base your tribe on a TV show, movie, song, ecosystem, whatever you find funny, interesting, or compelling. Your tribe will vote on which metaphor to use. I'll break a tie if necessary.

I also want you to read Chapter 1 in your textbook (Public Speaking: An Audience Centered Approach). If you were in class, you know the section I want you to focus on. As you read consider how it applies to the video below.



If you are having trouble understanding William's accent, click on the "languages" button and choose a language you feel comfortable reading. If the video isn't showing up, follow this link: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/william_kamkwamba_how_i_harnessed_the_wind.html

Have a wonderful weekend.

Ted Talk and Syllabus -- our first assignment

I really enjoyed our first day of class. What a great classroom! For Thursday I'd like you to watch this Ted Talk below. It's about Lewis Pugh's swim across a lake on Mt. Everest. I'd like you to consider how he approaches a difficult situation as well as what you found effective, and perhaps not so effective, in his presentation. Be prepared to talk/write about it in class.

Also, remember to look over the syllabus.



If the video doesn't work, follow this link.

Hope you have a great Wednesday.

Some helpful links for class this semester

Welcome to Public Speaking!

Here is our class syllabus.

Read the Syllabus
by: apostels

You will also need to register for a free Prezi account as we will be using this for our first assignment. Another tool we will be using is xtranormal. Register for a free account when you get a few minutes.

Our textbook (Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach 8th ed by Beebe and Beebe) is available at the bookstore, or you can purchase the online edition. The textbook in the bookstore comes with a password for the online edition. Just make sure you have the 8th edition. It's very different from the 7th. I'm serious. Really. Trust me.

We will also be watching quite a few Ted Talks. Feel free to watch some on your own. If you recommend one, and I assign it, I'll give you extra credit.

Introducing the Noel Studio Public Speaking Award competition

Public Speaking Competition
by: apostels

Wonderful advice from Ira Glass on doing Creative Work

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

"9 other things": ideas for those with creativity block (and inspiration for everyone else)

Great advice from Austin Kleon for those seeking creative inspiration. One thing I wonder about is his suggestion that "side projects and hobbies are important." It works only if your hobby doesn't involve passive consumption. Don't you think? For example, I wonder how much of the world we explore when we watch sports on TV. Am I off base here (to use a sport's metaphor)?

Good examples of public speaking

Some excellent speeches from the BBC Public Speaking Awards in Brussels.

Five reasons to use Prezi

Class Reflection

I was so happy to see the good work you all have been able to accomplish in your group projects. You've made a positive change in the EKU community through your outreach, fund-raising, and awareness campaigns. Nice work everyone.

For your final grade in this class, I'd like you to write up a one page refection on the entire public speaking class. You need to email this to me by Tuesday, April 3. Use these questions to help guide your reflection:

1. What techniques did you use to prepare for a public speech when you first came to this class?
2. How did your experiences in this class change or re-enforced the way you prepare for a public speech?
3. What was the most important thing you learned in this class, or what was your best experience in this class?
4. What can I do to strengthen the class next semester?

Get this to me by Tuesday. It's worth 25 points! Then enjoy your summer break. It was my pleasure working with you all, and I hope to see you in the Studio next semester.

Final Presentations

I'm looking forward to hearing your presentations on Thursday. Remember, don't miss this presentation or you will get a zero on the assignment. If you would like to know what grade you have so far in the class, let me know by email or drop by my office.

Before you give your final presentation, I need you to turn in your feedback reflection of the group Community Outreach assignment you completed. The reflection should be typed and about a page long. Here are some questions to guide you in your writing:

1. Do you think your group's community outreach project was a success? Why?
2. What do you feel was a strength in your group?
3. What do you feel was a weakness in your group?
4. How should I change the assignment? What should stay the same?
5. What did you learn about communication through this assignment?

At our presentation on Thursday, I will ask you to fill out a form to evaluate your group members. This feedback will contribute to the individual's final grade.

Practice Run

There are so many interesting projects going on, and I enjoyed watching you all work today in your groups. I'm excited that many of you are trying new programs and unique approaches to this final presentation.

On Tuesday, April 26, I want to see a full working draft of your presentation. I'll provide feedback to you after you present. This should give you some good guidelines for your final presentation in the Discovery Classroom at the Noel Studio on Thursday.

Tuesday's meeting will be in the Noel Studio's Breakout Space 3 and 4. Here are the times I'll want to meet with your group:

09:30 = Organ Donation
09:45 = Cookies for a Cause
10:00 = Bring a Business to EKU
10:15 = Books for Boots
10:30 = Dorm Upkeep

12:30 = Japan Relief
12:45 = Community Garden
01:00 = Vets Kayaking
01:15 = Campus Cycle
01:30 = Meatless Monday

On Thursday, before you give your final presentation, I would like your feedback reflection of the group Community Outreach assignment you completed. The reflection should be typed and about a page long. Here are some questions to guide you in your writing:

1. Do you think your group's community outreach project was a success? Why?
2. What do you feel was a strength in your group?
3. What do you feel was a weakness in your group?
4. How should I change the assignment? What should stay the same?
5. What did you learn about communication through this assignment?

At our presentation on Thursday, I will ask you to fill out a form to evaluate your group members. This feedback will contribute to the individual's final grade.

Projects complete

I hope you had a productive class period working on your community outreach projects. For class on Thursday, be prepared to finalize a plan for your presentation and construct/edit whatever visuals you intend to use during your presentation. Bring a laptop if needed. 

Also, bring your thumbdrive/memory stick so you can get a copy of your persuasive speech. You'll need them for the reflective writing assignment I'll give you over the weekend.

Some of you still have make-up speeches to give. Thursday is our last day in the classroom, so be ready.

See you in class on Thursday.

Conduct Community Outreach Projects

We will not be meeting as a class on Tuesday, April 19. I'm giving you this class time to conduct your community outreach project. Be sure to visually document what you do. Take videos and photographs and bring them to class on Thursday, April, 21. We'll use Thursday as a workshop so you can get the visual portion of your speech in order.

I'll be in my office on Tuesday if you have any questions/concerns you'd like to share as a tribe. 

Have fun!

In the Studio

I've booked Break Out Space 2 in the Noel Studio for our group meetings Thursday. See below to find out what time your group needs to meet with me.

Groups Meeting in the Noel Studio on Thursday

Rock the Studio is Wednesday. Come to the Studio from 3-5 p.m. for good times and free stuff.

Looks like we're off to a good start on the projects. I think we'll have some interesting presentations to share three weeks from now. Be sure to contact group members who didn't come to class today.

Remember, on Thursday, you'll need to meet with me in the Studio as a group. Use the time outside of your scheduled meeting to get your research/contacts/scheduling in order. Here's the schedule:

9:30 - Organ Donation Drive
9:45 - Five Star Doorms
10:00 - Bringing Businesses to EKU
10:15 - Books for Boots Promotion
10:30 - Cookies for a Cause

12:30 - Project Community Garden
12:45 - EKU Vets Kayak
1:00 - Meatless Monday
1:15 - Japan Relief
1:30 - Cycle Coalition Promotion

During our meeting, I want a group update and a clear project that you will be conducting on Tuesday, or another agreed upon date. I also want you to have some ideas for your presentation that we can discuss. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind: your presentation must be 10-15 minutes long; everyone must speak; and the purpose is to entertain and inform; be creative, have fun, and do good work.

And the projects are ...

Here are the results of your persuasive speeches: 

9:30 Public Speaking Class

1. Bringing businesses to EKU: Kelcie, Ayla, Alex, Allison W, Nicole
2. Dorm Upkeep: Ben, Alison R, Roneisha, Josh, Austin
3. Volunteering/Bake Sale: Amy, Katelyn, Grace, Erin, Kathryn, Justin
4. Organ Donation Drive: Teresa, Eric, Lyndsey
5. Books for Boots Publicity: Bailee, Andrew, Chris, Brett

12:30 Public Speaking Class

1. Community Garden: Jamie, Lauren V, Matt, Shannon O, Daylen
2. Japan Relief: Cody, Nita, Lauren C, Megan, Ashley E
3. Cycle Coalition Promotion: Bryan, Andy, Zach, Robert, Jeff
4. Meatless Monday Promotion: Caitlin, Crystal, Kelsey
5. EKU Vets Kayak: Shannon M, Natia, Katherine S

Let me know if you have any questions. See you in class on Tuesday when we'll be formulating plans for your tribe's action and presentation. These are great projects, and I'm excited to see what you can accomplish!

Picking a project

Thursday will be our last day presenting our persuasive speeches, so make sure you are in class and ready to turn in your top five projects to me at the end of class. If you miss class, I will put you in the tribe I think would be the best match.

I'll give you back your daily notes. They should help remind you what project you found compelling. I will form the tribes over the weekend and post the results on this blog.

Enjoy Wednesday!

Let the presentations begin!

We begin our persuasive presentations on Thursday, so be ready. I'll take volunteers but will call names at random if no one steps forward.

Also, make sure you have your reflection papers when you come to class. Watch the first two speeches you gave to the class. After you watch them, write up a one page analysis answering the following questions: 1)What did you learn about your speech giving process by watching these two videos? 2) Which speech do you think was more successful and why? 3) The class commented on your speech; which comments stand out to you and why? 4) What aspect of your speeches do you think could use improvement? 5) What will you do on your next speech that will address that improvement? 

Practice your presentation. Inspire your audience. Get your project chosen and save your part of the world.

Bring in some cool visuals

I enjoyed our discussion today and hope you will be thinking about creative ways to make your speech stand out from others. You all have great projects to propose. I'm excited to see what you can accomplish. 

As we found out in class today, there are so many distractions in our day to day life, it's tough to cut through the noise to make your message heard. Remember to make your message memorable, unique, and eye catching.

For Tuesday's class, bring a solid working copy of the visuals you will use as part of your presentation. You may also want to bring possible group projects to the discussion to see how your tribe reacts. Their feedback is useful as you prepare your persuasive speech.

I also want you to read "appendix A" (starts on page 434) in the book. This section talks about group communication, and I think it will be helpful in the near future.

Have a great weekend!

Powell Building Communication

Two tribes from the 12:30 public speaking course braved frigid conditions and, in 15 minutes, found the following communication occurring at the Powell Building. Feel free to add to this list of 59 types of communication.

Outlines Due -- Think Visually

I hope you were able to get some good feedback from your tribe today as we discussed our outlines because our final drafts are due Thursday.

Finishing this outline will allow you to focus on the actual presentation of your persuasive speech, and I'd like you to begin thinking about your visuals. How are you going to inspire us to take on your project?

For Thursday's class, bring your final outline and some sketches/printouts/laptop-with-files/or some form of draft to discuss your visuals with the your tribe.

I'd also like you to watch this short video from Stefan Sagmeister and consider his approach to generating interest in his projects.



See you Thursday.

Researching your Speeches

It was nice hearing some of your topics in class today. I think we'll have some great persuasive speeches and projects to vote on.

Remember, there is no class on Thursday, but by 5 p.m. you need to email me five different sources that you hope to use in your presentation. Sources may include a visit to an office or an interview or the completion of a task that you need to accomplish to have all your ducks in a row for the presentation. Let me know how you used the class period.

Also remember, tribes that get more than one of their speeches selected as projects will get extra points. In other words, if two or more of your tribe members get their project selected, the entire tribe will be rewarded, so help your fellow tribe members! 

Here are a few projects to keep in mind:

• For Tuesday, read Chapter 14 and bring in a rough draft of your outline
• Final drafts of your Persuasive Outlines are due March 24 
• Persuasive speeches will begin in March 31. Before speeches begin, I need you to watch the first two speeches you gave to the class. After you watch them, write up a one page analysis answering the following questions: 1)What did you learn about your speech giving process by watching these two videos? 2) Which speech do you think was more successful and why? 3) The class commented on your speech; which comments stand out to you and why? 4) What aspect of your speeches do you think could use improvement? 5) What will you do on your next speech that will address that improvement? 

See you on Tuesday. 

Something to do before, after, or during Spring Break

I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable Spring Break. As you are relaxing this week read chapter 17 in your textbook. This chapter talks about ways of incorporating ethos, logos, and pathos into your persuasive arguments. Compare the chapter to the video below; think about projects this speaker could propose to the class if she were part of your tribe.

While on your break, think about your topic for the next presentation. (Scroll down on my blog entries if you missed the details on this assignment.) Type out answers to the following questions and bring your paper to class:

1. What is your persuasive speech topic, and what project will you propose?
2. What are key audience attitudes/beliefs/core values toward your topic?
3. What is the central idea of your speech?
4. What type of evidence do you need to persuade the class? 
5. What can you do to motivate people to join your group?

Feel free to email me if you have any questions about your topic or this assignment.

See you after break!

One last push before break

Before you finish packing for Spring Break, read chapter 16 in the textbook. This chapter discusses persuasion, the goal of our next speech. Consider what you would like to persuade your fellow classmates to accomplish in one class period. Bring some ideas to class.

As you read the chapter, apply it to the video below. If you can't view it below, watch the video on YouTube.

Remember to bring your thumb-drive/memory-stick to class!
 


Have a great and safe Wednesday!

Consider your next presentation

Now that we've begun our informative speeches, I'd like you to begin thinking about a topic for your next assignment: the persuasive speech. You will have five minutes to convince your class to join you on a quest, and the class will vote on which quests to attempt. We will form tribes and use one class period to plan the quest and one class period to accomplish it. Here's the rule: the quest must improve the campus, create awareness, or change our perspective.

For Thursday's class, watch this video by Sir Robinson. He's asking us to think differently about education, and the visuals are pretty engaging as well. Enjoy!



Have a wonderful Wednesday.

Preparing for Tuesday's Presentation

There is no class on Thursday, I'll be presenting at the SWCA Conference; however, I do want you to meet with your tribes before Informative Speeches begin on Tuesday.

Go over your outlines with each other. Take turns, and provide feedback. If you have visuals ready, be prepared to show them as you go through your outline. 

The final draft of your outline will be due on Tuesday, Feb 22 before our speeches begin.

I also want you to watch this video. In addition to the nuts and bolts of the presentation begin given, I'd like you to consider how empathy plays a role in your speech composition and presentation process.



Have a great Thursday, and I'll see you on Tuesday.

Keep on Researching ...

You now have five sources you can use. Some of them may be helpful, but please find other sources to use in your quest for information. I encourage you to interview someone, visit a location, experience your topic first hand, create something, get to really understand what makes your topic useful to you. This process will make a much more compelling speech.

For Tuesday, read Chapter 7 and 8 in your book. These chapters talk about gathering and using research material, so they should offer some useful advice for you in this stage of the speech writing process.

I also want you to watch this video (click here if the video below is not loading). This 19 year old is talking about what she found on her quest to discover information. I enjoyed listening to her make connections and asking unique questions. This is something we should all strive to do in our work.



Remember, we start presenting our speeches on Tuesday, Feb 22.

Have a great weekend.

Conducting Research

Now that you have a working copy of your outline, you should begin your journey to discovering the information you need.

For Thursdays class, we will meet in the Library. Meet me by the large screens on the opposite side of the check out desk. If you come late, or if you can't find me, we'll be in room 204D.

Remember, you need to email 5 sources to me before you leave the session on Thursday. You might want to look at your outline and figure out where you need to find more information. I hope you will use other sources beyond the library like interviews, personal experiences, and surveys.

Watch this video and think about how Nathan conducted research. Think about how his plans changed and how he had to work around unexpected situations.



See you Thursday in the Library.

Begining your quest: outlining your itinerary

I hope you had a good time meeting new people in your tribes. I want you to work together as a network, support, and accountability group as you begin, refine, and present your topics. I'm really excited to hear your journey and see what you come up with. 

For Tuesday's class, I want you to bring in a printed version of your outline. This is a rough draft. Think of it as a "to do" list. Write what you want to accomplish as an outline. As you accomplish these, you can replace the rough draft with your new information. You will be sharing these outlines with your tribes, and they will be providing feedback.

I also want you to read Chapters 9 and 10 in the book. If I were you, I'd read this before I started working on my outline. The book offers some useful advice. Feel free to look ahead to Chapter 11 if you want even more info about these outlines.

Watch this video and think about ways to map out your research. Take a broader look at your topic and see what issues come up that may be relevant to your quest for information.



Have a great weekend. I'll be traveling, so email questions to your tribe members first. If you stump them, then email me.

Moving on to Informative Speeches

I really enjoyed listening to your introductory speeches and seeing how you utilized Prezi for your presentations. Thanks for sharing your stories with the class.

Now we need to move on to another story, our Informative Speeches. Like we've discussed in class, I want you to research something that is of interest to you. What do you really want to know more about? What would you like to learn? What would you like to build? What would you like to experience?

Use this assignment to channel your interest into this class. As you begin your research, take notes on how you are going about finding, collecting, and applying the information you gather. Your informative speech will focus on your journey of discovery. Think about William in the video from Tuesday.

Your challenge will be finding a way to tell a compelling 6-minute narrative of discovery in front of the class. You can use up to 1 minute of original video/audio you captured, photos, sketches, the list goes on. Feel free to use PowerPoint or Prezi or neither. But know that the class is your audience. Keep us engaged.

For Thursday, bring your research topic idea to class, and be ready to share it with others. Bring a thumbdrive to class to get your video, or upload your videos to MySpeechLab (tutorial if needed). Watch this video and think about how the speaker focuses on his quest and less on how to actually build a toaster. If the video doesn't work below, watch it on Ted.com.



Hope your Wednesday is spectacular.

Finding your topic for an informative speech

As we wrap up our introduction speeches I'd like you to begin thinking about what topic you would like to explore for your next speech. As we've discussed in class, the speech will focus more on how you found the information, rather than on the presentation of information as if you are an expert on that topic.

Consider this TedTalk from Mr. Kamkwamba (if the video isn't working, visit Ted to see the video there):



William told us why he wanted to know more, how he learned more, and what his journey resulted in. I'd like you to consider a topic that allows you to do the same.

I also want you to read Chapters 4, 5, and 6 in the text book. Also, bring a thumbdrive/memory stick/external hard drive (USB friendly) to class so you can download a copy of your speech from my laptop and upload it to MySpeechLab.

Have a great weekend.

MySpeechLab profile

For Thursday, I'd like you to set up your MySpeechLab profile and connect with the class. If you complete your mission, you will get an extra + for your daily grade. Good luck.

I know some of you will struggle with the program, so I'm including this short video to cheer you up. Oh, here's an instruction sheet you can refer to as well.



Have the best Wednesday ever!

Introduce Yourself

I hope you were able to get some good feedback on your Prezi today. Remember to keep your audience in mind as you prepare your presentation. Keep us engaged.

For Tuesday, watch this video and be ready to introduce yourself to the class. There is no reading assigned this weekend. Email me if you have any questions.



Have a great weekend.

Prezi terms to consider; and don't forget Flow

I really enjoyed our ethics and communication models that we discussed in class and hope you find our conversation useful as you develop your introductory speech and listen to other speeches. You'll begin presenting them to the class on Tuesday, Jan 25.

As you develop your Prezi to go along with your presentation, I want you to consider the terms we discussed in class. Think about how each of these concepts can be used to keep your audience's attention and, most importantly, visually translate the emotion of your presentation to the class. Here's the Prezi we looked at in class with the terms:



For Thursday's class:

Get to work on your Prezi. We'll be talking about it in class on Thursday, so make sure you are ready to show what you are doing with small groups.

Watch this video about Flow. When do you experience this state?



Have a great Wednesday!