Mariana’s 1st Blog

 

I really loved the presentations everyone made during this task. Every team was very helpful and did a great job presenting the content from their respective chapters. The biggest surprise for me was In reality, different groups did their presentations in such a way that the information was still very comprehendible. Some presenters explained the difficult concepts through detailed examples and real life applications, while others were more direct and straightforward in their explanations first and then going to the depths of the topic. I liked both methods because they helped keep the audience interested and helped me to understand the concepts better. Many presenters, by first laying out the key concepts clearly and then elaborating on them with more details, examples, and explanations, made the content seem less daunting and more familiar to me.

Another thing I observed was how prepared each group was for their presentations. For some, the nerves showed but even in those cases you could tell that the presenter really had gone into the chapter and got to grips with the content. One's dedication is reflected in the way one's presentation is structured, the examples one gives, and the method of communication one adopts to make the class understand the points, and a high degree of preparation is one of the reasons that these presentations were effective; it was clear that every group was interested in delivering the material correctly and facilitating the learning of others.

Quite honestly, I was really surprised at just how anxiety- inducing it felt for me to present in front of the class. Even though it was a zoom presentation, I thought totally being prepared and having a great, very responsive and supportive team would be enough to calm me down, but when it was my turn, I was so nervous that most of the time, I didn't even hear a word coming out of my mouth. Initially, I assumed that bringing my A game would totally erase my nervousness, but I soon found out that even the most hardened orators can get the jitters. Getting to the stage, I was sort of preoccupied with feeling pretty freaked out about the possibility of error. Thankfully, as soon as I opened my mouth, I managed to ride my wave of eloquence and my confidence level rose steadily. Not to mention that, from that moment on, my mind was working at communicating my message rather than thinking about how I was still very nervous.

I think this must have been at least to some extent a shared experience with many other students in the class. In case of several presentations, it was quite clear from their behavior that some people were nervous, such as when their voices tended to tremble a bit or they made an occasional stammer when trying to put their ideas across. Yet, despite such signs of nervousness, these students managed to explain in a very understandable way the concepts of their chapters and communicate the key points very clearly. What is more, watching other students overcoming their fears and presenting themselves confidently, even made me realize that I was not the only one who felt nervous. It gave me an inkling that even professional speakers suffer from stage fright and because of this if you are nervous, it should not be taken as a sign that you are not prepared or not capable. In fact, most presenters were proven more than able to regain their composure and go on with their presentation successfully after a small mistake which in my view, revealed their character and professionalism.

Receiving feedback after the presentations was the aspect that I found the most valuable. Being able to listen to the instructors and classmates' comments helped me realize what the essentials of an effective presentation were. To give you an idea, certain classmates were praised for their assertive speaking voice or the way they clarified concepts in such a simple manner that individuals could very well relate to their everyday lives. That made me very happy to hear such remarks because it gave me the chance to pinpoint the particular presentation methods that made a great impression on me and, at the same time, could be helpful in enhancing my public speaking skills.

I had found it especially helpful whenever a presentation happened to be before mine because then I could find out what was good for others, and then I would try to adopt some of their techniques in my presentation style. For example, I saw that speakers who articulated their words well and spoke in a natural way could switch from one point to another without any difficulty and quite naturally. Besides that, I noticed that when people brought in examples that most of the audience could relate to, this made the presentation more interactive and at the same time, it was easier to follow the presenters. So, seeing these methods brought me some thoughts on how I could do better in my speaking and be more effective in communicating. I realized that making a connection with the audience and conversing in a natural way can have a great impact on the presentation reception, even if you don't just stick to memorizing the points you

Besides enhancing my grasp of the subject matter, this exercise also made me more self assured in my communication skills. Public speaking has always been a fear of mine, but finishing this presentation proved that I am able to speak with confidence after I get over the initial stage. It also showed me that feelings of anxiety are totally natural during a speech and the trick is to learn how to control them rather than being overwhelmed. To me, this task was not only useful from an academic point of view but also on a personal level as it took many of us out of our comfort zones and prompted us to develop.

In general, I enjoyed listening to the presentation and having my own presentation time. Everyone offered something useful and every group gave a fresh style and point of view of the subject. The presentations were a wonderful way to not only review the major ideas of the chapters but also to set up a situation where students could learn from each other. I really liked specifying the making and bravery which everyone showed, In particular taking into account how nerve wracking the situation of public speech was. In fact, this experience was highly educational to me in the areas of communication, teamwork, preparation, and confidence and I think these skills will still carry me on not only in the classes that I will take but also at my work places.