Summary and Reflection

Video of Presentations

You can download the video file with all class presentations from here. Instead of opening it with the default program (Adobe After Effects CC), right-click on the file and open it with some other media viewer (for example, Quick Time Player).

If any of you has video editing skills and would volunteer to divide the video in six segments (one file per team), that will be a great contribution to the class. Please let me know if you can do that.

Reflection Nr.1: Team Project Presentation

Find the section of your team presentation in the video and watch it. Below are some criteria that are used in other Wellesley courses to evaluate a group presentation. Using these criteria watch again your presentation and try to notice how well you did on the ones that apply to you. Then write a blog post (or you can write an HTML page and link it to the TP project folder), to address these issues:

• How well did your team use the allocated time? Did each of you get the same amount of time to speak? Did you have good transitions?
• How was your performance in terms of using the right eye contact, voice, pace, and avoiding mannerism?
• If you were to give this presentation again, what are the good things you'll continue to do? What are the aspects that you will improve?

Criteria for evaluating a presentation

1. Eye Contact
2. Voice
3. Mannerisms
4. Pace
5. Coordination

These all interact to give an impression of confidence, candor, and competence.

Eye Contact

In order of increasing quality:

• Reading from a prepared text with your eyes glued to the paper
• Reading from a prepared text with occasional furtive glances at the audience
• Talking to the back wall
• Glancing around the room, moving rapidly from face to face
• Looking at the people in one part of the room
• Looking at people, and moving your eyes around the room
• Direct the audience's attention with your eyes. When you want them to look at the screen, look at the screen. When you want them to look at you, look at them. Partners should support this.

Voice

When you get nervous, your muscles tighten, and this usually affects your voice. It gets smaller, higher, squeakier.

• Take full breaths.
• Try to speak louder, so that even the people in the back can hear you clearly.
• Stand up straight and look out at the audience. This helps fill your lungs and stretches your abs.
• Support your voice using your abs. Project to the back.
• Use pauses instead of um or like.

Mannerisms

When we get nervous, we all tend to adopt soothing tics. Try to avoid them, or at least keep them invisible.

• Don't fiddle with the mouse or the laser pointer.
• Keep your weight stable, but don't lock your knees.
• Think about what to do with your hands. Ask a friend if it seems natural.
• Avoid, if possible, verbal mannerisms, like particular phrases.

Pace

• Time your talk so that it's not too long or too short. Too long is discourteous to other speakers and may annoy the audience. Too short makes it seem like you don't have much to say.
• Try not to rush if you get behind. If possible, plan on optional material that can be skipped. Try not to make this obvious.
• If you get ahead, you can take longer on topics, explaining more.
• Try to make your glances at the clock unobtrusive.
• For this class, aim for 8 minutes.

Coordination

• Take turns speaking. Usually, the non-speaking person will operate the mouse. Share equally.
• Find good transitions in the material.
• Know what your partner will say, so that you can begin the transition.

Reflection Nr. 2: Achieving the Course Goals

This reflection can be written in your blog, or can be an HTML page in your own website for the CS249 course. Choose what you're most comfortable with.

As a start, read the course learning goals and transferable skills listed in the Course Info page. Then, spend some time reading your blog posts during the semester. You can also read posts of your peers that you have liked, etc.

In your reflection post, please take into account the following questions:

1. Did you achieve your own learning goals for this course? Did you achieve the course learning goals?
2. What are the skills that you strengthened during the course and you believe will be useful to you in other situations?
3. If you were to take this course again (let's turn the time back), what would you do differently?
4. If this course is to be offered again, what parts should be kept and what parts should be changed and improved?

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