Presentation Blog By Caroline Duenas

When it came time to do our class presentations, I was part of the group that presented on topics 4, 6,7, and 8. I was glad that we went second because it gave us a chance to see how the first group went and calm down a little, but we also didn’t have to wait until the very end. Going second felt like a good middle spot, and it gave me more confidence when it was finally our turn. I actually really enjoyed presenting as the second group.

 Looking back at how our group did, I think we did a really good job at developing an explanation toward the topics we were each assigned to. Everyone was able to explain and elaborate on what we wrote in each slide more thoroughly, which made the presentation feel more complete and easier for others to understand. Our presentation overall was organized by section, which helped us know who was speaking and what came next. That part went smoothly, and it made our presentation feel more like a team effort rather than just a bunch of random slides put together. I think that’s something we did really well.

At the same time, we did face some challenges. Sharing the screen turned out to be harder than we expected. We didn’t double check certain aspects of the presentation beforehand, so when it came time to play a video, the sound wouldn’t work. That took up time while we tried to figure it out, which could've  distracted the audience. Although we had those audio issues, we were able to find a solution by playing the sound through another device. That moment showed how well we worked together as a team, even though teamwork can feel harder to optain virtually. But in all it went great and I felt proud of how we handled it. Also, we sometimes spent too much time on certain slides. We could have moved at a more steady pace, which could've made it harder for people to stay focused as well. Still, I think the effort we put into preparing the slides and the explanations made up for some of those issues.

Even with problems, I personally found the experience really valuable. It was actually my first time presenting something through Zoom, and I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would. Presenting online felt different than standing in front of a class, but it also felt more real in some ways, since so much in the world now happens virtually school, meetings, even jobs. I liked that I got to practice presenting this way because it’s a skill I know I’ll use again. For me, this was a great experience overall, and it gave me more confidence about speaking in front of others, even if it’s on a screen.

One of the things I appreciated about my group was that we all worked hard on our parts. Nobody just copied and pasted information into their slides and left it at that. Instead we all explained each one of our sections in our own words ,when presenting we each added more detail out loud than what was written on the slides. Making our presentation stronger because it showed we understood what we were talking about. That made the presentation feel more like a conversation than just a lecture.

Now, thinking about the presentations in general I feel like I learned a lot from watching the other groups. Overall, I was able to understand what the groups were trying to teach, and I got a broader idea of the information they were seeking out. Most of the slides made sense, and it was easy to follow along. I could tell that everyone actually put effort into their own slides, that made the projects feel fair to everyone. The presentations were also organized pretty well. You could tell the groups divided the topics evenly, it didn’t feel like one person was carrying the whole thing. One thing I noticed about all the groups is that the slides were actually nice to look at. They were put together neatly, and it was clear people tried to make them pleasing and not too messy or confusing. That made a big difference because if slides look too cluttered, it’s easy to lose interest. All the groups kept their slides clean and simple making all of them grab my attention.

Of course, not everything was perfect. Some groups like mine, had trouble with screen-sharing or other technical things. That’s just part of using Zoom, but it definitely made the presentations longer than they should have been. In fact, a few presentations went on so long that they lasted after class time, which made it harder to stay focused. I think if groups had timed themselves a little better, the presentations would have been easier to follow. When something goes on for too long, people naturally start losing interest, no matter how good the content is. Even with those problems, I think all of the presentations came across clearly. The slides were understandable, the information came from the class book meaning acurracy, and each group showed that they understood their topics. I liked how everyone had their own style of presenting too. Some people explained things quickly and simple in some slides, while others gave more detail. The mix of styles actually kept things interesting.

Overall, I’d say the presentation was a valuable learning experience for everyone. I enjoyed being part of my group, especially since it was my first time presenting through Zoom, we did a good job with our topics despite some setbacks. Watching the other groups also helped me learn, not just the material but also how people approach presenting differently. Something that stood out most was pacing a presentation doesn’t need to be long to be effective, sometimes the shorter, clearer ones work best. It was a positive experience for me, and I’m glad I got the chance to do it.

https://youtu.be/4IG-8P7refs