Creating visual aids with graphic organisers on an infinite canvas – the impact on the presenter

Jordi Casteleyn,Martin Valcke,Andre Mottart

doi:10.3402/rlt.v23.25161

Abstract

Instead of the traditional set of slides, the visual aids of a presentation can now be graphic organisers (concept maps, knowledge maps, mind maps) on an infinite canvas. Constructing graphic organisers has a beneficial impact on learning, but this topic has not been studied in the context of giving a presentation. The present study examined this issue by having 199 students prepare a presentation. The control sample created visual aids that are similar to a deck of slides with text and pictures. In the first experimental condition, graphic organisers were inserted in this deck of slides, and in the second experimental condition, visuals aids with interconnected graphic organisers were produced. There were no significant differences in self-reported self-efficacy related to giving a presentation and in motivational variables. To detect if the presentations met the principles set by the conditions, the participants’ products were coded qualitatively, but this analysis also yielded no differences in variables. Further research should therefore explore the interaction between software and presenter.Keywords: visual communication; teaching practices; presentation skills; self-efficacy; prezi(Published: 20 February 2015)Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2015, 23: 25161 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v23.25161

Highlights

The training of presentation skills Presentation skills pay a pivotal role in professional life
We explored the differential impact of creating a presentation with graphic organisers on infinite canvas on the competence to give a presentation, and decided to employ self-reported self-efficacy related to presentation skills as a dependent variable for this study
The condition with interconnected graphic organisers (IGO condition) will score better than the condition with graphic organisers limited to frames (GO condition)

Summary

Introduction

The training of presentation skills Presentation skills pay a pivotal role in professional life. Training students to become successful presenters is a major objective in higher education curricula, and researchers have studied several different routes to develop presentation skills, for instance, cooperative learning activities (Chou 2011), goal setting and selfreflection (De Grez, Valcke, and Roozen 2009a) and multimedia-based instructional format (De Grez, Valcke, and Roozen 2009b). The technological dimension of today’s presentation possibilities has hardly received attention from researchers in the field of presentation skills training. The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) (Mayer 2009) summarises the research-based principles to design effective visual aids, but this has not been connected to a speaker’s presentation skills. Technology (ALT), a UK-based professional and scholarly society and membership organisation.

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Conclusion