In-class Presentation Research Articles

“AS I THINK OF MY PRESENTATION …” TERTIARY-LEVEL EFL STUDENTS’ EMOTIONAL REACTIONS TOWARDS ORAL PRESENTATION

Oral presentation—a special form of public speaking in the context of second language (L2) learning—is a widely used activity at the tertiary level, both as a speech task and a form of assessment. While ample empirical evidence indicates that delivering a speech before an audience induces anxiety for most individuals, even when speaking in their native language, relatively little is known about the emotional experience of presenting a speech in a second language. To explore the emotional challenges public speaking in the L2 might pose to learners, this study examined tertiary-level EFL students’ emotional reactions to an upcoming in-class presentation. While the primary focus of the study was anxiety in response to L2 presentations, participants were unaware of this to ensure an unbiased assessment of anxiety’s importance relative to other emotions. A unique feature of the study is its focus on pre-presentation experiences, a topic hitherto unexplored in L2 research. The participants were 33 English Studies students from a Hungarian university. Their affective responses were investigated longitudinally, at three key junctures during the semester: (1) upon receiving the presentation task, (2) after deciding whether to present individually or with a partner, and (3) in the run-up to the presentation. Each time, participants responded to a short pre-task questionnaire with open-ended questions. The results have shown that anxiety was a prominent emotion during the pre-presentation period at all three significant events examined. It was detectable as soon as the presentation task was announced, influenced learners’ choices of paired rather than individual presentation, and showed a marked increase in the lead-up to the talk. The study has important pedagogical implications.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu/0700/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Analysing Students’ Metacognitive Knowledge on Oral Presentation Assessment

Understanding students’ metacognitive knowledge is crucial for developing and validating an effective oral assessment method that accurately measures their proficiency. However, students face challenges particularly in communicative competence, as it often requires internal cognitive processes and strategies, which can be complex and difficult to adapt. Drawing upon this predicament, the present study aims to explore how students demonstrate their metacognitive knowledge through oral presentation assessment and aid in the composition of metacognitive strategies to facilitate effective oral presentation. A total of 85 bachelor’s degree students’ responses were qualitatively analysed by deploying the thematic analysis, whereby word lists and keywords were examined in context. Individually, the students were given metacognitive prompts after they had completed the first assessment, which was an individual in-class presentation. The responses provided an opportunity to explore the features that construct metacognitive strategies for effective presentations. Based on the responses, three features: 1) preparation, 2) self-monitoring, and 3) self-evaluation were identified according to the process of developing and delivering an oral presentation. After that, a framework of metacognitive strategies for effective oral presentations was developed based on the responses that were immersed in metacognitive knowledge responses. The practical oral assessment metacognitive strategies provide insights into how students reflect on their thinking, plan their learning strategies and assess their understanding and oral presentation skills. The infusion of these features into the existing process should also assist in identifying and addressing barriers to students’ language learning and proficiency. Consequently, it can lead to more personalized and effective language teaching approaches, supporting students’ overall cognitive and language development.

Multimodal meaning-making in student presentations: the impact of explicit feedback in a German as a foreign language classroom

Abstract This study examines the impact of teacher feedback on seven students’ presentations on social and cultural topics held in a German-as-a-foreign language classroom in Japan. Following the submission of self-recorded presentation drafts on an online learning platform, students received explicit feedback on how their spoken commentary related to the visible information on slides derived from the theoretical insights of social semiotics and systemic functional linguistics. After allocating one class to revising their work, students presented their finalized presentations, which were video recorded, cut, and prepared for analysis. Subsequently, a total of 14 sections that underwent alterations in both the draft and in-class presentation were scrutinized following a qualitative multimodal discourse analytical framework. By demonstrating the differences between two students’ early drafts and their final in-class presentations, this study shows how adding verbal language that extended a slide’s content strengthened audience engagement through interpersonal functions in language, gaze, body orientation, and gesture. Further, restructuring and inserting additional entities on the PowerPoint slide helped emphasize the talk’s ideational components. The findings of this study have implications for multiliteracies pedagogy in a foreign language context, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach that considers language and other modes as complementary aspects of communication.

Exploring Social Biases of Large Language Models in a College Artificial Intelligence Course

Large neural network-based language models play an increasingly important role in contemporary AI. Although these models demonstrate sophisticated text generation capabilities, they have also been shown to reproduce harmful social biases contained in their training data. This paper presents a project that guides students through an exploration of social biases in large language models. As a final project for an intermediate college course in Artificial Intelligence, students developed a bias probe task for a previously-unstudied aspect of sociolinguistic or sociocultural bias they were interested in exploring. Through the process of constructing a dataset and evaluation metric to measure bias, students mastered key technical concepts, including how to run contemporary neural networks for natural language processing tasks; construct datasets and evaluation metrics; and analyze experimental results. Students reported their findings in an in-class presentation and a final report, recounting patterns of predictions that surprised, unsettled, and sparked interest in advocating for technology that reflects a more diverse set of backgrounds and experiences. Through this project, students engage with and even contribute to a growing body of scholarly work on social biases in large language models.

Ten Minutes a Semester: Evaluation of a Short Wellness Intervention for Undergraduate Chemistry and Biology Courses

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted many challenges undergraduate students face including their ability to manage stress. Poor stress management can contribute to poor academic performance and health outcomes; better wellness habits and stress reduction go hand-in-hand, as improved wellness habits reduce overall stress and expand positive stress management strategies. This article describes the design of a short wellness intervention for STEM classes and its evaluation after implementation in five chemistry and biology courses that span the four years of a biochemistry degree. This intervention, composed of a short, in-class presentation and an associated supplemental resource handout, presents students with information on five wellness areas: sleep, nutrition, water intake, exercise, and meditation and mindfulness. Students were surveyed at three points (once preintervention and twice postintervention) in one semester and asked to report their perceived stress, current wellness habits, and overall perception of the intervention. Notably, the majority of students (89%) thought the intervention should be included in other courses. The importance of completing the intervention in class was underscored by the small number of students (19%) who reported accessing the additional resources provided outside of class. Student wellness habits did not dramatically shift postintervention, but this study garnered insights into the barriers students face when attempting to change their wellness behavior. Overwhelmingly students reported that academic workload was the dominant factor hindering positive wellness change. The intervention materials, including a suggested script, are shared, and data-supported recommendations for implementation in other courses and institutions are provided.

Integration of transgender health: A multi-modal approach

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersexed (LGBTQI+) community can benefit from access to evidence-based health care, social services, justice, and equality. A significant challenge that nurses and educators have is a lack of knowledge, enlightenment, and clinical experience necessary to provide equitable and evidenced based healthcare, specifically to transgender and gender diverse individuals. As this population continues to flourish, Associates Degree (ADN) prepared nurses will be called upon to render care frequently, so curricula must be adjusted. The objective of this quality improvement project was to emphasize how a multimodal education approach can expand knowledge and ease in caring for this community. The methodology included one in-class presentation and a Success Coaching Event that presented a didactic education module, a lived experience speaker, a film depicting bad versus good communication during a clinical encounter, and a post didactic discussion panel. The quasi-experimental design supported the success of the intervention, evaluated by comparing pre- and post-test survey scores as well as results from a final exam. This new curricular framework can be implemented in all ADN programs where nurses learn basics communication and assessment.

Research on the Mediating Effect of IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 among Chinese EFL Learners

This study, based on mediation theory of Socio-cultural theory (SCT), carries out a research on IELTS academic writing Task 2 teaching among undergraduate students in the International Cooperation Program of Birmingham University, and compares the teaching effect between experimental group and control group. The 14-week intensive writing course is comprised of seven modules, each with a duration of 2 weeks (twelve periods). The control group continues with traditional instruction while a new teaching model, under the mediation effect of rules, intermediary tools and community, is implemented in experimental group who is required to embark on specific topics in depth, from off-class preparation concerning topic-related sources to in-class presentation, group discussion, peer evaluation and in-class writing (via paragraph continuation, essay continuation, etc.). When the course ends, all subjects are required to take part in the final immediately and the IELTS exam within three months. Data analyses show a significant difference in the final writing scores and IELTS writing scores between the two groups. Data also exhibits the significant positive correlation between students’ in-class writing scores and final-exam scores, as well as the IELTS writing scores in experimental group. This study provides practical feasibility and basis for promoting mediation in teaching English writing.

(Invited) Computational Electrochemical Engineering

In our introductory graduate course in electrochemistry and electrochemical engineering, the overall format is traditional: We start from fundamental thermodynamics, electrode kinetics, and ionic mass transport, and follow with detailed discussion of applications. The course is intended to aid graduate students in quantitative analysis of their research involving electrochemical technologies.However, an essential focus of the course is on detailed electrochemical kinetics and transport, and because these topics tend to be mathematically intensive, a significant number of computational components are included in the course. These components start with simple plotting of electrochemical data, and are gradually extended to include interpolation, curve fitting, solution of systems of nonlinear equations, and solution of one-dimensional differential equations. All of these skills find application in electrochemistry and electrochemical engineering.Computational components use the python programming language and the Jupyter programming environment, which provides a rich interface for computational content, including explanatory text, mathematics, and interactive graphics via the web browser. Using JupyterHub, students can access materials via the web alone and do not have to install or maintain any software. Frequent in-class active learning sessions provide opportunities for supervised practice, enabling students to build fluency in both electrochemistry and computation.Of equal importance, the jupyter interface provides a rich medium for interactive demonstration of electrochemical concepts in synchronous and asynchronous lecture settings. Concepts such as Marcus kinetics, potential variations across an electrochemical cell, and primary and secondary current distributions can be demonstrated in this way.Students complete the course with a capstone project consisting of a computer-based simulation of an electrochemical system. This project assignment is open-ended in the sense that students are asked to choose a topic of study that interests them. The project can involve design, analysis, or simulation of any electrochemical system. However, the project must be focused, and must involve quantitative modeling. Results are presented via a 15-minute in-class presentation and 5-page paper. Frequent topics include models of batteries, biosensors, electrolysis processes and analysis of experimental kinetic data.

Applying the Matrix Model in an English for Presentation Online Class during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of an Undergraduate Class in Thailand

During the COVID-19 pandemic, online learning was an important topic for scholars. A private university in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand followed a policy to create online courses for every subject to ensure that education could proceed effectively. To correspond with the policy, the Matrix Model was integrated with the online course development of an English for Presentation class at this private university. The Matrix Model is also known as SAMR which refers to Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition. The online course was presented in the third semester of the academic year of 2019 with 77 participants who volunteered to participate in this course. The research instruments used in this study were observation, surveying, and interview. The data collections were done at the beginning, during, and after the course to provide a comprehensive study of online learning. The data revealed both positive opinions and obstacles associated with this online learning. The results of using the SAMR model in this study do provide benefits to students and educators and show that 84% of the participants prefer online presentation over in-class presentation.

Developing students’ linguistic and digital literacy skills through the use of multimedia presentations

Abstract With the immense presence of English language video content in the online digital environment and students’ everyday exposure to multimedia content, this project aims to explore how to replace traditional in-class presentation with video presentation within an autonomous learning environment, examine the impact of doing so on the development of English language and digital literacy skills, and develop assessment rubrics at both individual and group levels. The project was conducted as part of an English language course for undergraduate students majoring in English in the context of a higher education institution in Hong Kong. Data were collected through multiple methods: survey questionnaires, open-ended questions, and face-to-face interviews. The results showed that the video production mode of presentation could not only replace traditional in-class presentation but also improve students’ learning autonomy, and language, collaborative, and digital literacy skills. The analysis of videos elucidated how the video production (VPR) group of students use multimodal semiotic resources to design their relationships with viewers while simultaneously adapting their discoursal identities. In addition, the comparison between VPR- and non-VPR-group presentations demonstrates that constructing audio-visual resources in a collaborative environment contributes to a variety of aspects to a higher extent. Implications for foreign language curriculum and instructional design, as well as recommendations for future studies of digitalization of students’ oral assessment tasks, are discussed.

Readying students for careers in industry: A guided inquiry activity to prepare students for success in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry positions.

While science students are well prepared for careers in biotechnology and pharmaceutical sciences in terms of technical expertise and critical thinking, they rarely have an opportunity to practice the due diligence required for success in industry in their coursework. This includes framing their expertise as solutions to challenges a company may be experiencing, an important skill for the interview process. As most academics have not applied for positions in industry, they may feel ill equipped to help students practice the important skills of framing their expertise within company goals and to discuss the business and financial concepts relevant to careers in scientific industry. Here, we describe an educational activity first developed by a leader in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry that was modified and given educational context by an academic in a class of upper-level undergraduate and graduate students. In this guided inquiry activity, students were instructed to select a start-up company in their field-ideally one to which they intended to apply for a job. Students were empowered by scaffolded hands-on exercises to research the company's scientific focus and finances, and to frame how their expertise could help companies achieve stated goals. Students compiled and delivered their research as an in-class presentation.

Improving Student Presentation Skills Using Asynchronous Video-Based Projects

Given the central role that excellent presentation skills plays in management, methods for better developing these skills represent an important area of focus in business education. Rapidly evolving distributed (distance) technologies have compelled businesses to reimagine practices in most areas, and presentations are no exception. In the present study, we examine the potential advantages of video presentations—not from the perspective of the audience, but rather from the perspective of the student as immersed in the process of developing individual presentation skills. We crafted a course project where students collaborate to create a video presentation, replacing a more traditional in-class presentation. To test the effectiveness of this new approach, we conducted a study in which measures from multiple course sections using either the new video creation approach or the traditional presentation approach were compared. For the former, we found a significant improvement in students’ presentation skills on five dimensions (central message, supporting material, language, organization, and delivery) as evaluated with the authoritative Oral Communication VALUE Rubric developed by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. We describe the project and the study, and end the article with lessons learned and recommendations for expanding the project’s applications to other courses.

Group Directed Motivational Currents: transporting undergraduates toward highly valued end goals

ABSTRACT One of the most recent developments in the field of L2 motivation is the construct of Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs). This novel motivational conceptualisation is characterised by its energising capacity to promote and sustain action in a multitude of contexts whenever an individual is determined to attain a goal/vision he or she regards As personally significant. The present article is a qualitative case study that draws on the results of interviews and post-intervention open questionnaires to explore the existence of core characteristics of DMCs among four engineering undergraduates during the process of preparing their group in-class presentation as part of a course of Technical English. The methodology of a multimodal intervention initiated DMC like experiences, thereby developing and enhancing the construction of learners’ visions as competent speakers of the L2 and promoting their perceived linguistic self-confidence. Results confirmed that DMCs can function at the group level, engaging students fully in tasks that are personally, academically and professionally meaningful to them.

A Case Study of Connecting EFL Course Content with College Students’ Major Areas of Study in Mandatory EFL Classes

This study attempted to examine the possibility of drawing connections of prescribed EFL course content with the students’ major areas of study in a mandatory EFL classroom at a South Korean university and analysed how the students made associations. Data were collected through in-class presentation planning sheets, video-recorded presentations, surveys, and related documents. The 15-week in-class project seemed to help the students improve their English skills and provided them an opportunity to explore content in their major fields. Of particular note are the presentations of Chinese majoring groups that actively utilized their content course textbook written in Chinese but with an English translation and one Chemical Engineering group that did research about laughing gas, reinforcing the content knowledge in a language class and expanding field-relevant vocabulary and expressions respectively. It is meaningful that this study attempted to find a niche in a very limited EFL learning environment through a challenging activity to integrate the students’ major course content into EFL classes.

The Politics and Pedagogy of Nationalism: Authentic Learning on Identity and Conflict

In recent decades, nationalism has emerged from the distant purview of history to become the primary driver of some of the world’s biggest news. Given the prominence of nationalist conflict, students in political science increasingly study the subject with modern references in mind. This article describes the design for a timely undergraduate political science course on the causes and consequences of nationalism, with a focus on four central learning objectives: understanding theories and concepts in the study of nations and nationalism; applying theories to contemporary events; exploring issues of identity among a community of learners; and developing analytical and professional skills. I describe in detail two course assignments that exemplify these pedagogical objectives. In the “nationalism in the news” assignment, students give an in-class oral presentation on a current news story, interpreting the event through the lens of course themes. In the “national anthems analysis” paper, students analyze the lyrics of the national anthem of their choosing, linking symbols to interpretations of different nationalism types. I conclude by offering suggestions for adapting these and other course assignments to a range of classrooms and students.

In spite of technology: a failure in student project ownership

Purpose Students often complain about doing group work, which may lead them to be less engaged as a group and to seek shortcuts in developing their presentations. The purpose of his essay is identify and preferentially rectify student behavioral errors arising from placing too much trust in technology that can lead to too little personal interaction and engagement. The authors present their viewpoint on the classroom presentation outcome of a student group that used Google Docs to “prepare” for their presentation. Design/methodology/approach In a recent organizational behavior course, the authors had one such group arrive for their in-class presentation, only to discover that one group member was absent. The group had used Google Docs to share their research, yet no member read what the others had submitted. As a result, none of the group members could present the missing student’s material, with the obvious negative grading and finger-pointing outcomes. Findings The authors recognized that students needed more management direction than simply being proficient with technology. They lacked engagement behaviors leading to project responsibility. Engagement behaviors would include voice/face-to-face communication and content-related discussions questioning assumptions while strategically planning and operationalizing their topic of presentation. Originality/value The educational implications suggest an expanded role for the instructor to emphasize the role of student engagement behavior and the over-reliance on technology. Practical implications suggest making stronger connections to workplace expectations, making the student experience more transferable to their incipient workplaces and promoting the concept of team over group in terms of responsibility and conscientiousness and ultimately justifying their participation in providing value for their employer.

Use of Self-Assessment of Video Recording to Raise Students' Awareness of Development of Their Oral Presentation Skills

This paper aims to examine if using video recordings help students raise their awareness of the development of their oral presentation skills by reviewing video recordings of their presentations. For this study, all students who took a Financial Accounting class in the academic year 2018–2019 at Lincoln University (LU) were video-recorded when presenting. Participants were asked to review their video recordings, assess their performance, and record their reflections by using a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ). The results indicated that the students’ attitude toward recording the presentations was highly positive. The predominant response was that this new learning activity increased students’ awareness of the importance of presentation skills without provoking their anxiety. Participants were able to observe that certain delivery skills such as good preparation, self-confidence, eye contact, and voice quality needed improvement. For managerial implications, LU, through its Writing and Speaking Center (WSC), offered thirty-minute sessions with a presentation coach to improve students’ communication skills and prepare them to give a more polished presentation in class. In comparing the practice presentation at the WSC with the final in-class presentation, students were observed to be more confident, better prepared, and less nervous during the final presentation. However, we observed that the practice presentation did not carry the same weight as the final presentation as the practice presentation was neither graded nor delivered in front of an instructor or a wider audience.

Use of Self-Assessment of Video Recording to Raise Students’ Awareness of Development of Their Oral Presentation Skills

This paper aims to examine if using video recordings help students raise their awareness of the development of their oral presentation skills by reviewing video recordings of their presentations. For this study, all students who took a Financial Accounting class in the academic year 2018–2019 at Lincoln University (LU) were video-recorded when presenting. Participants were asked to review their video recordings, assess their performance, and record their reflections by using a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ). The results indicated that the students’ attitude toward recording the presentations was highly positive. The predominant response was that this new learning activity increased students’ awareness of the importance of presentation skills without provoking their anxiety. Participants were able to observe that certain delivery skills such as good preparation, self-confidence, eye contact, and voice quality needed improvement. For managerial implications, LU, through its Writing and Speaking Center (WSC), offered thirty-minute sessions with a presentation coach to improve students’ communication skills and prepare them to give a more polished presentation in class. In comparing the practice presentation at the WSC with the final in-class presentation, students were observed to be more confident, better prepared, and less nervous during the final presentation. However, we observed that the practice presentation did not carry the same weight as the final presentation as the practice presentation was neither graded nor delivered in front of an instructor or a wider audience.

Virtual reality versus face-to-face practice: a study into situational apprehension and performance

ABSTRACTThis exploratory study examines the role virtual reality can play in student speech practice for oral communication courses. The study focuses on situational communication apprehension of the virtual reality practice session in relation to students who practice face-to-face and the final grade of the subsequent speech. Test and control groups practiced their informative speech presentations for either another student or in a virtual environment. Both the test and control groups filled out the Situational Communication Apprehension Measure after their session. Student grades were also collected for participants in each group after their in-class speech presentation. The test group (virtual reality practice) was found to have significantly higher situational communication apprehension than the control group. No significant difference was found for final speech grades between the test and control groups. The significance and implications of these finding are discussed as they related to public-speaking education.

Contemporary art in higher education: Creative pedagogies in political economy

We propose that contemporary art, which reflects the problems and attitudes of our times, can be used as a way of promoting creativity in disciplines that are not traditionally associated with the arts. Whilst contemporary art is being used as a learning and teaching aid in higher education in a small number of disciplines, it is not normally used in disciplines dominated by rational discourse; an example is economics, on which we focus. We begin by reviewing the literature on art, education and creativity. We then perform an activity with students taking political economy. Students are given the task of selecting a work of contemporary art which “speaks” to them about political economy, followed by an assessed, in-class presentation on the connection between the piece of art and the subject of political economy. We run a focus group to assess the effectiveness of the activity in terms of encouraging the students to exercise and develop their creativity. We find that it is particularly effective at enabling them to establish innovative connections and associations, increasing their interest in learning and developing a personally relevant body of knowledge. Furthermore, taking into consideration contemporary art’s ability to highlight the problems of our times and to react to them, we consider whether the works presented by the students display these problems and are capable of offering solutions, or elements of solutions, to them, and find that they are indeed capable of doing so.