UNIVERSITY LIFE: GROUP ORAL PRESENTATIONS
We have already discussed how to organise a group written assignment. We will repeat some of this information below, applying it to the oral presentation.
PLANNING YOUR ORAL PRESENTATION
First clarify with your lecturer how your group oral presentation will be assessed:
• Will you be assessed on the group processes, or just on the product of your team? Will you all be given the same team mark, or is there an individual component within the mark? Has the lecturer put in place any procedures to deal with assessing students who do not do their fair share of the work?
• Must all group members make the same contribution to the task (eg each member must speak for five minutes; each member must contribute to a group PowerPoint), or must you all make equivalent contributions to the task? In the latter case, for example, one member might put together the entire group PowerPoint, then speak for less time than the others during the group's oral presentation.
As soon as you are given your group assignment, meet as a team very briefly to work through the following steps.
STEP 1
Immediately introduce yourselves, and exchange mobile phone numbers, email addresses and MSN (or other) sign-in names. Write these details down now (or enter them into your phones), but do not continue the process until you know each other's details.
STEP 2
Brainstorm the task jrou have been given. Clarify together the exact purpose of the presentatioa Argue and talk until you all agree about the objective and the requirements. If the instructions seem ambiguous, talk to the lecturer and make sure you are all aware of any specifications or expectations of this assignment.
STEP 3
Lode at the chart of Belbin's team roles.
(If you haven't talked about this chart yet in class, you may need to spend some time discussing it in your group, or perhaps agree that you will all look at it at home and discuss it at your next meeting.) Talk about the roles each of you tends to play in teams, and consider the balance of roles you have in this team. Given the combination of roles you have, what strengths and problems do you anticipate your team might have?
STEP 4
It’s time to be honest and tell each other about your own skills—those that are relevant to this team assignment For example:
• I am good at following through research, and getting all the details correct.
• My critical reading skills are good—I give useful feedback on other people’s ideas.
• I have lots of creative ideas.
• I finish tasks on time.
• I speak fluently and confidently.
• I’m good at organising an audience (eg during a question-and-answer session or an audience involvement activity).
• I can make excellent PowerPoint slides.
Try to be open about your capabilities and expectations of the assignment. However, note that none of you can shirk the responsibility of being part of a team—you must all do an equal amount of work. Lookback at the section on teamwork and conflict resolution.
It is also a good time to talk about whether you are aiming for a High Distinction or a mere Pass. If there are discrepancies in the group on this point, try to resolve these in an adult manner.
For example, if you are the only group member aiming for a High Distinction, consider these issues:
• What are you prepared to do to make this more likely to happen?
• How will you feel if other team members get a higher mark than they deserve thanks to your effort?
• Are the other members prepared to meet you halfway?
STEP 5
Plan—and write down—all the tasks and roles you think are required for this assignment, and start to organise and volunteer for particular tasks.
(But be aware that the tasks may change as you all start working on the assignment.) You will need to do more work at the next meeting to clarify exactly what you need to do to complete the assignment successfully Consider all practical issues, such as obtaining equipment and preparing visual aids.
If this is your first group work assignment, accept that this process may be imperfect, but as time passes you will all get to know each other more and know who does what job well If this is the first time you have met your peers, try to use consensus to assign tasks or roles.
STEP 6
Organise at least two meeting dates now. and decide on some deadlines. Make the first meeting date soon—within the next seven days. Discuss the possibility of simultaneous chat time together. If you're going to make a team PowerPoint or set of overhead transparencies, make decisions about when you must email attachments to each other so that you can share information and make team layout decisions.
Planning your presentation
First, ask your tutor how your team . This will determine whether the whole team is to be assessed equally or whether individual marks will be awarded.
After exchanging contact details with other members of your team, brainstorm the task and decide as a team what the purpose of the task is and .
Due to the balance of roles within your team, consider the of your team, as well as the problems your team might face.
Decide which personal skills you each have that might be most helpful to your team. These could include computer skills, speaking ability, creative skills or being able to to meet a deadline.
Plan and make a list of all tasks required for the presentation, and start to and for particular tasks. Consider all issues, including who will obtain equipment and prepare visual aids.
Organise early meeting dates and decide on deadlines. If you plan to make a or slides, decide when you will all need to email attachments to each other so you can share information and decide on layout.