Erik Kaarla, Educator

The student presentation is perhaps the most recognizable staple of most pedagogical methods and systems.  There is something about students presenting their own ideas and leading the classroom with authority that seems to get to the heart of what education is at its best: a world where everyone learns something new within a fun and creative format.  While some critics of the student-lead presentation might say that it allows the instructor “some time off” – I would counter this by saying that for the most part the anxiety that comes from having to perform in front of peers and the instructor usually raises the bar for most student speakers. 

Generally speaking, students who have “to produce the goods” will do so if the correct assignment is given to them.

Most educational research shows us that instructor-based lecture time is really ineffective as a tool of learning.  On the other side, student-lead “teach-backs” and presentations promote some of the highest levels of learning retention and engagement.  It is for this reason that I continue to improve upon my setting up of assignments that call for student-lead presentations. I also spend large amounts of time on finding proper assessment methods so as to find out to the most accurate degree whether or not the presenters are exceling or merely phoning it in when they are addressing the classroom.

 As an added value to this assignment parameter, all student presenters are forever forced to be working on their communication skills as they attempt to share effective information for a grade.  Within the act of presenting many skill sets are initiated and I believe that neuro-imagery of the brain would show just how lit up the brain of a student presenter is when she is presenting her most meaningful insights.

Most all of the students who deliver mid-semester or final presentations in my classes do so after having encountered numerous ideas from me about using effective rhetoric.  The theory of rhetoric and its application tends to be quite new for many of the students who have not taken extensive writing or English courses.  As my students internalize the idea of every moment of life being connected with opportunities for executing the very best persuasive messages and deliveries of them – they are literally transformed towards a completely new sphere of critical thinking.  In most cases the idea of “winging it” becomes very much less attractive as students begin to internalize the idea of working on specific rhetorical strategies in order to achieve the maximum effect.

I would be remiss in not mentioning how exhilarating it is when witnessing students showing their mastery of particular material when in front of the classroom.  It is as if they are bringing an entire new experience of engagement to the classroom.

As an icebreaker in virtually any millieu, I often have students present something about what they especially like to do -- and then have them teach it to the rest of us!  Nothing builds learning confidence more than being able to teach others.  As an instructor I much prefer assigning presentations as final projects rather than exams.  I believe that this offers each student the possibility of achieving success through preparation and instructor support -- one-on-one meetings allow me to offer guidance to individual students as they explore content  and method.

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Questions?

For more information on particular assignment descriptions and parameters, please contact erikkaarla@hotmail.com.