GUIDELINES FOR GREAT PRESENTATIONS

Over the years we've gathered a lot of feedback from faculty attending the International Conference on College Teaching and Learning. Often, they've included suggestions for ways that individual presentations could be improved and told us what they did and did not like in the presentations they saw. With their suggestions and comments in mind, we provide the following guidelines to help you make the most of your presentation at the conference.

ALL PRESENTATIONS

• Please make sure the title and abstract of your presentation adequately and accurately describes your presentation.
• Spell check and grammar check your abstract before submitting your proposal.
• Focus primarily on the pedagogy, secondarily on the technology.
• Make sure you specify any technology needs you will have on your proposal so that the necessary equipment can be arranged for you ahead of time.
• Come prepared with at least 50 handouts (make sure they've been spell checked!) and business cards. If you recommend specific Websites or publications, include a list of URL's and a bibliography.
• Provide empirical data or practical applications to support theory.
• Never read a paper--make sessions interactive to get your audience involved.
• If you use PowerPoint, keep text lines to 5 or less per slide-provide talking points
• When practical, demonstrate rather than talk.
• Be courteous to your fellow presenters and make sure you stay within your allotted time.
• And always-- Prepare! Prepare! Prepare!

THINGS TO AVOID

• "This is my story of how I put my class online…"
• Too narrow focus or applicability
• PowerPoint slides of just text-be creative!

POSTER SESSION PRESENTATIONS

• Review the information about poster sessions to make sure that you understand the format, what is provided, and what you need to provide. If you have any questions, contact Jeana Davis.
• Make sure you request Internet access on your proposal form if you will need it. If it is not requested, it will not be provided.
• Make sure you are set up on time and are prepared to answer questions about your presentation.
• Make sure display materials are readable from a distance of 5 to 10 feet.
• It can't be said enough: come prepared with a minimum of 50 handouts (make sure they've been spell checked!) and business cards. If you recommend specific Websites or publications, include a list of URL's and a bibliography.

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