The Desire2Learn Users Conference Committee is dedicated to assisting all speakers in making sure their presentations are a success.  There are many logistical details that are being organized in advance, so your cooperation in completing the information below is sincerely appreciated.
 

• Please send your session materials to UC06@Desire2Learn.com with "Session Material (your last name)" in the subject line no later then July 14th, 2006.  By sending your materials, these will be uploaded the Desire2Learn Conference website and be made available for your audience during and after your session.
  
  Please ensure that all session materials and PowerPoint presentations use the standard conference templates provided below.
• Read tips for creating effective presentations.

For answers to any speaker-related (or conference-related) questions, please contact Simone Moreau, Conference Coordinator, at UC06@Desire2Learn.com, 519-772-0325 x382.

What the Desire2Learn Users Conference will provide:

• Podium with microphone (fixed or lavaliere)
• Chairs for your audience
• Internet access (wireless may be available for the audience)
• Projection system and screen

Please bring your laptop to run your presentation on

Presentation Tips

Speaker Presentations

Your presentation is an opportunity to share information with your peers in a formal classroom-style setting with a projection system.  Each session lasts 50 minutes.  The presentation may have one or more presenters.  Typical formats are one presenter, two or more presenters (with each presenter covering a different aspect of the presentation), or a panel discussion where each panelist offers a personal perspective on the session's topic.

Presenters speak from the podium (fixed or lavaliere) microphone.  You, or your panel of presenters, may plan a 35-40 formal presentation to be followed by 5-10 minutes of interactive questions and answers, or you may plan a less formal presentation that incorporates interaction with the audience through the 50 minutes.  Regardless of style, it is important to plan some questions-and-answer time with the audience.

Whether yours is a single or multiple presenter session, it is important to carefully plan and practice your session so that the main ideas are discussed within the allotted time, and allows for audience interaction.  The 50-minute session is adequate to tell a complex story with time for discussion if you keep introductions and "unnecessary" background information to a minimum.

Your audience has read the session program description and is expecting a presentation that closely addresses those ideas.  Outline key points and background information.  Think about this from both your and your audience's perspectives: what do you want to share, and what will they want to know about?  Write out the major points to be discussed and time their delivery.  If you have multiple presenters, plan who will cover which points and avoid time-consuming segues and duplication of comments.

Style One: More Formal — Questions at the End of the Presentation

Remember the essentials:

• Introduction:
  • who you are
  • your institution
  • outline of your content (what you are going to tell them)
• Body:
  • your key points with background information and illustration for each point (tell/show them)
• Conclusion:
  • summarize
  • (tell them what you told them)
  • close (provide resources for any content you share and your contact information)
• Q & A: Give your audience the opportunity to interact with you and discuss your content.  (It is helpful to have provocative questions of your own to ask the audience about your content and ideas, especially if no one asks questions.  Include your questions on the closing slide/page of your presentation and leave them up during the Q & A.  Provocative questions are ones that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer, and they often do not have easy or popular answers.  They stimulate discussion.)

Style Two: Less Formal — Questions During the Presentation

Remember the essentials:

• Introduction: (same as previous)
  • who you are
  • your institution
  • outline of your content (what you are going to tell them)
• Body:
  • your key points with background information and illustration for each point (tell/show them)
  • Q & A: Create provocative opportunities for your audience to interact with your content and ideas.  This does not need to be after each point, but after each section.  Ways to conceive of this are to think of the
    • causes and effects;
    • positives and negatives;
    • multiple perspectives; and especially the
    • audience's experiences with the material - consider giving short time periods (two minutes) for them time to work in pairs on a question about the topic.  Leave some time to share what the pairs find, but have only two or three pairs share with the group then move on to your next key point.  In this less formal style, you learn from your peers and they become engaged in your presentation.
• Conclusion:
  • summarize
    • (tell them what you told them)
    • (tell them what they told you in the Q & A)
  • close (provide resources for any content you share and your contact information)
• Q & A: Give your audience the opportunity to interact with you and discuss your content.  (It is helpful to have provocative questions of your own to ask the audience about your content and ideas, especially if no one asks questions.  Include your questions on the closing slide/page of your presentation and leave them up during the Q & A.  Provocative questions are ones that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer, and they often do not have easy or popular answers.  They stimulate discussion.)

 

To PowerPoint or not to PowerPoint

Most presenters provide a PowerPoint or Web-based (or other media) illustration of their presentation.  It is important to remember that these are important supplements to your presentation but will not be the presentation.  Having the outline of your presentation projected can assist visual learners in following your presentation.  Illustrations and demonstrations can enhance learning.  In addition, you will be asked to provide your presentation in a format suitable for the online conference proceedings.  A PowerPoint, Web site, or PDF document will work well for this purpose.

Note:  When transferring your presentation to CD-Rom or USB Memory Stick, make sure you include any external video clips or picture files utilized in your presentation.  It is helpful to store all files associated with one presentation in the same folder.

When creating your presentation, make sure to check for any spelling or grammatical errors.  Have someone take a few minutes to proofread your work, because a few minutes spent proofreading will save you lots of potential embarrassment.  Also, practice your presentation, making sure you keep within the time frame allowed.  Lastly, keep in mind that technology is not always 100% trustable.  Keep a paper copy of your presentation available for emergencies.

All presentations must use the User Conference PowerPoint template but can be personalize with adding your institutions logo, pictures etc.

PowerPoint Resources

http://www.microsoft.com/office/previous/xp/tips/powerpoint.asp

 

Presentation Rooms

Room sizes and capacity will vary.  In general, presentation space is planned based on the number of track sessions divided into the total number of registrants.  If there are five tracks and 400 attendees expected, then the breakout rooms for presentations will hold approximately 80 people.  However, this can not be guaranteed due to the difference in available meeting room sizes in the conference facilities we use.

 

Handouts and the Web Site

Though presentation handouts aren't required, they are nice to have.  They make it easier for your audience to follow along.  They also allow you to summarize your presentation and include contact information, URLs, etc., which your audience can refer to for future usage.  However, remember that most attendees prefer not to pack paper home after a conference.  We encourage presenters to build a Web version of the presentation that attendees can visit after the conference.  Jointly, you may wish to bring business cards so that attendees can contact you after the conference.

All handouts will be on the official Users Conference handout template provide within the speaker resources kit.

 

Presenting Tips

There is no substitute for advanced preparation.  Familiarize yourself with the set-up of the room in advance and test the equipment that you plan on using.

Practice speaking so that you use appropriate enthusiasm and gestures — and so that you speak slowly, clearly, and with the appropriate volume.

Look at your audience, not your notes.  Eye contact grabs the attention of the listener and draws them into the presentation.

Pay attention to your audience.  If they look confused, ask if they have questions or comments.  Practice your presentation, but remember to remain flexible to the needs of your audience.

Do not read your PowerPoint or other media.  It's there to supplement your presentation.

PowerPoint or other media should be clearly visible from 30 feet.  Use brief text, and one large font (28 pt or higher).  Avoid complex graphics and charts.  Complex information can be made available in a handout or on a Web page your audience can visit later.

Smile and have fun!!  If the audience sees that you are passionate about your topic, they will automatically become interested.

Remember that the audience is comprised of your peers.  They are friendly sorts who are in the room to hear what you have to say about a topic of interest to them.  They also enjoy sharing ideas about the topic of interest.  A concurrent session can be a time of making connections with peers, so think of your session as an opportunity to gain ideas from your peers about your ideas as much as sharing your ideas with them.  Smile... and enjoy your session!

 

Presentation Skills Online Resources

http://www.presentersuniversity.com/Delivery.php
http://www2.fpm.wisc.edu/support/PresentationTips.htm
http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/dept/tips/present/comms.htm
http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/html/studyskills/presentationskills.htm
http://www.presentationhelper.co.uk/Essential_Presentation_skills.htm

 

Downloads

UC06 PowerPoint Template

UC06 Word Letterhead for handouts

Download this page (Speaker Resources)