Liven Up Your Presentations!
Flora M. Sánchez
Search Institute Senior Trainer and Consultant
As we’re all aware, engaging and dynamic presentations enhance our ability to deliver information. We know we have an important message to share. HOW we deliver it can make a big difference in whether the message is received. I like to use these words to guide my planning and I work to include elements of each in every presentation: capture both eyes and ears, stimulate the body, touch the heart.
In this article I’ll focus on visual aids and share a few of my personal favorite resources to add to your collection of visual stimuli. Many of them do a great job of touching the heart as well.
The term “visuals” is a broad one, ranging from handouts, flip charts and overhead transparencies to more modern products such as PowerPoint audio-slide shows and DVD’s. Visual aids add impact and interest to a presentation. They can be used to reinforce major points, spark discussion, illustrate a point, clarify messages, and create excitement. They enable you to appeal to more than one sense at a time, and thus increase the audience’s understanding and retention level.
Studies by educational researchers suggest that approximately 83% of human learning occurs visually, and the remaining 17% through the other senses – 11% through hearing, 3.5% through smell, 1% through taste, and 1.5% through touch. The studies suggest that three days after an event, people retain 10% of what they heard from an oral presentation, 35% from a visual presentation, and 65% from a visual and oral presentation. U.S. Department of Labor OSHA Office of Training and Education, May 1996.
Keep your own eyes open for fresh resources. As you find some consider sharing them with us.
DVDs
- The Simple Truths of Service—Inspired by Johnny the Bagger www.simpletruths.com 800-900-3427
- Make a Difference
Youtube videos (simplest access requires that you have internet connection during the presentation. You can embed a link into a blank slide for quickest and smoothest access.)
- Star Fish Story – Making a Difference Every Day
- Christian the Lion
- JMac 1 ESPN
Photo Slide Show – Connect with Hope Youth Paintings 2008
Instructions for how to download:
1. Double-click on the collection icon to open the set
2. Right click on the picture (you’ll need to repeat the steps for each picture as you can only download one at a time)
3. Select “save picture as . . . ” (your My Pictures folder in My Documents will likely open) type name (i.e. Youth Paintings) in highlighted file name
4. Press save.
5. Repeat process for each picture.
At the end you’ll likely want to put all the pictures in one folder. When ready to use, your computer’s Picture Manager will likely give you the option to show as a slide show – select that option.
Please include the following, or similar, credit line:
From the Connect with Hope Youth Paintings 2008 HCHY conference photo display. Used with permission as part of the Essentials of Asset Building Training of Trainers workshop. Copyright © 2009 by Search Institute ®, 800-888-7828, www.search-institute.org/training.
Ideas for use:
1. Open slide show and run as your participants gather for the presentation or during a break.
2. Use as discussion starter: What do these slides tell us about how youth view their future, see the world. What role can adults play in helping them realize that vision of hope?
3. Great examples of community/school project—encourage participants to try this with their own students.
Best of luck as you engage your audience with these dynamic presentation ideas!
