Well, why not use an Ignite Talk? It's a five minute presentation format that's generating some buzz at conferences (I saw my first Ignite talk at last Fall's Chicago Writer's Conference), and it's an excellent way to demonstrate your excitement about a focused topic using tightly rehearsed points and twenty hand-picked images.
The basics:
- It's a five minute presentation
- Your topic is specific & focused
- As you talk, your slideshow automatically scrolls through slides/images (20 total slides scroll every 15 seconds for 5 total minutes)
- Your quick, well rehearsed presentation ignites enthusiasm in your audience members!
- Identify a specific and focused topic (Ex.: Why I Love Teaching at MCC)
- Organize your presentation into three or four main points (Ex.: My students, my colleagues, and the community college mission)
- Brainstorm one or two short narratives for each of your points (Narratives are easier for you to remember, which helps because you won't have any notes!)
- Choose images to show off your points, your stories, and your enthusiasm (Ex.: pictures of my students in class and on Alternative Spring Break, pictures of my colleagues at MCC, a goofy picture of my high school cheerleading squad...)
- Rehearse! (and then rehearse some more--you want to make sure what you're saying coincides with the slides that are moving behind you)
If you need help with images, ask OMPR--they have a terrific library of images from MCC events. You can also use the Internet to snag appropriate images, take your own pictures, or use the Media Center (A210) to scan in your old photos.
Interested in seeing a few more Ignite talks before giving your own? Check out the Ignite website or attend the group Ignite talk at MCC on March 12 that will be honoring Women's History Month by highlighting some of our terrific women at MCC.
And let us know when you give your own Ignite presentation so we can come cheer you on!
