Other amplifying aids - Video Tutorials & Practice Problems

Have you seen the Ted talk? My stroke of insight by Jill Bolte. Taylor. It's a brilliant talk on so many levels. I highly recommend it, but I'm bringing it up now because she uses the most remarkable, memorable amplifying aid. She's a brain scientist sharing her story of experiencing herself. Stroke now, Dr. Bolton Taylor could have shown images of the human brain on slides while she was describing what was happening during her stroke. Many people would have done that, but she decided to go with something far more captivating. She brought onto the stage a real human brain. I've shown this video to dozens of audiences in my trainings and in my college classes. And I can tell you without exception, the moment she brings out that human brain, the whole audience is mesmerized and focused. I can hear the gasps all over the room. Our habits with presentation side software have made us over-reliant on slides and far less creative with other amplifying aids. But it's possible that you don't need one single presentation slide in your presentation. What do you think has more impact on an audience? A picture of the human brain on a screen or an actual three-dimensional human brain on the stage, held up for the audience to see exactly. Audience analysis should always guide your content choices and amplifying aids are no exception. Ask yourself what's most likely to create impact with this audience. Then start exploring the many options to amplify the content of this presentation. Maybe you want to use music. Music can be effective for setting the tone of your presentation. As a background effect, you might play a clip of music to illustrate a point about the effect of different music on mood or. You could use a video such as a demonstration of something new you're teaching or a clip from the most recent team building event at your company to bring back that warm comradery feeling. You can also think of audience engagement, activities as an amplifying aid. These are ways to get your audience actively involved in the content of your presentation. You might have worksheets for them to fill out or an exercise to do in groups, or maybe you have them meet at a piece of large flip paper to work through a problem or an exercise. We know from research that engaging your audience with as many senses as possible is a great way to captivate and keep their attention. So take a look through your presentation content for places you can add other amplifying aids, how can you make your presentation even more impactful? Don't be afraid to be creative and bold here. It'll make your presentation more memorable and impactful.