 Audiovisual Aids Lecture #7

Definition  Audiovisual Aid – (n.) anything (in addition to your spoken word) the members of your audience can see or hear that helps them understand and remember your presentation.

Advantages of AVAs include:  Adding interest  Simplifying a complex topic  Helping your audience remember  Increasing learning (studies suggest as much as 55%)

Types of AVA  The Speaker  Assistants  Objects  Printed Materials  Technology

AVA #1 – The Speaker  Clothing, apparel, and equipment  Physical demonstration  Example – a speech on rock climbing or skateboarding

Rockclimbing

AVA #2 - Assistant  If you can’t be the AVA  Two (or more) is sometimes better than one  Can be prepared or spontaneous  Example – a speech about CPR or dancing

CPR Demo

AVA #3 - Objects  Usually three dimensional tangibles  Example – a speech on cooking or science experiments

Carving a Turkey

AVA #4 – Printed Materials Quantitative Information  Map  Chart (verbal, pie, or flow)  Graph (line or bar) Visual Depiction  Drawing  Photograph  Diagram

Charts and Graphs  Simple  Accessible  Useful

What is this image depicting? Right Brain = Creative Left Brain = Logic

AVA #5 - Technology  Video  Audio  Keep brief and supplemental  Be prepared for technical difficulties  Example – speech on history of Jazz

Audience Analysis  Before preparing an AVA you should consider:  Forum  Demographics  Prior Exposure

Guidelines for Preparation  Make sure your AVA supports your point  Consider and test the size, legibility, and clarity  Contrast increases readability  Keep it simple and professional  Practice with AVA  Be prepared to speak without AVA

Think about it… Sharp contrast = easy to read Poor contrast = hard to read

Using AVAs MMake sure everyone can see, hear, or engage CControl audience interaction OOnly keep visible as long as necessary MMake sure your audience has time to get what they need BBe clear and orderly with direction BBe careful with handouts MMaintain eye contact RRemember the purpose of audiovisual aid s YYou cannot be replaced; you are the messenger