Using Lightning Talks in Instructional Design Kelly Schrank Today I am going to discuss how to use the concept of a lightning talk in instructional design by presenting my topic in a lightning talk.

What I’ll be Covering Lightning Talk Background Types of Presenters PowerPoint Slides Use for Instructional Design Student Learning Tasks Audience Engagement Instructor Advantages Conclusion

What’s a Lightning Talk? 5 minute talk 20 prepared slides Strictly timed Slides are advanced by someone else 15 seconds per slide

Where have I seen this? Society for Technical Communication Summit 2011 I didn’t attend, but I heard all the buzz 2012 I presented “How to Bring the Benefits of STC to Work” Slides are on Slideshare When I Googled it to research this, there were a lot of hits for lightning talks as a Summit that was not STC’s, so I think this is pretty popular. I’m not sure where it came about or how it got its name.

Highlights Society for Technical Communication Summit “This session is for fun. It’s meant to entertain you, in the same way a train wreck does.” “I use the term “presenter” in the very loose sense.” “A Fear Stalks Our Profession” – Rick Lippencott “Light(e)ning Talk” – Larry Kunz about flabby content Robert Rhyne Armstrong : “This session is for fun. It’s meant to entertain you, in the same way a train wreck does.” Paul Mueller: [Speaking of himself] I use the term “presenter” in the very loose sense.

Two Types of Presenters Experienced Confident Smooth Calm Well-practiced Those who presented in 2012! Some students will take to this naturally

Two Types of Presenters Impulsive Nervous Talking too fast There for a laugh Talking too slow The rest of us! Impulsive (ie, signed up on a whim) Nervous Talking too fast (trying to keep up with slides) There for a laugh (funny slides, costumes, personas) Talking too slow (taking long breaks when they don’t have quite enough to say) Some students will really struggle; most will do well enough All will learn a lot

PowerPoint Slides Pictures are good Watching a Lightning Talk Giving a Lightning Talk One session was about how the presenter’s dog was smarter than he was and how that related to technical communication

PowerPoint Slides Short and to the point Make point with images and humor Usually together

How can we use it in ID? Put student in front of the class Student prepares slides Student makes presentation Incorporates tenets of constructivist teaching Meaning-making Reflection Social activity Engaged learners Presenter must learn content on a deeper level Audience experience content differently from peers Works in physical or virtual classrooms How can we use the concept of a lightning talk in instructional design It is a great exercise in a session that makes the learner talk about what he/she has learned

Student Learning Tasks Learn to be succinct What are your most important points? How can you break the topic down into 15-second discussions? How can you break through theory to how to use knowledge practically?

Student Learning Tasks Learn to communicate well Focus on task No time for long stories or tangents No time to babble No time to look at chat

Student Learning Tasks Though they should practice, they will still be sloppy even if they do (and that’s OK). There will be a level of nervousness due to the lack of control.

Audience Engagement Hard to read from slides blandly when you are trying to make a point in 15 seconds

Audience Engagement Breaks down some of the presenter-audience barrier Laughing with presenter Lots of fun

Instructor Advantages Students must think more deeply on a topic to break out the most important topics Students learn to be succinct No time for long stories or tangents Students must communicate well to get their point across Students must focus on task at hand

Instructor Advantages Instructor has slides ahead of time and runs the presentation Eliminates technical difficulties by students Eliminates students going over time on presentations

Want to take it up a notch? Make it a Ninja Talk After a group project, assign the group to discuss their project or findings: One student prepares slides without consulting the others Another student makes presentation without having seen the slides ahead of time Instructor advances slides Lots of fun!

Want to take it up a notch? Make it a Ninja Talk After a group project, assign the group to discuss their project or findings: One student prepares slides without consulting the others Another student makes presentation without having seen the slides ahead of time Instructor advances slides Lots of fun!

Conclusion New way to have students present on a topic or project Incorporates constructivist tenets for a more engaged, authentic learning experience Encourages meaning-making, problem-solving, and social activity