1. 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.

2. 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

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

4. 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.

5. 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.

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

7. 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

8. 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

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

10. 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

11. 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?

12. 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

13. 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.

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

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

16. 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

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

18. 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!

19. 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!

20. 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