PUTTING THE "POW!" IN POWERPOINT
GROUP PRESENTATION

"What in the World Is Going On Here?"

Objective: To combine all of your independent research topics into a unified whole in a presentation to enlighten your classmates about a specific topic, which you will sign up for individually. The due date on the sign up sheet indicates what date your group will present your collaborative research to the class and host your game Your challenge is to blend and balance your research and present the 10 most important things to know about your group topic. Your group will have a dedicated space on Blackboard where you can communicate and exchange ideas. Or you may use another group work facilitating platforms like Wiggio.

• Your first order of business is for everyone in the group to teach everyone else in the group their research, and you should always bring your Cornell research notes for reference during group meetings.
• You should each provide copies of your Cornell notes for teammates, and a copy of each member's research Cornell notes should be included in the project folder.
• Once everyone has been informed of everyone else's research, the group should then figure out the best way to blend and balance the information so that it flows in a logical and smooth fashion.
• Each group member will present his/her own research.
• Your group should create a list of the top 10 most important things to know about the subject, ranking them in order of importance with 10 being least and 1 being most important, and then briefly explain why each item on the list is important. (Limit one page.)
• Make copies to hand out to classmates (perhaps for use in the game).
• Structure of groups/division of labor:
• project manager

§ needs good organizational skills

§ is responsible for organizing meetings

§ sets and enforces due dates

§ collect material for project folder

o research & development

§ inquisitive type

§ full of ideas--some good, some bad--and a good sense of which is which

§ good problem solver (likes sudoku or crossword puzzles or quest games)

• design & production

§ creative thinkers

• digital natives who love to turn ideas into videos or lyrics
• artists of every ilk from tattoo artists to musicians to actors who might enjoy collaborating with other creative folk to weave ideas into an artful design/production for both presentation and game
• Works cited page, (use Knight Citation Machine on the Blackboard homepage for help. Another good source for scholarly citation is Duke University's online library @ http://library.duke.edu/research/citing/index.html
  
  Form & Content:
• Your group will have the entire class period to teach your research:
• 5 minutes each for every group member to present his/her research and 30 minutes for game play.
• Your group will conclude the class session with a question and answer period and feedback.
• Make and distribute handouts of the top 10 things to know about your topic (limit one page).
• Your presentation should have aesthetic appeal, a logical flow, intellectual clarity, and be a unified whole rather than a patchwork quilt of each person’s research. This means that you must consider continuity in the layout, font size and style, transitions between speakers, etc.
• Your presentation and game should be well rehearsed.
• You may use any of the technology available in the classroom or else bring in your own laptop with the appropriate wiring to connect it to the podium.
• Your presentation should be dynamic (use the Whiteboard, maps, create a music video, jazz up your Powerpoint by animating text/image).
• Your presentation should be easy to follow and readable from the back of the room.

Things to AVOID:

• AVOID reading directly from anything, whether it be a script or the text of the Powerpoint will result in a hefty deduction from your overall grade because it's boring and demonstrates a lack of knowledge and/or lack of presentation skills. (You may, however, refer from time to time to index cards or other notes.)
• AVOID using a background image that makes it impossible to decipher the text
• AVOID using too many or too few words words, bullets, and images per slide
• No chewing gum, mumbling, pacing, racing through information
• No slackers
• No control freaks
  
  Important considerations:
• text/context/subtext
• strengths and weaknesses of group members
• division of labor--should be equitable
• Wiggio or Blackboard should be used as a means of facilitating and maximizing communication
• Groups will need at least one outside of class meeting to practice the presentation and work out the kinks. (As any performer can tell you, dress rehearsals are crucial for polishing and timing the performance/presentation.)

GROUP DYNAMIC (TROUBLESHOOTING)

• If someone fails to honor the agreed upon commitments and responsibilities or insists on being bossy and commandeering the project, vote him/her off of your island and redistribute the tasks immediately to compensate for the shortfall.

· All of the above actions must be agreed upon by all members of the group, submitted to the errant group member in writing, signed by the remaining group members, and turned in to me for my records.

· Those who have been "voted off" may petition the group from which they were ousted, in writing, to be given another chance or to be picked up by another group. Otherwise, the exiled member must complete the assignment alone in order to receive credit on the assignment.

EACH INDIVIDUAL SHOULD SUBMIT:
1) Group Project Evaluation sheet either by email or handed in to me personally before the beginning of the class period following your presentation. If you submit it late, I will subtract 10 points from your grade on this project, and your feedback will not be taken into account for grading purposes.
2)Each member should turn in an annotated individual time log specifically tracking the time you spent on the project (both inside and outside of class). Each entry in your time log should chart exact times and provide a brief synopsis of how that time was spent.

PROJECT FOLDER SHOULD INCLUDE:
1) Cover sheet (title of project/name of game, group members, section number, date submitted)
2) Table of contents
3) Electronic copy and printed copy of presentation
4) Each member's individual research notes
5) TOP 10 LIST handout
6) Works cited page, which should also be included as the final slide of your PowerPoint.