Miguel Llovera Da Corte Practical Application: Using Learning Theories to Enhance Content Learning EPSY 5473 October 27,

2012

Objective: To give students an opportunity to actively work with the material learned in an Academic Strategies class To produce fluency and transfer of use by conducting an oral presentation.

During this fall semester, I have been given the opportunity to teach a college orientation class for incoming students attending Tulsa Community College. This class orients students to TCC campuses and college services, and requires students to analyze and apply study techniques and behavior patterns essential to college success. One of the study techniques involves teaching students how to communicate for success inside and outside of the classroom setting. Below are the actual instructions I provided to my students for preparation of their oral presentation: Students will perform a 5-7 minute presentation at some point in the semester that illustrates a process or technique (academic strategy) that aids success in college or life. These topics may include instructions for creating an effective PowerPoint, a reading or note-taking technique, a time management or goal strategy, as well as career information and/or tips pertaining to job interviews and application processes. The topic may be one not covered in class, or it may be a new twist to a technique we have studied. You are required share new information with the group, minimizing information about your topic that we have already discussed in class or assigned in readings. This oral presentation is designed to serve several purposes. First, the presentation offers you an opportunity to investigate a study technique you know little about or to share a technique that works well for you. Also, independent study creates involvement in the class and a deeper

connection with the course content. Presenting in front of a class also helps you develop oral communication skills critical to future employment. Be creative and have fun, remember that using humor is a great way to learn.

Criteria for Oral Presentation: 1. Introduction: Begin by introducing the general category of your aid or study tip and an overview of your presentation. 2. Time Restrictions: The presentation should be under 7 minutes in length but at least 5 minutes long. Please practice your presentation at home and time it to be sure you fulfill time requirements. 3. Rich Content: This presentation should provide students with concrete tips that will help them be successful in life or in school. Think of this as a process presentation, listing how to details and/or step-by-step instructions for completing a technique or strategy. 4. Engage Class: Do some activity in your presentation that includes student involvement. You may have students role-play using your technique, you can call students to the front for a demonstration, or you may ask students to do a quick-write at the beginning or pair them up to ask each other a question you have designed for participation. Presentations must include some kind of student engagement. 5. Use Visual Aids: You must use at least one visual aid during your introduction, such as a short video clip from the Internet, a PowerPoint presentation, a poster board, or the camera and overhead projector to show a graph, drawing, or chart you have created. 6. Provide a handout or an electronic version of your topic. You will have to set-up two appointments with a writing tutor. During your first visit, you will work with your tutor to

decide the topic of your presentation and to develop an outline. On your second appointment, you will work with your tutor on how to write a short essay summarizing your presentation. 7. Comprehension Check: Provide a method to check for comprehension. For instance, provide a facts-check question or two at the end of your presentation and finish with one scenario question in which students must apply the new information learned. If you do a presentation on use of technology, provide 3-4 examples of the technique that contain faults and ask students to find errors in the examples.

Ideas for Oral Presentations Spend some time this semester exploring topics in search engines, checking YouTube collections, or visiting with a librarian to find new ways to help you become a better student. Below are some ideas for your oral presentations: Demonstrate how to build a profile on Volunteer Central and explain the importance of becoming a volunteer; Explain how to add video clips, photos, or artwork to PowerPoint presentations; Demonstrate how to use voice memo on IPod as a study aid; Present the positive effects of exercise on studying and illustrate ways to begin a workout plan; Prepare a monthly workout plan for someone who is interested in beginning an exercise program (running, weight training, swimming, cycling, or a combination of these) Have the class do a concentration exercise you discovered on-line and analyze concentration deficiencies and problems that occur from lack of concentration;

Prepare an overview of nutrition and the importance of eating healthy in college; do research on the importance of breakfast in our lives;

Ask a librarian to help you find research on the functions of the human brain and share this information in a formal report with the class. (Include a class memory exercise);

Make a bulleted list of ways to save time, try them out, and report the results to the class; Customize an electronic day-planner and share it with the class; Create a presentation on yoga, contemplative studies (meditation), relaxation and breathing exercises, or some other form of relaxation;

Talk about ways to create long-term goals (life plan) and make them happen; Create hands-on study aids for science, math, or history classes; Create a role-playing exercise for the class, illustrating a method to improve communications with co-workers or classmates.

Demonstrate some job interviews techniques and how to dress for success; Present research on the effects of the use of music in learning and provide examples; Demonstrate ways to better manage finances in college; Illustrate how to use Excel to create a Cornell-format study guide; Demonstrate how to do mind-mapping and have students do one for a 2-3 minute lecture you prepare on a topic we are studying in class;

Give students techniques to use when studying for math; Give an overview of the student organizations at TCC and explain ways to enroll in one.