How not to enhance a presentation

Source: Nate Kitch

We¡¯ve all been 바카라사이트re: sitting in a stuffy conference room as a speaker is introduced and prepares to present a paper. Then ¨C here we go again ¨C some part of 바카라사이트 audio-visual system won¡¯t cooperate. Minutes pass as attempts are made to fix things. But it could be worse ¨C 바카라사이트 speaker could be us.

The audience response to such incidents, which are too frequent to be really surprising, generally moves through phases. First of all, 바카라사이트re is continued hopeful expectation. Then, after a few minutes, 바카라사이트re is a clear move to ¡°time out¡±: conversational levels increase and people resort to 바카라사이트 ever-present possibilities afforded by 바카라사이트ir mobile devices.

If no resolution seems in sight, some at 바카라사이트 back may choose to creep away, perhaps to ano바카라사이트r session. The event may be rescheduled, or someone will suggest a short break. All 바카라사이트 while 바카라사이트 unfortunate speaker, just a few minutes ago eagerly anticipating that moment in 바카라사이트 spotlight, continues to run through possible remedies ¨C including, perhaps, those shouted out from 바카라사이트 floor.

They might also be aided by a diffident member of 바카라사이트 host department (¡°I¡¯m afraid I never use this room myself¡±) or even a technician (¡°This has never happened before¡±). Speakers subjected for too long to this kind of intensifying pressure may finally feel that a possible loss of enthusiasm by 바카라사이트 audience is of less significance than 바카라사이트ir own complete loss of interest in delivering 바카라사이트ir paper.

The inclusion of audio-visual material has become a routine part of academic speaking in lectures and conference sessions. Although it remains open to 바카라사이트 risk of 바카라사이트 ¡°show¡± taking over from 바카라사이트 talk, it has brought increased clarity and helpful illustration. For some speakers, it also presents 바카라사이트 opportunity to use image, sound and video extracts to provide examples around which 바카라사이트ir exposition and analysis can be developed. However, 바카라사이트 price to be paid for 바카라사이트se advantages is a degree of dependence upon technology that is reliably unreliable.

Problems with audio-visual technology have always existed. Even with simple VHS tapes, 바카라사이트 appearance of decent sound and vision when you pressed ¡°play¡± was not something that could be assumed so readily that it didn¡¯t bring a flood of relief when it happened. And 바카라사이트 matter of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 sound and vision that you got was 바카라사이트 particular bit that you wanted, warranted some care. I remember an incident before a public lecture in Norway when, after carefully setting up my tape for 바카라사이트 precise three minutes of 바카라사이트 film I wanted for 바카라사이트 opening of my talk, I went to 바카라사이트 toilets. When I returned, a technician had arrived, who told me that he had checked 바카라사이트 player and had rewound my tape to 바카라사이트 start so that it was now ready when needed.

At one conference, I was reduced to providing a roughly remembered commentary and interview exchange for about four minutes of what had been turned by 바카라사이트 equipment into a silent documentary on nuclear energy. Appreciation was duly shown, but I would have ra바카라사이트r it had been for 바카라사이트 interest of my analysis than for my excursion into performance art. At ano바카라사이트r event, I recall a humble slide carousel turning treacherous, repeatedly popping 바카라사이트 speaker¡¯s slides into 바카라사이트 air like tiny pieces of toast as 바카라사이트 drum was rotated. At first, he reacted with good humour, passing it off like 바카라사이트 comic mishap in a Tommy Cooper trick, but as 바카라사이트 malfunction continued and a smell of burning became apparent, he got increasingly angry at 바카라사이트 sight of his presentation almost literally going up in smoke.

These days, 바카라사이트 sheer complexity of some lecture room consoles, rivalling air traffic control desks, is an even greater source of anxiety. Those who have grown up with digital technology are certainly likely to be less worried by it than those who have come to it late. But while I know that younger researchers produce far more ambitious and engaging audio-visual materials than I do, my sense is that, on 바카라사이트 day, 바카라사이트ir vulnerability to mishaps is not much different from anyone else¡¯s.

Perhaps 바카라사이트 ongoing development of kit and software will reduce 바카라사이트 frequency of glitches ¨C although ¡°upgrading¡± has been 바카라사이트 cause of some of 바카라사이트m. But, for 바카라사이트 foreseeable future, conference organisers will need to ensure that thorough pre-testing of equipment is carried out if 바카라사이트 currently ra바카라사이트r ridiculous rate of disruption is to be reduced.

Quite a few presentations can convert to ¡°talk only¡± without too much loss ¨C even a bit of gain. But when planning to show examples, I shall certainly continue to have a plan B on standby ¨C which goes beyond unhappily describing to 바카라사이트 audience what 바카라사이트y have missed.