Responding to Oral/Multimedia Presentation Drafts
As with written drafts, each instructor will no doubt have a
preferred method of responding to oral presentations. And again,
most instructors prefer the role of coach when commenting on
these drafts. But there are significant differences in responding
to oral drafts as well.
Managing the logistics of such response is one challenge. As
you prepare to respond to oral presentation drafts (or rehearsals),
have a clear plan for doing so. You may want, for example, to
work with your Oral Communication Tutors to set up rehearsal
times and ask that the OCTs videotape the rehearsals. Then you
and the OCTs can meet with the students to discuss the taped
performance. In such a de-briefing, you will want to begin by
reviewing and elaborating on key strengths and weaknesses of
the presentation before moving on to reviewing specific portions
of the tape for detailed commentary. During this discussion,
focus on elements of the students’ argument, on the students’ delivery,
and on the integration of materials such as slides or other visuals
into the presentation. Conclude this response session by focusing
on the major elements the student should improve before the final
presentation.
Many instructors prefer to provide written response to rehearsal/presentations.
Doing so means developing an evaluation form that helps students
easily understand and focus on your feedback on key areas (both
local and global) relevant to the course and assignment goals.
The most comprehensive evaluation form to date has been developed
by Sohui Lee, available on the PWR website.
