Lightning Talk #1

(from the College Music Society) What are Lightning Talks?

Lightning Talks differ substantially from a delivered paper. They are presentations in which imagery supports the message. They are not simply PowerPoint or Keynote slides with bullet points to deliver content, but are a creative endeavor through which thinking is supported and made manifest. Lightning Talks are brief, 5-minute presentations that focus on a single topic, example, idea, project, or technique. Lightning Talks do not attempt to cover all aspects of their subject matter, but present one facet of the idea clearly and succinctly.

For an example of an award-winning Lightning Talk, given in 3 minutes, 30 seconds, please watch the following YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hghpuxCHTc

For further information on giving Lightning Talks, please access: http://www.perl.com/pub/a/2004/07/30/lightningtalk.html

For our purposes, think of your Lightning Talk as something that you might present at a school board meeting, for a parent group or music booster presentation, or offer as a pre-concert talk for parents. Don't be too concerned with explaining all of the details regarding your policy issue or topic--get to the "big picture" right away, and keep the discussion focused tightly on your main point. Think about your intended audience and craft your message so that it is easily understandable and jargon-free.

There will be two opportunities to present Lightning Talks, one during Week 3 (on a topic or issue of your choice) and the other during Week 6 (on the topic or issue you are addressing for your Final Project). Sign up information will be provided in class.

Some guidelines:

your talk must be no longer than 5 minutes, and use no more than 8 slides
focus on a single topic or issue
think "Ted Talk" meets "speed dating”

Tips for an entertaining, joyous, and informative lightning talk:

Get to the point quickly; invest no more than one minute on setup and background.
Select a relevant topic for the audience.
Share one great idea.
Tell a story; storytelling is universal and we all have a story to tell.
Show passion for an idea; spread your joy.
Share information but resist the temptation to explain in detail.
Use more pictures and fewer words; if you use text, make sure it is at least 50 pts.
Plan on not using the first and the last slides, time flies when you’re having fun.
Don’t forget that the audience is on your side.
Remember that delivery is as important as content.
Practice, practice, practice.
Practice with a timer (there’s an app for that).
End strong and “power wrap” your lightning talk… restate your one great idea.

from: https://barriebyron.wordpress.com/2013/02/17/so-you-want-to-give-a-lightning-talk/

Biermann.pptx

Microsoft Power Point Presentation 964.0 KB