Business and professional communication is an essential skill, but it no longer takes place solely in person. An important component in preparing students to segue to a professional career is ensuring that they have a plethora of experiences—today, this should include working in a virtual space.
Many industries offer telecommuting options, require global Web-based presentations, etc. Students who are charged with working in these organizations must understand the etiquette when communicating synchronously and asynchronously.
So developing an online course in public speaking must include a myriad of opportunities to create experiences that enable students to hone communicating in an online context.
As the instructional designer for this type of online course, I spent countless hours researching what strategies other institutions (higher education and professional industries) employ when teaching a public speaking course online (one of the more popular online courses) or communicating in a professional setting.
After sifting through several examples, I created sample projects segmented by synchronous and asynchronous solutions. It was important to distinguish between the types of solutions to ensure that students get experience working with each. See the sample projects listed in the table below.
Synchronous Presentations |
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Sample Project Description |
Examples of Technology Applications |
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Utilizing a web conferencing solution, create groups of students that deliver presentations in real-time to one another along with the faculty member. |
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Sample Project Description |
Examples of Technology Applications |
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Utilizing a video recording device, require students to obtain a set number of audience members and someone to film them delivering a speech.
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Asynchronous Presentations |
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Sample Project Description |
Examples of Technology Applications |
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Utilizing a video-recording device, require students to record themselves delivering a speech. |
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Sample Project Description |
Examples of Technology Applications |
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Utilizing an application that enables audio narration, require students to create and record a narrated PowerPoint presentation. Students submit the PowerPoint. |
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Each of these examples lends itself to creating different experiences for students to communicate professionally in a virtual space.
As technology becomes more ubiquitous in global work settings, students who are acclimated to presenting in multifaceted formats are better equipped to deliver on-demand and work with a variety of technologies.
The title of your blog intrigued me to read further. Technology has circum our lives and lifestyle more than we would have ever imagined. I recall watching the cartoon “The Jetsons” and pretty much being bored to death because that specific cartoon, in my young eyes, was too make believe. A scene in “The Jetsons” cartoon that now sticks out more than ever is when Mr. Jetson had a conference call with his boss. He never used the telephone. Instead, his boss would magically appear on a big screen TV. I assumed it to be a TV because computers were not yet made purchasable to the public. This was very strange to me…yet here we are today holding the exact same type of conference call, in virtual space.
So, now there is public speaking online:) Who would have thought a class that once required the student body to be present, now, that requirement is no longer a requirement. As technology continues to maneuver and take away the face-to-face communication, eventually, the student body in colleges and universities will no longer be a requirement, as it was. Guess that means we as Instructional Designers have our work cut out for us.
In business and professional communication it is essential, as Instructional Designers, we are on top of current technology and applications, as well as, communication styles (verbal and non-verbal), and language in a specific industry so we know what works best. So although the title “Public Speaking Online: Can it or Can’t it be Done?” is not actually a question being asked for an answer… I will answer it by saying, technology says such a class must take place.
Your blog provided useable information! I enjoyed the read:)
You are providing very helpful information.Thank you