Raquel Rodriguez Blog 1.

 Coopman, Public Speaking: The Evolving Art, 5e, is a book that is meant for Professor Sherri Sinkoff’s students to educate themselves about public speaking. Our first project was based on that book; instead of doing the project solo, we got paired in groups and got assigned certain chapters. I remember feeling hesitant about working with a group at first due to me enjoying more solo projects. However, I later enjoyed working with my respective group (group four) because it opened my mind to learning new perspectives and made me better understand how different people approach collaboration and responsibilities. Since we were the last group to present our project, I got to see the way other groups worked together just from their presentation format and the way they interacted with each other. By observing other groups’ dynamics, I was able to see how communication, time management, and patience absolutely impact the efficiency of group projects.

 

 The first group’s presentation that I got to observe was group one. Firstly, I noticed the vibrant and creative visuals, which to me proved innovative effort from the group that I greatly admired.  I remembered their chapters being the introduction of public speaking, so the chapters carried a broad sense of speaking instead of categorizing types of speeches, listening, etc. Still, they managed to bring good points throughout the presentation.  A key point that was brought up in the presentation was when a speaker from that group mentioned something the author did: that no one is born a good speaker, which reassures the reader that it’s okay to start imperfectly and that you’ll learn overtime what makes a good speech and what doesn’t. Another thing that I respect the group for is explaining building confidence when speaking in public, which is something that I personally struggle with and feel should be discussed. In contrast with speaking, group one discussed the importance of listening intently, which I also felt was important – due to us living in a world where younger generations don’t have the best attention spans, it’s important to learn how to listen. Lastly, the chapter that group one presented that stuck to me the most was Chapter five.  As someone who is studying business with a focus in marketing, I feel that learning how to retain, find, and use data for your target audience is important for my career goals because it gives insight into consumer behavior and purchasing purposes. Overall, group one did a phenomenal job presenting efficiently, and importantly, they excelled at using their team skills to make it happen.

 

 Two groups presented after group one, which were groups two and three. When group two presented, the first thing I noticed was the visuals. Although the visuals were nice, I noticed that the template was a little unorganized and was hard to read, which was something I didn’t really like. However, I felt the group brought up a good point on three things to use for your speech. The three being ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos is credibility, pathos is emotion, and logos is logic. When emphasizing and using those three in a speech, it makes for a wonderful and engaging speech. Another point that group two made throughout their presentation was making use of the school resources. I feel that it is insightful to mention using library resources when doing your research on a particular topic you may be presenting. Also, it is important that they mentioned that because we are all college students, and we will go through periods where our professors want us to do a certain project or essay. So, learning the importance of using library resources was something that needed to be taught, and I’m grateful to have learned from group two. In contrast to my initial observation of group two’s visuals, group three’s visuals were creative and had detailed and organized slides. Aside from the visuals, a component that stuck out to me was when the introduction started with a question. I feel that starting a presentation with a question is a great way to have your audience be engaged with what you’re discussing and a way for them to check in with themselves on how they perceive the topic. I also like how they brought out good points when discussing their topics. Although these groups’ presentations were not my personal favorites, they did show the three skills needed to bring efficiencies in the project.

 

 When my group did their presentation, I believe that we did well while we were falling short. One thing that I applaud myself for is picking up the slack and presenting slides that I wasn’t assigned. Additionally, I felt that everyone else who presented in my group did a great job with their respective slides and handled the unpredictable situation well. Although it was stressful, I am grateful for that moment because it led me to get out of my comfort zone. I will, however, admit that I was embarrassed with the way that I spoke and the way I messed up my words. Dealing with dyslexia, it has always been hard for me to speak and read due to the way I see words. Nevertheless, speaking throughout this presentation challenged my disability and helped me with overcoming it. Overall, it was a challenge that led to an academic and personal reward at the end. Even though it was difficult to present, our group showed the three skills that are necessary for an efficient project.

 

 To summarize, studying other groups’ dynamics led me to see how communication, time management, and patience certainly affect the effectiveness of group projects. This experience allowed me to reflect on my own presentation and to grow both academically and personally. Working with my group and observing other groups taught me the importance of collaboration and teamwork. A necessary skill that will follow me for the rest of my life. This project also motivated me to continue improving my communication skills and confidence in a professional or academic environment. Presenting challenged me to confront personal obstacles and better myself, making this project a valuable learning experience that will continue to outline my being.