[nabs-l] OT small group communication

[Greg Aikens]

Hey Ashley,  
I'm not sure why you posted this as OT since it very much deals with academic life.  Here are some suggestions.  Hopefully something is useful.  

As far as the handouts and ppt go, if it is from your group it shouldn't be a problem to ask for it ahead of time.  If it is from other groups, you could send an email asking people to send you their handouts before class if possible so you can have them at the same time.  Unfortunately, many students don't finish that kind of thing with a lot of lead time so you may not get them in advance.  You could bring a flash drive with you for them to copy their materials on to if they are willing.  I use all of these methods.  last of all, you could scan them if you have to.  

As far as telling time during your presentation, get a braille watch.  You can be far more discrete in watching your time.  Another option is to set an alarm on your phone to give you a two minute warning.  I have professors who do this.  A silent alarm would be best.  

To keep track of your notes, you could use big sheets of braille paper and place them on the podium as you suggested, but I find reaching up to a podium and using two-handed braille reading to be awkward while speaking.  You could braille your notes on note cards and then have your hands relatively free when not reading.  I honestly haven't tried this one yet but plan to for my next presentation.  

Anyway, just some brainstorming.  Maybe something in there helped.  

-Greg
On Mar 21, 2011, at 9:05 PM, <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:

> Hi all,
> 
> I could use some help and brainstorming ideas.
> This is for an interpersonal communication project.
> 
> A couple questions/concerns here.  I’m doing a group presentation on small group roles; its very broad but we’re focussing on the different power people have and how the environment affects the roles we play.
> One member is presenting the Stanford prison experiment with a video clip.  Its on youtube I think. Its about a psychological experiment where healthy college students were assigned to be guards or inmates and what happens in an institution like that 
> 
> Some of my questions.
> 
> 1. Everyone has access to the handouts via hard copy; one member will prepare a 1-2 page handout
> How do you access things like this including powerpoint? Do you just insist on having them ahead of time? What about other presenters in your class? They will hand out stuff too. What do you do? Just take it home and scan?
> What I will do is politely remind them that I cannot see the paper and to please read/paraphrase things on the handout.
> 
> 2. How do you track time in a group presentation or public speaking?
> I have a watch I can see but I have to turn toward it with tunnel vision and even with a talking watch, I cannot exactly press it during a presentation.
> I want to track time so in the last minute I can wrap things up and “transition” to the next speaker in this case.
> 
> 3. I can read braille so plan to write out some notes. But where do you put these? Others will have notes in their hands or on screen.
> Obviously I need to lay them down. Perhaps the podium?
> 
> 4. If you have equipment, who operates that? The professor, another classmate? In the past I used the professor to change screens for me or click on videos.
> 
> 
> Now for my other needs.  Can you suggest some people/experiments or sources in the area of small group communication I can look up?  Often having a person’s name helps to start it.
> We do not need scholarly sources, but they do need to be reputable; so quoting experts is a good idea.
> Articles or magazines sound good.
> I will try the database tomorrow.  I wish I had my social psychology book; that is what I really need! But I sold it away!
> The only experiments that come to mind about roles are Milgrims experiment and the Zimbardo prison experiment.
> So psychology and sociology majors, please suggest ideas!
> 
> Thanks.
> Ashley
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