Chapter 7 - Images

After moving on beyond the chapter of humor, I was glad that we had the opportunity to learn about the power of images and its utilization in our presentations. The proper image can set the tone for learning. In the PowerPoint world, we have made the mistake of reading slides instead of having a conversation. As presenters, we could always present endless test and bore the audience into oblivion, but research has shown that we retain information better through our visual channel. Most of us have been exposed to the exercise of telling a brief story and passing it on through the room and to see how it varies in the end. Unfortunately, most of us do not practice active listening which is why there is something missing in translation and hence retention. Several of the techniques presented expands the learner beyond the template and bullet points. Setting the stage is important by providing the proper background and accentuating the main focus or content. This past week, I watched a presentation on PBS Slavery By Another Name, which was a documentary on the criminalization of African-American men in the South through the Black Codes and Pig Laws. One black and white picture that stood out to me in the documentary was that of teenagers in Louisiana that were leased out through the convict leasing system for profit. Faces of the oppressed. The voiceless. Imagery can evoke passion and emotions that would lead to retention. The text did show the difference between text,clipart, black and white pictures, and color pictures. Most importantly, how color can be utilized to stand out and represent meaning in that which is displayed. Color pictures are the standard that we would like to work on if available to us for our presentations. References Burmark, L. (2011), They Snooze You Lose: The Educator's Guide To Successful Presentations