Reflecting ALES 204

Before ALES 204 I was quite skeptical of social media and thought it was simply for individuals to brag or complain online. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube were the only social media sites that I was aware of prior to this course. Although I had a Facebook account I was rarely on it, and I refused to join Twitter! YouTube was a site that I went on occasionally in order to watch funny videos or listen to music.

Social Media Blogs. From “Online Marketing Stuff,” 2012, 
http://onlinemarketingstuff.com/best-social-media-blogs

Now that I have nearly completed the ALES 204 course, I am so much more aware of what social media was really created for. Even though I was against Twitter before the course, we had to make an account and Tweet every class about what we learned.  Although you can use Twitter for personal comments, this website can also be used in order to find potential employers, get information from people that interest you (for example I am following a dietitian that gives wonderful health advice that is extremely beneficial) and communicate with individuals worldwide. I also learned about new social media sites such as Flickr, LinkedIn, and Blogger.  Flickr is a site that you can download your own pictures and personally copyright them.  It was very useful to learn about the various copyright laws in lecture and then put them into practice by uploading photos onto Flickr and picking the copyright laws that is best suited for the photo and the owner.  LinkedIn is a fantastic website where you can upload your resume and create cover letters as well as find jobs.  However, LinkedIn is not only for jobs, it’s also an information site where you can find individuals and message them.  Blogger is a blogging site where individuals can create an account and blog about anything.  The site is set up very well, is very easy to use and also looks very professional.  We also worked on Facebook, creating Facebook Pages that can help find potential employers as these Pages act like an online business card. 

Overall ALES 204 was a very informative course and I will not stop using the social media sites that we were introduced to during the class.  The class not only covered social media but related topics such as giving presentations, the proper format of CV’s, podcasting and futurecasting.  A huge thanks to Dr. Jessica Laccetti, my wonderful TA MC, and all of the other TA's that presented during the lectures, for making ALES 204 a great class.

My 5 comments:

Cassandra H

Bianca Cimino

Courtney Milford 

Lindsay Gervais 

                                                    

Rheon Fisher 

Until next time,

Janessa is out.

Giving a Presentation

Giving a public presentation or speech is not the easiest task to accomplish.  The fear of public speaking is the number one fear for the majority of individuals, according to this website.  I am by no means an expert at this subject however in ALES 204 we have had many speakers that have guided us with knowledge and expertise. Therefore, I am writing this blog to inform and educate you on how to give a good presentation in front of an audience, in hopes to reduce the stress involved with public speaking.

From "Public Speaking: A Few Tips from my List," by Prabhu, B.R., 2007,
 http://deshika.wordpress.com/2007/11/27/public-speaking-a-few-tips-from-my-list/.

Organization is a huge element in a presentation since flow is needed in order to keep the attention of the audience.  According to MC, the presenter must connect with their audience by telling a “hook,” which could include a greeting, a joke or even a story that is appropriate to the audience.  The introduction follows the hook, which includes the main objective of the speech.  Next is the body that is the core of the presentation, containing one or two main ideas.  Lastly is the conclusion that not only sums up the presentation, but also includes the take home message that the audience should remember from the presentation.  If these elements are included, your presentation is sure to flow, as well as look organized.  The most important part of your content and organization is that your speech needs to flow, be logical, be simple and be informative. 

Even though your speech may be well organized and have all of the important parts of the content present, your speech needs to be practiced.  Practice is the key to a great speech!  If your presentation contains everything that it should, but the way that you present it is insufficient, your presentation will not be memorable.  In order to better convey your message to the audience, it is really important to connect with the audience emotionally, through a common interest and through a common passion.  Another important aspect to consider is the clarity of speech.  Projection, tone, pronunciation and inflection are important factors to consider with clarity of speech.  If these factors are properly done, the overall presentation can greatly benefit by connecting with the audience and allowing the audience to be able to hear the presenter.

Although giving a presentation may be nerve racking, a lot of people also worry about social media and other advanced types of communication.  Cassandra H, a fellow classmate, has a great blog about the debates surrounding social media.  She goes over the different kinds of social media or other types of communication, and talks about the benefits and disadvantages she has found in her personal life about these communication methods.

Until next time,

Janessa is out.