English Oral Presentation

[Hydroxyl]

Hey guys!
I received my oral presentation topic and we have about a week until the presentation. We were given little time because its not examinable or a major component of our SAC marks, but it still is a SAC nonetheless.

My topic is "Do students learn as effectively with ebooks, compared with traditional, hardcopy books?

I feel quite ambivalent in relation to the topic because I have conflicting views! I just started research and I'm not 100% sure of the stance I'm taking, let alone the information I'm including. Does anyone have anyy idea on what I can include or have any tips for a speech thats about 4-6 mins? I'd like to speak for roughly 5 minutes as it strikes a nice balance.

I have planned and I'm thinking of ending with the stance that essentially using both textbooks and eBooks (e.g. an iPad for research) produces the best results, and I'll try and find some studies or expert opinions in relation to the topic.


Quite stuck, so would appreciate anyones help!!



Thanks all ~~

[brenden]

Did you choose your own topic? Or is this like, you have to make an argument based around the VCAA 2012 English exam? Could you modify in any way?

The question seems completely factual to me. I.e., there is a fact about the matter on what variable produces better learning outcomes, or whether they are roughly the same - and that fact won't be influenced by anyone's opinions on the matter haha. (But probably more appropriate to consider your question as, "Should eBooks  be a key part of student learning" or something like that.

If it's not going to be factual, then there's a host of stuff you could say depending on your stance. Would love some more info on your task

[Ashjames]

Hey guys!
I received my oral presentation topic and we have about a week until the presentation. We were given little time because its not examinable or a major component of our SAC marks, but it still is a SAC nonetheless.

My topic is "Do students learn as effectively with ebooks, compared with traditional, hardcopy books?

I feel quite ambivalent in relation to the topic because I have conflicting views! I just started research and I'm not 100% sure of the stance I'm taking, let alone the information I'm including. Does anyone have anyy idea on what I can include or have any tips for a speech thats about 4-6 mins? I'd like to speak for roughly 5 minutes as it strikes a nice balance.

I have planned and I'm thinking of ending with the stance that essentially using both textbooks and eBooks (e.g. an iPad for research) produces the best results, and I'll try and find some studies or expert opinions in relation to the topic.


Quite stuck, so would appreciate anyones help!!



Thanks all ~~

Its your lucky day!!! I did the exact same topic for my oral 2 weeks ago and ended up getting an 88% ( I lost marks because I'm not very good at public speaking!) But overall I think the content of my speech was good (according to my English teacher who is also an ex-vcaa examiner) So have a look through it and feel free to make changes to suit your needs (if you agree with my contention of course!)

[Hydroxyl]

Did you choose your own topic? Or is this like, you have to make an argument based around the VCAA 2012 English exam? Could you modify in any way?

The question seems completely factual to me. I.e., there is a fact about the matter on what variable produces better learning outcomes, or whether they are roughly the same - and that fact won't be influenced by anyone's opinions on the matter haha. (But probably more appropriate to consider your question as, "Should eBooks  be a key part of student learning" or something like that.

If it's not going to be factual, then there's a host of stuff you could say depending on your stance. Would love some more info on your task

Hey Brenden! I didn't even know the 2012 Section C was on it, thanks for sharing!
Yes, I chose the topic, although it was also based on "first come, first served" type thing. See, we got a list to choose from, and any modifications need to go through the teacher (or any additional topics). I don't think we have that sort of freedom to change it unless we get approval, but considering we have only a week left, I don't know if its wise to do so. Alas, my email sent in a few seconds after someone else got my first preference.

It's okay though, no wallowing! What I posted was exactly the same as what they gave me to talk about, and I think I should apply the word "Should" to sort of make it more conclusive (I think a minor modification like making the statement more of a question should be fine).. I wanted to talk mostly about iPads and their positive / negative effects, but I'm not sure what to do in terms of the topic as a whole. The question is sort of alluding to learning so it implies its mainly about textbooks rather than leisurely reading. Thoughts on how I could approach it?

Its your lucky day!!! I did the exact same topic for my oral 2 weeks ago and ended up getting an 88% ( I lost marks because I'm not very good at public speaking!) But overall I think the content of my speech was good (according to my English teacher who is also an ex-vcaa examiner) So have a look through it and feel free to make changes to suit your needs (if you agree with my contention of course!)

Hey Ashjames! Oh My God so it does seem like today is my lucky day, Thank You sooooooo much for letting me have a look through it! THIS IS AMAZING HAAH

How did you initially approach the task when it was given to you? I'm not sure if you had about a week, but I feel kind of rushed right now. But as I said before, no wallowing (even though I still am )

Thank You!!!!

[Ashjames]

Hey Ashjames! Oh My God so it does seem like today is my lucky day, Thank You sooooooo much for letting me have a look through it! THIS IS AMAZING HAAH

How did you initially approach the task when it was given to you? I'm not sure if you had about a week, but I feel kind of rushed right now. But as I said before, no wallowing (even though I still am )

Thank You!!!!
[/quote]

No problem!! It's my pleasure to help!! Now, Let me tell you something, you have officially meet the laziest procrastinator on the face of this planet! My teacher gave us 1 week and about 3 days to complete this and I, being the lazy person, left it till the last 2 nights ( I know  ) I'm pretty sure I would have scored higher if I started a bit earlier, but hey, if you start practicing from now- you'll be looking at a 95%+!!!! If it takes the stress of your back, feel free to use my entire speech as yours (that way you'll only have to practice because all the research is done!) And DW, no copyrights are included!!

I have faith in you Hydroxyl, you can smash it out of the park if you start familiarizing yourself with the wording and expressions (that is , if you decide to use my speech)
You can do it!!!!! And also, if you want me to send you my written explanation for my speech, I can definitely do that- I scored 10/10 for it!! (just give me until Tuesday because I have to get it of my English teacher)

Take care and happy studying! 

[Hydroxyl]

No problem!! It's my pleasure to help!! Now, Let me tell you something, you have officially meet the laziest procrastinator on the face of this planet! My teacher gave us 1 week and about 3 days to complete this and I, being the lazy person, left it till the last 2 nights ( I know  ) I'm pretty sure I would have scored higher if I started a bit earlier, but hey, if you start practicing from now- you'll be looking at a 95%+!!!! If it takes the stress of your back, feel free to use my entire speech as yours (that way you'll only have to practice because all the research is done!) And DW, no copyrights are included!!

HAHAHAH Oh my, that's a really good score considering you did it only two nights before! That's amazing

Wow, I'd be glad to read your statement of Intention. I think with my speech, I can't take on a persona so I have to speak from my perspective. Your speech is really good! I'm sure you presented it pretty well XD

I have faith in you Hydroxyl, you can smash it out of the park if you start familiarizing yourself with the wording and expressions (that is , if you decide to use my speech)
You can do it!!!!! And also, if you want me to send you my written explanation for my speech, I can definitely do that- I scored 10/10 for it!! (just give me until Tuesday because I have to get it of my English teacher)

Take care and happy studying! 

Thanks heaps for all the SUPPORT! I'll definitely look into the presentation further (I'm procrastinating myself, eep!) My presentation is on Friday, but it's a pretty hectic time at the moment. But I'll defs continue with the work!!


Thanks once again

[vox nihili]

I know that you've got some conflicting views about which is better and also think that, perhaps, the combination of both is what's best. I'd argue that it's very much an individual thing. You could certainly produce a strong speech, with a really strong contention, around this idea that students have individual learning styles and that asking whether ebooks or textbooks is better is too narrow and fails to take into account these different styles. You could then broaden that to a short discussion about flexibility in the classroom, and how this is just one example of how the modern classroom needs to be flexible, giving students the opportunity to use textbooks if they wish, or ebooks if they so wish too.

You could also discuss the potential impact of the cost of ebooks vs textbooks on families from low SES backgrounds. There's a lot to discuss around here. Ebooks themselves are cheaper to purchase, but then there's the question of having the facilities to view ebooks. Do they need a tablet? A computer at home? How do we support families who don't have access to these things? The same could actually be said about textbooks too.

A third option is to decide that we should have neither. You could very reasonably argue that textbooks aren't what they're cracked up to be, and encourage a narrow examination of the course. Examples can be drawn from universities, for instance, that don't really have textbooks (this is partially untrue, but certainly the course isn't taught to the textbooks and it is rarely the case that university students find much use in textbooks). I think it's very reasonable to say that textbooks belong in a bygone era, particularly with the access we have to information via the internet.



I guess in summary what I'm trying to encourage here is to take your analysis to a greater depth. I've just come back from listening to speeches by the best public speakers in Victoria, and what they tend to do better than your average Joe is not just in their speaking, but also in the fact that they push their topics to a more nuanced discussion that challenges people's thinking, rather than making a solid, albeit boring case for something pretty straightforward.

[Hydroxyl]

I know that you've got some conflicting views about which is better and also think that, perhaps, the combination of both is what's best. I'd argue that it's very much an individual thing. You could certainly produce a strong speech, with a really strong contention, around this idea that students have individual learning styles and that asking whether ebooks or textbooks is better is too narrow and fails to take into account these different styles. You could then broaden that to a short discussion about flexibility in the classroom, and how this is just one example of how the modern classroom needs to be flexible, giving students the opportunity to use textbooks if they wish, or ebooks if they so wish too.

You could also discuss the potential impact of the cost of ebooks vs textbooks on families from low SES backgrounds. There's a lot to discuss around here. Ebooks themselves are cheaper to purchase, but then there's the question of having the facilities to view ebooks. Do they need a tablet? A computer at home? How do we support families who don't have access to these things? The same could actually be said about textbooks too.

A third option is to decide that we should have neither. You could very reasonably argue that textbooks aren't what they're cracked up to be, and encourage a narrow examination of the course. Examples can be drawn from universities, for instance, that don't really have textbooks (this is partially untrue, but certainly the course isn't taught to the textbooks and it is rarely the case that university students find much use in textbooks). I think it's very reasonable to say that textbooks belong in a bygone era, particularly with the access we have to information via the internet.



I guess in summary what I'm trying to encourage here is to take your analysis to a greater depth. I've just come back from listening to speeches by the best public speakers in Victoria, and what they tend to do better than your average Joe is not just in their speaking, but also in the fact that they push their topics to a more nuanced discussion that challenges people's thinking, rather than making a solid, albeit boring case for something pretty straightforward.

Hey Vox!

This is a very good suggestion! I definitely think that both is probably the way to go with the speech. A very good point that you bring is discussing families of low SES. It does seem, superficially at the very least, that eBooks are cheaper. But the fact that students require and iPad, computer or another durable device that is likely to be expensive if you want it to last a few years. How can we support them? Hmm, I mean the whole second hand textbooks, hand me downs etc have been in use for years, but often times you get textbooks that are just so .. ruined that it actually inhibits the learning process. And plus, I agree with the textbooks being a narrow representation of the course. I found this particularly true myself, especially in Biology. Towards mid-end of the year I just gave up on the textbook because I found it slightly useless and ended up using other resources. Could this be a valid argument?


Thanks!

[Ashjames]

HAHAHAH Oh my, that's a really good score considering you did it only two nights before! That's amazing

Wow, I'd be glad to read your statement of Intention. I think with my speech, I can't take on a persona so I have to speak from my perspective. Your speech is really good! I'm sure you presented it pretty well XD
Thanks heaps for all the SUPPORT! I'll definitely look into the presentation further (I'm procrastinating myself, eep!) My presentation is on Friday, but it's a pretty hectic time at the moment. But I'll defs continue with the work!!


Thanks once again

No worries! Glad to help 

I'll send you my written explanation as soon as I get a hold of it (as mentioned, I have to get it of my teacher) I think its great that you want to present your own perspective on the topic and not take on a persona- it'll really help with the delivery! However, as you have probably figured out form my speech, I took on the role of a parent that was condemning the use of eBooks in school.

Do whatever makes you comfortable!! And if you would like me to go over your speech or written explanation, feel free to send you work to my school email ( [email protected])- Not trying to say that I'm an expert in English, but the feedback my teacher gave me wold help me to point out any mistakes in your work!!! 

[vox nihili]

Hey Vox!

This is a very good suggestion! I definitely think that both is probably the way to go with the speech. A very good point that you bring is discussing families of low SES. It does seem, superficially at the very least, that eBooks are cheaper. But the fact that students require and iPad, computer or another durable device that is likely to be expensive if you want it to last a few years. How can we support them? Hmm, I mean the whole second hand textbooks, hand me downs etc have been in use for years, but often times you get textbooks that are just so .. ruined that it actually inhibits the learning process. And plus, I agree with the textbooks being a narrow representation of the course. I found this particularly true myself, especially in Biology. Towards mid-end of the year I just gave up on the textbook because I found it slightly useless and ended up using other resources. Could this be a valid argument?


Thanks!

I think that's one of the advantages of ebooks to publishers...they need to be purchased new. They're non-transferrable, which makes hand me downs difficult. You could also argue that this removes an incentive to keep updating the textbooks, too.

That you personally found your biology text useless is not a strong argument, but the broader notion that textbooks aren't that useful and that other resources are better to use is not a weak argument. You'd need to be sure to collect some evidence, but you could even discuss that using textbooks as a sole source of information, particularly in VCE, is detrimental because it narrows one's perspectives and also denies students the opportunity to develop research skills, which are very, very, very relevant to the workforce.

[Ashjames]

HAHAHAH Oh my, that's a really good score considering you did it only two nights before! That's amazing

Wow, I'd be glad to read your statement of Intention. I think with my speech, I can't take on a persona so I have to speak from my perspective. Your speech is really good! I'm sure you presented it pretty well XD
Thanks heaps for all the SUPPORT! I'll definitely look into the presentation further (I'm procrastinating myself, eep!) My presentation is on Friday, but it's a pretty hectic time at the moment. But I'll defs continue with the work!!


Thanks once again

Hydroxly- Here is my Written explanation for my oral presentation. ( I found it on my USB- saved me a trip to my teachers office 
have a read through it and see what you can get out of it (plagiarizing is totally fine if you ask me )

Good Luck with your Oral on Friday- and don't forget to breathe while your up there!!! 

[Hydroxyl]

I think that's one of the advantages of ebooks to publishers...they need to be purchased new. They're non-transferrable, which makes hand me downs difficult. You could also argue that this removes an incentive to keep updating the textbooks, too.

That you personally found your biology text useless is not a strong argument, but the broader notion that textbooks aren't that useful and that other resources are better to use is not a weak argument. You'd need to be sure to collect some evidence, but you could even discuss that using textbooks as a sole source of information, particularly in VCE, is detrimental because it narrows one's perspectives and also denies students the opportunity to develop research skills, which are very, very, very relevant to the workforce.

Thanks Vox! Will definitely take this into consideration

Hydroxly- Here is my Written explanation for my oral presentation. ( I found it on my USB- saved me a trip to my teachers office 
have a read through it and see what you can get out of it (plagiarizing is totally fine if you ask me )

Good Luck with your Oral on Friday- and don't forget to breathe while your up there!!! 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I really appreciate it