Journal Entry 3: Presentations

This week’s discussion focused on the art of an effective power point. More specifically we compared the positive and negative aspects brought on through the use of power points, presentations, reports and the differences that separate each. What better way to incorporate my own living habits here in London with this class than to discuss the courses I am taking here and the consequential changes I have come to experience. This topic has provided me the unique opportunity to compare the large differences between the presentation techniques implemented by my London professors with my professors back in the States. I am currently enrolled in four classes while here in London: Communication and Global Organization, Communication for Social Change, Media Consumption and Popular Culture. This semester has been a large adjustment for me already in comparison to a normal workload at USC. I am also a film minor, so when I am at USC I am taking both communication and film course, whereas, here in London I am taking only communication courses. Rather than breaking up the topics, I have divulged fully into the study of media and communication. These aspects rely primarily on reading and writing. My film classes, however, are largely interactive in which I am either watching movies or making them myself.  Film classes have a unique form of presentation that incorporates no form of power point. My film professors generally base their curriculum around initially getting up and discussing one topic in film and then following it up through a visual representation by viewing a film. My communication classes at USC, however, are strictly structured through the use of power point. One professor sticks out the most in my mind, Professor Durbin. Each semester I sign up for a class with him, I can look to expect the same exact structure. You are instructed to buy a book which is a notebook compiled of his power points with missing blanks. When attending the class, you are to fill in the blanks as he projects the same power point onto the screen. My USC professors will elaborate some with the use of oral presentation but the entirety of their classes are done by studying directly through the power points they have created for the semester. This is drastically different than the style of teaching I have come in contact with here in London. I have come to sense professors here dislike the use of power points and rather rely solely on the use of oral presentation when discussing topics. Only one of my classes here in London, Media Consumption, incorporates some form of power point but even then, that use is limited. The communication classes are far more involved here. At USC, I find myself in the middle of a huge lecture hall and attendance can be easily avoided. In London, however, classes are a few in size and the day revolves on individual input and interactive learning. In my classes I have already performed mock interviews, oral presentations on the spot, class debates and open discussion on topics. Professors in London rely heavily on oral and video presentation. My classes generally involve the professor discussing the topic the first half of the class and ending the course with a video and or music representation. So rather than seeing any similarities between the communication courses in London and at USC, I see a larger parallel of presentation techniques of London communication courses to my film courses. Overall, I can find positive and negative aspects in both. By implanting an oral presentation followed by a video, I find myself focusing much more on the topic and having a visual representation to further explain it helps immensely. However, at times it is hard to focus on just a speaker for such long periods of time and there is no formal structure for a student to follow and feel confident on the material. Implementing videos are my greatest help in learning. Overall, every teacher in every city, country or state implements his or her own forms of course presentation. I look forward to seeing the many more differences I will experience while studying in London.