Presentations

The first two presentations are based on your research and knowledge of an ethnographic subject/people group, hopefully one to which you have personal ties or about which you have a heartfelt interest. Think about a PBS or National Geographic ethnography, where a culture is explored. For the first two presentations you will turn "the camera" on yourself and on your own culture. Initially choosing subject matter with which we are very familiar will allow us to focus on the mechanics of giving presentations.

The third through fifith presentations will make use of visual aids, such as overheads, posters, chalkboard, and powerpoint. The third and fifth presentations involve communicating technical material, and the fourth presentation takes the form of teaching the class.

We will evaluate each other after our speeches according to the guidelines set up below for each of them.

1. Personal experience (5 minutes)

   From within your own culture (or another culture in which you are interested), give the story of how you got here. This could include the story of your parents, grandparents, your people, or your community, but the focus should be on you. How does this make you who you are right now? This is not a "this is how I feel" speech, but rather should be organized with obvious structure and clear points. As with all speeches, at the beginning of your speech you must turn in a typed detailed outline. For example this could be a particular event that helped formed who you are such as a particular success or failure, moving from one place to another, having someone die, learning a new language, etc.

   You will be evaluated using this Grading Sheet

2. Informative (5 minutes)

   Take a topic situated in a particular culture and explain it. This is a more distant approach than that of the first presentation. For example this could be a description of a holiday, a way of communicating, a cultural custom, a type of food, etc. This doesn't have to be from your own culture (it could even be a made-up culture, or your family's culture, etc...). Be creative. Since they are chosen so often, the topics of "Christmas" and "Eid" should not be chosen.

   You will be evaluated using this Grading Sheet
   
   
3. Problem-solution (5 minutes)

Take a Computer Science problem that you have experienced and propose a solution. For example this could have been a problem in how to solve a programming problem, a conceptual problem, an organizational problem, or some sort of other technical problem. You must appropriately use overhead transparencies for this presentation.

You will be evaluated using this Grading Sheet

4. Teaching (5 minutes)

Together with a partner, teach the class the main points from one of the chapters listed for this date. You must organize your material and present it using HTML, and additionally use the chalkboard. The chapter will be assigned to you to avoid overlap.

You will be evaluated using this Grading Sheet

5. Technical presentation (5 minutes)

Take some publication from a UIC faculty member and clearly explain it to the class. Use PowerPoint as a visual aid. You do not need to turn in an outline.

You will be evaluated using this Grading Sheet

6. Cocktail presentation (~1 minute)
   
   At our last meeting, think of a joke you can tell briefly. Also explain to us any cultural significance of what you brought.
   
   

General

You are responsible for timing your own speeches. I will motion to you when you are 30 seconds overtime, and will cut you off when you are one minute overtime.