Blog Post #2- Zebadiah Mckenzie
Change Makers Presentation Reflection
"Me trying to remember everything right before presentations started"
This project focused on different historical change makers across multiple time periods. Each group was assigned a specific era, and within those groups, each person presented their own individual change maker. Instead of each group presenting one topic together, it was more like a collection of smaller presentations that all connected back to the bigger idea of how certain individuals influenced change throughout history.
Overall, I thought this project was interesting because even though everyone had the same assignment, each group approached it differently. Some groups were more organized, some were more detailed, and some were more engaging depending on the speakers and how they presented their information. Watching all of the presentations made me realize how much delivery, confidence, and organization can affect how people receive information.
Intro Slides + Historical Overview (Me and Tyler)
My main responsibility in this project was working with Tyler on the introduction slides and historical overview. Since our section came before the individual presentations, our goal was to help set the stage for the rest of the project and give the audience an understanding of what the presentation was about before jumping into the different eras and change makers.
One thing I learned while working on this section was that introductions are harder than they seem. We had to find a balance between giving enough information and not spending so much time talking that people lost interest before the main presentations even began. We wanted it to be clear and informative without feeling like a history lecture before the actual presentation started.
Working with Tyler was pretty smooth overall. We were able to bounce ideas off each other and make changes whenever something sounded confusing or unnecessary. I think having two people work on that section helped because we could catch things the other person missed and make sure everything flowed better.
Group Presentations
After the introduction, each group presented their assigned era and the individuals within that era. Since every person had their own change maker, there was a lot of variety throughout the presentations.
One thing I noticed was how much confidence affected the overall quality of a presentation. Some people sounded very comfortable speaking in front of the class, which made it easier to stay engaged and understand their information. Other people seemed a little more nervous, which is completely understandable because public speaking can be stressful. Even when someone had good information, a lack of confidence sometimes made their section harder to follow.
I also noticed how much transitions matter. When one speaker smoothly handed things off to the next person, the presentation felt connected and organized. When transitions were less clear, it sometimes felt like separate presentations instead of one larger project. It reminded me of something I noticed during previous presentation assignments as well. Even small details can affect how professional a presentation feels.
Another thing that stood out was how differently people approached their change makers. Some presenters focused heavily on accomplishments and achievements, while others spent more time discussing challenges, obstacles, or the impact their person had on society. Even though everyone was presenting a historical figure, each presentation felt different because people emphasized different aspects of their research.
What Stood Out To Me
One thing that stood out to me throughout the project was how important organization is. Even if someone has strong information, it can be difficult for the audience to follow if the ideas are not presented clearly.
I also noticed that slides can either help a presentation or hurt it depending on how they are designed. When slides were clean and easy to read, they helped support the speaker. When there was too much information on the screen, it was harder to focus on what was actually being said because the audience was busy reading.
That observation actually made me reflect on my own growth with presentations.
My Own Growth
One thing I've definitely improved on is designing presentation slides. Looking back at some of my older presentations, I used to put way too many words on my slides because I was worried about forgetting something while presenting. A lot of the time, my slides ended up looking crowded, and people probably spent more time reading than listening.
Over time, I've gotten much better at simplifying things. For this project, I focused on keeping information concise and letting the speaker do more of the explaining instead of putting everything on the screen. I think that makes presentations feel more professional and easier for the audience to follow.
I've also improved a lot when it comes to designing slides visually. Using Canva throughout the year has honestly helped me a lot. I have a much better understanding of layouts, spacing, images, and keeping things organized. Looking at presentations I've made this year compared to presentations I made a year or two ago, there's definitely a noticeable difference.
I'm still learning, but I feel much more confident creating slides now than I did before.
A Real Moment
Even though my role was mostly the introduction and overview, I still had that feeling before the presentations started where you're hoping everything goes smoothly. Once everyone starts presenting, there are so many moving parts that you really don't know how it's all going to come together until it actually happens.
There were a few moments where transitions felt a little awkward or where the energy shifted between speakers, but that's honestly pretty normal in a presentation with a lot of different people involved. Once everything got moving though, it became easier to just focus on the content and enjoy seeing everyone's work come together.
What I Learned
This project taught me that presentations are about much more than just having good information. Research is important, but organization, delivery, confidence, teamwork, and visual design all play a role in how successful a presentation is.
It also reminded me that communication matters even before the presentation starts. Planning, preparing slides, deciding who is responsible for what, and making sure everyone understands their role all affect the final result.
I think the project also helped reinforce how much practice matters. Public speaking is one of those things that gets easier the more often you do it. Even if people are nervous at first, experience helps build confidence over time.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I thought this project was a good experience. It allowed us to learn about historical change makers while also practicing communication and presentation skills. I enjoyed seeing how each group approached their era and how each person chose to present their change maker.
Working with Tyler on the introduction and historical overview was a positive experience, and I think our section helped provide context for the presentations that followed.
More than anything, this project showed me how much I've improved as a presenter compared to previous years. Whether it's creating slides in Canva, using less text, organizing information more effectively, or feeling more comfortable presenting, I can definitely see growth. There are still things I can improve on, but looking back at where I started, I think I've made a lot of progress.
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