Presentation Fundamentals - Online Course

Public speaking is a frightening task to many people, but it's also a crucial tool in career success. This series offers tips to help you prepare and deliver more powerful presentations.

This series is for anyone who would like to learn how to give effective presentations or how to improve his or her presentation skills. This online course contains 4 lessons and should take approximately 10 hours to complete.

Lesson 1: Preparing for a Presentation (3.0) hours

Preparing for a Presentation teaches you how to list the stages for creating an effective presentation, describe how to analyze an audience, and examine miscellaneous factors that can affect your presentation. This course explains how proper preparation can help you deliver a more effective presentation. Topics include Presentation Stages, Presentation Purpose, Presentation Goals, Audience Analysis, Demographic Factors, Corporate Expectations, Corporate Hierarchy, and Miscellaneous Factors.

Lesson 2: Developing an Effective Message (2.0) hours

Developing an Effective Message teaches you how to structure a presentation using the framework of audience connection, wrapping up, and transitions, and create presentations using both the general and problem-solving presentation patterns. This course shows you how to best structure message content to accomplish a presentation goal, as well as how to effectively use patterns in your presentations. Topics include General presentation pattern, Audience connection, Presentation agenda, Background, Key points and support, Wrapping up, Message transitions, and Problem-solving presentation.

Lesson 3: Improving Delivery Skills (2.0) hours

Improving Delivery Skills teaches you how to describe how an audience views nonverbal cues, explain how presentation notes support your message, and identify habits you should avoid when giving a presentation. This course provides tips and tools for improving your delivery skills for presentations. Topics include Nonverbal First Impressions, Speaking Voice, Nonverbal Cues, Using Presentation Notes, and Habits to Avoid.

Lesson 4: Using PowerPoint and Other Visuals (3.0) hours

Using PowerPoint and Other Visuals teaches you how to design effective slides using text features, color, and white space, organize information using an agenda, slide transitions, and planned slide builds, create visuals to illustrate message concepts, design overhead transparencies using text features, information placement, and visuals, use flip charts and white boards to organize topics and generate audience participation, and create summary or supporting handouts. This course shows how to design a dynamic PowerPoint presentation and use other visual tools to support message content. Topics include Slide design, Information structure, Slide enhancements, Overhead transparencies, Flip charts and whiteboards, and Handouts.