Assessment 5 Instructions: Audio and Visual Communication: Communicating a Change
• PRINT
• Create and deliver a presentation to your workplace team using appropriate tone, language, structure, and technology.
Introduction
Throughout this course, you are learning how strong communication can help you deliver and receive the information you need to be successful. But being successful will also depend on your ability to work well with others to collaborate on various projects and tasks. When it comes to collaborating in the modern world, there are a number of tools you can use to improve the way you send and receive ideas and information, one of these ways is through effective presentations.
Giving clear and concise presentations is part of working well together in a team and also requires you to be familiar with a different set of technology tools. This assessment allows you to demonstrate those skills.
Overview
Using outdated or redundant communication tools can cause miscommunication and overlooked messages. To improve efficiency and effectiveness, organizations routinely assess their needs and practices against available technology advances. Doing this helps ensure that they are using the most appropriate tools for their purposes. But with the rapid rate of innovation these days, it can be difficult to stay abreast of all possible devices, programs, and applications.
Scenario
Wanda thought your criteria for email use and your suggested app for some messages were excellent! Although she discussed the new procedures for using email and the app in a face-to-face meeting, you know that you will not have the time or ability to personally meet with all members of your team, as they are located all around the country. You decide the best way to communicate the new guidelines is with a recorded audiovisual presentation that members of the team can watch at their leisure. In the presentation, you will reiterate your finding from the memo you sent to Wanda.
Instructions
1. Develop and record a 5–7 minute presentation with slides, along with notes or a transcript to ensure accessibility to everyone.
2. Your presentation should:
o Share your guidelines for using email and your reasons for them.
o Introduce the digital tool for the team to use when not using email.
o Make a case for why the digital tool you are introducing is the most effective for the team as an alternative to email.
3. Evaluate your presentation and how an audience would react by completing the Six Ws Worksheet for Assessment 5 [DOCX]. If needed, edit your presentation.
4. Submit your Six Ws Worksheet for Assessment 5 [DOCX] worksheet along with your presentation and transcript.
Requirements
• References to course material or library resources should be cited in APA format.
• Use a font of appropriate size and weight for presentation, generally 24–28 points for headings and no smaller than 18 points for bullet-point text.
• Audio and video should be included in one file, and that file should play inside Courseroom (in other words, it should not require downloading to hear or play it).
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:
• Competency 1: Interpret a speaker’s message to develop an appropriate response.
o Evaluate a presentation and anticipate audience reactions by considering the Six Ws of communication.
• Competency 2: Develop professional written communications in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences.
o Write concisely and directly, using active voice.
o Support main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant and credible evidence.
• Competency 3: Use appropriate technology solutions to effectively communicate time-related tasks.
o Communicate email guidelines for a workplace environment and reasons for them through an audiovisual presentation.
o Make a case for a chosen digital tool being the most effective for a team to use as an alternative to email, explaining when, why, and how it would be effective.
• SCORING GUIDE
Use the scoring guide to understand how your assessment will be evaluated.
VIEW SCORING GUIDE
Audio and Visual Communication: Communicating a Change Scoring Guide
CRITERIA NON-PERFORMANCE BASIC PROFICIENT DISTINGUISHED
Communicate email guidelines for a workplace environment and reasons for them through an audiovisual presentation. Does not communicate email guidelines for a workplace environment and reasons for them through an audiovisual presentation. Communicates email guidelines for a workplace environment through an audiovisual presentation, but the presentation lacks reasons, detail or does not reflect a workplace situation. Communicates email guidelines for a workplace environment and reasons for them through an audiovisual presentation. Communicates email guidelines for a workplace environment and reasons for them through an audiovisual presentation, and the presentation is detailed and engaging.
Make a case for a chosen digital tool being the most effective for a team to use as an alternative to email, explaining when, why, and how it would be effective. Does not make a case for a chosen digital tool being the most effective for a team to use as an alternative to email, explaining when, why, and how it would be effective. Makes a case for a chosen digital tool being the most effective for a team to use as an alternative to email, but without providing sufficient explanation. Makes a case for a chosen digital tool being the most effective for a team to use as an alternative to email, explaining when, why, and how it would be effective. Makes a case for a chosen digital tool being the most effective for a team to use as an alternative to email, explaining when, why, and how it would be effective, and citing evidence to support the explanation.
Evaluate a presentation and anticipate audience reactions by considering the Six Ws of communication. Does not evaluate a presentation or anticipate audience reactions by considering the Six Ws of communication. Describes a presentation but does not evaluate or anticipate its effect. Evaluates a presentation and anticipates audience reactions by considering the Six Ws of communication. Evaluates a presentation and anticipates audience reactions by considering the Six Ws of communication, describing how the presentation was adjusted to address those reactions.
Write concisely and directly, using active voice. Does not write concisely and directly, using active voice. Writes passively, with a tendency toward wordiness. Writes concisely and directly, using active voice. Writes concisely and directly. Conveys precise and unequivocal meaning through clear and consistent use of active voice.
Support main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant and credible evidence. Does not support main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant and credible evidence. Sources lack relevance or credibility, or the evidence is not persuasive or explicitly supportive of main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations. Supports main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant and credible evidence. Supports main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant, credible, and convincing evidence. Skillfully combines virtually error-free source citations with a perceptive and coherent synthesis of the evidence.
Resources: Professional Meetings and Presentations
• PRINT
• A memo is an efficient way to disseminate information to many people, but sometimes, a verbal presentation is more effective and persuasive. Now that you have written your proposal, it is time to present your ideas in an audio-visual presentation. You can learn more about developing and delivering presentations in the workplace in the following chapter:
• Thill, J. V., & Bovée, C. L. (2020). Excellence in business communication (13th ed.). Pearson. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
o “Developing and Delivering Business Presentations,” pages 446–470.
Presentations may also be formal or informal depending on the information you are distributing. Watch the following video to see why preparing for presentations by knowing what you want to say and how you want to say it is crucial for success:
• Seven Dimensions (Producer). (2019). 5 Essentials for powerful presentations [Video]. Films on Demand.
The following article shows how necessary good communication is to gain the trust and confidence of remote colleagues:
• Savu, I. (2019). Amplifying performance in virtual teams optimizing communication strategies. Research and Science Today [Supplement 1], 112–122.
To learn about advanced features in PowerPoint and how to create an aesthetically pleasing presentation, read chapters 2 and 3 (and 4 to 5 as well if you would like) in the following:
• Kosslyn, S. M. (2010). Better PowerPoint (r): Quick fixes based on how your audience thinks. Oxford University Press. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
o Pages 15–39.
Finally, designing and recording a presentation requires using some technology tools that you might not be familiar with. Review Capella’s Library Guide to using PowerPoint and Capella’s Guide to using Kaltura:
• Learn How to Create PowerPoint Presentations.
• Using Kaltura.
Please note that the audio and video should be included in one mp4 file, and that file should play inside Courseroom (in other words, it should not require downloading to hear or play it). To do this, you can:
7. Convert your PowerPoint to an mp4 video by using Save As and selecting MPEG-4 Video. Instructions are here: Turn your presentation into a video.
8. Use Kaltura (Using Kaltura).
Resources: Communicating Your Way Into the Future
• PRINT
• As you go forward in your academic work you will likely be keeping your eye on the prize—maybe a first job, new job, or better job. Even before communicating in the workplace, you will need to prepare your resume for job applications and interviews. Review the chapters below to begin to consider how to communicate the story of you to your future employer:
• Thill, J. V., & Bovée, C. L. (2020). Excellence in business communication (13th ed.). Pearson. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
o “Building Careers and Writing Resumes,” pages 484–511.
o “Applying and Interviewing for Employment,” pages 520–549.
Active Listening: The Six Ws
Consider the presentation you are about to make, making notes of six Ws in the boxes below.
Who are you presenting to?
What is the problem you are addressing? What is the solution you are proposing?
When should changes be implemented?
Where and how did you research the problem? Where (or in what sources) did you locate the solution?
Why is your proposal the best solution to the problem?
How should messages be modified when using email and the app?
In addition, consider the following:
Is your PowerPoint or presentation easy to see/read? Is there an appropriate amount of content on each slide? Is the font an appropriate size? Is the color contrast appropriate?
Have you provided closed captions to ensure accessibility?
Have you developed speaker notes or a transcript to help you cover the information you intend? Does your speaking plan correlate to the PowerPoint?
Why are you presenting virtually instead of in-person?
Why are you presenting asynchronously instead of synchronously?
How should your message be modified to account for the virtual and asynchronous method of presenting?
