VIU Public Speaking Professor Sandra Hagan and Graphic Design Professor Patrick Foster are teaching a course that will help students become pros at presentations. Their Public Speaking and Design course is open to interested community members.
October 28, 2016 - 3:30pm
Interdisciplinary Public Speaking and Slide Design course offers key career skills to people looking for an edge in the workforce
Do you want to become a pro at delivering presentations?
A new, interdisciplinary course developed by Vancouver Island University (VIU) Public Speaking Professor Sandra Hagan and Graphic Design Professor Patrick Foster provides practical training in two highly ranked employability skills – public speaking and slide design.
Offered in Spring 2017, INTR 208: Public Speaking and Slide Design instructs students in the speech-making process, from initial topic to polished delivery, as well as how to craft images that support and enhance their presentations. “This is not only about teaching students to avoid ‘death by PowerPoint,’ as many call speakers’ overreliance on poorly constructed slides,” explains Foster. “It’s also about furnishing them with industry-standard graphic design skills they can use for any presentation context.”
Hagan is excited about the opportunity to expand the speech writing and delivery instruction that she usually offers to include specific training for the work environment. “We’ll do a unit on conducting meetings, where students will experience what works and what doesn’t in terms of keeping discussions productive and making sure their viewpoints are heard,” she says.
As well as learning standard public speaking skills, like informing and persuading audiences, and delivering impromptu speeches, students will gain experience in researching, preparing and presenting business reports. The six-credit course, which includes six hours of classroom time per week, has participants focusing on image-making, speech writing and speech delivery skills separately, before combining them for maximum effect in a number of shared assignments.
The Public Speaking and Slide Design course, drawing on the practical skills taught in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, represents another opportunity for hands-on learning at VIU. Practiced in the art of effective speech- and image-making, students will be empowered to make an impact when they enter the workforce.
The only prerequisite for this course is one first-year English course, but the course is open to community members through the Love of Learning program, in which case the prerequisite is waived. Love of Learning students can take courses for $198 plus ancillary fees. For seniors, tuition and most fees are waived except for the VIU Students’ Union fee.
INTR 208 runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 – 4 pm. For more information, contact Hagan at Sandra.Hagan@viu.ca or 250.753.3245, ext. 2385.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Jenn McGarrigle, Communications Officer, Vancouver Island University
P: 250.740.6288 | C: 250.619.6860 | E: jenn.mcgarrigle@viu.ca | T: @VIUNews
Tags: Teaching and Learning
