A500.8.3.RB_MalvoisinLeon

A good presentation design should grab its audience attention in the first couple slides. Therefore, there is no point doing good work if others don’t know about it or can’t understand what the presentation is about. Just like most things in life, first impressions matter! So, when creating a presentation with supporting visual aids, we should keep in mind the way the audience will process the information and take advantage of that leverage.

              If using PowerPoint to display graphical information to support the speaker, keep the presentation simple.  Do not cluster information on the PowerPoint, the slide should have lot of negative spaces.  Keep away from using Microsoft templates as most audience has seen most of them.  Keep away from using PowerPoint Clip Art or other cartoonish line art. Use high-quality graphics including photographs, if you have some high quality photos. Use bullet points, and not every slide should be animated.  Synchronize your speaking with the slides and transitions.  Feel free to use video and audio when appropriate, and do your best to limit your ideas to one main idea per slide (Reynolds, n.d.).  Indeed, even though PowerPoint is getting lots of negative feedbacks as a presentation tool, it is still a descent tool to use for presentation.  The presenter just has to avoid some of PowerPoint’s most common pitfalls.

Furthermore, if you’re presenting in person, connect with your audience and move around on the podium.  Use the “B” key if you want to focus attention on you rather then what’s showing on the slide.  You may use a remote to help you navigate through the slides and make good eye contact with your audience. Speak at a normal tone of voice and keep the lights on so the audience can focus on you during the presentation (Reynolds, n.d.).  Certainly, a presentation done in person will required more perfection, as an in person presentation the audience will focus on the presenter more in an attempt to comprehend the information being shared. Therefore, the presenter must connect with his or her audience.

            In addition, below are few supplemental media tools that can help design an impressive presentation other then PowerPoint.  Below is a list of suggested visual media tools.

Visual Media Tool	What it does
SnagIt (Links to an external site.)	Creates screen captures
Jing (Links to an external site.)	Allows instant sharing of screen captures
Camtasia (Links to an external site.)	Records screen activity (audio narration and/or video); creates captions manually (Links to an external site.) or via speech-to-text (Links to an external site.) function
Screencast (Links to an external site.)	2GB of FREE server space for SnagIt, Jing, and/or Camtasia projects
Screencast-O-Matic (Links to an external site.)	One-click screen capture recording for Windows or Mac computers with no install for FREE!
Voicethread (Links to an external site.)	Creates collaborative multimedia slideshows; includes hosting
Prezi (Links to an external site.)	Creates "zooming" presentations; includes free hosting
Morae (Links to an external site.)	Tool for usability testing; captures user activity and offers tools for analysis and reporting

             Hence, when it comes to make an impressive presentation I also like to approach it with these words in mind, “be bright, be brief, and be gone”.

Reference

Reynolds. G (n.d). Presentation Zen: How to Design& Deliver Presentations Like a Pro. ERAU.     Retrieved from https://erau.instructure.com/courses/19283/pages/a500-dot-7-1-dot-cr readings?module_item_id=586162

 

A500.7.3.RB_MalvoisinLeon

Quantitative research is one of the best ways to prove or disprove a hypothesis; it is aim at understanding the theories or description of social reality.  It answers primarily to how and why? - questions.  In addition, a hypothesis is a tentative explanation that accounts for a set of facts and can be tested by further investigation.  Hence, a quantitative researchers design studies that allow us to test these hypotheses. 

Quantitative research uses variables due to the fact that certain events can be quantified, measured and expressed via numbers and statistic.  The observation or events can be then transformed into a data matrix which is the initial point for the analysis.  Hence, objectivity is critical for quantitative research.  Variable is the observable and measurable characteristic of an observation unit, whereas, the observation units can be individual, group, institution, organization, text, event or activities.

Some of the strength of quantitative research is that it enables the study and description of social structure and processes that are not directly observable and it facilitates analysis and explanation of dependencies between social phenomenon.  On the other hand, one of its weaknesses is it can only be used for measurable phenomenon.

The reason of a research design is to make sure that the evidence attained enables you to answer the initial question an unambiguously as possible.  Planning the research, for a successful research planning you have to select the theme, get acquainted with the previous research on similar theme, select the theoretical approach, specify the research problem, and plan the empirical research process.  Some of the elements of research design is consist of, description, comparison, time dimension, need for generalizations, ect.,

Sampling the data occurs when there is a large group of cases; therefore, the researchers study a sample of the group.  However, there is a risk that a unit maybe bad in that sampling; therefore, this risk I minimized by random sampling. Furthermore, the risk of sampling error can be statistically estimated. The data can be obtained by conducting surveys research, systematic observation, text analysis, statistical data, and register data.

           
              To conclude, quantitative research in general is a great research method to make significant discoveries that can improve the effectiveness of a phenomenon or event. I personally have no experience in conducting a quantitative research yet; however, I have been one of the participants of quantitative research survey base on a poll that I had recently participated in for the city of Seattle. The company did use a quantitative questionnaire research approach to collect feedback from me. Reading this presentation about quantitative research helps me put things in perspective for any future quantitative research that I may have to be part of.


Reference

Mamia,T. (n.d). Quantitative Research Methods. ERAU.Retrieved from https://erau.instructure.com/courses/19283/pages/a500-dot-7-1-dot-cr readings?module_item_id=586162

 

A500.6.3.RB_MalvoisinLeon

Qualitative research is mainly exploratory research.  It is used to get an understanding of reasons, opinions, and motivations.  Qualitative research can also be used to uncover patterns in thought and opinions, and dive deeper into the problem. Furthermore, it provides insight into the problem or helps to develop ideas or theories for potential quantitative research.

 

Role of the Researcher in Qualitative Research

             Prior to conduct a qualitative research, a researcher has to first define his questions so he/she knows what it is he/she is going to be looking for.  Second, it is important that he/she becomes familiar with your research instrument.  Third, identify gatekeepers, once he/she has defined the research questions, the task before him or her is to set up his/her study.  Setting up a qualitative study starts with relationship building. It is significant to put yourself in the shoes of the people you will be studying and to think about what their concerns might be.

 Research Design

            To properly design the qualitative research, the researcher must determine a focus for the inquiry, where and from who data will be collected from, what additional instrumentation may be used, plan which data analysis procedures will be used, plan the logistic of data collection,  and plan the technique that will be used to determine trustworthiness (Sanders and Hoepfl, 1997).

Data Collection Strategies

            Data collection in qualitative research usually includes two processes: interviews and observation. As far as interviews the research must know how and where to conduct the interviews.  He or she must also make the person being interviewed at ease so he or she can candidly answer the questions.  An interviewer must know how to listen, clarify, reflect, and summarize.  Furthermore, the reason of observational data is to explain the setting that was observed, the activities that took place in that setting, the people who participated in those activities. Observations may include descriptions of the participants, descriptions of the physical settings, and accounts of particular events and activities
 

Data Analysis

            Once data collection is done the next step is to analyze the data as objectively as possible. Data coding can be done if a certain pattern is identified in the responses.  The data can also be sort into categories.  Once sorted, the findings can be written.

Conclusion
              Qualitative research in general is a brilliant way to make significant discoveries that can improve the effectiveness of a service of anything. I personally have no experience in conducting a qualitative research yet; however, I have been one of the participants of qualitative research survey base on a service that I had recently received from a company. The company did use a qualitative questionnaire research approach to collect feedback from me. Reading this article about qualitative research helps me put things in perspective for any future qualitative research that I may have to conduct.

Reference:

Sanders, M. & Hoepfl, M. (1997). Choosing Qualitative Research: A Primer for Technology Education Researchers. Journal of Technology Education. 9(1). Retrieved from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n1/hoepfl.html

A500.5.3.RB_MalvoisinLeon

When I first started the course or even prior to starting the course I had a low critical thinking competency.  I had the habit of reading just for reading and not fully understanding the content of what I was reading.  In other words, as I have been getting busier in my career and life I had started to stop paying attention to details, which had an effect on my thinking process.  Taking this course is well worth it in many ways; it’s beneficial to my career and personal life.  Since, I’ve been taking this course (MSLD 500) my thinking process has changed.  It has helped me do more critical thinking and ask the right questions to help me come to a better conclusion.  Furthermore, it has allowed me to become a more active listener rather than a passive recipient of information.  It has helped me become aware of my assumptions about the subject so that I can assess them more accurately in light of what I will later read and hear. 

 I have been able to internalize some of the techniques and concepts I’ve learned in this course.  For example, I was recently asked to host a meeting at work within two hours of notice on a subject that I had little information about, but since it was my manager that asked me to host the meeting it was a bit hard reject the offer.  I accept the offer, and immediately started asking myself and my manager questions about the meeting such as, what is the purpose behind the meeting? Is there an agenda? What is a good way to start off the meeting?  Who are the key attendees? Do I have all the information I need to start hosting the meeting? Should there be a Q and A session?  Should I host the meeting in such short notice? Does it even make sense to have that meeting today?  With these questions and the answers I obtained, I was able to become knowledgeable about the meeting and hosted it successfully.  

                Practice makes everything better.  To make a lasting positive change in the way I think, I just have to constantly think ahead by doing critical thinking and reasoning on the subject or matter at hand before coming to a conclusion.

A500.4.3.RB_MalvoisinLeon

This is an amazing presentation/study by Dr. Iyengar.  I learned a lot from it. It was educational and humorous.  It also explains with data and examples the way that someone may perceive certain things may not be the same as everyone else does. For example, in the seven different brand of soda, where Dr. Iyengar perceived each brand as a choice but the participants did not see the brand as choices. They only saw one option. They saw it at the content level, which is soda.  They all just see soda, one choice not multiple choice.

Yes, I agree with her studies and statements she made on her presentation. For example, make your own choices. That has always been the heart and soul for most Americans, to be able to make their own choices when needed. As described in the video, The art of choosing. (Iyengar, 2010), “[Make your own choices] if a choice affects you, then you should be the one who make it. This is the only way to ensure that your preferences and interest will be fully accounted for. It is essential for success”.  Indeed, no one would like their choices to be made for them especially in America as the result of her studies show. A good example is the classroom of kids with different cultures or background (Anglo –American and Asian American) playing with anagrams and color crayons. The study shows that the kids that made their own choices had far more better results than the ones that had their choices made for them. Hence, this shows that there is some kind of reluctances that took place when a decision is made for someone.

Furthermore, I agree that the value of choice depends on our ability to perceive deference among the options. However, I don’t fully agree with her statement about the more options lead to poor decisions. That may hold true if the candidate isn’t knowledgeable about all the options. But, if they’re, I think it should lead to a good decision as well.

Her implication on leadership to my opinion is that a leader should keep an open mind at all time and not to assume that he or she will be received with open arms or heart at all time.  Furthermore, no matter what your position is, you should always open yourself up to wider array of what choice can do and what it can represent. 

Reference:

Iyengar,S.(2010). The art of choosing. [Video file]. Retrieved from            http://www.ted.com/talks/sheena_iyengar_on_the_art_of_choosing?language=en#t-1433320