Pedagogy of Presenting: Transforming Conference Talks with Teaching Techniques

From Teaching to Tech: How I Apply Lesson Planning to Conference Talks

Before I became a Developer Relations professional, I was a teacher for 10 years. During my time as a teacher, I wrote numerous lesson plans. Now, as a Developer Advocate, I’ve been tasked with delivering various talks at conferences. Reflecting on my preparation for these talks, I realized that I was treating them like my classroom lessons. The concept of a lesson plan must be ingrained in my brain, so much so that I was applying it subconsciously. It’s funny how that happens. You apply your expertise in one area to another while remaining blissfully ignorant of the fact that you’re doing it.

Now that I’ve come to this realization, I’ve found that taking this “lesson plan” approach works quite well. Most lesson plans have many parts to them, so I’ve also realized there are some parts that I used in the classroom but have not yet implemented in a conference talk. In this article, I’ve laid out how the classroom structure, planning, and procedure have worked in my conference talks as well as some additional ideas of how and why I plan to implement them in the future.

Table of Contents

• Starter Strategies
• Before the Presentation
• During the Presentation
• Presentation Extensions
• Summary

Start

The Learning Target

When thinking about a talk, the first thing I usually do is come up with a “learning target”. In my classroom I used the following format: “Today I will… so I can… I will know I have it when…” It turns out, this approach works for adults too! For example, for my open source talk at FedGIS 2023, I came up with the following:

“Today I will learn the capabilities of open source mapping libraries, so I can utilize Esri’s services alongside these libraries to create powerful applications. I will know I have it when I can use Esri’s services to transform an existing open source application into an Esri-enhanced one.

Although I didn’t plaster this on the wall as I did in my classroom each day, this target is what I kept in mind while building my talk. The goal was to ensure the audience would be able to leave my talk feeling confident in their newly acquired skills, knowing they too could apply the technical skills demonstrated in my talk.

Opening

Traditionally, one of the first steps in presenting is to introduce yourself. In the classroom, I would share my email, room number, and office hours schedule to inform students when and where they could get additional help. I would also provide details about my background and experience to establish my expertise and share some fun facts about myself to break the ice. Similarly, in a conference setting, I tend to offer most of the same information. The difference, however, lies in sharing my social media handles to foster further connections, detailing where I’ll be for the rest of the conference to ideally spur later discussions, presenting my background and experience to lend credibility, and sharing a fun fact to be relatable.

After introducing myself, the next thing I like to do is give an overall schedule for the lesson/talk. This gives a sense of what the audience can expect to see. For students, I made sure the schedule had apparent activities to break up the lesson and keep things interesting. For conferences, I ensure the layout is clear so that audience members fully understand the direction and goal of the talk. Of course, this is the point at which some attendees may choose to leave, but that’s alright because it means you’re setting yourself up for your target audience! I bet students wish they had the option to do this in the classroom… haha.

Finally, I make sure to review any prerequisite knowledge and set expectations for the audience. Again, this could be an opportunity for conference goers to exit, but it also informs people about the skill level I aim to address. In a more positive light, this presents an opportunity to recommend other similar talks for those who may still be interested but don’t feel suited for that particular talk. This approach helps me connect with the audience in an authentic and empathic manner. Similarly, in the classroom, I would take this opportunity to discover students of all skill levels, taking into account those who may need additional help and those who may require more of a challenge. This concept is known as **differentiation, **a difficult skill to master but an effective one when properly applied.

Before

Materials

When setting up my classroom, there were important materials I ensured to have on hand every day. Now, before giving a conference talk, I’ve found many of these same materials can help calm nerves and set me up for success. Here are the top critical items I make sure to have when presenting:

1. Working Laptop 💻: This one is probably obvious. How in the world are you going to show anything on a screen without this?! The important part here is to ensure your laptop is in tip-top shape and ready to go! Make sure all unnecessary tabs and applications have been closed and that the computer has recently been restarted. Check for any necessary updates and make sure there are no scheduled updates during presentation time. Although I haven’t had any mishaps in my conference talks yet, I certainly had a few in the classroom. Imagine being in the middle of a lesson with thirty 16-year-olds, when suddenly your computer decides to force update, disrupting your plans. Yeah, it was almost impossible to keep control. In a conference setting, keeping the audience engaged through such a disruption would be equally challenging.

2. Computer Mouse 🖱: Although you might be accustomed to using a laptop trackpad, a mouse provides smoother and more accurate control during presentations. It minimizes distractions, allowing you to focus on delivering your message effectively. To ensure you’re always prepared, I recommend keeping a mouse in your computer bag at all times, separate from the one you use at home or work.

3. Slide Deck 🖼️: Think of your conference slide deck as the digital equivalent of classroom posters and visual aids. Utilize tools like Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides to create an engaging and visually appealing presentation. Incorporate text, images, graphs, and charts to make complex information digestible and interesting, capturing your audience’s attention as a teach would with students. A well-crafted slide deck not only conveys your message but also keeps your audience engaged.

4. Speaker Notes 📝: Speaker notes are the presenter’s secret weapon, similar to a teacher’s lesson plan. They guide you through each segment of your presentation, ensuring you cover all key points and provide context that may not be evident from the slides alone. Just as detailed lesson plans keep classroom lessons on track, speaker notes help you navigate your talk seamlessly, facilitating timely transitions and a steady flow of information. They serve as your personal roadmap for a confident and structured delivery.

5. Extra monitor🖥️ : Much like in a classroom where visibility is key, at a conference, an extra monitor can serve as your personal dashboard. It allows you to keep track of your presentation slides and view your speaker notes discreetly, while still being able to monitor the audience’s engagement and reactions.

6. Handouts 🧾: In the classroom, handouts such as worksheets, activities, and charts reinforce lessons and provide students with valuable reference materials. At conferences, handouts enrich the experience, ranging from detailed talk outlines to business cards for networking, and even swag items like branded stationery, creating a lasting impression. These materials aid not only in knowledge retention but also in fostering connections long after the event has concluded.

7. Essentials 🩹: It may not be the first thing you think of, but having items like water, throat lozenges, bandages, and tissues on hand to manage unexpected situations during your presentation could be a lifesaver. Sure, there’s likely to be safety or health personnel on-site to assist, but just like in a classroom where the nurse’s office isn’t always close by, being prepared yourself can save you from headaches.

Remember to tailor your materials to the specific needs and expectations of the conference and your audience. The right preparation and organization will help ensure a successful and impactful conference talk.

Setup Script

In the classroom, I made sure to have all of the student’s virtual activities assigned, my lesson slides open and ready, and any examples ready to be shown. In a conference talk, I ensure any links I want to show are working, my slides are open and ready, and my demos are all open and running. In either case, I’ve found it extremely helpful to have a well-organized list of tasks nicely laid out so there’s no chance of missing anything. I learned this the hard way when I once forgot to assign an activity to one class, even though I had prepared it for another. Thus, in any conference talk, but especially if you have more than one, be sure to have a custom setup script for each!

Be Inquisitive

Something I learned very early on in my teaching career was to be prepared for questions! In my second year of teaching, I specifically remember having my answer key to all of the questions I was going to have the students answer in hand. However, what I didn’t plan for were extensions and inquisitions. As a student, I often had questions beyond the scope of the content but took to looking for the answer myself before asking the teacher, as to avoid embarrassment or ridicule for asking too many questions. (Silly, I know but I was a bit shy academically). So when I started to have students ask questions beyond the scope of the content, I would sometimes feel unprepared. Not for lack of knowledge but for the unpredictability and time it would take to answer.

In a conference setting, it’s pretty much the same! Most people, when giving a talk, set aside a bit of time at the end for questions. And you better believe I do my best to prepare for this. When preparing for conference talks, I treat it just like I did with lessons. I compile a list of ways to extend a topic, come up with potential questions, and then answers to these. If there is just one piece of advice you take away from this article, this would be the one. **Be inquisitive, over research, and plan for those curve ball questions! **You and your audience will be happy you did, as you’ll look and feel more like an expert.

During

Transitions

In any lesson or talk, there are typically several topics or sections throughout. To maintain a consistent flow, I look for ways to transition smoothly from one topic to the next. For example, in the classroom, I often built upon specific topics, integrating each new element as I went along. Showing one example with a few steps (I was a math teacher, FYI), I then continued to gradually add steps with additional examples.

In a conference talk, achieving this seamless transition isn’t always possible, but it’s beneficial to consider how one topic could possibly lead into the next, even if that wasn’t initially your intention. In a talk I presented with a couple of colleagues, I had a few back-to-back demos on different services, where one of my colleagues would provide commentary between each. Rather than just conducting my demo on one topic, I made sure to either extend the demo to include the upcoming topic or at least mention how it could be relevant.

Connections and Relatability

When speaking to an audience, we all, of course, want to grab their attention. This skill can be a bit challenging, however. It’s not too difficult to get up in front of people and present information in a plain and dry fashion by simply reading off slides. However, the likelihood of that approach being effective is minimal. Having had to entertain teenagers all day as a teacher, I learned ways to be more engaging. One of these methods is to try and connect with them to make yourself more relatable. For example, when a student’s phone would go off in class, I would share the story of how my phone went off on the last day of school in a class where the teacher would take your phone for the day. This story reminds students that I too was once a student, and it’s a tale I can retell year after year.

In a conference setting, things are a bit different since you’re unlikely to encounter a spur-of-the-moment situation like in a classroom. However, it’s entirely possible to forge a planned connection if you think a bit outside the box. For instance, a colleague of mine recently gave a talk where they showcased a service that included many different pieces of data and values. Instead of opting for a common and simple variable, like population, they chose to discuss the number of dogs people owned in a certain area. This approach was fun and made the presentation more interesting! Plus, it gave them an opportunity to mention their love of dogs, thus appearing more relatable.

Timing

In conference presentations, just as in my classroom, managing time effectively is key. When I was teaching, I carefully segmented each lesson into manageable parts, each with its own time allocation, to ensure I covered all the necessary material within the class period. Now, as a presenter, I apply the same principle. I practice and time each segment of my talk, whether it’s a demonstration, discussion, or slideshow. This helps me deliver the content within the allocated time, keeping the audience engaged, just as I did with my students.

However, even with thorough planning, timings can often go off track, both in the classroom and at conferences. This is where time fillers, an essential skill in a teacher’s toolkit, become invaluable.

Extensions

Time fillers

No matter what, it’s unlikely that you’ll time your talk to exactly fit within your allotted timeslot. Time-fillers can be lifesavers in any presenting situation. Imagine stepping onto the stage, expected to fill 30 minutes, only to realize you’ve spoken much faster than anticipated and still have 10 minutes left. The audience may or may not be okay with this, as it leaves more time for questions. However, it’s likely that others will perceive this as a sign of being unprepared or possibly even apathetic. In the classroom, not having enough lesson content prepared to fill the class time can be a teacher’s worst nightmare, since leaving children with free time usually never ends well. Again, more time for questions, but also more time for potential pitfalls.

To avoid these situations, being prepared is crucial! Chunking and ranking content is key. Typically, when preparing a topic, I over plan and stuff my slides full of information. Then, I go back through and determine what’s essential and what can be omitted. From there, I take the potentially “removable” content and rank it from most interesting to least as my time fillers. Then, while presenting, be sure to keep an eye on the time and use your best judgment to seamlessly integrate time fillers where appropriate, if needed.

Vocabulary

The concept of a vocabulary list, so crucial in the classroom, also finds its place in conference talks. During my teaching days, vocabulary lists were essential to ensure students understood the key terms they would encounter during a lesson. Similarly, for my conference talks, I maintain a personal vocabulary list. This includes not only terms with which I am familiar and ensure a comprehensive understanding, but also new or complex terms I anticipate using or encountering. As I mentioned in my one-month article, having a running list of terms and definitions is a practice I have found immensely helpful. It’s not just about the words in my presentation; it’s about being prepared for any follow-up discussions with the audience.

This approach echoes my teaching days, where occasionally I would assign vocabulary research as homework, challenging students with both familiar and unfamiliar terms. Speaking of homework, this leads me to my next topic… Talk about a transition! 😜

Homework

Discussing homework in the context of adult conferences might seem unusual, but it has its place. Traditional homework in a classroom setting involves reinforcing and expanding upon what was learned. Similarly, at a conference, I encourage further engagement by inviting the audience to explore unfamiliar topics or terms, to provide feedback through surveys, to visit me at my booth, to attend other related talks, and to connect online. This approach can transform passive listening into active learning, fostering deeper engagement with the topic, much like homework does for students.

Exit Tickets

In the classroom, I often used ‘exit tickets,’ which are short prompts or questions given to students at the end of the lesson. They serve multiple purposes: assessing students’ understanding of the day’s topic, gathering feedback on the lesson, and engaging students in reflective thinking. This method not only helped me gauge the effectiveness of my teaching but also provided students with a moment to consolidate and reflect on what they had learned.

Though I haven’t yet tried this method in my presentations, I’m excited about its potential. In an upcoming conference talk, I plan to introduce an approach similar to exit tickets. I’ll pose a thought-provoking question or prompt at the end, aimed at encouraging the audience to reflect on the key takeaways. This could be through a quick digital poll or a brief Q&A session. Additionally, I’ll invite attendees to continue the conversation afterward, either personally or via social media and conference apps. The goal will be to engage the audience more deeply and gather valuable feedback for future talks.

Summary

As I reflect on the intersection between teaching and presenting, it becomes evident that the skills I developed in the classroom are tremendously useful on the conference stage. Both require clarity, engagement, adaptability, and an in-depth understanding of your audience. The fundamental principles are identical, whether you’re navigating students through a complex math problem or guiding developers in a technical demonstration: clarity, engagement, and the readiness to adapt are key.

Embracing the lesson plan approach in a conference talk can bring a much-needed structure and depth to a presentation, thus enhancing the overall experience for the audience. This method ensures that attendees leave with not only information but also the impression of having been a part of a learning journey.

To conclude, I encourage my fellow presenters in any field to consider the value of a well-structured lesson plan. This approach extends beyond traditional educational environments, improving our ability to communicate, teach, and inspire. Ultimately, at the core of every impactful lesson, whether delivered in a classroom or at a conference, lies the goal of imparting knowledge, stimulating curiosity, and promoting understanding.

Now Over to You!

We explored how the principles of teaching methodologies can transform presentations, making them more engaging, informative, and memorable. But the true power of these strategies is revealed through application and experimentation. Have you ever applied a teaching methodology in a presentations or in other unconventional areas? What was your experience like? Did you notice a difference in engagement or feedback? Share your stories, tips, or questions in the comments below.

This article was written by Courtney Yatteau, a Developer Advocate at Esri. The opinions in this article are solely Courtney’s opinions and do not necessarily represent the postings, strategies, or opinions of her employer. If you have any feedback, please like and/or comment. Also, if you have any questions or comments that you’d prefer to send privately, you can contact Courtney through LinkedIn, Twitter, or email. If you’re considering a career switch, looking to get into tech, or curious about what it’s like to work at Esri, then please stay tuned for my future posts! You can also check out Esri’s careers page or this video for more information.