Let's Have a Chit Chat About PechaKucha(ing)

First things first, how does one properly pronounce Pecha Kucha? I can barely do it, so I will let this video do it for me.

I'll spare you 2 mins of our life, just jump to the two minute ten second part of the video and you can hear the proper pronunciation.

The remainder of the video is the speaker explaining why he is credible.

I don't think it is necessary but feel free to watch.

I am taking this class as an opportunity to learn how to work smarter not harder with technology.

So I am going to let the PechaKucha site, speak for itself.

I hope you all do not mind.

How can we make one?

Sometimes, I am so glad I was born in this generation,

because I can borrow other professionals hard work to answer burning questions.

Let me introduce you to Marcus Weaver-Hightower a professor from the University of North Dakota.

Since we already know what a Pecha Kucha is and for our purposes we really don't need to know about the Pecha Kucha nights,

you can start the video at one minute and twenty five seconds.

We can skip to the "how to plan a Pecha Kucha," "how to set it up in a slide show program" and "how to deliver it."

What can we, as educators, use it for?

We could use this method for almost everything, from a parents information night, students presentations,

prior knowledge check-ins, test reviews and to pretty much anything you can come up with.

The following Pecha Kucha in the Classroom article highlights "why" to use this tool,

"how" to use it and some super easy to follow "tutorials" on how to make one in PowerPoint, Keynote and Prezi. 

What are some perks about Pecha Kucha?

Well for starters, they are free. Let me state that again FREE!

You probably do not need to download anything that is not already on your computer.

If you have internet access, you have the ability to create one

and if you are happy with clip art you can probably get away with making one without internet.

If you have the ability to navigate Powerpoint and/or follow step by step video instructions anyone can create a Pecha Kucka.

Creating the video display is the easy part, creating information that fits into 20 second sides with graphics to back them up is the tricky part.

Why I think I will like this tool?

It forces people to focus on their topic and get out only what is completely necessary.

It keeps the speaker on task and focus and hopefully it keeps the audience in the same state of mind.

I would have loved to have this tool instead of sitting through 30 minute Powerpoints,

where fellow classmates when severely over their time limit or

if I was teaching students how to give oral presentations.

Why it makes me nervous?

I am totally used to winging presentations, keeping within my time constraints and still coming out strong.

However, this tool is strictly timed, if I over talk to long about one graphic

my whole presentations will be off and if I have little to say about others I could go to fast.

I truly would have to plan, Plan, PLAN to make a presentation like thing work. 

Are you up for the challenge?

I sure hope so because next week is coming quick!