Presentation Best Practices Guide

Many online courses focus on written communication skills, featuring discussion posts, papers, and case study reports among other assignments. However, oral communication and presentation skills are just as integral to students’ success, and, indeed, many employers list presenting as one of the most desirable skills for job candidates (Suhadi et al., 2021).

With careful planning and design, presentations can be a valuable part of any online course. The online environment can even provide some advantages over a classroom where presentations are concerned. For example, students who experience anxiety when presenting face-to-face may find that their apprehension is reduced when presenting in a computer-mediated environment (Braun, 2017). Integrating presentations into online courses will be most successful when the associated activities are designed with clear, authentic learning objectives and expectations are clearly and effectively communicated.

When formulating a presentation assignment, carefully consider your objectives. There are many ways to structure a presentation, with different content warranting different approaches. Many presentations involve narrating over a slide deck; however, other options exist that may provide opportunities for more authentic presentations. For example, presentations could also take the form of:

• an interview (either live or pre-recorded),
• a podcast (Kemp et al., 2012),
• a roundtable discussion (live or pre-recorded), or
• a presentation recorded in front of an in-person audience (McDougall & Holden, 2017).

For more ideas for creative presentations, see the companion Envision article Online Presentation Possibilities.

Consider whether presentations should be delivered asynchronously (e.g., via pre-recorded video) or synchronously (e.g., via online video conferencing software). Pre-recorded presentations require less work to coordinate and may be preferable for students who struggle with anxiety. Synchronous presentations provide opportunities for real-time feedback and may better simulate some types of real-world communication. When considering synchronous presentations, remember that the flexibility of asynchronous learning is important for many online students. If you determine that synchronous presentations are called for, you can make it easier for students to participate by scheduling multiple sessions, giving advance notice about the presentation schedule, and providing alternatives for students who may not be able to attend. If you opt to design an asynchronous presentation instead, consider how you will facilitate peer interaction and feedback. Audience interaction during or after a presentation can nourish a learning community and create a more authentic experience for students. Some instructors require students to post recordings of their presentations to a discussion board, then comment and provide feedback on each other’s posts.

• Create a realistic presentation setting which mimics what students can expect in their future careers. Work carefully to make presentations relevant to real-life professional experiences.
• Provide practice opportunities and chances for students to receive and incorporate feedback. Scaffolding can be a useful technique; consider asking students to submit smaller, formative assignments (such as proposals and/or presentation outlines) in the weeks leading up to final presentations. You might even ask students to deliver one or more low-stakes presentations in preparation for the final presentation.
• Make sure students have access to necessary resources. If the assignment has a technical component, make sure they have access to relevant instructions, tutorials, and resources, so they can use any necessary software with minimal stress and distraction.
• Clearly communicate the assignment requirements, including but not limited to:
  • How long should the presentation be?
  • Should students use visuals (e.g., presentation slides)? If slides are required, what program should students use to create them? Are there content, length, or formatting expectations (e.g., the inclusion of references or appendices)? Do students need to submit the slides or only the presentation?
  • If the presentation is a group assignment, how should speaking time and content creation be shared? Should all of the group members present? If there is a required submission, should one student submit on behalf of the group, or should all of the students submit their own files?
  • If the presentation will be conducted asynchronously, how should students submit their presentation? Should they upload a video file? Host their video on a third-party site like YouTube and submit a link? Something else?
  • If students will be reviewing their peers’ presentations, how many presentations should each student review? If applicable, provide guidance on what students should include in responses or peer reviews.
• Wherever possible, provide options and flexibility to accommodate different learning styles, schedules, and interests.
• Use rubrics to offer tangible, transparent guidance—and to make grading faster and fairer.
• Consider providing models for students, such as exemplary presentations from previous classes (with permission from those students) or video examples of effective presentations from outside sources, such as TED Talks. Per Chen and Zhan (2020), “[v]iewing confident speakers helped students gain confidence” when delivering their own presentations (p. 133).
• Provide sufficient time for students to prepare for presentations. Lead time is important for all presentations, but it is especially important for group presentations which require coordination among multiple students. For group work best practices, see the Envision Group Work Best Practices Guide.
• Consider offering virtual office hours or consultation in the weeks leading up to a presentation.

• Make sure that everyone teaching the course is equipped to guide students through the creation and submission of their presentations. Include instructions/tutorials for using presentation and LMS software, and resources that will enable instructors to provide meaningful, authentic feedback.
• Ensure instructors are familiar with the LMS settings for grading, peer reviews, and groups.
• To assist future instructors with grading, clearly define the presentation criteria and consider pairing the assignment with a rubric.

Braun, M. (2017). Comparative evaluation of online and in-class student team presentations. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 14(3), 1-21.

Chen, L., & Zhan, H. (2020). Are students relying on scripts in their oral presentations online? International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 15(2), 126-146.

Kemp, J., Kotter, R., Mellor, A., & Oosthoek, J. (2012). Student-produced podcasts as an assessment tool: An example from geomorphology. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 00(0), 1-14.

McDougall, J., & Holden, H. (2017). The silence about oral presentation skills in distance and online education: New perspectives from an Australian university preparatory programme. Open Learning 32(2), 163-176.

Suhadi, S. R. H., Rohman, F. & Kurniawan, N. (2021). Developing virtual communication skills in online learning based on modified PBL during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Education and Practice, 9(2), 323-339.