CSE191 Presentation Project Part 1: Problem of the Day

Introduction

It is important to be able to express yourself and your ideas to others. This is especially important when you are trying to help others solve a problem.

Purpose

This first part of the presentation project for 191 will give you a way to explain your problem solving process to others and express your ideas for a solution to a problem.

Assignment Specification

Stage 1: Group Selection

You will pick a partner for this project and sign up using the form provided in class. Completed forms must be turned in by the end of lecture, Friday, January 19, 2007.

If you do not sign up with a partner, one will be assigned to you.

Stage 2: Check the Schedule and Presentation Planning

A schedule of when you will be presenting your problem will be made available on the course website. Please check your assigned presentation day and make note of the problem you have been assigned. For many, you will not be able to work on the problem until we have actually covered the material in class. When it is getting close to your presentation day, you and your partner should go over the problem and attempt to solve it. You should discuss with each other how you went about solving the problem. If neither of you can solve the problem, you should consult with the instructors or the TAs for assistance.

When you have completed your problem, you should prepare how you will present the problem’s solution to the class. If you had a problem with the solution and sought help, you should make special note of that for your presentation and make sure to talk about what you were doing right/wrong before you sought and received help.

Your presentation should take no longer than five minutes and you may use the overhead projector or chalk board to present your solution. It may also be possible to use a simple PowerPoint presentation to present your solution, but check with the instructor before proceeding in this way.

Stage 3: Presentation Execution

On the day of your presentation, you will have 5 minutes to execute your solution to the problem. If you can coordinate both partners presenting, great. If not, have one person present and the other prepared to jump in if needed during the presentation. I would strongly encourage the weaker presenter to present for practice. If only one person presents, it should be the ideas of both people of the group that are presented in the solution. During your presentation, your peers will rate your presentation on various factors including understandability, clarity of speech and preparedness.

Stage 4: Post-presentation evaluation

After you have completed your presentation, you will have a short evaluation form to complete about your partner. This is a confidential form and a time to discuss directly and only with me about a lack of cooperative effort in the presentation. This presentation evaluation form will be due at the beginning of the next lecture after you have presented your problem.