INTE6710~CreativeDesignsforInstructionalMaterials

Project3:PechaKuchaPresentationDesignDocument
JoyVigil
November24,2013
1. Overview
Overthepastyear,peopleareincreasinglyinterestedinusingInternetMemestospreadcontent
primarilythroughsocialmediawithhumorandmimicry.TheoverallfocusofmyPechaKucha
PresentationwastoillustratethepowerofInternetMemes,andhowtheycanbeusedinavarietyof
audiencesranginginculturalbackgrounds,age,andinterests.Itisessentialforeducatorstoharness
culturallyrelevantimagerytograbaclassattentionandenhancealesson.IfaneducatorusesInternet
Memestoexplainanideawithhumor,he/shehasagreaterchanceofconnectingwiththeaudienceinan
unexpected,concrete,andemotionalway.Throughtheirpopularityonsocialmedia,InternetMemes
areeasilyrecognizableandhaveanuncannyconnectiontojuvenilehumor.Forthesereasons,expanding
educatorsabilitiestousesaidMemeswouldenhanceinstructionalconnectivitytoimportantkey
concepts.

ThelearningobjectivesforthePechaKuchaPresentationwere:a)IwillbeabletodefineMeme
throughteacherinstructionb)IwillbeabletoexaminethebenefitsofusingInternetMemesinthe
classroomusingvisualpresentationc)IwillbeabletocreateaMemeformyclassusingaMeme
creatorwebsite.

TheaudienceforthePechaKuchaPresentationwaseducatorsandstudentsatTheAcademyof
CharterSchools.SinceMemesareatangiblewaytoincreaseaudienceengagementandparticipationin
apresentation,thenbothteachersandstudentsshouldunderstandhowtousethemeffectively.This
techniquecanbeusedinanyclass(regardlessofthesubject)andstudentsareregularlyaskedtodo
presentationstoclassmates.Thisconceptwasexplainedinabasicyetinspirationalstylewherethree
principleswereoutlined:1)theimportanceofapresenterusinginterestingmediainapresentation2)
whyusingInternetMemesisaneffectiveformofenhancingapresentationthroughhumor,relatability,
andunexpectednessandfinally3)howtocreateaMemeusinganonlineservice.

IdesignedthispresentationwithajovialfeeltoenhancethelevityofInternetMemes.InusingthePecha
Kuchastyleofpresentation,Idesignedanintentionallyconcreteconceptthatmovesasastylizedpace
of20secondsperslidewithjust20totalslides.InternetMemesarebrief,bluntimagesthatstrikean
audiencewithanidea.Ineededthepresentationtotakeonasimilarqualityofstrikingimagesand
conceptstointensifyhoweffectiveusingInternetMemescanbeinanypresentation.Iusedavarietyof
toolstocreatethispresentationfromthescreencapturefunctiontoshowhowtocreateaMeme,
iMovietosplicethe20imagestogether,andYouTubetodistributethepresentationtoothereducators
andstudents.IalsotookpicturesusingmyiPhone4S.
2. Design Decisions
DesignDecision#1.Duringthepresentation,Imadethemovement,oranimations,familiarand
intentionaltogiveplentyoftimefortheviewertoreadeachmemewhilestillbeingabletounderstand
whatwasbeingsaidintheaudio.Duarte(2008)explains,Animationsshouldhelpyouunderstandthe
interrelatednessorsequenceofinformationyourepresenting.Theaudienceshouldbeabletoprocess
theinformationintheorderthattheanimationpresentsit(p.182).Ispecificallymadethesidebyside
memescorrespondwiththeorder(lefttoright)anddurationoftheaudio.Thiscanbeseenat1.221.53
ofthepresentation(AppendixA).Itwasimportanttomethattheaudiencecouldunderstandthehumor
inthememewhilesimultaneouslyunderstandinghowthiscouldbeusedinvarioussettingssuchas
commercially,intheclassroom,andpersonally.OneofthefactorsthatReynolds(2009)describes
whenaddingmotiontomakeapointis,...tocreateachangetopropelyourpointforward(p.192).
Withoutmymotionandanimation,Icouldnottellmystorysequentially.
DesignDecision#2.Whileselectingtexttodisplay,Iadheredtothememerulesoftext.At1:55of
mypresentation,Idescribetheelementsoftextwithinameme.TextmustbeformattedintheImpact
font,inallcapitalletters,filledwithwhitecolor,andablackoutline.Althoughthesimplicityoftextisa
commondesignelementofinternetmemes,evenReynolds(2009)showshowimportantitiskeepyour
typesimpletoavoidunnecessaryclutteronyourslides(p.33).Whencreatingthememes,Imadesure
tonotovercrowdtheimagewithlongphrases.Thejokeneedstobequickandsimplefortheviewerto
understandeasily.Bykeepingthememefontsimplewithnoserifs,theviewercaneasilydecipherthe
text.
Simplicitycanalsobefoundinthemessageitself,notjustinthefontbeingused.AsHeathandHeath
(2008)explain,...tomakeaprofoundideacompactyouvegottopackalotofmeaningintoabitof
messaging.Usingmemestocommunicateanideaallowsyouto,...taptheexistingmemoryterrainof
youraudience.Youusewhatsalreadythere(p.52).Whenapresenterusesamemeinapresentation,
thelikelihoodoftheaudiencebeingfamiliarwithamemecharacteranditsshtickishigh.Thepresenter
createsanimmediatebondwiththeaudiencebysheddinglightonaconceptthatissimilartothe
experiencesoftheaudience.
DesignDecision#3.Theveryfirstmemeisapictureofmycat,DaisyMae.Sheisagrouchyoldcat
withenoughentitlementtomakeanyelitistsquirm.InthephotoIusedofhertocreatethefirstmeme,
shehasherarmsstaunchlycrossedwithanevilstareglaringatme,herpeasant.Inordertocreatea
correlationbetweenmyhomemadememewiththatofGrumpyCat,Ihadtofindanimagethat
establishedarelationshipbetweentheaudienceandDaisyMae.McCloud(2006)states,Nomatter
whatstyleofimageyouchoose,yourpicturesfirstandmostimportantjobistocommunicatequickly,
clearlyandcompellinglywiththereader(p.26).Herfacialexpressioncommunicatesquickly,Ifyou
touchme,Ijustmightmakeyoubleed.Iwantedtouseaconcreteimagethatwaseasilyidentifiable
andrelatable.Iusedahipsterconcepttodevelopanimmediatedrawoftheaudiencewithouta
complexconcept.Themoralofthisstoryisnottodumbthingsdown.Rather,themoralofthestory
istofindauniversallanguage,onethateveryonespeaksfluently.Inevitably,thatuniversalmessagewill
beconcrete(HeathandHeath,2008,p.115).Althoughnoteveryoneknowsthatcatsarespecifically
ahipsterconcepts,mostpeopleknowthatcatsaretrending.Whynotcapitalizeonthistrendandcreate
aconcreteimageofmyown?
DesignDecision#4.IusedPhotoshoptocutoutthebackgroundandreplaceitwithpsychedelic
rainbowcolorswirl.Inusingacolorswirl,Iwantedtosetthestagethatthisisahumorousimage.
Coloriscrucialtoyourpresentation.Itsetsatoneandhelpsestablishwhattheaudiencewillexpect.It
helpscommunicatewhattypeofjourneyyouwillbetakingthemon(Duarte,2008,p.126).Our
journeythroughtheworldofInternetmemesisintendedtobehumorousandlightnotdramaticand
dark.Iwantedtoestablishacomicintensityinmyintroductionbyusingthesecolors.Nowdefining
intensityisasubjectivebusiness...Butfornow,welluseittorefertothosevisualtechniqueswhich
addcontrast,dynamism,graphicexcitementorasenseofurgencytoapanel(McCloud,2006,p.45).
MyuseofarainbowbackgroundofDaisyMaesmemeisagraphicalrepresentationofdynamismand
excitement.Youareinforafuntreat!Reynold(2009)suggeststhat,Colorcanbeusedtoemphasize,
getattention,pointtheway,andsoon,butcolorisalsoemotional(p.79).
DesignDecision#5.Inadditiontothepsychedelicrainbowcolorswirl,Iusedanechoingvoiceatthe
startofthepresentation.IwantedtobeclearthatourjourneyintheworldoftheInternetwasgoingto
beafancifulone.IfIhadmoreofacommandingvoice,itwouldhaveabiggerdramaticeffect,butI
believeitwasasuccessfulattempt.AsHeathandHeath(2008)describetheconceptofcredibility,I
neededtosoundauthoritativedespitenotbeingacelebrity(p.134).SinceIusedthisechoingvoice
adapter,Igrabtheaudiencesattentionanddeclarethisisaneventyoudonotwanttomiss.Inother
words,itisaCreativityplotthatdrawsintheaudience(p.229).
DesignDecision#6.Toshowhowmemeshaveanindividualandparticulartheme,Irepeated
characterswithdifferentmessages.Specifically,IusedPhilosoraptor,TheMostInterestingManinthe
World,JosephDucreux,andTrollFaceindifferentmemes.Byrepeatingthesememes,theaudience
canfurtherunderstandtheconceptofeachmemecharacter.HadIusedevenmoredifferentcharacters,
Isuspecttheconceptsbehindeachcharacterwouldbesomewhatdisconnected.IwantedtoAccount
forthecurrentera,inmyphotographchoices(Duarte,2008,p.160).TheimagesIselectedplayeda
bigroleinmypresentationbecause,Photosallowforgreateremphasisandmayhavelessdistracting
elements,givingthepresenterornarrator/filmmakermorefreedomtoaugmentthephotoforadesired
effect(Reynolds,2010,p.98).Ionlyusedtwoimagespairedsidebysidetominimizedistraction.
DesignDecision#7.Iusedbothvideoandimagestoshowthevarietyofinternetmemes.Memescan
comeinavarietyofformatsfromasingleimage,typicallycutoutandcenteredintheframe,tovideos
splicedwithscreaminggoats.Eitherway,thecreatoriswantingtocommunicateahumorousslantona
commonidea.Reynolds(2010)explainstheimportanceofembeddingthevideointothepresentation.
Inthisformat,Ihadnootherchoicebuttoembedit.Theadvantagetohavingthevideoembeddedin
yourfileisthatthepresentationissmoother.Yourvideoswilljustappearwhenyouwant,insyncwith
yournarrative,justliketheothervisuals(p.123).TodownloadtheInternetmemes,Iusedthewebsite
keepvid.comwhichgivesyouvariousfilestodownload.Iselectedthe.mp4fileandimporteditinto
iMovie.Inaddingthevideos,Iamcreatingaddedemphasisthroughmovement(Duarte,2008,p.185).
DesignDecision#8.Theuseofhumorwasanessentialelementinmydesignplanbecausememesare
fundamentallyhysterical.ItwasvitalthatIestablishamemorablemessagethatmadetheaudiencelaugh
(HeathandHeath,2008,p.170).Thisemotionalreactionisestablishedbecause,Themostbasicway
tomakepeoplecareistoformanassociationbetweensomethingtheydontyetcareaboutand
somethingtheydocareabout(p.173).Itbuildsarelationshipbetweenthememecreatorandthe
audience.ThisisoneofthereasonsmemesspreadsoquicklyviatheInternet.Byestablishinga
humorousconnection,theaudiencenowbelievesinthecredibilityofthememecreator.
3. Formative Evaluation Response
PeerReviewQuestion#1.Inusinghumor,doesmypresentationmotivatetheaudiencetomake
memesoftheirownand/orusethemintheclassroom(oranyothersettingforthatmatter)?
Byaskingthisquestion,Iwantedmyaudiencetounderstandhowmemescouldbeusedforavarietyof
circumstances,andIwantedtoknowifthepresentationwaseffectiveinpresentingthatconcept.Latoya
Goldenresponded,Ireallylikeyourpresentationtheendingishilarious.WhileWilliamGayhardsaid,
AtfirstIwasn'ttoomotivated,andthoughtthatsomeofthesewillbethingsthatmygrandchildrenlook
uponWikipediain2025andareconvincedthateveryoneloved/used,andthatIwasn'ttoohappythat
they'dgetthatimpression.Thenwhenyoustartedshowingmemesthatcouldbeusedtohelpstudents,
likegivingrules,enforcingconcepts,helpwithremembering(like(fe)male),Iwasprettymotivatedto
usethem,andthinkthattheycanbeveryeffectivewhenusedinthisway.Itseemslikebothofmy
groupmembersfeltlikeIwaseffectiveindescribingthemanyusesofmemesinavarietyof
circumstances.
PeerReviewQuestion#2.ShouldIincludeanadditional"slide"withmycitationshere,orisitokayto
includeitinthepaper.Iwashavingahardtimedecidingwheretoputthem.Alotoftheimages,suchas
theintroductorycat,aremyown,butsomeimagesandthevideosaretakenfromdifferentwebsites.I
wanttomakesureIgivecreditwherecreditisdue.
Whenitemsareusedforeducationalpurposes,Iwasntsureifmyimagesshouldbecitedina
traditionalway.AsLatoyaGoldenputit,Youshouldincludeaslideattheendofyourpresentation
thatincludesyourcitations.However,ontheotherhand,WilliamGayhartdifferedinhisopinionon
citationstating,I'msurethatyouaresupposedto,butItakethepositionthatwhatIuseforacademic
purposes,allisfairgame.IfIwasmakingmoney,sellingsomething,advertisingsomething,promoting
something,thenI'dgivecreditforeverything.Otherwise,Ithinkthatitfallsunderfairuse.Youareusing
verysmallpiecesofotherwork,andchangingitinamaterialway,foreducationalpurposes.That,to
me,istextbookfairuse.Iunderstandthattherearedifferentinterpretationsofthis,butyouhavetodraw
alineinthesandsomewhere.Inthiscircumstance,IagreewithWilliamsassessmentbecausethese
arecommonitemsthatarebeingusedinaneducationalsetting.Iamnotmakingaprofitoffofmy
movie,butratherIamprovidinginspirationforeducatorsincreatingclassroommaterials.Ithastaken
onthetruedefinitionofamemeofpassingonculturalinformationfromonepersontothenext
(Dawkins,1976).Theimagewebsiteshavebeencitedinthereferencesofthispaper.
PeerReviewQuestion#3.Talktomeaboutaudio...isittoolow?Arepartstoohigh?Justwantedto
makesureitsoundsokay.
WhenIwatchedthisvideoonmyPrometheanBoardatschool,Inoticedsomeofthesoundwas
uneven,butIwasntsureifitwastoodistracting.BothLatoyaandWilliamdidnotseemdistractedby
thevolumeoftheaudio.Latoyaresponded,Yousoundgreat,Icanhearyouandunderstandwhatyou
aresaying.Additionally,Williamsaid,Theaudiowasgood.Youhaveanicevoicefornarration.The
audioseemedlevelandappropriate.Ilol'datthegoat,Ihadalreadyforgottenaboutit,andhopethatI
canforgetaboutitagain).IdecidedtotrytoequalizethevolumeontheNyanCatandTaylorSwift
videosothatitisbettermatchedwithmyvocalaudio.Iappreciatedthecommentsonmynarration,
becauseIthoughtIsoundedfunny.
PeerReviewQuestion#4.Doestheimagerystayuplongenoughtoreadandcomprehend?Icancut
outsomeofthedoubleimagedscenesifneedbe.Iwantedtoaddsomanymore,buthadtousemy
"editingeye"totryandincludeonlytheimportantones.
Sometimeswhensomeoneseesanimageandtextpriortoitbeingplayedinapresentationonabig
screen,itisunderestimatedhowlongittakestocomprehendtheconceptthereforeIneededtomake
surethattheimagerywasvisiblelongenoughtoreadandunderstand.BothLatoyaandWilliamthought
thelengthofeachconceptwassufficientandpossiblytoolong.Latoyasaid,Theimagerydoesstayup
longenoughtoreadandcomprehend.However,Williamsresponseleadmetomakingsomechanges
inmydesign.Ithoughtthatitseemedlongenough.I'dconsidernotlistingallofthedifferentmemesif
youaren'tshowingthem.Itwasdistractingmealittletobewaitingtoseewhatyouweretalkingabout
andthenitnevercame.Ithinksomesolidexampleswillgiveanyonewithanyideaaboutyourtopicthe
ideawellenough.Idon'tthinkthatyouneedlessdoubleimagedscenes,theyweren'trushedor
distracting.Ratherthancuttingouttheimagery,IaddedtheadditionalmemeexamplesthatIspokeof
inmypresentation.Ithoughtthiswouldbeaneasierfixratherthanrerecordingtheaudiotoexcludethe
additionalexamplesnotinitiallypresented.Ifoundthatitfurtherreiteratedmypointthattherearemany
differenttypesofmemesthatvaryincontentandhumortofitanyoccasion.Onthedownside,itdid
moveawayeversoslightlywiththe20by20conceptofthePechaKuchadesignhowever,Ibelieve
thismovementofimagerymovesthepresentationalongmoreeffectively.
PeerReviewQuestion#5.Shouldthistypeofpresentationbeusedforstudentsaswellasfor
teachers?Iamconsideringteachingalessontomyjuniorhighstudentsandwantedtoknowwhatother
educatorsthoughtaboutitsviabilityintheclassroomasastartingpointinalesson.
Bothofmypeerreviewersthoughtusingthisintheclassroomwasagoodidea.Latoyastated,Ithink
thatthistypeofpresentationcouldbeusedforstudentsandteachersthispresentationisuniversal.
Williamsaid,Ihadn'treallythoughtaboutusingtheminthewaythatyoudescribedforthe
classroomI'mnotsurewhybecauseIdoliketheidea.IthinkthatpartofitisthatItrynottobetoo
culturallyrelevantwithmystudentsbecauseIthinkthatonceyoucrossaline,youareneverashipas
youthink.Andwithinayear,itmaybedated.Sobecauseofthat,itseemsthattheyarebestforquick
andlesspermanentcommunication.I'mgoingtostartusingcomicslikeinproject2,andIthinkthatit
couldbeeffectivetomixthecomicswithexistingmemeshavingtheminteractinaway.Youhavedone
agreatjob,Ithinkthatyourfinalversionwillbefantastic.WhenIshowedthisvideotomystudents,
theywereallveryexcitedaboutthepossibilityofusingmemesasimageryintheirownpresentations
whenappropriate.ItmaybedifficulttostructureanidealikethiswithJuniorHighstudents,butitopens
thedialoguebetweenteacherandstudentinacurrentandrelevantway.Inthefuture,Iwouldbe
interestedinusingthislessonwithmystudentstoemphasizeyetanothertechniqueforcreatingengaging
andexcitingvisualsfortheirownprojects.
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Appendix
A.ThePoweroftheMemeVideo