MODULE 10- Developing & Delivering Group Presentations

At the end of this lesson, the learners should be able to:

1. Develop and deliver group presentations.
2. Understand the ethical responsibilities of each member.
3. Discuss the individual assignment of each member.

Responsibilities of Group Members/Group Leaders

When problem solving groups work well, the product is better than what any one member
could have accomplished alone. This is known as synergy. Your goal when working in a small
group is to achieve synergy. We believe small groups usually fail when members do not understand
or follow through with the ethical responsibilities shown in the picture. When met by all members,
these five responsibilities result in shared leadership where every member and their contributions
are valued and synergy can occur.
I. Responsibilities of Group members/Group leaders

1. Be committed to the group goal- Being committed to the group goal means finding a way to
Align your expertise with the agreed-upon goal of the group. So, for a class project, once your
group decides on a topic, you need to be a good team member. This might mean working together
on a topic that wasn’t your first choice. Once the decision has been agreed upon, it is no longer
appropriate to dredge up old issues that have already been settled.

2. Keep Discussions on track- It is every member’s responsibility to keep the discussion on track
by offering only comments that are relevant and by gently reminding the others to stay focused if
the discussion starts to get off track. It is unproductive to talk about personal issues during the
team’s work time. Moreover, it is unethical to try to get the discussion off track because you
disagree with what is being said.

3. Complete the individual assignments on time- One potential advantage of group work is that
tasks can be divided among members. However, each member is responsible for completing his or
her tasks thoroughly and on time.

4. Manage conflict among members- All small groups experience some conflict-disagreement
or clash among ideas, principles, or people. If managed appropriately, conflict can actually be
beneficial to the group goal by stimulating thinking, fostering open communication, encouraging
diverse opinions, and enlarging members’ understanding of the issues. In fact, groups that don’t
experience some conflict risk the problem of group-think when group members accept
information and ideas without subjecting them to critical analysis. Behaviors that signal group-
think include:
• Avoiding conflict to prevent hurting someone’s feelings.
• Pressuring members who do not agree with the majority of the group to conform.
• Reaching “consensus” without the support of all members.
• Discouraging or ignoring disagreements
• Rationalizing a decision without testing it.

5. Encourage input from all members- All too often in problem-solving small groups, quiet
members are overshadowed by extroverts. Sometime other members interpret their silence as
having nothing to contribute or not wanting to contribute. On the contrary, all members have
valuable perspectives. If you are an extrovert, you have a special responsibility to refrain from
dominating the discussion and to ask others for their opinions. Likewise, if you tend to be an
extrovert, make a conscious effort to express yourself. You might write down what you want to
share or even raise your hand to get the attention of other members in an unobtrusive way.

II. Systematic Group Problem-Solving Method

To be effective, a problem -solving group needs a concrete approach for arriving at a
productive solution in a short amount of time. One effective means for doing so is the systematic
problem- solving method. Although this method was created nearly a century ago, its staying
power is evidenced in classrooms across the country still today. The method consists of six steps.
1. Identify and define the problem- The first step is to identify the problem and define it in a way
all group members understand and agree with. Groups might begin by coming up with a number
of problems or needs and then narrow them to a particular one. Posing questions can also help
identify and define a problem: What is the problem? What is its history? Who is affected by it and
how does it affect them? How many people are affected, in what ways, and to what degree? These
questions help a group realize what kinds of information must be gathered to help define the
problem. Itself and not just the symptoms of the problem, don’t rush through this step.

2. Analyze the problem- To analyze the problem, you must find out as much as possible about it.
Most groups begin with sharing the information that individual members have acquired through
their experience. You will need to examine published materials available through the library and
on the Internet. You might also consult experts or conduct a survey to gather information from a
particular target group. You might consider using questions to guide you in analyzing the problem:
Can the problem Can the problem be subdivided into series of smaller problems? Why has the
problem occurred? What are the symptoms? What methods already exist for dealing with it? What
are the limitations of those methods? One important element of this step when working in problem-
solving small groups is to share new information with other group members as you discover it.

3. Determine criteria for judging solutions- Criteria are standards used for judging the merits of
proposed solutions—a blueprint for evaluating them. Without clear criteria, groups may select
solutions that don’t adequately address the real problem or, perhaps, solutions that create a host of
new problems. Questions that might guide your thinking about the criteria include: Exactly what
must the solutions achieve? Are there any factors that might limit the choice of solutions (e.g.,
cost, feasibility, location, complexity, expedience, risk-benefit, ration, etc.?) once you’ve
established criteria, prioritize the list. Which criteria are mot important? Which are least important?

4. Generate a host of solutions- At this point, you’ll want to brainstorm for possible solutions.
Brainstorming, you’ll recall, is an uncritical, nonevaluative process of generating alternatives by
being creative, suspending judgement, and combining or adapting the ideas of others. It involves
verbalizing your ideas as they come to mind without stopping to evaluate their merits. At least one
member should record all solutions as they are suggested. To ensure the creativity is not stifled,
no solution should be ignored, and members should build on the ideas presented by others. You
might come up with twenty or more solutions. As a minimum, try to come up with eight to ten
solutions before moving up to the next step.

5. Select the best solutions(s) based on the criteria- Here you need to evaluate the merits of each
potential solution based on the criteria established by the group. Consider each solution as it meets
the criteria and eliminate solutions that do not meet them adequately. In addition to applying the
criteria, the group might also ask questions such as: How will the solution solve the problem? How
difficult will it be to implement? What problems might be caused as a result of implementing the
solution? Once each potential solution has been thoroughly evaluated based on the criteria, the
group must select the best one(s).

6. Implement the agreed-upon solution- Finally, the group implements the agreed-upon solution
or, if the group is presenting the solution to others for implementation, makes recommendations
for how the solution should be implemented. The group has already considered implementation in
terms of selecting a solution but now must fill in the details. What tasks are required by the
solution(s)? Who will carry out these tasks? What is the reasonable time frame for implementation
generally and for each of the tasks specifically?

III. Preparing the Group Presentations

Once the group has worked through the systematic problem-solving method, it’s time to
prepare a group presentation. Doing so involves a five-step process that starts with dividing the
topic into areas of responsibility and ends with practicing the presentation.

1. Divide the topic into areas of responsibility- As a group, determine the thesis and
macrostructure for the presentation. Each member can then be responsible for researching and
organizing the content necessary to develop a particular main point. If there are more group
members than main points, assign more than one person to a main point or assign one person to
develop and integrate presentational aids.

2. Draft an outline of your topic area- Each group member should construct an outline for his or
her main point. Even though the outline is for only part of the presentation, it must still be thorough,
so follow the steps for creating an outline
.
3. Combine members outlines to form a group outline- Once the individual outlines are
completed, the group is ready to combine them into a single outline. Members should share their
individual outlines and then, as a group, develop the transitions between main points and make
any other changes needed for continuity and consistency. If no member was responsible for
developing the introduction and conclusion, the group should create them now. Likewise,
presentational aids should be integrated at this point.

4. Finalize the details of delivery- Because this is a group presentation, more than the usual
number of decisions must be made about the delivery. For example, which presentation format
will you use? Who will speak then? Who will introduce the speakers and when? Where will group
members sit when they are not speaking? How will presentational aids be displayed, and who will
be responsible for displaying them?

5. Practice your presentation- It is crucial to practice both individually and as a group, using the
delivery guidelines. Because group presentations pose additional complexities, there are more
tasks to be done to complete the speech. As a result, there is even more need for practice if you are
to succeed at conveying one seamless message to your listeners.

Public Group Presentation Formats

I. Symposium- A symposium is a discussion in which a limited number of participants (usually
three to five) present individual speeches of approximately the same length dealing with the same
subject. After delivering their planned speeches, the participants in the symposium respond to
questions from the audience. Unfortunately, a symposium often omits the interaction necessary
for a good discussion. However, if the participants make their prepared speeches short enough to
allow sufficient time for questions and answers, a symposium can be interesting stimulating.

In a symposium, all speakers typically are seated in front of the audience. One person acts
as moderator, offering the introductory and concluding remarks and providing transitions between
speakers. In a way, the moderator provides the macrostructure for the group presentation. When
introduced by the moderator, each speaker moves from his or her seat to the lectern to deliver a
speech on the aspect of the topic he or she is covering. Although each speech can stand on its own,
all fit together to present the target picture of the issue.
After all the speakers have finished, the moderator returns to the lectern to offer
concluding remarks and to facilitate the question- and- answer session. Questions can be directed
to individuals in the group or to the group as a whole.

II. Panel discussion- a panel discussion is a problem-solving discussion in front of an audience.

After the formal discussion, the audience is often encouraged to question the participants. Perhaps
you’ve seen or heard a panel of experts discuss a topic. The group is typically seated in a semicircle
to allow the audience to see all participants. One person serves as moderator, introduces the topic,
and provides the macrostructure by asking a series of planned questions that panelists answer.
Their answers band interaction between them provide the supporting evidence. A well-planned
panel discussion seems spontaneous and interactive but requires careful planning and rehearsal to
ensure that all relevant information is presented and that all speakers are afforded equal speaking
time.

II. Town Hall meeting- a town hall meeting is an event in which a large number of people who
are interested in a topic convene to discuss, and at times to decide, one or more issues. Town hall
meetings involve large numbers of people, the leader strictly controls taking turns.

IV. Round table discussion- round table discussions are small group discussions where
everybody has an equal right to participate. This method can in reality encompass a number of
different formats; roundtables are a form of academic discussion, used as a technique for
community and public engagement, and also be used by organizations and businesses.

V. Debate- Debate is a process that involves formal discussion on a particular topic. In a debate,
opposing arguments are put forward to argue for opposing viewpoints. In a formal debating
contest, there are rules for participants to discuss and decide on differences, within a framework
defining how they will do it.

VI. Panel discussion- a panel discussion is a specific format used in a meeting, conference or
convention. It is a live or virtual discussion about a specific topic among a selected group of
panelists who share differing perspective in front of a large individual.
 Evaluating Effectiveness of the Group Presentation

Effective group presentations depend on quality individual presentations as well as quality

overall group performance. Evaluations of group presentations should consists of both an
individual and group component.

Sample rubric for group presentation

VGE (5) GE (4) SE (3) LE (2) N (1)
1. The topic is appropriate and relevant.
2. The purpose is clear and well-defined.
3. The presentation is organized.
4. The presentation has an effective beginning.
5. The presentation has a clear message.
6. The presentation has sufficient supporting details such
as relevant data or examples
7. Sources used in the speech are documented properly.
8. The presentation has an effective ending.
9. The presentation provides equal speaking opportunity
for each communicator.
10. The presentation is adjusted to the needs, interests,
values, and beliefs of its target audience.
TOTAL
GRAND TOTAL /50

Legend:
VGE- To a very great extent; GE- To a great extent; SE- To some extent; LE- To a little extent;
N- Not at all

Narrative Comments:
Overall, I enjoyed the group discussion because…

However the group needs to improve…