We are in a period where we are lecturing a lot, so in the evenings we are preparing lectures. Over the next few days, we will give three different lectures together, and I (Helena) will also give another one at work. Here are some tips and thoughts on preparing lectures.
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Lecturing
I (Helena) am quite used to lecturing in my job. I lecture relatively often to staff and managers in municipal organisations and sometimes also to healthcare professionals. In the past, I also often lectured to students at KI, especially on the physiotherapy programme, the medical programme and to master's students in public health sciences. In recent years, Peter and I have also started lecturing together a lot about travelling with a motorhome and about different destinations. Great fun!
4 lectures in 6 days
Right now it is a period of many lectures. I (Helena) will give four lectures in six days, three of which Peter and I will give together. Here are the upcoming lectures:
- Wednesday: Health promotion, City of Stockholm
- Thursday: Travelling in the Czech Republic, Travel News Market
- Sunday: The beach basket challenge in Germany, Viking Cinderella
- Monday: Travelling in Estonia, Viking Cinderella
It's a lot of fun to lecture, but I find it a bit tricky to have so many lectures so close together. In a way, it always feels like I can only "charge" for one at a time ... Here you can read more about the camping cruise with Caravan & Camping.
Preparing lectures
How do you prepare lectures? I'm sure everyone does it differently. Here are my tips for preparing a powerpoint presentation, and for preparing yourself ...
Preparing a PowerPoint presentation
I usually start by preparing a PowerPoint presentation. While you are going through it, you are also preparing for what you are going to talk about. Here are my tips for a good PP presentation:
- No more PP pictures than the number of minutes you are going to talk. But note, this is just a rule of thumb, the number of slides you use can vary greatly.
- Preferably photos or other images - and the images should always reinforce what you are talking about.
- Not too much information on a single image
- Text must be very concise
- End with your take home message - what you want your audience to remember when they leave. You don't need a slide that says "Thank you for listening".
Preparing yourself
I always think about what I'm going to talk about and sometimes I can think about the content while I'm walking, for example. Sometimes I realise that there is a part I need to read up on a bit more, and then I do so. However, I never have a ready-made "script"; I like to speak "from the heart".
Some tips on lecturing
In addition to preparing your lectures, it can be useful to think about certain things during the lecture itself. Here are some tips:
- Arrive in good time so that there is time to fix the technology. For some inexplicable reason, it often wants to move around a bit.
- Keep a glass of water handy - it's easy to get a dry mouth.
- Don't forget to introduce yourself, who you are and why you are talking about this topic.
- If something might catch the audience's attention (e.g. a funny hat you are wearing or a different dialect) - take a few minutes to explain. Otherwise, the audience will focus on the hat or dialect ...
- If it's convenient, it's always fun to "talk" to the audience - asking open-ended questions or asking the audience to raise their hands.
- If the lecture is longer than 40 minutes, the audience will probably need a short break.
Do you give lectures? If so, do you have any good tips on how to prepare your lectures?
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Liniz Travel says:
But how do I go to your lecture at Stockholm travel news? Hugs
06 November 2019 - 7:33
Helena says:
Great if you want to come Lina! 🙂
06 November 2019 - 18:44
Hasse says:
I have lectured a lot over the years and what I have brought with me is to offer a lot of yourself. It usually goes through to the audience. On a PP I usually think, maximum three info points, otherwise the image dies away. But of course a lot depends on the theme.
06 November 2019 - 8:36
Helena says:
I also like it when lecturers offer a bit of themselves. A maximum of three info points sounds like a good rule of thumb to follow!
06 November 2019 - 18:45
Ama de casa says:
You are so talented and ambitious! Big praise to you both! Four lectures in six days, absolutely incredible to manage such a thing.
We have been asked if we could lecture about our travels (both in Spain and elsewhere) at Más Amigos, a Scandinavian association where we are members and Anders works a lot for them as well.
But never in life! I wouldn't be able to do that... I don't think many people would be interested in it either 😀.
06 November 2019 - 10:03
Helena says:
I think many people would be interested in hearing you talk about your exciting travels! 🙂 But then of course you should like to talk about it too 😉 .
06 November 2019 - 18:46
Ditte says:
I still lecture from time to time and in different ways in different contexts. And as for a PP, it is important that it really reinforces what you are talking about but few words + pictures, just as you write here. I think what you bring up is good and applies in general,
In my job with travelling, one can easily say that sometimes I spend "whole days" lecturing and taking care of groups. It is important to always have good knowledge of the subject(s) (in my case usually many) be well prepared of course, present in an easy to understand way, be personal and have a sense of humour. And to talk "just right"... so important. I always find out through evaluations what the "listeners" have thought and that feedback is so important. Fortunately, I have so far received good "grades" and one can always develop.
Wishing you good luck in your lectures
06 November 2019 - 10:38
Helena says:
Yes, having a good knowledge of the subject makes it much easier! It makes it more interesting for the listener, and it's also easier to approach the subject freely.
06 November 2019 - 18:47
bmlarstravellingblog says:
I think you have put together a good summary of what to think about before a lecture. I'm not going to say that I'm used to lecturing, but in my job it has periodically become so. The key is to be well versed in the subject and as well read as you can be. I think PP is a great help because I think the script is completely reprehensible.
It would have been nice to hear about Estonia on Cinderella but this time, as I said, it's gone...
06 November 2019 - 17:23
Helena says:
Completely agree that it is essential to be familiar with the subject you are talking about!!!
06 November 2019 - 18:47
BP says:
Yes, you Helena is really used to lectures and writing "articles" as well for that matter. It is seen and felt not least in the blog.
I have indeed made/layouted PP presentations, but fortunately I have not had to speak myself. But I have listened to many lectures where the presentation was the best sleeping pill for the audience, like text, text and few pictures. A mortal sin in my opinion.
Dressing up can work if the outfit is relevant to the presentation, otherwise it's just silly in my opinion.
06 November 2019 - 18:37
Helena says:
It is easy for lectures to become sleeping pills. If the lectures are really long, it's also important to activate the audience a bit as well. It's hard to listen for a long time... And yes, you may be right about the dress code!
06 November 2019 - 18:49
Ann-Louise Paulsson says:
I have lectured quite a lot about genealogy in my job and I think you have included almost all the important points. In particular, I think it is important to arrive in time to fix the technology, because it is rather the rule than the exception that it does not work immediately.
Hope to see you tomorrow at the Travel News Market! 🙂
06 November 2019 - 21:36
Lena - good for the soul says:
Great tips! I lecture very rarely, but have been to many. Exactly the text, which you write about, usually bothers me. Too many have far too much text on the pictures. Reflexively, you try to read while listening, which means that nothing goes in. Like.
Hug Lena
08 November 2019 - 7:05