How to Get a Great Group Presentation Score

After my students have watched the Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates videos that I use to introduce presentations, one of the things that I tell them is that a great presentation is never an accident.  It's always the result of reflection and practice.

1.  OUTLINE YOUR TALK AND TRY IT OUT

Once students have an outline, they can start to practice their presentations.  I encourage them to try them out at home, preferably in front of someone willing to provide useful feedback.  

This practice is the only way to figure out what works and what doesn't.  Don't be afraid to tinker with the presentation at this point to ensure that it works fluidly. 

2.  PRACTICE WITH YOUR GROUP

Once students feel comfortable with their parts of the presentation, they should definitely practice with their groups.  This is the only way to ensure that transitions between speakers are smooth - there's nothing more awkward than a group of presenters looking at one another nervously to determine who speaks next.  This goes a long way toward scoring well on the Collaboration row of the rubric.