Unit 3 Reflection

The Unit 3 project was intended to be a more detailed/intense version of Our unit two work, and I believe I was able to conquer this fairly well. I found that the desired audience really does influence the work as a whole. Now, more than ever, I believe there is a huge difference in the way people think and operate based off their age. Technology is largely to blame for this. It is almost a matter of how much of your life had technology in it. I felt it was only appropriate to have my target audience be people that are able to relate to technology and the advancements we have witnessed in the last ten or so years. Late Millennials and Gen Z are able to view my ideas with a  similar outlook as myself which really does make it easier to relate with my audience and share my views in the best way. Whether or not this is fair to say, I believe those born before the current technological revolution have an almost negative view of technology. They wouldn’t leave my presentation as interested and inspired as those in the newer generation. A large part of their lives were without many of the gadgets we have now, and it is difficult for them to grasp the importance or benefits that come with them. Those born within the last 15-25 years however have spent all of their life surrounded by technology and don’t know what life would look like without it. This generation is excited about the potential that comes with technology and wants to experience it to the fullest.

            I chose to do a PowerPoint presentation because I felt this was the best way to simply connect with my audience while still being very informative. The goal of my presentation was to be informative while also engaging and exciting my audience. I chose to make it more informative than anything else because not many people know about things like augmented reality or Hyperloop even though they will both end up being a large part of their lives. I did it in a manner that describes the item and then also explains how and why it will be important and impactful in the future. If I chose a medium other than a platform like PowerPoint or Prezi I don’t know if I would have been able to express my beliefs and opinions in the fashion that I did. In a Forbes article I read that discussed the importance of connecting with your audience, the author stated that “The best presentations meet the audience where they are and make them just a little bit smarter” (Roepe). This line is very truthful and I took it to heart when I put together my project. I understood what type of knowledge/understanding the audience has and I engaged them based off that and was able to teach them while also having them excited to see the next slide. I did it in a manner that left the listeners wanting to go home and learn more about the topics I discussed, because of the brief introduction I was able to provide.

            I began my presentation by interacting with and connecting with my audience by discussing something they can all relate to. Technology in their lives thus far, whether it be their Iphone, Laptop, Snapchat, Instagram whatever. As long as they were able to relate with what I was presenting, they would automatically have some sense of interest. My initial attempt at reaching my audience was through a pitch that I posted on my twitter account (a platform that my audience uses daily). The pitch gave a very small glance into what my project hoped to achieve, as well as how it relates with their lives. Although I did not receive feedback on my twitter I do genuinely believe it was powerful enough that people followed the link to check out my blog and see what work I had completed. I showed the pitch to multiple friends to get opinions and the common belief was that it was a very strong pitch to get one to follow the link. Once the audience was on my blog, they would be able to see my research thus far and ideally learn something new while also having the desire to learn more on their own. The ideal response by my audience after viewing my Unit 3 Project is simply for them to go out and want to learn more on their own. I hope my project was able to give them enough information that they are interested in learning more and possibly even partaking in this technological revolution. Maybe someone will see my project and decide that they want to create the next big technological advancement or something alone those lines.

            One influential comment that I received on my blog was on my Unit 2 draft and it stated “This is both a research and persuasive piece, and you are doing these things very well. The way you presented the other side really adds strong element of persuasion. Great job so far.” This comment not only let me know that I was on the right path with my project but it also made me more interested in making it an interesting piece. It expressed the importance of not only being a research paper, but also making it interesting and persuasive. This drove me to further relate my project to my audience and engage them and persuade them to change with the technological changes we are witnessing. In my Unit 3 project I wrote “Over 3 BILLION people are now internet users. Of that number, 89% of people aged 18-29 use social media. These numbers are growing at an incredible rate, and there is no doubt that it will only continue to rise”(Lowenstein). Although this is a simple quotation with a couple statistics, It is a stat and quote that my audience is able to understand and realize that they are apart of this. It hopefully allows them to realize that my project is covering the aspects of their lives. The things I discuss throughout my presentation are things they witness every day and will certainly affect them in the future.

            Overall, now that this course and project specifically have come to an end I am able to look back and appreciate the details and work that went into it. The structure of the course truly helps the student build a strong piece of work, by piecing everything from the semester together. The fact that I built off of my unit 1 project for unit 2, and then built off of 2 for 3 really allowed me to have a thorough understanding of what the purpose of this all was. I was able to create a strong argument by using things I learned from all throughout the semester. I myself now have a much better understanding of technology and its rapid changes, as well as now actually have an interest in continuing to learn more about it and taking part in the great revolution.

Roepe, Lisa Rabasca. “6 Ways To Connect With Your Audience During A Presentation.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 14 Mar. 2017, www.forbes.com/sites/lisaroepe/2017/03/14/6-ways-to-connect-with-your-audience-during-a-presentation/#5ad17da46516.