Topic outline

  • LC-1120 Online Persuasive Presentations Skills 1ECTS

    Instructor: Anya Siddiqi
    email: anya.siddiqi@aalto.fi,
    tel.+358 50 597 4455 (WhatsApp, Telegram or text)

    Aalto University Language Centre, Otakaari 1.

    Workload
         27 h (independent online study 21 h, small group meetings 6 h (face to face)
    During this course, you will construct and deliver one specific type of persuasive presentation in English, an elevator pitch (EP).  The 1-2-minute talk will be on a topic related to your field of study and aimed at non-expert audiences of a client or funding organisation.  The course familiarises you with the elements of persuasion, and you will practise your talk in small groups, giving and receiving constructive feedback, before creating the final version of the pitch.

    You will progress through the course by working mainly independently and online on weekly assignments, which are to be completed by the deadline posted. As we apply a process approach to learning,  it is important that you commit to working regularly and reserve enough time for completing the assignments on schedule each week.

    During this course, you will interact with the teacher and fellow students three times through Zoom. These contact sessions are obligatory, not optional. We have a course Zoom room which will be the same throughout the course. Please ensure that you have a working webcam and microphone to be able to attend all the contact sessions.

    The first meeting is the Kick-off meeting during Week 1. During this time, you will get to meet each other, the teacher and carry out Assignment 1 on Tuesday 02 March 09:30-11:00 in our Zoom room. You will also be added to a calendar invitation set up by the teacher.

    You will also attend two practice sessions: one will be a rehearsal (first practice) during Course Week 4, and the other will be the final (second and final practice including Q&A) during Course Week 6. As the COVID-19 situation continues to affect life as we know it, the practice sessions will all be in Zoom.

    Please note that this course's Weeks begin on Tuesdays and end on Mondays (23:59).

    Please note that the Zoom room will be open and the teacher present already at quarter to the hour (Morning session at 9:45, Afternoon session at 13:45) for carrying out video and sound checks. We will start each session on the hour in case there are any technical issues during our time online.

    Elevator pitch first practice: Thursday 25.03. 10:00-12:00 or 14:00-16:00

    AND

    Elevator pitch final practice: Thursday 08.04. 10:00-12:00 or 14:00-16:00

    Please note that the final practice time might be limited to one longer session if there are 8 students or less.

    A more detailed schedule will be confirmed later for each student: the final number of practice sessions and pitching sessions will depend on the total number of course participants.

         See also Syllabus for the general course description and info on content as well as learning outcomes.