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As a member of Toastmasters International you will be called on occasionally to participate in a “Table Topic.” This is when a member of the club choose a topic and calls on one or more other members to speak on that topic, on demand, with no advance knowledge of the topic. For many people this is one of the most difficult types of speaking, that is speaking on your feet.

Here’s a recommendation for practicing your ability to speak on demand:

If you’re somewhere where there’s a radio turn it to a talk radio show. I like NPR for this since it usually covers topics I may not be completely familiar with. Listen to the show for five minutes and then turn the radio off. Now force your self to talk out loud on the topic you were just listening to for one minute. This accomplishes a couple of things:

1. You get a chance to practice your speaking again in the safety and seclusion of being by yourself.
2. You have to process the information you heard quickly and formulate a logical train of thought from the topic.
3. It is a quick and easy exercise that helps you practice the introduction phrases and timing necessary to give yourself time to think and talk at the same time.

Give it a try. You’ll be surprised how you struggle in the beginning and how quickly your skills improve. Then the next time you’re called on to give a Table Topic speech, you’ll stroll right up to the Toastmaster ready and willing.

Wes Fryer over at MSC ran into a problem presenting at COSN:

Apologies for Ustream non-event today » Moving at the Speed of Creativity

My apologies that my scheduled session broadcasts over Ustream did not happen today at COSN. The sessions were held in the basement of the Hyatt hotel, where unfortunately there was not any cell phone data network coverage or service. Wired Internet connections were provided at sessions, but apparently the network at the hotel is configured to block ports used by Ustream for broadcasts. We never could get a computer to actually “connect” to a Ustream channel room for a broadcast.

We did, however, record both sessions with audio, and Steve Hargadon recorded my session on copyright with video as well. It was great to finally meet Steve in person My session on Cell Phones for Learning was well attended but fast: Just a 15 minute demo session. That was probably the fastest conference presentation I’ve shared to date

My son helped me with some audio recording, and he recorded the session “Unleashing the Transformational Power of One-to-One Computing in K-12? with permission from the panelists to share it later as a podcast.

While I do feel bad that Wes ran into this problem (and for those of us who present frequently it is always a lurking danger) there is a silver lining to the happening.

Wes’ son got an “authentic experience” in troubleshooting an unpredictable situation, adapting, and coming up with a solution.  This is the part we seldom proclaim as the victory in educational technology.  Normally it would be touted that he was able to practice audio recording.  While nice, that’s just the smallest thing of value in the instance.  Bring the young man to me in several years for an interview being able to demonstrate the problem solving skills he showed then and I’ll show you someone who will be employed…regardless of the state of technology.

This is the text of a speech I am presenting entitled, “Be Passionate.” It is about volunteerism.

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I’m here tonight to talk to you about passion. Desire. An overwhelming sense of completion that makes you say, “Oh yes…I want to do that again.” I’m talking about about the deep seated satisfaction that comes from…volunteering.

We spend our lives earning a living, providing for ourselves and our families, getting by and making do. Far too many people spend their lives in search of something more. There is a deep seated need within all people to belong to something, no matter how independent they are. Beyond our individuality and our families, we are part of a greater community and as such need to find our place where we can share our time, talents, and treasure. But how? How do you know what cause, what group, what issue will stoke the fires of your passion and drive you to greater things?

First, do you believe what the cause you are investigating is centered on is an absolute good? Do you believe that rebuilding homes in New Orleans, fighting cancer, caring for animals, or something else is an absolute good? For something to feed the fire within you, you must believe in it fully. The reason that volunteerism has such a high attrition rate is that participating in something partially means that it cannot return something back to you and will draw from you only. Over time you run out of fuel for your fire and either move on or lose your interest.

Second, are you willing to attach this cause to your name? When searching for your passion, a powerful litmus test is your willingness to associate your identity with the cause. Are you willing to proclaim for all the world your belief in the fact that the cause is an absolute good? This willingness takes us to the third and most important measure.

Third, if you are willing to share your participation with others, why? There is always the cause-de-jour…the one popular for a time and then supplanted by another. Would you commit yourself to this cause regardless of it’s current popularity? When it’s not cool to walk…will you keep walking? When it’s not cool to care for the animals, will you keep caring? When everyone as forgotten about the levees, will you continue to swing a hammer?

To make a true impact in this world we need to take the talents we have been given, combine it with the time we have in this world, and use them to aid and assist in something greater than ourselves. For many this desire is unrecognized and unrealized. Those who do recognize this desire…this unlit fire within them…and choose to ignite it and fuel it with a cause they believe in find this flame burns on its own. Find something in your life that drives you. Light your fire, fuel it, be passionate.

Micropresentations, microblogging, etc.  These are the new buzz words floating around the education space.  What’s it all mean?  It means…get to the point already.

For far too long we have followed in the traditional mindset that no good idea can be properly conveyed in less time than it takes to drink a cup of coffee.  Balderdash!

I’m a proud member of Toastmasters International, a group dedicated to helping people learn how to present and speak to audiences in the most effective way possible.  As part of the regular club activity, a member presents speeches they have written to the club and receives an immediate evaluation feedback.  Why do I bring this up?

We’re not writing for hours, we’re not presenting until people drop from exhaustion.  We’re learning and teaching how to leverage brevity, vocabulary, eloquence, and presence to deliver our message effectively to our audience.

I’d like to challenge the education space to try this.  Be it through podcast, video, whatever your medium of choice, pick a topic and write a presentation about it no more than 10 minutes long.  If it wouldn’t be accepted on YouTube because of length, it’s too much.  Post it somewhere then share the link.  Only by example will we eliminate the carnage of the 90 minute presentation on the 10 minute topic.

One of the cardinal skills everyone should master is the ability to speak on demand.  When we’re asked our opinion or insight on a topic we are passionate about it comes easily, the thoughts and words flowing effortlessly.  When we’re called to the front and asked to speak unprepared we stutter and stammer, flush with fear and self-doubt, and wish the whole ugly event would end quickly.  Developing our ability to speak on a topic on demand can push you away from the wall and make you stand out in the crowd.

1.  Find three thoughts.  Right away your mind should race on your topic and find three thoughts that stand out to you as important.  If the topic is “improving education” the thoughts might be “technical literacy”, “staff training”, “administrative cooperation”.  Grab those thoughts and hold on to them…you’ll need them for the next step.

2.  Weave the story.  Rearrange the ideas in a sequence in your head that you think you can verbally walk a person through.  It might be easiest to try and craft a “storyboard” of a sentence for your speech.  For example you may come up with, “Technical literacy can be greatly improved through staff training which needs administrative cooperation to succeed.”  You’ve now framed your speech in a way you can refer to whenever you get lost in your train of thought.

3.  Draw three pictures.  You need an illustration for each of your thoughts.  Come of with an example, story, quote, whatever can draw the images for your audience to truly grasp each of the thoughts and how they interconnect.

4.  Go for it.  This is off the cuff, seat of your pants, skydiving without a parachute type of speaking that challenges all but the most experienced presenter.  Your audience will be happiest that it is you and not them having to do this, so don’t be afraid of the result.  Take your time, speak slowly (more slowly than you think is necessary would be best) and always, always, always watch your audience’s faces.  They will tell you what you need to see.