Immerse Yourself

Presenting...

It appears as though at least once a week, I've been giving a presentation in one of my classes, either with or without my team. I'm finding this particularly helpful because, as an undergraduate, I rarely gave presentations. Being a computer science major, my work was code- and project-based. During my first year in the working world, I gave a few "presentations" teaching IT (Information Technology) 101 to new hires. But never have the presentations been so frequent. Though tested as an Extrovert through Myers-Briggs, I still feel much better when I am well-prepared for something (like a presentation) and when I know EXACTLY what I'm going to say. When working in a group, you NEVER know exactly what you're going to say...so I'm learning in Immersion how to integrate others' insights and statements into what I need to say in a presentation. I'm also feeling a lot more comfortable delivering the content without wholly "reading off the powerpoint." I definitely have no problem getting up in front of a group, but before Immersion wasn't truly comfortable talking without having all the words in front of me.

This week, our application was coined as an "EPSS for on-the-job training." (EPSS stands for Electronic Performance Support System.) I love that term! Our application serves just that purpose - it's going to streamline pertinent information, tips, techniques, and mining methods in different areas of the mining industry, aiding miners in the process on their journey to becoming mine section foremen. And of course, it's Electronic. I look back and it amazes me that, eight months ago, I was "going back to school" to learn the process of instructional design. And now I am actually doing it! I don't have to wait until next summer to begin an internship to learn the process. Though sometimes I feel I was thrown into the ocean without a life vest, I know that my team is already reaping the rewards of navigating through this process.

And finally, I set up Gallery, an image repository, on our web server. It was not as easy as the support website claimed, and there are still a few kinks to work out, but it will be really nice to finally have a place to store all our media files instead of on our own computers.

posted by Allison @ 4:56 PM