One of my goals is for students to communicate what they’re learning in science through presentations. For many of my students, traditional oral reports are overwhelming. I’m looking for authentic, less stressful alternatives.    —T., Oregon

One year, I assigned every student a 5-8 minute oral report on a science topic that interested them. I thought I was doing a good job by sharing a template and rubric for the presentation and providing class time for students to prepare. It took several class periods for all of the presentations, and even then some students were not ready. There was a comment sheet for audience members to fill out, but I wasn’t sure the students were engaged enough to justify the time and effort.

So I revisited the original purpose of the assignment to provide opportunities for students to communicate and share what they were learning. This is an authentic goal; most scientists write reports and give presentations at conferences, to potential sponsors, and to the public. It also can be an effective assessment strategy and aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards Science and Engineering practice of “Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information.”

From my own experience as a presenter, I knew many presentations are done as a team or panel. Most include visuals and use different formats. Some are straightforward lectures; others have activities for participants or opportunities for discussion. I questioned which was most important for my middle schoolers—using an assigned format or engaging in the process of communicating their interests and enthusiasm.

I asked my students how to make this a better experience. They were brutally honest! They wanted to have a choice of formats, work with a partner, and use their creativity. I learned that for some students (for example, English language learners and those with anxiety issues) getting up in front of the class may not be a positive experience, but they still have a lot to share.

So the following year, during a unit on invertebrates, students did presentations in their choice of format, demonstrating something they learned or were excited about. I realized the variety of media and formats made it impossible to use a traditional rubric. But my students did not disappoint!

One girl created an anthology of original poems about these animals. Several students worked on a mural depicting coral reef ecology, a few did traditional term papers, several collaborated on live performances or videos, and one boy who never spoke out in class did an amazing poster on marine arthropods.

His experience made me think more about posters as an alternative to written term papers, too. Many conferences (including NSTA’s) have sharing sessions in which participants summarize their work in a poster display. As the audience circulates around the room (similar to a gallery walk),  the presenters explain their work informally instead of getting up in front of everyone and doing a formal speech. Many colleges also use this type of format to showcase student research.

In today’s vocabulary, a poster could also be called an “infographic.” These are more than artistic pictures or dramatic photographs. They present and illustrate data, information, and concepts in such a way that encourages the viewer to make connections or ask questions. (The Periodic Table is an example, and many news services illustrate their articles with visually appealing infographics that include maps, graphs, and illustrations.) At a recent conference session, the presenter described how he uses infographics as bell-ringer discussions, which familiarizes students with effective ones.

Students can use a range of tools to create them, from pencils, markers, and sticky notes on chart paper or a manila folder to online graphic tools and presentation software. I’ve created the resource collection Posters and Infographics in the NSTA resource center with related articles and examples from publications, including two recent NSTA journals. Regardless of the presentation format (poster, infographic, video, or slide show), students need to cite credible sources for their information.

I like projects that reflect a double purpose—the creators engage in the design process and the audience has a product that explains and informs. For example, older students making posters, infographics, or videos for students in the younger grades is a win/win scenario.

There certainly is a place for traditional presentations and reports, but it’s also important for students to learn that there are many effective ways to communicate the results of their investigations.