It is a wonderful opportunity to speak with others about your research. I am sure many can relate to the feeling of becoming so immersed in your work that you need to be reminded why it is important and valuable. I was given the chance to do a presentation for my research center on a topic of my choice. Upon discussion with my supervisors, it was decided that I would center my presentation on think-alouds as one of my methodologies. Think-alouds are unique ways of understanding how an individual thinks by asking them to continuously speak out loud whatever naturally enters their mind as they complete a task. The think-alouds in my study are focused on an assessment piece that students are already working on in their classes. They are encouraged to use more than one language to think aloud if they wished. Since I am aiming to understand how students’ languages and cultures shape their learning, the think-alouds can reveal the ways that students make sense of their own learning and thought processes built of multiple linguistic and cultural elements.
I have gained some interesting insight into how students are understanding their university courses and their own learning processes. Expressing my experiences of conducting think-alouds in a presentation allowed me time to reflect on what has occurred and how it has been of value. I also had to find a way to communicate my research to people who are not directly involved and for some, think-alouds are very unfamiliar. I found this process immensely helpful as I had to be concise in how I shared information but also clear to ensure that the audience understood the context of my research and how the think-alouds are integrated. The feedback was positive, and I was asked questions that made me ponder aspects of my data collection that I hadn’t before.
To piece my presentation together, I began by making a rough outline of the slides including providing context for my research, explaining what a think-aloud is and how it fits into my study. I made it clear that the intention of my presentation was to focus on the process rather than the outcome of my data collection because I am in the midst of interviewing my participants and haven't drawn findings at this stage. Then I took time to audio record myself doing a rough practice of the presentation. The audio recording was used to make presentation notes for myself and finalize the slides. It was a reminder to me to make sure I am always reflecting on the purpose of my research and the journey. It is easy to become immersed to the point that you become blinded to such details.
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