Reflective Journey
I was ready to roll on with my assignment. It was a PowerPoint
presentation entitled “Gramsci and Foucault on Education” to an esteemed
scholarly audience; Professor and the Graduate Candidates at School of
Education. Academic learning are highly
structured this annoys me quite often.This is where I find myself struggling
with the Professors and even students at Kathmandu University.I know this is
not going to change in an instance; this is why, I must fit myself into the
academia’s process. I had only 15 minutes time for the entire presentation. Two
scholars were attentive to follow bycomment on my presentations.I performed my
preparations but I found my rehearsal were better. I failed to my expectations,
‘better luck next time’.
Mr. LaxmanAcharyaopined to my presentation, “We are not
familiar with the details of theory/ies, it would have been better if only the key
messages were communicated leaving the details”.He was not a scheduled
commentator but his concerns were genuine.I had the early part of his comment in
my mind soI planned to communicate the background before communicating the crux
of the theory/ies to make it more effective, but things went disastrous. After
all I am a teacher; my instinct started to teach pupil even there. I read over
200 pages as immediate preparation and evenhad a level understanding. This was
not the first; still, I kept on making avoidable mistakes.I could not complete
my presentation on time. I healed myself, “there are no mistakes in life but
only lessons, and they are repeated until you learn”. I know, ‘I am a stupid
not gettingthe lesson easily, so the lesson was repeated even this time’.
I tried to make a “presenter display” with details
(time) in the laptop and “viewers display” with slideson the screen. The classroom
projector stood incompatible with the application. ‘Use theclock’, I made me
comfort. Iwasted my time giving meaning and setting premises. Hectic!Even the grace
timewas not enough. Although my oratory was slower to my mind, I found it was at
high to my audience. I must work on my communication part.Suddenly, there was a
signal to stop; I thought of continuing for two minutes more,but immediately
changed my mindset ‘better not to add more mistakes’. Yap, after all education increases receptivity.
Mr. MahanandaTimilsina and Mr. SubashSubedi were the
commentatorson my presentations. The first commentator admired telling I gave a
justice to the title. The comments were pleasing but not critical. Professor
took no time to understand it, and over-ruled the commentator to get straight
to on and off. Responding to the Professor he added, I failed to manage the
time and the rest was scholarly to his evaluations. The second commentator understood
the intention and came with two part comments. On one hand he highlighted some scholarlypractice
and on the othercontrasted as a poor time manager; “time allocation to different
sections of presentations were not fair”.‘I agree (d)’. He added“some slides were
crowded”. Yes they were,‘I have kept the direct quotes thinking it would stand
meaningful in the context’. But now,I realized the strength of unambiguous
meaningful display. I expect to build on these experiences and come with a
better presentation next time. Thanks to the remarkable scholarly audience, I
must keep my pace with them, I will.
Parbat Dhungana
March 26, 2012
