Innovative Methods to Engage & Educate: Microlectures and Pecha Kucha
Brief Abstract
This presentation will discuss micro-lectures and Pecha Kucha; innovative ways to present information to engage the digital learner. Microlectures are presentations of less than 10 minutes. PechaKucha is a format that originated in Japan. PechaKucha presentation has only images, and 20 slides.
Extended Abstract
This presentation will present information on micro-lectures and Pecha Kucha. Both are innovative ways to present concise information that will engage the digital learner. Microlectures are video presentations typically less than 10 minutes long. The value of microlectures is that they can engage students, direct their attention, and scaffold the content. Given the diverse starting point of many digital learners, microlectures can be a beneficial teaching tool. The history of Pecha Kucha and the benefits of both formats will be discussed. PechaKucha is a presentation format that originated in Japan in 2003 in the architecture industry. The word Pecha-Kucha is Japanese for chit-chat. The basic format is to have 20 slides with one image per slide, and no text. Each slide auto-advances after 20 seconds. If recorded, there can and should be audio with the slide deck presentation. Today, there is a PechaKucha website with a focus on the storytelling aspect of this engaging format (PechaKucha, 2023). From a teaching perspective, PechaKucha is a way to engage students either online or face-to-face and scaffold content in a meaningful way that can build learner knowledge. Students can also use this presentation style for class assessments and activities. “Part of the spirit of pechka kucha is that an image on the slide should support what the speaker is saying and not be something the audience has to read” (TechTarget, 2023, para 5).