In the AP Seminar course, taught by Erin Balfour, students recently presented research projects as part of an interactive exercise designed to prepare them for the demands of coursework in the AP Seminar class. Students researched a topic they were interested in, and transformed it into an engaging presentation. Balfour graded on how well students summarized and were able to effectively convey the material.
The presentations spanned a wide range of topics from improbable discussions like space colonization by junior Krithik Ramesh to an examination of Marie Antoinette’s media portrayal by junior Madison Johnson.
“If we can’t even solve the problems that are happening here on Earth, we’re going to create more problems, try to colonize more areas and end up fighting each other even more,” Ramesh said. “We don’t have sustainable technology to sustain life anywhere. We don’t have water, we don’t have food, we don’t have shelter, we don’t have anything. So realistically, we can’t go to Mars.”
Johnson’s presentation, in contrast, talked about the impact of the media on historical figures, focusing specifically on Marie Antoinette’s portrayal as “a cruel, almost inhuman figure” and how it affected her fate.
“Her portrayal in the media became so exaggerated, that it painted her as someone who disregarded the people,” Johnson said. “These public perceptions and rumors led to her trial and eventually, her execution. She was a victim of a kind of early ‘cancel culture.’”
The presentations served a dual purpose: to inform the audience, and in some cases, provide solutions to real world problems. Balfour emphasized the importance of giving students the freedom to explore their own interests and noted how they are able to expand upon that knowledge to have conversations with each other.
“They did some research projects, and then they took a portion of their paper and turned it into a presentation,” Balfour said. “The practice with presentation and slide design is just the exhibition, so they can get feedback from me. These are all skills that will be assessed during the AP exam. They have to record presentations, do research and write papers for their portfolio.”
After each presentation, students exchanged ideas and different perspectives on the various topics which made the presentations not only informative, but interactive. These post-presentation discussions were particularly valuable because it allowed the students to effectively broaden their understanding of the subjects and express their own ideas.
“This is the practice for one year,” Balfour said, referring to how these projects help students as they progress through the class to the AP exam.
The focus on independent research, problem-solving and effective communication skills due to peer feedback aims to help students with the skills they need to excel in the AP exam and beyond.
