Tell Us Telos

Through close analysis of a TED talk, this activity encourages students to consider how to design a presentation with purpose (telos) in mind.

Author: Kathleen Tarr

Activity name: Tell Us Telos

Class: PWR 2

Activity brief description: This exercise reminds students that although they may put together a flashy presentation that captures audience attention, it is only of limited success if the presentation does not achieve its purpose.

Schedule: Week 7, 8, or 9 – when students have started working on their final presentations (delivery of research)

Activity length: Approx. 40 min.

Activity goals: To help students find a balance between engaging audience and accomplishing their rhetorical purpose.

Activity details: See handout.

Additional notes: You'll need video access to watch Hans Rosling’s TED talk, The Magic Washing Machine, together as a class.

This activity was originally published as an Activity of the Week in spring 2014.