The Ko Show

The challenge

Talking about education, one cannot leave out oral presentation. Yet today, there is a majority of students that is afraid to present, presumably because they lack self-confidence (Salim, 2015). Many students seem to fear public speaking without, in fact, even having the choice to ‘not present’. This may cause students to experience even more stress and anxiety. Thus, talking from a utilitarian perspective, letting students present in front of class generally does more harm than good.

The solution

When students experience presenting in a positive way, they might gain more self-confidence. In general, positive experiences cause an increase in confidence, and negative experiences a decrease (Glenda & Anstey, 1990). Therefore, my solution is to turn the act of presenting into a positive experience for the majority - by focusing more on students' experience rather than the result, through providing workshops in which students are able to (co)present in ways they enjoy. Ultimately, "The Ko Show" creates a safe space for students to grow their confidence and embrace themselves to better the world.