Constructive Critique of Dr. Pauschs Lecture - Essay Example

Constructive CritiqueIntroduction Some people are fortunate to encounter other extraordinary individuals who lived such as an exemplary life. One of the most amazing persons who one had the opportunity to view, through a speech delivered in Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) entitled “Achieving Your Childhood Dreams”, was Dr. Randy Pausch [Car07]. He was a professor ofComputer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, and Design at CMU; as well as a “National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator and a Lilly Foundation Teaching Fellow” (CMU: Brief Biography, 2014, p. 1). The current discourse aims to present a critique of his last lecture in CMU through expounding on strengths in delivery of the speech, the contents of his main messages, and his ability to appeal to the audience.

Concurrently, areas of improvement would also be proposed in identified facets includingtheuse of visual aids and props and the inclusion of portions which were not originally included in the initial objectives. Strengths Noted One of the strengths noted from the speech delivered by Dr. Pausch was his clarity to relay the objectives noted. At the onset, he explicitly identified the things that he would and would not talk about. Likewise, he used visual aids in the presentation which assisted in emphasizing points of discussion and enhanced the clarity of the messages being relayed.

In addition, Dr. Pausch enticed emotional appeal through simple; yet genuine gestures. As noted by Zaslow (2008), “he celebrated mentors and protégés with an open heart. And through a few simple gestures -- including a birthday cake for his wife -- he showed everyone the depth of his love for his family” (p. 1). Anyone who was able to hear his speech would be inspired by the lessons emphasized, not only from his personal and professional experiences; but more so, from the genuine warmth and good heart that exudes from his aura.

People who saw the video of his lecture were noted to be moved and inspired, to wit: “some said he inspired them to quit feeling sorry for themselves, or to move on from divorces, or to pay more attention to their families” (Martin, 2008, par. 8). However, despite the predominantly positive reviews from the speech, like any other public presentations, there are still some areas which could be improved.Areas to Improve One aspect from the lecture, which was thought to be out of place, was the quite lengthy presentation on the topic about building virtual worlds; a course which had been immensely successful that it was taught at CMU for 10 years.

The topic was not among those listed in Dr. Pausch’s childhood dreams. As such, it could have been mentioned as one of his remarkable achievements, but could have been shortened to give way to others points which are more relevant. In addition, although it was commendable that the use of visual cues and props enhanced the lecture; some were deemed not totally effective. For instance, wearing the jacket with arrows at the back to signify backstabbing could already be taken out and the whole essence of relaying the message would not be diminished.

Conclusion In sum, one successfully achieved the objective of the current discourse in providing critique of Dr. Pausch’s last lecture. There were evident strengths in his manner and style of delivery, as well as in structuring the presentation in the most effective manner. Likewise, despite these strengths, some areas of improvement were identified to include using only essential props and visual aids, as well as taking out a substantive portion of the endeavors undertaken during his building virtual worlds class at CMU.

Overall, the fact that this particular lecture had inspired and have been viewed by millions of people affirm the effectiveness of his public speaking skills, as well as his ability to share important lessons which would assist others to live an equally successful, inspiring and exemplary life.ReferencesCar07: , (Carnegie Mellon University, 2007),