ACTIVE LEARNING TO IMPROVE PRESENTATION SKILLS: THE USE OF

PECHA KUCHA IN UNDERGRADUATE SALES MANAGEMENT CLASSES

Robert E. McDonald and Joseph M. Derby

Recruiters seek candidates with certain business skills that are not developed in the typical lecture-
based classroom. Instead, active-learning techniques have been shown to be effective in honing
these skills. One skill that is particularly important in sales careers is the ability to make a powerful
and effective presentation. To help students develop strong presentation skills, two sections of an
undergraduate sales management course included an exercise in which students make a presenta-
tion using a Pecha Kucha format. Active-learning exercises like this promote both thinking and
doing, and improve student engagement. The expectation is that the exercise will not only improve
presentation skills, but also content knowledge. The effectiveness of the format is assessed through
instructor observation, pre- and postpresentation student surveys, student reection papers, and
examination.
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Beyond the discipline-specic knowledge that students
learn in college, corporate recruiters look for students
who have a variety of valued skills (McDaniel &
White, 1993). One skill that is particularly important
for students who pursue a sales career is the ability to
make an effective presentation. To address this need,
marketing educators are placing more emphasis
on developing communication skills (Young &
Murphy, 2003). Active learning is one pedagogy that
has been used successfully to improve these valuable
skills (Hunt & Laverie, 2004). Active learning is “any
strategy that involves students in doing things and
thinking about the things they are doing” (Bonwell &
Eison, 1991). Active learning is effective because “stu-
dents are simply more likely to internalize, understand,
and remember material learned through active engage-
ment in the learning process” (Bonwell &
Sutherland, 1996). Such experiential learning empha-
sizes active student-centered learning, with the profes-
sor’s role not as an expert but rather as a facilitator for
encouraging learning through participatory experience
(Hunt & Laverie, 2004). Experiential learning facilitates
student involvement beyond being passive listeners.
Rather, students engage in activities that actively
Robert E. McDonald (Ph.D., University of Connecticut),
United Supermarkets Professor of Marketing, Rawls
College of Business, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX,
bob.mcdonald@ttu.edu.
Joseph M. Derby (Ph.D., Texas Tech University), Assistant
Professor, College of Business, James Madison University,
Harrisonburg, VA, derbyjm@jmu.edu.
develop professional skills through creative exploration
of course materials. This approach requires students to
use higher order thinking processes such as analysis,
synthesis, and evaluation of the course content (Hunt
& Laverie, 2004). Active-learning studies conducted in
business school settings indicate that they facilitate
student learning (Auster & Wylie, 2006). In the context
of sales courses, research supports the proposition that
active learning teaching strategies facilitate student
learning (Bowers & Summey, 1983; McDonald, 2006).
A new approach for developing student communica-
tion skills is the Pecha Kucha method (Beyer, 2011).
Pecha Kucha, Japanese for “chit chat” and sometimes
referred to as “lightening talk,” is a highly disciplined
presentation structure in which 20 slides are presented
at a rate of 20 seconds per slide, limiting the overall
presentation time to 6 minutes and 40 seconds. A key
difference between Pecha Kucha presentations and
standard PowerPoint presentations is the use of pic-
tures and graphics on the slides to supplement com-
munication of ideas rather than bullet-point text,
charts, and graphs. In a Pecha Kucha presentation,
the presenter is challenged to marry the visual images
on the slides with his or her verbal presentation
(Klentzin, Paladino, Johnston, & Devine, 2010).
Whereas traditional presentation styles often involve
cluttered slides with an excessive amount of content, in
Pecha Kucha, slides are simple and interesting, serving
as a helpful background on which to deliver the pre-
sentation. At times, using slides that are overloaded
with textual information, presenters resort to turning
their backs on the audience and reading their slides in

Marketing Education Review, vol. 25, no. 1 (spring 2015), pp. 21–25.
Copyright Ó 2015 Society for Marketing Advances
ISSN: 1052–8008 (print) / ISSN 2153–9987 (online)
DOI: 10.1080/10528008.2015.999593
 22 Marketing Education Review
what has derisively become known as “PowerPoint
Karaoke.” Using Pecha Kucha requires that the presen-
ter know the material well enough to present without
the crutch of the slides. Instead, the presenter faces the
audience and genuinely engages them. Presented
images are the distilled essence of the point being cov-
ered during the 20 seconds it is viewed. In this way, the
images enhance the audience’s understanding, rather
than compete for its attention.
Recent studies indicate that the Pecha Kucha
method provides learning and skill development
advantages over standard PowerPoint presentations.
Beyer (2011) found in a psychology class setting that
the fast-paced Pecha Kucha presentation style was rated
higher than standard PowerPoint presentations for
visual, presenter eye contact, and overall presentation
quality. Similarly, Levin and Peterson (2013) found
from their study of an M.B.A. marketing class that
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students rated a Pecha Kucha group presentation
assignment as the most satisfying of the six assign-
ments for the course. In this paper, we extend this
work and examine both qualitative and quantitative
assessments of using Pecha Kucha.
THE PECHA KUCHA ASSIGNMENT
In an attempt to engage students, improve their pre-
sentation skills, and increase their content learning, the
instructor introduced a Pecha Kucha presentation
requirement to the syllabus of an undergraduate sales
management course. The innovation was rst applied
in the fall semester of 2012 in a class of 60 students and
then again during the spring 2014 semester in a class of
42 students. The same instructor taught both sections.
The presentations were made during four separate class
periods during each semester. The presentations were
used as a review for each exam covering topics such as
territory design, job descriptions, motivation, and sales
contests. To allow for 10 to 15 presentations in a single
class period, and to make the assignment more man-
ageable for undergraduate students, the format was
modied to include only 10 slides, reducing presenta-
tion times in half to 3 minutes and 20 seconds.
Preparation
Early in the semester, after asking students to report
any absences anticipated during the semester for
school-related activities, the instructor created the sche-
dule by randomly assigning students to one of the four
presentation days. Topic assignments were sent one
week in advance. To ensure success, active-learning
pedagogies utilize reective exercises to solidify learn-
ing (Kolb, 1984). As part of the assignment, students
were asked to write a brief paper reecting on their
Pecha Kucha experience within one week of the pre-
sentation. To help students prepare for the assignment,
the instructor e-mailed a list of links to help students
learn about the Pecha Kucha technique. Some of these
links led to YouTube videos on the subject. The instruc-
tor presented the assignment using the technique to
serve as an example. Prior to giving specic assignment
instructions, we surveyed students to assess their per-
ceptions of Pecha Kucha.
A parallel survey was conducted after all students
completed their presentations. Students in our program
have extensive presentation experience. Many of the
faculty use active-learning pedagogies, often requiring
students to present case analyses, marketing plans, or
course content. Yet the unique format of the Pecha
Kucha assignment created some anxiety. As a result,
the instructor noted an increase in the number of stu-
dent e-mails and ofce hour visits by students seeking
reassurance that they were on the right track. Beyond
the anxiety, students reported spending at least twice,
and as much as four times, the time and effort prepar-
ing and practicing for the Pecha Kucha presentation as
for a typical presentation in other classes.
Execution
To minimize the amount of class time used for setup
between presentations, students were required to e-
mail their presentation slides to the instructor a mini-
mum of 24 hours in advance. To ensure that the pre-
sentation met the time requirement, students were
instructed to automate their slide show to advance
every 20 seconds. Students were encouraged to time
their presentations to make sure the automation
worked. The instructor advised the students that to be
successful, they needed to practice the presentation to
the point where they could deliver it without relying
on note cards.
Prior to class, the instructor loaded the presentation
les on the classroom computer and opened each so
each student could begin presenting within seconds of
reaching the podium. Even so, instructors using this

technique need to allow time to transition from stu-
dent to student. Since each presentation is exactly 3
minutes and 20 seconds, the instructor can accurately
estimate the amount of time needed in each class. For
10 presentations, the instructor should allow 40 to 45
minutes, and for 15, an hour to an hour and 5 minutes.
Assessing the Assignment
The assignment was assessed in multiple ways: pre- and
postpresentation student surveys, qualitative grading of
each presentation, content analysis of reection papers,
and quantitative comparison of examination perfor-
mance. The instructor rated the presenters using a grad-
ing rubric that measures accuracy of content, clarity of
presentation, quality of slides, quality of presentation
(with or without notes), creativity, and interest gener-
ated. In addition, each student’s reection paper
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further informed the instructor’s assessment. With
few exceptions, the presentations were impressive.
The instructor judged that one presentation in each
class was better than the instructor’s example presenta-
tion. Most exceeded the instructor’s expectations. In
fall 2012, nearly 68 percent of the class received grades
of A and 20 percent received Bs. There were also Cs (5
percent), Ds (3 percent), and two Fs (3 percent). The
poor grades were for presentations that were judged to
have been thrown together at the last minute without
proper preparation and practice. In the spring 2014
class, 69 percent received a grade of A, 26 percent
received a B, and two (5 percent) failed. In this class,
the Fs were for failure to make the presentation. In
both classes, students unavoidably missed their sched-
uled presentations, one for a child-care emergency and
the other for a job interview. Fortunately, both were
scheduled early enough that the instructor could
reschedule them for the nal presentation day. Had
these emergencies arisen for students scheduled for
the last day, a makeup would not be possible and an
alternative assignment would have to be found.
RESULTS
Qualitative Analysis
Instructor Observations
Nearly all students met the exacting time requirements.
Although most students were clearly nervous, the
Spring 2015 23
majority presented without extensive reliance on
notes. Students seem to enjoy the exercise and were
excited about making their presentations. A number of
students commented on the unexpected amount of
work to condense a topic into 10 slides. Some of the
presenters read their presentations from a script despite
the instructor’s admonition not to do so and the qual-
ity of their presentations suffered. They had difculty
holding the attention of the class audience. Students
who knew their subject matter well and practiced their
presentations demonstrated exceptional presentation
skills, condently presenting the material like profes-
sionals. Many students used business-related cartoons
in their slides to get their point across. Many used slides
featuring scenes from popular movies or television
shows (The Ofce was a common source), as well as
celebrity images. Overall, the slides were highly crea-
tive. Some of the best slides appeared to have been
created by students rather than just cutting and pasting
pictures that more or less captured the idea.
Reection Papers
Student reection was guided by a series of questions
provided by the instructor. Most students reported that
they enjoyed their presentations and that they learned
the presented material better than if they had studied it.
Nearly all said that they would prepare much more the
next time they presented using Pecha Kucha, including
the student who practiced 25 times. Staying on track was
reported as a benet of using this technique. Another
surprising benet was that the pace and need to know
the material greatly reduced ller syllables such as “um.”
A large number of students related learning about them-
selves as presenters, such as the need for control or the
ability to present condently. Self-awareness is com-
monly reported in reection exercises.
Quantitative Analysis
Student Surveys
Comparing before-and-after surveys in the spring 2014
class, only ve items were signicant. Students enjoyed
their presentation more than they thought they would (p
< 0.01) and thought that presenting in this style helped
them better understand the course (p < 0.10). After using
the technique, students reported higher responses regard-
ing whether they would use Pecha Kucha after the course
 24 Marketing Education Review
(p < 0.05), and that it would help them in their selling
careers (p < 0.10). Students also reported that watching
their classmates present helped them to better prepare for
exams than they had anticipated in the pre-presentation
survey (p < 0.05).
Examination Performance
Analysis of performance on examinations did not yield
support for the idea that this assignment would improve
course content learning. Scores on exams immediately
following a student’s presentation were not signicantly
different compared with scores on the other three exams
in the semester. Furthermore, examination scores in the
two sections that used Pecha Kucha presentations were
not signicantly different from exam scores in other sec-
tions of sales management taught by the same instructor
without Pecha Kucha and using similar examinations.
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Anecdotal Evidence
After using Pecha Kucha in the fall 2012 semester, the
instructor discovered anecdotal evidence that Pecha
Kucha skills are indeed valued by recruiters. In fact,
some use them in their sales training programs. First,
the two students with the highest Pecha Kucha grades
in the fall 2012 semester were hired by the same
Fortune 500 Company. When corporate trainers dis-
covered that one of them had Pecha Kucha experience,
she was asked to consult on the development of the
company’s own Pecha Kucha training program.
Second, during a conference with a Fortune 100
company that was intended to encourage them to
recruit at the instructor’s college, one of the human
resources managers mentioned that their new salespeo-
ple were taught Pecha Kucha near the end of the two-
year training period. The instructor then explained that
this technique was taught in the undergraduate sales
management class. The company representative
expressed surprise and excitement, and committed to
recruit at the school. Company representatives
attended the college’s career fair a month later.
DISCUSSION
Active-learning techniques such as Pecha Kucha can
increase student involvement in a course in general and
specically help students to develop important and
valuable skills sought by businesses. Although the assign-
ment did not affect student performance on examina-
tions, other assessments indicate that this was a valuable
exercise. In particular, students believed that they learned
from the experience, the instructor observed skilled and
even professional-level presentations, and corporate
representatives have expressed interest in the technique.
Use of the Pecha Kucha assignment is not limited to
sales management courses but could easily be adopted in
any class that incorporates student presentations, under-
graduate or graduate. For example, students in a marketing
research course might present the results of a study con-
ducted as a class activity. In a promotions class, students
might present communication options or a strategy.
CONCLUSIONS
Pecha Kucha presentations appear to be well suited for
teaching sales management concepts. The short dura-
tion of the presentations is a good t for larger classes.
More importantly, it forces students to distill the pre-
sentation subject to its essence to deliver it in a brief
and interesting manner. Students favorably perceive
the exercise of preparing and delivering the presenta-
tion in this style. Although in our study we nd no
quantitative support that the Pecha Kucha format
improves content understanding and retention, it
does appear to sharpen presentation skills.
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