guidelines for conducting seminars and workshops

1 guidelines FOR PLANNING AND conducting workshops & seminars THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 OBJECTIVES .. 5 FRAME WORK .. 6 Definition of a Definition of a PROCESSES .. 8 PREPARATION .. 8 BUDGET .. 9 THEME / 9 SELECTION OF PRESENTER .. 9 Points to consider: .. 10 TARGET GROUP .. 10 SECURE VENUE .. 11 Points to consider: .. 11 FINALIZE DETAILS .. 11 CONTACT RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS / PARTICIPANTS .. 12 FOLLOW UP .. 12 PREPARE FINAL LIST OF 12 RESOURCES .. 13 PAYMENT .. 13 2 IMPLEMENTATION .. 14 seating ARRANGEMENTS .. 16 CIRCLE: .. 16 SEMICIRCLE: .. 16 HERRINGBONE: .. 17 THEATER: .. 17 CLASSROOM: .. 18 BANQUET, ROUNDS: .. 18 U-SHAPE: .. 19 PRESENTATION 20 Points to consider: .. 20 WORKSHOP METHODS .. 22 PRESENTING INFORMATION .. 22 READING .. 23 DEMONSTRATIONS AND DRAMATIC ENACTMENTS .. 24 PRACTICE WITH FEEDBACK .. 25 ELICITING AUDIENCE REACTIONS AND RESPONSES.

2 28 PROBLEM-SOLVING / CASE BASED 32 UNPLANNED STRATEGIES .. 33 VISUAL AIDS .. 35 Points to consider: .. 35 EVALUATION .. 37 Level I: Opinions and Satisfaction .. 37 3 Level II: Competence Measures .. 38 Level III: Performance .. 38 Level IV: Outcome Measures .. 38 REFERENCES .. 39 4 INTRODUCTION Successful seminars / workshops are a direct result of adequate previous preparation on the part of the organizer of the event. These events are costly and time consuming endeavors, therefore it is of paramount importance that the event meets or exceeds its desired objective of communicating the information presented to the selected target group. Globalization and technology has given us the opportunity to conduct seminars / workshops in a variety of ways, therefore, the resourceful organizer, whether in government or private enterprise, should be vigilant and receptive to embrace theses changes that occur in their working environment which can impact on their profitability, efficiency and effectiveness.

3 This Paper will examine the guidelines for planning and conducting workshops and seminars within the public sector as today s business environment places particular emphasis on good practices that should be utilized by planners to achieve success. Traditionally, workshop and seminars were conceived as being different types of training devices, but in contemporary times, the two are seen as being synonymous and are used interchangeably to refer to the same thing. For the purpose of this Paper, the latter interpretation will be used. 5 OBJECTIVES This Paper will seek to achieve its objective by: Defining the words seminar and workshop Determining the similarities and differences between a seminar and a workshop Identifying the stages involved in planning a seminar / workshop Outlining the steps involved in planning and conducting seminars and workshops Decomposing the stages of a seminar / workshop Identifying different seating arrangements Outlining different presentation styles Defining different visual aids Defining evaluation levels 6 FRAME WORK workshops and seminars are among the most popular training devices in higher education.

4 When properly designed, they are a time and cost efficient method of producing active involvement of learners compared to individual training activities. Preparing a seminar / workshop involves understanding a wide variety of issues and concerns. Each seminar / workshop has a unique audience with unique skills and objectives, and perhaps a different number of participants. It is usually held in a different place with a different infrastructure. Two seminars / workshops are never identical, even if they cover the same topic. You don't want to be surprised when you arrive on site and meet the participants. Whether you are conducting a workshop / seminar your main goal is to communicate your topic to an audience of mixed backgrounds and interests. Therefore, you should present your information in a way that everyone can understand and leave with some lesson learnt.

5 Definition of a Seminar: seminars are small group teaching and learning arrangements that use group interaction as a means of engaging participants. Although seminars usually begin with a presentation or mini-lecture to provide the basis for discussion, the word seminar also includes rather formal group discussions led by the teacher and focused on the content rather than on issues arising from students (Jaques, 1991). 7 Definition of a Workshop: workshops are teaching and learning arrangements, usually in small groups, that are structured to produce active participation in learning. Traditionally, workshops provide participants with the opportunity to practice skills and receive feedback. However, current usage is so loose that any learning event that aspires to engage the learners actively may be called a workshop. workshops and seminars are similar in that they both are learning and teaching arrangements which allow for active participation of participants, and they are usually conducted in small groups.

6 They differ in the practical application of the topic under discussion. At a workshop, the participants are given the opportunity to practice skills and receive feedback while a seminar concentrates on delivering the information and discussion of the pertinent issues. 8 PROCESSES There are a number of activities that are involved in preparing a seminar / workshop these activities can be organized into three (3) stages: 1 Preparation 2 Implementation 3 Evaluation PREPARATION Preparation for the seminar / workshop involves a number of activities listed below: 1. Determine the budget available to host event 2. Determine the theme / topic to be discussed at the seminar / workshop 3. Contact and secure the relevant Presenter(s) 4. Identify target group and number of participants required 5. Secure venue (site visit of venue to ensure it is adequate) 6. Finalize event details (breaks, resources needed) 7.

7 Contact relevant Ministries, Departments or target group to inform them of event (time, date, venue, duration, break information) 8. Follow up on 6 to ensure the information was received 9. Finalize list of persons attending 10. Source and prepare all necessary resources needed by organizer and Presenter (books, manuals, projectors, name tags, etc) 11. Secure caterer to provide meals if not included in venue package 12. Contact Accountant and request a Local Purchase Order 9 BUDGET Funding is an integral part of any event, since the amount of funding available for the hosting of the event will determine a number of factors in planning the event. 1. Venue 2. Duration 3. Number of participants 4. Equipment (Presentation Media) 5. Informational packets / Materials 6. Availability of refreshments 7. Expertise of Presenter THEME / TOPIC The seminar topic should address an issue / concern which has stimulated the interest of the business sector or the wider society.

8 The selection of the topic should naturally lead to the seminar objective. The objectives in turn will determine the scope of the seminar and should deal specifically with those areas that are pertinent to the achievement of the seminar objectives. SELECTION OF PRESENTER The success of the seminar greatly depends upon the quality of the Presenters, therefore, you should choose speakers whom are appropriate for the topic chosen. Ideally, the speaker should be someone at the top of their field or someone who possesses an in-depth knowledge of the particular area either academically or professionally. The Presenter should be informed of the seminar scope and its desired objectives in order to facilitate 10their preparation of the actual material they will be presenting. The material to be presented should be accurate and up-to-date. This will undoubtedly influence the equipment and visual media to be used in the presentation.

9 Confirmation of speaker participation should be sought at this point. Points to consider: 1. Expertise / strong research background 2. Ability to convey knowledge to a large audience 3. Unbiased and non-partisan (do not invite speakers that are aligned with a particular cause / group) 4. Honorarium 5. Travel expenses 6. Identify alternative speaker as a precaution TARGET GROUP The characteristics of participants will influence the structure, content and activities undertaken in a workshop. Some key questions to be taken into consideration: 1. What is the size and the composition of the group? 2. What are the ages, ethnicity, gender and teaching experience of the participants? 3. What is their level of interest? 4. What are their needs? 5. How to mitigate problems that might arise? 6. Personality types of group? 117. What is the best way to get the message across?

10 SECURE VENUE The type of seminar being presented will influence the venue that is chosen. The facilities of the venue should be able to comfortably accommodate the participants while taking into consideration the needs of the Presenter and the budget. Points to consider: Cost Capacity Security Computer accessibility Lighting & Acoustics Audio / visual requirements Temperature FINALIZE DETAILS Determine the length of the seminar, the mode(s) of deliverance, equipment needs of Presenter, handouts and other learning material for participants, breaks and refreshments, and deadlines for replying. Secure a caterer to provide refreshments if not included in venue package. 12 CONTACT RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS / PARTICIPANTS Initial contact of those Departments or persons identified to attend the seminar, with the full details of the seminar included.