The seminar is an informative or formative lesson aimed at teaching specific skills or studying a particular theme. People who give a seminar are usually educators, subject matter experts, executives, or other leaders who are familiar with a particular topic and have specific skills. The duration of the seminar can vary according to the topic dealt with: a single appointment lasting 1-2 hours or a series of weekly meetings. Seminar organizers can make their presentations more effective through careful planning, good organization, and lots of practice in exhibiting. Listed below are the steps to follow to prepare a seminar.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Designing the Seminar
Step 1. Determine what the goal of the seminar is
The goal could be to actually teach something, such as creating and saving documents within a word processing application. Otherwise, your purpose may be to provide general information or guidelines on a specific subject, such as painting or creative writing. It is important to define the goal first, regardless of the subject matter.
Step 2. Find out what your seminar attendees need
When it comes to a particular topic, for example, understanding the needs of the participants in relation to their level of knowledge and their learning times will help you to provide them with adequate content. The effectiveness of the seminar grows in direct proportion to your ability to adapt it to the needs of the recipients.
Step 3. Make a lineup of your seminar presentation
- Write an introduction. Decide how you will present yourself, the topic and the course participants.
- Make a list of the skills and / or topics you will be addressing. Create a bulleted list that is understandable. If necessary, divide the same point into subparagraphs.
- Decide what the order of the arguments will be. Dedicate the first part of the seminar to more relevant topics and information. Depending on the subject of the seminar, it might be useful to introduce and develop each topic, starting with the clearest and simplest concepts up to the most difficult and complex ones.
- Establish general rules for your seminar. It is good practice to establish some rules and guidelines from the beginning of the seminar, such as speaking one at a time, raising your hand to speak, turning off cell phones and any other devices that may be a source of distraction.
- Decide what imprint you want to give to your seminar. You could include a brief review of the skills acquired, announce another series of meetings for the next level and / or give participants satisfaction questionnaires at the end of the course.
Step 4. In your lineup, estimate how much time you will want to spend on each topic
For particularly complex technical topics or topics, make sure there is enough time in case participants want to stop more on a particular topic or have questions. It is also important to consider scheduled intervals during the seminar to give participants the opportunity to go to the bathroom or stretch their legs.
Step 5. Once the outline is complete, practice presenting your presentation
Rehearsal is crucial in the seminar preparation process. Repeat the lesson as soon as possible to colleagues, friends or relatives and ask for their opinion regarding the clarity and effectiveness of your presentation.
Part 2 of 3: Making Support Materials
Step 1. Prepare handouts for attendees
Use your lineup to create a work schedule to deliver to attendees and / or handouts containing important information and graphics.
Step 2. Make use of visual tools
Tools for presentations, movies, images and other similar elements can be useful for conveying certain concepts or topics. Use visual tools to complement your presentation, but don't lose sight of the main message or goal.
Step 3. Make use of web tools if relevant
Free open source platforms for online teaching, such as Moodle or Blackboard, facilitate discussion and messaging outside the classroom. These web-based tools are also a powerful means for participants to electronically submit homework. For more information on these platforms, please visit:
Part 3 of 3: Encourage Active Participation
Step 1. Arrange the classroom or space available to encourage discussion
Arrange the chairs in a horseshoe or semicircle to encourage conversation, and hang the general rules on a panel or wall so they are clearly visible to everyone. Also prepare a blank sheet fixed to a panel or wall, or directly a blackboard, on which to compare or write down ideas and comments of the participants.
Step 2. Include interactive activities in your seminar
Activities and games encourage involvement and participation because they can be carried out in groups. Here is a list of one hundred possible activities for your seminar:
Step 3. Include a question and answer session
In compliance with the general rules of the seminar, invite participants to ask questions both during the lesson and in the dedicated time intervals.
Advice
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The day of the seminar arrives early, to arrange the space and materials. It is especially important if you will be using electronic equipment and other tools that need to be tested for operation first and that need to be prepared. This last step is further confirmation that you are now absolutely ready to conduct a seminar that is both interesting and effective.
Prepare a Workshop Step 9 - Make a contingency plan. Think about the problems that could arise, such as a low turnout, equipment malfunction, or an incorrect assessment of the time required to carry out the activities. If possible, create a backup plan to deal with these unexpected events, such as carrying a spare laptop or preparing additional content for learners with faster learning times.
