Let's face it. Most conference education is lackluster. Actually, most of it stinks, is dull and could be used to line bird cages. Generally, our customers say they attend conferences and meetings to learn and network. Yet, we as conference organizers continue to do the same things we've always done when planning our meetings--focus on the logistics and details. Ultimately, the biggest barrier to better conference education is the speaker. Conference organizers typically secure industry … [Read more...]
Improving Your Conference Education: Begin With The End In Mind
When securing speakers for you next conference or meeting, here are two things that you can do that will have an immediate positive effect on your conference education: Tell your speakers that you want them to build their presentations backwards. They should begin by identifying the learning outcomes. What is it that they want their attendees to learn and remember after attending their presentation? Then build their presentations around those objectives. Ask them to identify the top three … [Read more...]
Engineering Education Strategies for Next Generation Conferences and Events
This is not your Grandma's conference learning strategy. Traditional conference strategies of attendees sitting passively, listening to a talking head is out. Seeing your conference attendees as participants, co-creators, experts and advocates is in. In the digital age, people are learning in new ways that are both communal and autonomous. They contribute to Wikipedia, comment on blogs and teach themselves programming. They follow links and discuss issues in online chats. All of these acts are … [Read more...]
Designing Next Generation Conference Education Sessions
On May 11, 2010, I presented a Webinar for KRM Information on Designing Next Generation Conference Education Sessions: Creating an Environment for Informal and Formal Learning in a Digital Age. Update May 13, 2010: Listen to the free recording of the sixty-minute presentation. As promised, here are the slides from the presentation. Enjoy. Designing Next Generation Conference Education Sessions View more presentations from Jeff Hurt. After viewing the slides from the presentation, what questions … [Read more...]
Save These Dates: On Designing Next Generation Conference Education
Mark your calendars! May 11 and 25, 2-3 pm ET for a two-fer webinar series. It's two great education sessions for the price of one...oops I mean for the price of free hosted by KRM. Part I – May 11, 2-3 pm ET I will present: Designing Next-Generation Conference Education Sessions: Creating an Environment for Informal and Formal Learning in a Digital Age In the digital age, people are learning in new ways that are both communal and autonomous. So how does this affect your … [Read more...]
Stomaching Long Conference Lectures Is Out! Active Attendee Participation is In!
14 Presentation Techniques That Encourage Maximum Learning, Participation And Memory Retention Today, many conference attendees will no longer tolerate the same old lectures, the conference committee's poorly-planned-everything-for-everyone-panel or sessions that have no real meaning to their work. Younger generations will not endure classes that could have been learned at their desks in 30 minutes and other wasteful conference presentations that older generations have stomached in the name … [Read more...]
Eight Conference Presentation Myths That Hamstring Attendees’ Learning
Most conference organizers see attendees as consumers of the conference's content and experience. Little thought is given to seeing attendees as active participants in their own learning and experience. Here are eight conference presentation myths that hamstring most attendees' learning that conference organizers should avoid. Myth 1: There is one single educational approach such as a lecture or panel discussion that best serves all conference attendees. Reality: Homogenized conference … [Read more...]
Are You Providing A Homogenized Or Personalized Conference Experience?
Walk into most annual conference sessions and what do you see? What do you hear? You'll probably hear and see the same thing in each room. One voice talking at a time. A speaker or panelist at the front of the room talking to a group of attendees. The attendees are sitting theater style facing the stage looking at the back of the heads in front of them. Inactivity and passivity reign. Rarely will you walk into a conference session and find the room buzzing with activity as attendees … [Read more...]
