The demands of our 21st Century conference participants mandate that we change our traditional event experience. Today’s workforce requires that our participants interact, think and work in collaborative ways. Yet our conferences persistently promote expert-directed, one-way passive monologues and panel dialogues. Our conferences continue to resemble the routines of the 19th and 20th century school. Our own models actually inhibit our participants’ authentic learning. We have to break free … [Read more...]
The Next Frontier Of Conference Improvement: Conference Education
Traditional conference education models have lost their relevance. The process of distributing a call for session and speaker submissions, selecting experts that transmit and dispense information, and packaging it as professional development for the masses is overdone. One-size-fits-all education doesn’t work anymore. We are in the midst of great workplace disruption, brought on by a new generation of workers, an increasing sophisticated public and rapidly changing technology. The … [Read more...]
Are You Guilty Of Advancing The Height Of Conference Arrogance?
The sound of a great conference is not the thunderous applause following an inspiring speaker. It is the creaking of our mind's doors and windows opening to fresh vistas and perspectives. It’s the low hum of people talking to one another in pairs about their insights, thoughts, reflections, concerns and opportunities around short chunked critical content. It’s our internal metaphorical brain-gears spinning as our aha-lights burn brightly. Closeted Dirty Presentation Secrets Here’s the … [Read more...]
Changes In The Information Cycle Are Driving Conference Education Reform
Conferences (and associations) used to be the go-to source for information and content about a profession or industry. Today, the tools of content creation and distribution actually rest in the hands of individuals. Anyone can create and share content. While not everyone wants to be a content creator, everyone has an interest in organizing and packing information in their own, unique way. We Relate Differently To Information Today Today, we relate to information differently. We can receive … [Read more...]
Bringing Authentic Conference Conversations To Life
Peer conversations are more important to your conference than you know. I’m not talking about one of your attendees serving as a speaker talking at the audience. That’s a lecture. I’m referring to peer conversations in pairs, threesomes and small groups. You know when it’s happening at conferences because the rooms are buzzing with discussions. Everyone is talking to someone else. The Industrial Conference Is Dead Most of us still depend upon and expect an outdated model of conferences: … [Read more...]
Moving Towards More Peeragogy Learning Experiences For Conferences And Associations
What if at your next education experience, the speaker gave all the expert-power to the audience? What if the participants were empowered to take more control of their learning, collaboration and dialogue? It's happening in secondary schools, colleges, universities and some education experiences across the globe. It's peeragogy or paragogy, also known as peer-based learning. Defining Peeragogy In short, peeragogy is peer-based learning or learning from each other. It acknowledges the … [Read more...]
