Planning and Teaching Seminars in Small Groups

About the Workshop

Advanced seminars and courses are intended to develop independent learning among students, to gradually exchange the single knowledge authority of the lecturer with peer instruction, and to provide a highpoint in the learning experience. For all these reasons, many seminars require that students conduct parts of the seminar themselves via short presentations. However, in reality the presentations by students are not always good, other students do not always read the recommended material or participate in the discussion. As a result, seminars often fail to realize their potential. In this workshop, we will learn how to plan and manage a successful seminar, affect the quality of the students’ presentations, motivate students to make an effort throughout the seminar, and make sure that the students not presenting participate in the discussions.

Workshop Facilitator:

Dr. Michal Schodl

Outcomes:

• You will receive a range of ideas for types of assignments (for students) suited to a seminar (before, during, and following a meeting of the seminar).
• You will be given a range of ideas to manage meetings of the seminar and reach decisions that are suited to everyone (for example, whether to give public feedback to the presenter).
• You will be able to highlight likely ramifications of different steps in managing the seminar.

 

Additional Information:

In the course of the workshop you will present the students’ presentation assignment students (a presentation of 5 minutes). Specific instructions will be sent to participants in due course.

Duration of the workshop: 9:00-15:00

Maximum no. of participants: 10