designing next generation conference education sessions

Designing Next Generation

Conference Education Sessions

Creating an Environment for Informal & Formal Learning

in a Digital Age

Part 1

Thank You!

Presenter – Attendee Agreement

Law of the Click

Texting, Typing

Welcome#2010Connect

Tweet Unto Others As You Would Have Them Tweet

Unto You.

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Tweet Something

Good Before You Tweet Something

Bad

Seek First To Understand

Safe space to agree,

disagree, ponder & question

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About Me• Coal Miner’s Grandson

• West Virginia Hillbilly

• Nonprofit Junkie

• Environmental Advocate

• Meeting & Event Professional

• Education Evangelist

Director of Education & Engagement

@JeffHurt

1) Identify six

principles for

designing

next-gen

conference

education

sessions

2) Discover new ways to integrate horizontal, collaborative learning opps

3) Discuss how room environments & traditional setups affect learning

What is education?

Is there a difference

between education & information?

According to US EPA:

Information provides facts, figures, opinions.

Education teaches skills• critical thinking• problem solving• collaboration• decision making• evaluation• analysis

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Conference education often embraces a Clone Culture

Conference education often embraces a Clone Culture

Cloned: • Learning• Knowledge• Ideas

Our education endeavors built on outdated, traditional model

• Oxford University

http://www.flickr.com/photos/69691418@N00/4368951793/


• Oxford University• WW II



• Oxford University• WW II • Industrial Revolution


Anyone from the 1800’s could walk

into most conference

education sessions and feel right at

home.

LO #1

Traditional Conference Education uses a push method

• Old• Training• Rigid• Program• Mandated• Formal

LO #2

LO #1

New Conference Education uses a push method

• Old• Training• Rigid• Program• Mandated• Formal

LO #2

• New• Learning• Flexible• Platform• Self-Service• Informal

LO #1

The Traditional Conference Push Method

Conference & Event Organizers decide where bus going, attendees along for ride.(Good for newbies, bad for veterans)

LO #2

LO #1

The New ConferencePull Method

Riders choose destination, speed, route & decide if they want to take detours or help others. (Best for veterans and experienced professionals)

LO #2

Four Information Ages

1. Writing

2. Scroll to Codex

3. Printing Press

4. Internet

Historian Robert Darton

Learning undergoing major change 1. Internet

2. MMOs

3. Informal learning

4. Work changes

5. Culture changes

6. Brain science

1) Identify six

principles for

designing

next-gen

conference

education

sessions

LO #1

#1: Conference ed sessions must transition to

Participatory Learning

LO #2

• Internet changed how we all learn, play, socialize, engage in life

LO #1



LO #2


• Commonplace not exotic

• About a process, not product

LO #1



LO #2


• Commonplace not exotic

• About a process, not product

• Not passive

• Conversations and comments

LO #1

#2: Conference ed sessions must transition from

Presumed Authority to Collective Credibility

LO #2

• Communal

• Democratic

LO #1



LO #2

• Problem solving through group processes

• Interdisciplinary

LO #1



LO #2

• Requires helping attendees learn skills to address different points of views

LO #1


More Horizontal Structures

LO #2

• Traditional – authoritative, top-down

• Knowledge gap between speaker & audience shrunk



• Corporate world emphasizing collaboration, teamwork, problem-solving

• Knowledge making together

LO #1LO #2



• Emphasis on Peer2Peer

• Less monologues and panel dialogues

LO #1LO #2

LO #1

#4: Conference ed sessions must provide a variety

Formal & Informal Learning

LO #2

• 80% of learning is from informal learning

• Move from push to pull methods

LO #1



LO #2

Novice workers Mature ExperiencedDirected Self-Directed Helping OthersClass Discovery CoachingCourse Searching (Google) Mentoring

Source: Jay Cross’ Working Smarter

LO #1



LO #2

Novice workers Mature ExperiencedDirected Self-Directed Helping OthersClass Discovery CoachingCourse Searching (Google) MentoringLecture Trial-and-error StorytellingTest/Exam Collaborating Giving Feedback1 Right Answer Asking Nurturing


LO #1



LO #2

Novice workers Mature ExperiencedDirected Self-Directed Helping OthersClass Discovery CoachingCourse Searching (Google) MentoringLecture Trial-and-error StorytellingTest/Exam Collaborating Giving Feedback1 Right Answer Asking NurturingCurriculum Skimming ModelingListening Observing ReflectingInstructions Conversing Connecting


LO #1


Networked Learning

LO #2

• Learning is social

• Conversational and partnering

• Developing mediation skills:Learning to…“Disagree without being disagreeable.”

LO #1

#5: Conference sessions must transition to

Networked Learning

LO #2

• Rejects “Prisoner Dilemma”

• Emphasizes flexibility & outcomes

LO #1

#5: Conference sessions must transition to

Networked Learning

LO #2

• See’s learning as mobilizing networks

• From assertive to enabling

LO #1

#6: Conference ed sessions must be

Interactive & Without Walls

LO #2

• Life-Long Learning

• Venues with free Wi-Fi

• Encourages sharing of social media experiences

LO #1



LO #2

• Many-to-multitudes (engages those not present, extends messages to those restricted by $$ or schedule)Examples: Darfur, Tibet

LO #1



LO #2

• Extending ideas, practices and even failures for betterment of the industry, profession

Sources: Digital

Media & Learning

funded by John D.

and Catherine T.

MacArthur

Foundation from

the University of

Michigan & MIT

LO #2

Embrace Learnscaping For Conferences & Events

• Remove barriers to learn & network

LO #2


• Seed communities with content to discuss

LO #2


• Increase the bandwidth of learning opps (provide informal seating areas, free charging stations)

LO #2


• Plan structured, facilitated opps for peer discussion

LO #2


• Give preference to facilitators more than presenters

LO #2


• Be a conduit for facilitated conversations

LO #2


• Conversations are the stem cells of learning: they create & transmit knowledge ~ Jay Cross

LO #2


• Open conversations increase innovation

People usually forget 90% of what they learn in a class within 30 days. Majority of loss occurs within hours of class.

German psychologist & memory researcher Hermann Ebbinghaus

LO #3

Traditional Theater & Classroom

LO #3

Decreases• Peer Engagement

looking at back of heads & not eyes

LO #3

Decreases • Attention & Learning

Those sitting stage right & stage left must turn head and body up to 80 degrees to see presenter

LO #3

Decreases • Blood Flow To Brain

Any attendee that must turn neck 15 degrees or more to either side

LO #3

Decreases • Oxygen

If presenter moves around room or down aisles, turning bodies up to 180 degrees causes lower back & leg pain and the ability to breath deeply

LO #3

How To Resolve • Set to the long wall

LO #3

Source: Dr. Paul Radde, Ph.D.Seating Matters

How To Resolve • Set to the long wall• Curve seating or use Chevron

LO #3


How To Resolve • Set to the long wall• Curve seating or use Chevron• Face each chair directly

LO #3


How To Resolve • Set outside chairs, still in straight

rows, toward presentation

LO #3


How To Resolve • Set outside chairs, still in straight

rows, toward presentation• Provide multiple screens

LO #3


Stimulate More Of The Senses

LO #3

Visuals Trump Other Senses

LO #3

LO #3

80% of the info the brain receives is visual

Source: Dr. Robert LeamnsonUniversity of Massachusetts at Dartmouth

LO #3

Light & Color affects how the brain learns

Source: Dr. Robert LeamnsonUniversity of Massachusetts at Dartmouth

LO #3

Long Wave Colors (red, orange, yellow) stimulate

more active brain responses

Source: V. Vuontela, 1999

LO #3

Short Wave Length (green, blue, violet)

more conduciveto relaxation

Source: V. Vuontela, 1999

+

Combine Audio With Visual

LO #3

LO #3Source: Edgar Dale, Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching

Odors Help With Brain Recall

LO #3

When tested on details of movie while smell of popcorn wafts into air,

remember 10%-50% more

LO #3Source: Proust Affect, Chue, S. & Downes, JJ (2002)

LO #3Source: Proust Affect, Chue, S. & Downes, JJ (2002)

Active Learning Increases Memory Retention & Stability

LO #3Source: Edgar Dale, Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching

Active Learning: Discussions help recall

LO #3

1) Identify six

principles for

designing

next-gen

conference

education

sessions

Designing Next Generation Conference

Education SessionsContinue The ConversationThursday, May 13, 12 pm ET, 9 am PT

Twitter - #Eventprofs

Case Study: Unassociated –

An Unconference for Association

ProfessionalsPart II

Tuesday, May 25, 2 – 3 pm ET

Lindy Dreyer & Maddie Grant

• [email protected] • jeffhurtblog.com• @JeffHurt