![]() |
Presentation Information |
|
|
How to Teach: Lecture vs. Discussion
WHEN ONLY A LECTURE WILL DO: Under certain circumstances, of course, the lecture is the only workable format. For instance, when it is necessary to reach a large audience in a short time frame, or when the attendees have no knowledge of the subject whatsoever, there is really no choice. But whenever possible, alternative methods should be investigated. If you choose to rely solely on lectures, be aware that you do so for your own convenience and comfort, rather than for the effectiveness of the training. Abandoning the lecture format for that of group discussion requires that the trainer step back from leadership and take up the role of facilitator - a position much closer to that of the participant. If this method of training is one that you would like to explore, it is first necessary to examine potential problems which make group discussions difficult for some trainers. HANDLING A LECTURE: In handling a lecture, you must get attention, maintain interest and eye contact, and watch for audience reaction. In a group discussion, on the other hand, the object is to avoid allowing your ego to impede the flow of ideas. It is hard to relinquish control of the discussion when it moves away from the points you most want to make. This is especially difficult for individuals who feel so strongly about a subject that they tend to force opinions on others. Obvious attempts to steer the discussion in one direction will be seen as manipulative, and this may lead the participants to "turn off" to the entire process. PURPOSES OF GROUP DISCUSSIONS: Starting a discussion indicates that you want to broaden the interaction between the group and yourself and share the responsibility for the learning experience. Although you lose some of the personal control over the learning situation that you exercise as the instructor, you gain overall training effectiveness by stimulating interest in the exploration of new ideas and solutions. By engaging their emotions and interest, you encourage the trainees to personalize the ideas and concepts produced by the group. You create a situation where the experience has emotional resonance and individual memories, making it more easily and readily retained. The trainees will take the learning experience from the group into their outside employment situation. In short, you will be able to create a learning environment which is most conducive to behavior change. Copyright AE Schwartz & Associates All rights reserved. For additional presentation materials and resources: ReadySetPresent and for a Free listing as a Trainer, Consultant, Speaker, Vendor/Organization: TrainingConsortium CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
RELATED ARTICLES
Story Telling As A Tool For Trainers Once upon a time????."Yeah right, don't tell us a story, we are not kids". How to Make Good Use of Your Web Conference Session Preperation is vital when conducting a successful videoconference session. Thus there are a number of steps to remember prior to the videoconference session itself:Always test the equipment before hand. Presentation Skills: Be More Productive Using a Facilitator Mode There are many definitions for presentations. When you present there are also many different modes you can focus on. Audience Respect One of the biggest mistakes most presenters make is in not considering or respecting their audience when preparing their talks. Showing respect means not boring them to tears with a data dump of information which is meaningless to them. Dump Your Speeches For Leadership Talks The CEO of a worldwide business asked me to help him develop a talk he planned to give to several hundred of his top executives. He said, "I feel as if I'm Daniel going into the lion's den. Cross Cultural Presentations The international flavour of many people's jobs naturally means that there is greater interaction between people from different cultures. Within the business environment, understanding and coping with intercultural differences between people is critical to ensuring that interpersonal communication is successful. After the Speech Usually the emphasis on making an effective speech is what you do in preparation before the presentation begins. But if you speak very much, what you do after the speech can help you become a more effective speaker. Top 6 Reasons Why You Need a Remote for PowerPoint Presentations A top complaint from audience members is that many presenters put too much emphasis on PowerPoint and technology while neglecting the message and interaction with participants. One way to deliver more effective presentations that improve your connection to your audience is to add a remote control to your presentation tools. Show the World Your Wares Easily and Inexpensively You've spent a lot of time preparing your PowerPoint presentations and now you're ready to show the world all your company has to offer. You set up some appointments for sales presentations with a few members of the local Chamber of Commerce. PowerPoint Presentations: How to Use This Tool More Effectively Many of us use PowerPoint to convey a message to both small and large groups. Too often we see "death by powerpoint" in the corporate environment where people don't use it effectively. Practice Makes Perfect - 7 Tips for Making the Most of Your Presentation Practice Believe it or not, preparation is a better determinant of presentation success than knowledge, experience, or even talent. The best presenter is almost always the presenter who is the most prepared. Present for Success: Simple Strategies to Add Confidence and Credibility to Your Next Presentation Tomorrow's the day and you're dreading it. You're scheduled to give a presentation to the senior management team about the new program you're proposing. Story Telling As a Business Tool Long long ago, it was the time when time itself stood still That was the time this story of story telling began When everyone listened to the story and people learned And that was the time people were also very happy Because they were listening to a story.Stories have been the purveyor of knowledge from time immemorial. 10 Tips For Bringing Your Event To Life Your job as an event planner doesn't stop with the meeting in the company boardroom. You may be call upon to organize an employee appreciation event, an awards dinner, a product launch, the celebration of a company milestone, a gala recognizing a longtime employee's retirement, an incentive event for the company's sales force, a fundraising event, a holiday celebration?the list goes on and on. Sharpening Your Presentation Skills Regardless of the nature of our job or social standing, sooner or later we will be called upon to make a presentation of one sort or the other. To sharpen your skills, whet your audience's appetite, and educate them, organize your presentation by keeping them in mind. Tough Talk: Bad News Delivered the Right Way Communicating Bad News The Right WayIt's the rare executive who actually enjoys speaking before groups of people, even under the best of circumstances. Public speaking routinely ranks highest on people's list of fears. Present Statistics In Context "I didn't have 3000 pairs of shoes. I had only 1600 pairs. Steps to a Successful Audience/Trainer Relationship A major cause of trainers being unreceptive to their audience is stage fright. Being so self-involved the trainer has very little energy to devote to making personal contact. Dump that Overhead Projector! What is it about overhead projectors that causes us to become lousy communicators? Why do our speeches or presentations lose much of their steam when we use overheads?Well, for starters, we often give more attention to the overheads than the audience. It can't be helped. 5 Breakthrough Marketing Ideas Do you ever get frustrated with your marketing? Are you putting in a lot of effort but not getting the results you want? Don't you wish you could just hit a switch and get a better response from your mailings, sales calls and web site?You hear a lot about breakthroughs; is it all hype, or can you really create a breakthrough in your marketing and sales? I know that you can.I spent last weekend skiing in Vermont with my spouse, nephew and his finance Sonia. |
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |