Planning the Workshop
Define the objective of the workshop. Your objective may be to teach a concrete skill, such as how to create and save documents in a word processing application. Or your aim may be to deliver general information or guidance about a specific topic, such as painting or creative writing. Regardless of the focus, it's important to define the objective first.
Determine the needs of workshop participants. When teaching a particular skill, for example, understanding the participants' needs concerning skill level and learning pace will assist you in delivering appropriate content. The more you tailor the workshop to your audience, the more effective the workshop will be.
Create an outline for your workshop presentation. Create an introduction. Decide how you will introduce yourself, the topic and the participant members. List the skills and/or topics you will cover. Create a comprehensive bulleted list. Include subtopics, as needed. Decide on the order of the topics. Move the most important skills or information to the early part of the workshop. Depending on the subject of the workshop, it may also be useful to introduce and build on each topic, beginning with the simplest or most straight forward topic and concluding with the more difficult or complex topic. Determine ground rules for the workshop. Rules or guidelines such as only one person speaks at a time or raising a hand to speak, as well as shutting off any cellphones or distracting devices are good to establish at the onset of the workshop. Decide how you will wrap up the workshop. You might include a short review of learned skills, announce the next level in a series of workshops and/or implement a participant feedback form.
Assign an estimated length of time to each item on the outline. For particularly complicated topics or skills, allot a sufficient amount of time in case participants get stuck or have questions. It is also important to factor in scheduled breaks during the workshop to give the participants a chance to go to the bathroom or stretch their legs.
Practice giving your workshop presentation once you complete your outline. Rehearsal is an important part of the workshop preparation process. Present your information to colleagues, friends or relatives ahead of time, and ask them to give you feedback on the clarity and effectiveness of your presentation.
Creating Supporting Materials
Prepare handouts for participants. Convert your presentation outline into an agenda for participants and/or prepare hard copy handouts of important information or graphs.
Use visual tools. Presentation tools, movies, pictures, and other elements may be useful in conveying particular concepts or skills. Choose visual tools that complement your presentation and do not distract attention away from your core message or objective.
Use web-based tools, if applicable. Open-source learning programs like Moodle and Blackboard, which are free to use, can help to facilitate online discussions and postings outside of the workshop setting. These web-based tools are also a great way for participants to submit homework or outside assignments online.
Encouraging Workshop Participation
Set up the room or space to encourage discussion. Arrange the chairs in a horseshoe shape or a semi-circle to facilitate conversation and post the ground rules on a board or wall where all participants can see them. Ensure a blank piece of paper on a board or wall, or a writing board, to brainstorm or document ideas and notes from the participants.
Incorporate interactive activities into your workshop. Activities or games can increase engagement and participation. Activities may occur in small or large groups.
Include a question-and-answer portion. Depending on the ground rules of the workshop, invite participants to ask questions either throughout the workshop or in scheduled time slots.
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