A workshop is a meeting or a series of meetings where people work together in groups with a resource person in order to develop new plans, materials, skills or ideas, relevant to each participant's individual needs.

1. Focus is on solving practical problems.

2. Production and end results are emphasized.

3. Learning is individualized.

4. Active learners determine their own objectives.

5. Group interaction facilitates personal and social development.

6. Learning is concentrated in intensive sessions.

7. Sequence, duration and content of sessions are flexible.

8. Diverse learning techniques are employed.

9. Informality among participants is encouraged.

10. Participants are usually mature, motivated and willing to focus on the workshop topic.

1. merely a series of lectures or discussions,

2. a loosely organized conference or retreat,

3. a time and place where individuals can assemble for independent projects,

4. an excuse for lack of planning and preparation, nor

5. playtime disguised by the name "workshop."

A. Before accepting responsibility

1. do I understand the assignment or request?

2. are the reasons for the workshop clear?

3. is a workshop the best technique in this case?

4. are the financial arrangements satisfactory?

5. am I sufficiently motivated to do a high-quality job?

6. do I have ample time for preparation?

B. Planning

1. Are participants involved in the planning stages?

2. What are the participants' needs? Defined by whom?

3. Are anyone else's needs involved? Whose needs? What needs?

4. What will participants expect as a result of pre-workshop publicity?

5. Does workshop success depend on all participants attending all sessions? How will this be managed?

6. What relationship have participants had with each other before?

7. Is the group homogenous? What advantages and problems can be anticipated due to this factor?

8. What is the theme, problem or activity which focuses the workshop?

9. Is the general goal(s) clear?

10. Are the specific objectives clearly stated and understood?

11. Is a sequence of activities thoroughly planned and organized?

12. Do the planned activities meet the needs and interests of the participants?

13. What resource people do I need? Are they available?

14. Is diversity among the instructional staff needed?

15. How will resources people be contacted and oriented?

16. Is the ratio of instructional staff to participants appropriate? Should the number of participants be limited?

17. Is variety provided through activities and techniques?

18. Are the major points to be presented clear?

19. Is the time well-planned? Can it be modified if new needs emerge?

20. Are breaks planned?

21. How will small group and individual concerns and progress be shared with other participants?

22. Are social occasions provided? Is recreation needed?

C. Logistics

1. Are the physical facilities adequate for planned activities? Will they permit flexibility and varied experiences? Are they isolated from potential distractions (phone, visitors, business)?

2. Have I made arrangements for transport, eating and housing?

3. Are costs to participants reasonable?

4. How will arrangements be checked and rechecked during the workshop?

D. Preparation

1. Is the physical setting appropriately prepared?

2. What materials are needed? Are they ready?

3. Am I experienced in the variety of techniques that I will use? If not, have I compensated with extra preparation and contingency plans?

4. Have I prepared extra activities in case I have more time.

5. Have I decided what will be cut if time is short?

6. Have participants been sent information on where to arrive, advance preparations they need to make, options, assignments?

7. Will a news sheet, published periodically during the workshop, be helpful for announcements, comments, summary?

8. Should I plan for group recorders? Will they need forms for recording conclusions and recommendations?

E. Orientation

1. How are participants received when they first arrive?

2. How is registration handled? Why?

3. Is an accurate list of participants available?

4. How will participants get to know each other?

5. What will I do to encourage openness, trust, enthusiasm, confidence, relaxation, clarity of purpose and activities and a problem-solving climate.

6. Are participants actively involved in the first session?

7. Are welcoming officials' comments brief and appropriate?

8. Do participants know immediately what will be expected of them?

9. Do they feel stimulated? Do they identify with the agenda?

F. Interpersonal

1. Am I open to new ideas in the workshop?

2. Am I nervous or defensive? What nonverbal messages am I giving off (confidence, openness, irritability, lack of interest)?

3. Do I communicate respect, enthusiasm, concern, sensitivity?

4. Is my role consistent with participants' expectations?

5. Is my participation excessive or deficient?

6. Am I in complete control without appearing to dominate?

7. Am I dependable and reasonable? How do I show that?

8. Are participants encouraged to listen to each other?

9. Is feedback encouraged at all times?

10. Is everyone kept informed of other groups' activities? How?

11. How are participants encouraged to use each other as resources?

12. How is the personal and social growth of individual participants fostered?

G. Sessions

1. Does the content build on participants' experiences and abilities? Is it appropriate to the participants' level?

2. Am I an expert on the topic?

If yes -- how will I keep from dominating? -- how will I insure my own flexibility?

If no -- how will I present myself to the workshop?

3. What information is imparted? What skills are taught? What attitudes are promoted? What styles are modeled? Are there contradictions?

4. Are choices and options given to meet diverse interests?

5. Are new skills practiced in the workshop?

6. Is the pacing of activities too fast or too slow? Are sessions too long? Are major points summarized from time to time?

7. Do I have clear, thought-provoking questions to ask?

8. Is the bulk of participants' time spent on their own concerns?

H. Process

1. Is opportunity provided for informal discussion and thought?

2. Are the specific problems of the participants allowed to emerge, to be defined, and to be addressed?

3. How will creativity be stimulated?

4. What process emerges from the group as the workshop unfolds?

5. Is the process productive? Too intense? Too loose?

6. What have I planned to do in each case?

7. Who are the leaders which emerge from the participants? What kind of leaders are they? How can I encourage them?

8. How can I provide others with leadership opportunities?

9. Do participants have some free time? Time to be alone?

I. Conclusions

1. How do working groups report? ...summarize conclusions?

2. Does each participant develop a plan for implementing workshop outcomes?

3. Do participants know how to relate their experience in this workshop to others at home (caution: others have not had this experience and may have difficulty relating to it)?

4. Is opportunity provided for an expression of commitment to future goals and activities?

J. Evaluation

1. Have I arranged for a process observer?

2. Have I organized a daily staff meeting for formative evaluation and adjustment?

3. Have evaluation instruments been prepared?

4. Have the workshop objectives been met? How do I know?

5. Have participants "professional" problems been solved?

K. Report

1. Is promised information and a summary promptly sent to participants after the workshop?

2. Is a final report compiled? To whom is it sent?

Format I: Traditional approach

Session

1. Coffee -- registration -- informal conversation -- introductions --general announcements -- orientation -- discuss purpose and agenda -- set tentative schedule.

2. Form working groups -- get acquainted -- share expectations --decide how to proceed -- agree on leadership roles -- work.

3. Group and individual work -- summarize progress -- report.

4. Decide on next steps -- readjust -- group and individual work.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 as often as desired.

6. Evaluation and conclusions in the small group then in a general assembly.

 

Format II: Creative approach (riskier but potentially more motivating for a more creative or more demanding group).