People today are learning in new and different ways that are both collective and democratic. So how does this affect the traditional conference or event? Conference organizers should capture and apply new social and informal ways of learning or risk seeing their conference education become obsolete.

1. Catalyst Conferences: How To Plan & Produce Next-GenerationConferences & Events

3. 1) Discuss how room environments & traditional setups affect learning

4. 2) Identify 5 principles for redesigning learning elements during conferences

5. 3) Explain the impact of traditional hierarchy, of top down, controlled, presentations

6. 4) Discover new ways to integrate horizontal, collaborative learning opps

7. 1) Discuss how room environments & traditional setups affect learning

8. Traditional Theater & Classroom LO #1

14. Curve seating or use Chevron

15. Face each chair directly

16. Set outside chairs, still in straight rows, toward presentation

17. Provide multiple screensSource: Dr. Paul Radde, Ph.D. Seating Matters LO #1

18. 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 #1

19. Stimulate More Of The Senses LO #1

20. Visuals Trump Other Senses LO #1

21. 80% of the info the brain receives is visual Source: Dr. Robert LeamnsonUniversity of Massachusetts at Dartmouth LO #1

22. Light & Coloraffects how the brain learns Source: Dr. Robert LeamnsonUniversity of Massachusetts at Dartmouth LO #1

23. Long Wave Colors (red, orange, yellow) stimulate more active brain responses Source: V. Vuontela, 1999 LO #1

24. Short Wave Length (green, blue, violet) more conduciveto relaxation Source: V. Vuontela, 1999 LO #1

25. Combine Audio With Visual + LO #1

26. LO #1 Source: Edgar Dale, Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching

27. Odors Help With Brain Recall LO #1

28. When tested on details of movie while smell of popcorn wafts into air, remember 10%-50% more LO #1 Source: Proust Affect, Chue, S. & Downes, JJ (2002)

29. LO #1 Source: Proust Affect, Chue, S. & Downes, JJ (2002)

30. Active Learning Increases Memory Retention & Stability LO #1 Source: Edgar Dale, Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching

31. Active Learning: Discussions help recall LO #4 LO #1

32. Pair SquaredResearch Into Practice Turn to your neighbor. Discuss something you just learned & how you’ll apply it. LO #4 LO #1

33. 2) Identify 5 principles for redesigning learning elements during conferences

34. Sources: Digital Media & Learning funded by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation from the University of Michigan & MIT

35. #1: Conference sessions must be communal & democratic Participatory Influence Experience, Planning & Learning Groups & Shared Learning Crowdsourcing, Openspace LO #2 LO #3 LO #4

36. #2: Conference sessions must include horizontal structures Limit Monologues, One To Many, Vertical Panels better, still dialogue limited Trust in collective credibility Peer2Peer Learning Gap between audience & presenter shrunk LO #2 LO #3 LO #4

38. Learning

39. Flexible

40. Platform

41. Self-Service

42. Informal

43. Old

44. Training

45. Rigid

46. Program

47. Mandated

48. Formal LO #2 LO #4

49. #3: 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 #4

50. #3: The New Conference Pull Method Riders choose destination, speed, route & decide if they want to take detours or help others. (Best for veterans and experienced professoinals) LO #2 LO #4

51. #3: The New Conference Pull Method: Practical Steps Provide Peer2Peer Roundtable Hold breakout discussions following general sessions Provide lounge areas for informal learning Promote OpenSpace LO #2 LO #3 LO #4

52. #4: Conference Learning Must Be Interactive & Without Walls Listening to lectures worst Secure venues with free WiFi Tradeshows with lounges and recharge stations Encourage social media sharing of experiences LO #2 LO #4

53. #5: Conference must include structured human connectivity, socialization & networked learning 80% of adult learning is informal Facilitated conversations on conf content Unusual networking opps: TweetUps, Tradeshow Scavenger Hunts W/ Mobile Devices, Speed Networking LO #2 LO #3 LO #4

54. 3) Explain the impact of traditional hierarchy, of top down, controlled, presentations

55. Hierarchy of expertise, top-down controlled, presumed authority presentations leads to decrease in learning, retention Lack of participation and activity attendees loose attention LO #3

57. Seed communities with content to discuss

58. Increase the bandwidth of learning opps

59. Be a conduit for facilitated conversationsLO #3

61. Open conversations increase innovationLO #3

62. LO #3

63. 1) Discuss how room environments & traditional setups affect learning

64. 2) Identify 5 principles for redesigning learning elements during conferences

65. 3) Explain the impact of traditional hierarchy, of top down, controlled, presentations

66. 4) Discover new ways to integrate horizontal, collaborative learning opps

68. jeffhurtblog.com