Study Skills for Effe ctive Learn ing
Delivering and Contributing to Seminars
What is a seminar?
Seminars are student-led, small group based learning situations. They are a means by which a student or group prepare and think through a subject and then inform their colleagues on the results of their investigation. The aim too is that the seminar-leaders should trigger the discussion on the topic then chair the subsequent discussion.
Why do it this way?
Seminars may stimulate more participation than a lecture. There is an element of friendliness and trust about a seminar which discourages absenteeism and increases group cohesiveness. The optimum size for a seminar is 6-8 students.They are very beneficial for the sharing of experience enabling participants to relate the ideas of others to their own. They broaden participation and improve the ownership of learners in the learning process. Most importantly seminars give practice in presenting information and leading a discussion.
Inputs to the seminarThe tutors role?
The tutor is essentially a facilitator who offers a list of seminar topics to the group and who agrees the seminar title (from the list or otherwise) with those who are to lead the seminar. The topics list will in most cases be accompanied by recommended initial reading which covers the basics of the topic.The tutor will give support in sorting out associated problems where help is needed. At the seminar the tutor will endeavour not to make over-dominant contributions but to let the seminar presenters run the session. He/she will endeavour to be a peer-group member. The tutor as may others give assistance in focussing contributions, prompting and giving encouragement,
Seminar participants and contribution
All seminar participants will be expected attend the seminar and to prepare for it by completing this initial reading.Seminar-leaders and the outcomes of a seminar
t will be up to the seminar-leaders to make the necessary arrangements: final communications to other participants, room layout (NB the importance of PROXEMICS) and equipment, the agenda for the seminar etc.Preparation
It is up to the seminar-leaders to research the topic and prepare the material for the seminar (handouts, audio-visual materials, exercises etc). it will be they who structure the session to reveal main information and issues.
Form of seminar presentationThe presentation may take a number of forms. Typically it will be a short summary presentation supported by slides, video, case study, question/answer technique, exercise/experiment.
It is very important that seminar-leaders have a clear agenda, keep to time, open up discussion with good questioning technique, summarise the discussion at appropriate stages, record the discussion (ideally using a flip-chart to record key pints) and conclude the seminar effectively.
Following a seminar, seminar leaders should
- review the experience in terms of the seminar's coverage and findings and the process of interaction they experienced at it.
- circulate to everyone a summary of the main points they presented at the seminar and the points raised in the seminar discussion. This seminar paper should include an extended reading list
Assessment of Seminars;The assessment of seminars will be undertaken on a similar basis to that of presentations above.
Study Skills Index
© This resource was developed by C. Jarvis.