Comments on: Busted: Ten Conference Adult Learning Myths

By: Myths about Adult Learning | Learn to Saint John

Myths about Adult Learning | Learn to Saint John — Wed, 25 May 2011 23:32:41 +0000

[...] found at Midcourse Corrections and entitled: Busted: 10 Conference Adult Learning Myths I love the following because it sums up quite nicely everything about the way I was always taught [...]

By: Howard

Howard — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 07:27:28 +0000

Oh some meetings and conferences can be just soul destroying and often a waste of good participants time and money. One way we overcame such meetings was to involve a facilitator to guide and lead our team to a more productive status. Interesting we learned loads more about each others professional approaches and working styles during these sessions that the ten years we had been working and meeting together.

By: Justin Locke

Justin Locke — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:38:16 +0000

Once upon a time, far far away, in the great land of Conventionalia, there lived a small group of elf-like creatures that were known simply as “The Planners.”

They lived simply, giving much to all who came to them, asking for little in return, and were loved by all.

All, of course, except the dreaded Clientulas.

The Clientulas were very frightening and ferocious creatures. They were constantly hungry, and they would eat a Planner all up if they caught one. Fortunately, this almost never happened, as the Planners were much too clever for them.

One day, a little Planner was walking about when he accidentally walked into clearing in the forest, and he found himself surrounded by a dozen of the dreaded Clientulas. There were no holes to jump into, no trees to run up into. It looked very bad.

“Ho, ho, ho,” said the Clientulas,” We have you trapped with no where to run, and now we are going to eat you all up.”

“Well can I just say one thing before you eat me?” asked the little Planner.

“Sure, but make it snappy, we’re hungry,” said the Clientulas.

And so the little planner began to tell them the story of the first Clientula. Of course, the Clientulas were fascinated to hear a story about themselves. Soon they were all talking amongst themselves and telling the little planner other stories about ancient Clientulas. They were so excited they forgot about how hungry they were, and the little planner was able to slip away.

The end.

The moral of the story is, you can best grab an audience’s attention by telling stories. – jl

By: Joan Eisenstodt

Joan Eisenstodt — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:43:40 +0000

@Jeff – thanks for the kind comments.

About “master facilitators” a few random thoughts:
- few people who “facilitate” or moderate sessions — or who even speak in/at sessions – really facilitate the learning that goes on. It requires having a different mind set than the “sage on the stage” and asking questions and helping those in the audience clarify their thoughts and statements.
- few facilities (sometimes for fire safety or other policies) really understand how to set rooms that provide max. learning environments AND many people do not know how to use diff. learning environments, so used to what they are .. well, used to! (Example: for the ethics session Kelly Bagnall & I facilitated at PCMA, our room was set in the round. Most people sat facing only one of the screens — on the wall they perceived as the ‘back’ wall!)
- For those who want to learn more, read Harrison Owen on open space; attend and participate in the annual meeting of the Intl. Assn .of Facilitators (www.iaf-world.org), this year in Chi. in April. (It’s not a fancy conf.; it is a conf. at which I always learn new techniques to use in my work and meet amazing people w/ whom to share ideas.)

By: Splash: A Blog from MemberClicks » Blog Archive » Friday Top Five: AMCs, Newspapers, Busted Myths and More!

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:45:52 +0000

[...] Last, but of course not least, Jeff Hurt busted 10 conference adult learning myths in a great post this week. Did you know that fun and laughter are keys to helping attendees [...]

By: Jeff Hurt

Jeff Hurt — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:01:31 +0000

@Donna
Love the comment about a master facilitator tapping the wealth of knowledge in the room, sparks peer to peer shaing and makes it stick. So true! Thanks for adding that.

@Joan
Thanks for the reinforcement and adding to the discussion. So true, so true.

@Sue
Yep, there’s that reinforcement issue again. Seven touches before it sinks in yes. Teeny tiny PowerPoint type = fail for sure!

@Timothy
What, we don’t have to be in dark rooms? But how will I sleep with the boring presenter? Thanks for adding to the discussion.

By: Joan Eisenstodt

Joan Eisenstodt — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:48:53 +0000

Timothy — I concur. I also know that interaction is not the way everyone learns regardless of research! I purchased the rights to use the V(isual)R(ead-write)A(ural)K(inesthetic) inventory. It is pretty remarkable and helps people understand more. I recommend it.

Re dark rooms — I avoid almost all general sessions bec. they are almost always in large dark rooms w/ chairs set in rows!

Timothy — what you talked about is “open space technology’, a term and method coined by Harrison Owen in the ’80s. That and World Cafe and “UnConference” are terms and methods many are using.

JEFF: do add others!

Great discussion -thanks!

By: Timothy Arnold

Timothy Arnold — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:41:46 +0000

How about the myth that a dark room with a Power Point presentation is condusive for learning anything? Take any conference you have ever been to and think of the opening general session. Chances are good you remember nothing about it, because they are almost all the same. Dark room, speakers introducing other speakers who introduce still more, some loud music playing, and screens on either side of the stage looping the same tired Powerpoint.
Yawn, please put me out of my misery.
Now think of the sessions where you learned the most, chances are VERY good that there was tons of interaction and talking from all parts of the room. Ideas were flowing from all over. Many times, this never even happened in a conference room, but at a table over food, or in a courtyard at a conference hotel, or in many cases for me, in the seating area directly outside of the general session while it is going on.

By: Sue Pelletier

Sue Pelletier — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:15:40 +0000

How about the one that says people should retain what they learn at a one-time event with no reinforcements?

I remember reading somewhere that it takes about seven “touches” for a message to sink in for the average person, yet we expect people to retain huge chunks of information thrown at them quickly, one time, in teeny tiny PowerPoint type, with no time to digest or discuss it. If you really want it to stick, send reminders, give people checklists or other take-homes, provide further info a week later, etc.

By: Joan Eisenstodt

Joan Eisenstodt — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:22:33 +0000

There are a number of these that are .. well, myths in their corrections.
For example – myth #2: It depends on one’s learning preferences and styles. I use inventories with groups that help them discern their styles. It would be great if sessions could be planned and delivered based on content & learning needs. For some people, just listening or just writing will work. Me? An aural learner who needs to talk it out.

Myth #3 — again, it depends. For some people and, generalizing broadly, some professions where this has been the delivery method and is considered the norm, there is a need for this kind of session. What can bust the paradigm (did I really just say that?!) is to have facilitated follow up sessions to the “sage” to discuss and for those who want to, figure out applications for what was learned.

Myth #4 — Not sure where you got your stats. The ones I have say that seeing trumps hearing and seeing AND hearing trumps just one, and the best is to teach and we learn best! So we need to train everyone to facilitate, eh?

Myth #5 — it’s even written in this one about the emotional connection. *I* need laughter .. and I can also connect to serious and heartfelt.

Some of the others seem to repeat some of what’s above.. and maybe that was the idea! LOL — reinforcement?!

Good stuff. Thanks.