277  Workshop

Workshops are a fundamentally different learning environment than a classroom.

Workshop Classroom Classroom Seminar Session
Group Size Small
Interactivity High
Length High

There is a possibility between these two extremes.

277.1 Variables

  • Familiarity with participants

  • Role of instructor

Location
On-site or on-location (e.g. during a longer meeting/conference)
Instructor
External or Internal
Media
In-person or on-line

277.2 Structures

Workshops should be split into manageable chunks, giving participants enough break time to refresh themselves between topics. Each chunk should stick to one complete theme. If a theme is short, then multiple themes can be included in a single chunk, but it is best to complete a topic as a whole, without splitting it into two sections. The exception is for longer themes in which two whole chunks can be filled.

An in-person workshop day can be organized in four sessions:

Session Time Duration
1 9:00 - 11:00 2 hours
2 11:15 - 12:30 1 hour, 15 minutes
3 13:30 - 15:00 1 hour, 30 minutes
4 15:15-17:00 1 hour, 30 minutes

I have used the session outline specified above for years with good effect. Session 1, which begins the day with a relatively long 2-hour session affords time for settling in, late-comers and ice-breakers. Since it can be quite taxing for participants to spend two hours seated during the first session of the day, it’s important to make this session interactive and engaging, but it can also be shortened as desired.

Focused on technical/scientific presentations, e..g at conferences or group meetings.

277.2.0.1 Day 1

Practice presentations, body language & stage-freight

Session Topic Exercises
1 Understanding your audience Naïve presentations
2 Body language
3 Body Language & Stage-freight
4 Feedback presentations

277.2.0.2 Day 2

The Q&A Session, story-telling, design and improved presentations

Session Topic Exercises
1 Questions & Answers, Story-telling & Structure Q & A or explanation presentations
2 Story-telling & Structure
3 Slide design
4 Revised presentations

Focused on scientific data visualizations

277.2.0.3 Day 1

Principles of data visualization

Session Topic Exercises
1 The purpose of Data Visualization
2 Perception, Design & Statistics
3 Uni-variate data visualizations
4 Multi-variate data visualizations Critique of submitted data visualizations

277.2.0.4 Day 2

Practical applications using programming language and package of choice

Session Topic Exercises
1 Plotting basics
2 Programming Exercises & 1:1
3 Modifying Plots & Specialty Plots
4 Programming Exercises & 1:1

Focused on scientific writing for publications

277.2.0.5 Day 1

Audience, words, sentences and paragraphs

Session Topic Exercises
1 Audience & identifying the take-home message, choosing words
2 Choosing words
3 Constructing sentences
4 Building paragraphs Abstract Revisions

277.2.0.6 Day 2

Parts of a paper, abstract and 1:1 sessions

Session Topic Exercises
1 Overall paper structure, introduction section
2 Materials & methods section, results section
3 Discussion section, the abstract & title
4 Abstract Editing and 1:1