Tips for Workshop Presenters

Thank you for agreeing to present a workshop at the 2018 IBSC Annual Conference. We look forward to seeing you at The Southport School in July. To ensure a successful experience for both the presenters and delegates, please keep these tips in mind as you prepare for your workshop presentation.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Amy Ahart at ahart@theibsc.org.

Come to the Annual Conference Prepared

  • Register. If you have not already, please register for the conference. All workshop presenters are required to register in advance, even if you only plan to attend and present.
  • Send Your Presentation and Handout Materials to IBSC. This ensures that attendees can access and download all materials before, during, and after the conference. Email your materials to us at IBSC@theibsc.org and include the subject line "18AC website materials." In the body of the note, include the name, and workshop block of your workshop. Files should not exceed 1 MB. You may also submit a website link that holds all of your materials. We will aim to post all presentations submitted within 48 business hours of submission.
  • Room Set-Up / Audio Visual Needs. Each room will have the following standard room set up. Please note: This cannot change.
    • Classroom seating (30-40 seats)
    • Either a whiteboard or flip chart paper (and markers) will be available in each room and markers
    • LCD projector with screen and/or LCD TV Screen that works with your USB key and/or computer.

Presenters have the option of using their own computer with the presentation already loaded, or bring the final presentation loaded to a USB drive to use with a computer stationed in the room assigned. If presenter prefer their own computer, help will be provided with the connection to the projector and sound.

If you plan on using videos, please be sure to download all materials to your computer to avoid any internet issues.

  • On site, all workshop presenters should report to the Workshop Presenter Desk located in the Hall of Fame, Centenary Centre. Technology requirements and logistics and will be confirmed with personnel prior to your workshop.

Designing and Presenting Your Workshop

Enhance your presentation and engage your audience with these tips:

  • Ensure your presentation matches your abstract in the conference program.
  • 10-20-30 PowerPoint Rule – Be familiar with this rule offered by Guy Kawasaki. “… a PowerPoint presentation should have ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points.” Have a good balance of images and text.
  • Keep in mind that this is a global conference, and that delegates from other countries and educational systems will be in your room; they may not be familiar with terms and references you take for granted.
  • Seek out “critical friends” – experienced colleagues and presenters – for honest advice while plotting and rehearsing your workshop. This is especially true for those who haven’t presented before or very often.
  • Leverage and share expertise in educating boys. Make sure you talk about how the activity or program is attuned to boys’ learning, motivation, engagement, and achievement, etc. Your insights and reflections are valuable!
  • Challenge your audience with new ideas and discussion. Make them think and take new ideas or strategies back to their school.
  • Whenever possible, provide evidence to support the success of the program or activity you are talking about. As an organization, we like to model the principles of “reflective practice” and action research, and workshops should model these, too. Evidence can take a variety of forms – quantitative and qualitative, formal and informal. “What would evidence look like?” could also be a prompt for good discussion. Reveal your ideas and thoughts about how you might continue to improve the practice, and invite reflection.
  • Construct a “running sheet” – time allocated to the sections of your workshop – to ensure smooth pacing. Practice the running sheet, keeping in mind that you will need to improvise. Some presenters ask a friend to serve as “timekeeper” during the workshop.
  • Keep your workshop energetic and lively, and “mix it up” as much as possible with various activities, sharp transitions and delivery methods.
  • Remember that this is important professional development for attendees. Would this workshop be something you would attend or recommend to your staff?
  • Opportunity to discuss, probe and exchange is essential for workshops. Even if your workshop is a more traditional direct presentation, ensure that there is ample time for discussion during the workshop, and most certainly towards the end.
  • Manage discussion effectively. Give as many delegates as you can an opportunity to participate, while keeping an eye on your running sheet. Be prepared to ask questions to spark discussion, and to direct the flow of discussion. If you are using small group discussion within the workshop, be clear and crisp in your instructions.
  • Leave time at the end to summarize what you have presented, to reflect on ideas discussed, and to thank delegates for their attention and contribution. Let them know how they can get in contact with you.

Practicalities of Delivering Your Workshop

  • Pay attention to time:
    • Ensure your workshop begins at the designated time. There will be a host present to help introduce the workshop and call the room to order.
    • Make sure to know how much time you have to work with, design your presentation to fit the allocated time, and adjust as necessary throughout.
    • Leave time for questions.
    • Please help the IBSC Annual Conference stay on time and respect colleagues presenting after you. Make sure you complete your workshop at the designated workshop end time. If conversation continues, invite those individuals to join you outside the room.
  • Introduce yourself, all other presenters, and the title of the workshop.
  • Take a few minutes to review the purpose, objectives, and level of your topic. Give attendees permission to move on before starting if this isn’t for them.
  • Know your audience - make sure you understand the group that has come together for your presentation. Find out what they already know on your topic. Be able to adjust your presentation as needed. Move quickly through the background and on to more complex ideas if you find you have a more experienced audience.
  • Create a sign-in sheet. Create a plan prior to the conference of how to collect information on those attending your workshop if you’d like to engage in any follow-up conversation.
  • Don’t sell a product.
  • Invite workshop attendees to evaluate your workshop via the mobile app (see closing slide text in “Designing Your Workshop” section above).
  • At the conclusion of your workshop, it is important that you clean up your materials, set the room back to its original condition, and move any lingering conversations outside of the room. You must return the room to its original setup, including chair arrangements.