Episode 196

How to Create Successful and Entertaining Multi-Hour Workshops and Presentations

Welcome to "Ask the Tech Coach," a podcast for Instructional Coaches and Technology Integration Specialists. In this episode of “Ask the Tech Coach,” Jeff sits down with Adam Jaurez, Brien Seymour, Jackie Patanio, and Tammy Dunbar to discuss our best tips and tricks for creating multi-hour presentations and workshops for both our school districts and large mega-conferences such as ISTE. If you would like to be a part of future podcasts and share your thoughts, please contact the podcast.  We would love to have you join the show.

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Question of the Week

Our favorite part of recording a live podcast each week is participating in the great conversations that happen on our live chat, on social media, and in our comments section. This week’s question is:  

Weekly Topic: How to Create Effective and Engaging Multi-Hour Presentations and Workshops

Workshop Proposals
  • Structure, Structure, Structure ... and Specific Timelines
  • Have a catchy title
  • Know your audience
  • Be clear in your course descriptions
  • Don’t try to sell a product in your presentation
  • Choose the category and topic that is currently hot!
Planning & Preparing
  • Showcase Time, Hands-On Time, Presentation Time and time for a few surprises!
  • Contact vendors for freebies to give away to attendees
  • Make sure you have your audience give aways all set and ready to go
Creating Expectations
  • Amplify on Social Media
  • Contact attendees ahead of sessions (if you have emails)
  • Stand in the hallways and bring people in
Before the workshop happens
  • Check Venue
  • Check your Tech (have backups!)
  • Be prepared to throw out the script if needed
  • Create a bit.ly or short link that people can easily go to in case things aren’t working.
Workshop/Presentation Activities
  • Allow others to shine – don't be the “sage on the stage”
  • Hands-on, kinesthetic, group learning.
  • Present like a wrestler!
  • Playgrounds: Have an elevator pitch ready!
Post Workshop
  • Collection of all resources on Wakelet to share
Saying Thank You
  • Follow-up emails to attendees, recounting their successes, thanking them for their active participation and challenging them to do something in the future (maybe become a presenter themselves?)

About our Guests

Adam Jaurez

Adam Juarez is a Technology Integration Coach for Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District. He supports teachers through individualized coaching, demo lessons and professional development. Adam is a Google Certified Trainer and Innovator, Leroy Finkel Fellowship Finalist, co-founder of #CVTechTalk, frequent speaker/presenter at various edtech events across the country, 2020 30 K-12 IT Influencers Worth a Follow (EdTech Magazine) and co-author of The Complete EdTech Coach: A Organic Approach to Supporting Digital Learning. | techcoachjuarez.com

Brian Seymour

Brian Seymour has 22 years in the education and technology field, and currently the Executive Director of Instructional Technology for Pickerington Schools in Ohio. Biggest honor as back in 2018 when Pickerington Schools was named ISTE’s Distinguished District of the Year.| Twitter @SeymourEducate

Jackie Patanio

Jackie Patanio has 16 year in education serving as an elementary educator, technology coach and district technology administrator with a focus on the education technology in the New York City Department of Education. She currently serves as a Director of Citywide Ed Tech in support of all 1.1 million students in the DOE system. Jackie’s primary focus has been on educator and leader development in tech integration, innovative practices and relationship building in professional development. Twitter @JPatanio

Tammy Dunbar

Tammy Brecht Dunbar, M.Ed., STEM,  teaches 5th grade in Manteca (CA) and is a 2019 Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Fellow. She was the NCCE 2020 Conference closing keynote, the 2016 California Woman of the Year, Assembly District 12, and she won the 2021 ISTE Interactive Video Conferencing Network Classroom Educator Award and the 2018 ISTE Literacy PLN Award for #CultivateWorldLiteracy. She was a panelist on Microsoft Education’s 2022 Fostering Student Well-Being Webinar featured speaker on Microsoft’s Fall 2017 Hack the Classroom broadcast worldwide. A popular presenter and trainer, Dunbar will be busy this Summer keynoting at the 2022 -STEM Amplifying STEM Conference in Idaho Falls, presenting at the 2022 Innovative Practices Conference in Cincinnati, OH, and being a featured speaker at the 2022 Global Teaching Dialogue sponsored by the US State Department and Fulbright (among other conferences and trainings) . She is a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert & Master Trainer, a Global Minecraft Mentor, a Common Sense Certified Educator & a National Geographic Certified Educator. More at bit.ly/TammyBrechtDunbar | Twitter: @TammyDunbar

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About the Podcast

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Ask The Tech Coach
A Podcast for Instructional Technology Coaches and Digital Learning Leaders

About your host

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Jeffrey Bradbury

Jeff Bradbury is a globally-recognized educator, educational broadcaster, public speaker, and entrepreneur whose powerful message has inspired thousands of educators through the TeacherCast Educational Network.