ExperientialSessions

All experiential sessions all the time (no powerpoint!) sets AYE apart from other conferences. As I prepare for this year's AYE conference, I am interested in understanding more about what people like about this and what people might not like about this.

For those of you who have not been to AYE before, we, as hosts and presenters (not sure presenter is the right term), assume that your learning is best left to you. We attempt to create an environment (dare I say "space"?) around a particular topic that encourages open exchange, creation and reformulation of ideas and feelings. Sometimes this involves simulating particular situations (like an airport) or smaller group discussion/presentation or living sculpts of sitations (like projects or work teams) or games (I'm interested in the bead game) or panel discussions (which develop into audience discussion) and other approaches which I have not witnessed yet.

So, as the conference draws nearer and as we fine tune our sessions, what advice can you give us to help us create a provocative, learningful and fun environment? -- BobKing 2002.09.16

Perhaps the term "presenters" could be retired and we could use either "preparer" or "host" instead.

I like that the maximum probable IQ of a presenter might be as high as 175, but the collective IQ of the group is at least N * 100! There are so many more experiences and viewpoints to draw from.

--BobLee 2002.09.17

Mr. Lee, I like your argument, but I think N times a hundred factorial is too large an estimate for the group IQ, even though they're all AYE participants. - Jerry Weinberg

I won't dignify the abuse of the exclamation point by former APL users. ;-)

--BobLee 2002.09.23

Mr. Lee, I have to wonder what people who program in loops could possibly offer to people who have achieved - matrix operations - ah.h.h.h.h . - BeckyWinant Sept. 23, 02

Mr. Lee, how do you know that Becky and I are former APL users? APL lives! (That's lives factorial, as in mathematics, for the ignorant!) - JerryWeinberg 2002.09.23
- I know, but sometimes even English is a Write-Only language for me ;-)) -BobLee 2002.09.24

"host" we already use to signify what we do throughout the conference. I like "preparer", as in we hope to prepare something to provoke learning of some kind. -- BobKing 2002.09.17

Another option could be facilitator, a term very common here in Adult Ed sessions. SherryHeinze 2002.09.22

My readings on these sessions lead me to wonder if "Appropriate Obstructor" would be a better title than "facilitator". I, of course, would be a "Needlessly Irreverent Commentator". -DaveLiebreich 2002.09.22

Has anyone read "The Facilitator's Fieldbook" by Justice, Jamieson, et al.? Would you recommend it?

KeithRay 2002.09.25

Updated: Wednesday, September 25, 2002