Facilitator/ Presenter Best Practices

These “Best Practice” are listed to help you as you plan for a successful workshop. You are always welcome to contact the CTX with questions or just to share your ideas, sequence, or materials prior to the event. Your success transfers to the participants, and subsequently, to the students! 

Before Your Workshop:

  1. Remember that in preparing your workshop, you have many resources on campus: CTX, Library, Academic Affairs, Faculty Senate, your peers, and more
  2. Be prepared (i.e., know the agenda, the content, and have teaching materials ready)
  3. Arrive early to make sure room, materials, and media are in order; Test run technology!

During Your Workshop:

  1. Establish learning outcomes for each session and as much as possible follow the agenda
  2. Model a variety of teaching techniques (e.g., guest speakers, videos, role plays, brainstorming, discussions, lecture, think pair share)
  3. Strive to involve all participants
  4. Keep the discussions on point and moving forward
  5. Be flexible in program delivery and prepare for the unexpected
  6. Provide time to ask questions or obtain clarification
  7. Finish on time

Workshop Climate:

  1. Recognize and draw on the expertise and strengths of the participants by
    accessing prior knowledge to avoid assumptions
  2. Make sessions interactive and avoid prolonged lecturing or presenting
  3. Be enthusiastic, use relevant examples to help make your points, use humor
  4. Be sensitive to different learning styles (e.g., visual, auditory, kinesthetic)
  5. Maintain an informal, relaxed, conversational style of presentation

Check out these tips and tricks for Facilitating Professional Development Events on Zoom for more information on facilitating techniques.