Workshops and seminars: Enhancing effectiveness

Abstract

Workshops and seminars are well-known and frequently used formats for faculty development, characterized by their formal nature and short-term activities. However, what is meant by these formats is not always clear and their learning potential is not always realized. This chapter outlines the main characteristics of these formats and their potential contribution to faculty development programs. After a brief review of the literature on the effectiveness of workshops and seminars, we recommend a new framework for their design. This framework is based on theories about learning for teachers and combines learning outcomes, learning activities, and instructional methods. Case examples of a teach-the-teacher workshop and a seminar series on the integration of technology tools in a problem-based learning curriculum are given. Factors that enhance the transfer of learning from workshops and seminars to practice are discussed, as are suggestions for improving this format, based on evidence and new developments in this field.