Comments on: Walking out on bad presenters http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html Technology, leadership, and the future of schools Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:42:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: James Tapankov http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html/comment-page-1#comment-20372 James Tapankov Wed, 16 Jun 2010 20:14:49 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html#comment-20372 Scott, over years of professional development sessions and many agonizing experiences like this, I came up with my own formula for PD success with my colleagues. I call it "The Seven Things That Make Learning Meaningful"(http://theseven.edublogs.org).It's very much focused on the idea that, well, the Golden Rule follows in PD, too. If you want good sessions, go out there and give them to others and be their model. Have a look and tell me what you think... Death by PD...a horrible way to go. :) Scott, over years of professional development sessions and many agonizing experiences like this, I came up with my own formula for PD success with my colleagues. I call it “The Seven Things That Make Learning Meaningful”(http://theseven.edublogs.org).It’s very much focused on the idea that, well, the Golden Rule follows in PD, too. If you want good sessions, go out there and give them to others and be their model. Have a look and tell me what you think…

Death by PD…a horrible way to go. :)

]]> By: Sharon Elin http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html/comment-page-1#comment-10424 Sharon Elin Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html#comment-10424 I agree that it's frustrating to suffer through a badly-prepared presentation, but I do believe we have a professional and collegiate responsibility to give constructive advice, especially to new presenters who might be just breaking into the conference arena. We can't offer that help by walking out with a dismissive tone. As an alternative, if you leave with a friendly wave and follow up later with reasons that you found the session less than helpful, you might affect more positive change to the professional network. In my opinion, everyone has something to offer. When I'm in a disappointing session, I make mental notes of what <i>not</i> to do in a presentation and at least use the session to affirm and reinforce my own knowledge of the topic if I'm not learning anything as novel as I had hoped. Best of all, I like your alternative method of quietly working on your own projects (i.e., checking email)without disrupting the session by walking out. It is a much more courteous and less arrogant way to react. By the way, if I ever present at a conference and you're in the audience, please send me an email to critique my delivery and content. I want to improve. The best way to do that is by doing, and by hearing feedback from the experts. I posted earlier this month on this topic because I feel it is important to create a helpful, collaborative climate among educators and technology experts. <a href="http://edutwist.com/elin/intellectual_bullyingintellectual_bullying/" rel="nofollow">http://edutwist.com/elin/intellectual_bullyingintellectual_bullying/</a> I agree that it’s frustrating to suffer through a badly-prepared presentation, but I do believe we have a professional and collegiate responsibility to give constructive advice, especially to new presenters who might be just breaking into the conference arena. We can’t offer that help by walking out with a dismissive tone. As an alternative, if you leave with a friendly wave and follow up later with reasons that you found the session less than helpful, you might affect more positive change to the professional network.

In my opinion, everyone has something to offer. When I’m in a disappointing session, I make mental notes of what not to do in a presentation and at least use the session to affirm and reinforce my own knowledge of the topic if I’m not learning anything as novel as I had hoped.

Best of all, I like your alternative method of quietly working on your own projects (i.e., checking email)without disrupting the session by walking out. It is a much more courteous and less arrogant way to react.

By the way, if I ever present at a conference and you’re in the audience, please send me an email to critique my delivery and content. I want to improve. The best way to do that is by doing, and by hearing feedback from the experts.

I posted earlier this month on this topic because I feel it is important to create a helpful, collaborative climate among educators and technology experts. http://edutwist.com/elin/intellectual_bullyingintellectual_bullying/

]]> By: Greg http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html/comment-page-1#comment-10425 Greg Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html#comment-10425 I totally agree Scott. I usually have my laptop with so use that to get things done to try avoiding a scene but have physically walked out once or twice if no other option was viable. Maybe if more people walked out rather than surfed though the presenters might get the message because they often can't read the signs that most of their audience has disengaged. I totally agree Scott. I usually have my laptop with so use that to get things done to try avoiding a scene but have physically walked out once or twice if no other option was viable. Maybe if more people walked out rather than surfed though the presenters might get the message because they often can’t read the signs that most of their audience has disengaged.

]]> By: Gordon http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html/comment-page-1#comment-10426 Gordon Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html#comment-10426 I wonder if Scott walked out on beginning teachers in high school or professors in college. ;>) Don't we want professionals to do their best at sharing their personal or professional learning? We'll always have good to great in the spectrum. I wonder if Scott walked out on beginning teachers in high school or professors in college. ;>)

Don’t we want professionals to do their best at sharing their personal or professional learning? We’ll always have good to great in the spectrum.

]]> By: marycooksley@gmail.com http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html/comment-page-1#comment-10427 marycooksley@gmail.com Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html#comment-10427 While I agree with Scott and have wanted to walk out on more than one occasion, I have found that some people who attended the session found it to be interesting and well presented. It might be a matter of personal preference and learning style that makes us either engage or disengage? Isn't that true of students in classrooms as well - some are tuned in because of the delivery method while others are disengaged at the same time. I also try to think about the audience when I am presenting - try to make the presentation engaging and meaningful so they can take at least one new piece of learning away. When I am in a presentation I wish I hadn't attended, I try to get at least one thing out of it - like you said Sharon. I try to hone my own presentation skills or find something to validate what I am doing in my professional practice. Boredom in a presentation feels like enduring a root-canal (or maybe you would prefer that?), but being disrespectful is not the way to go. If a lot of people are checking their e-mail during my presentation that is a message to me I am not meeting their needs. While I agree with Scott and have wanted to walk out on more than one occasion, I have found that some people who attended the session found it to be interesting and well presented. It might be a matter of personal preference and learning style that makes us either engage or disengage? Isn’t that true of students in classrooms as well – some are tuned in because of the delivery method while others are disengaged at the same time.

I also try to think about the audience when I am presenting – try to make the presentation engaging and meaningful so they can take at least one new piece of learning away. When I am in a presentation I wish I hadn’t attended, I try to get at least one thing out of it – like you said Sharon. I try to hone my own presentation skills or find something to validate what I am doing in my professional practice.

Boredom in a presentation feels like enduring a root-canal (or maybe you would prefer that?), but being disrespectful is not the way to go. If a lot of people are checking their e-mail during my presentation that is a message to me I am not meeting their needs.

]]> By: Denise Link http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html/comment-page-1#comment-10428 Denise Link Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html#comment-10428 Oddly, I've gotten some of my best ideas in really badly presented sessions. For some reason it frees my mind to dwell on the few points that strike me, and I go off to write sometimes pages of notes on my own thoughts, prompted by some point in the slides or mentioned by the presenter. I would much rather piece together the good content from a poor presenter than be entertained by a good presenter with no real information to give. With that said, I will leave a conference session that isn't what I expected from the blurb (too low level, too tool-specific, etc). I have also walked out on many a stand-up comic masquerading as a "fantastic speaker." Oddly, I’ve gotten some of my best ideas in really badly presented sessions. For some reason it frees my mind to dwell on the few points that strike me, and I go off to write sometimes pages of notes on my own thoughts, prompted by some point in the slides or mentioned by the presenter. I would much rather piece together the good content from a poor presenter than be entertained by a good presenter with no real information to give.

With that said, I will leave a conference session that isn’t what I expected from the blurb (too low level, too tool-specific, etc). I have also walked out on many a stand-up comic masquerading as a “fantastic speaker.”

]]> By: Sharon Elin http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html/comment-page-1#comment-10429 Sharon Elin Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html#comment-10429 CORRECTION: My apologies! Here is a corrected link to my blog post. (Good thing I wasn't giving a presentation when that happened!) <a href="http://edutwist.com/elin/intellectual_bullying/" rel="nofollow">http://edutwist.com/elin/intellectual_bullying/</a> CORRECTION: My apologies! Here is a corrected link to my blog post. (Good thing I wasn’t giving a presentation when that happened!)

http://edutwist.com/elin/intellectual_bullying/

]]> By: Kurt http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html/comment-page-1#comment-10430 Kurt Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html#comment-10430 I am glad you added the PS.... I am glad you added the PS….

]]> By: Chris http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html/comment-page-1#comment-10431 Chris Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html#comment-10431 I completely agree with you Scott! I have tuned out and walked out of presentations for the same reasons! I completely agree with you Scott! I have tuned out and walked out of presentations for the same reasons!

]]> By: Melissa http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html/comment-page-1#comment-10432 Melissa Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2009/06/walking-out-on-bad-presenters.html#comment-10432 So, I really would like to know what counts as a bad presentation. What did not work for you, Scott? This post was a lot about why it was okay for you to walk out vs. what did not work and why. I am thinking about marycooksley's response about style preference. So, I really would like to know what counts as a bad presentation. What did not work for you, Scott? This post was a lot about why it was okay for you to walk out vs. what did not work and why. I am thinking about marycooksley’s response about style preference.

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