Campusalam

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This is what happens most often at educational-type events. A speaker talks to the audience, and afterwards answers questions and maybe engages in a little more free discussion.

Allow about an hour for the talk . That’s usually the maximum that people can take without losing concentration; unless the speaker is unusually skillful and uses a variety of media, visual aids, and techniques.

For example:

- Introduction from chairperson or host (5 minutes maximum, usually less)
- Speech (45 minutes)
- Questions (15 minutes)

You may want to allow more time for questions but some people will be losing concentration.

Pros:

- Simple and doesn’t take much imagination to organise or facilitate
- Gets quality information from a high-value speaker
- Allows for depth – suits a complex and important topic
- Allows some interaction for attendees
- Gives contact and exposure to interesting figures and ideas so they can be explored
- A popular format – people know what to expect and don’t feel exposed or embarrassed


Cons:

- It can be long for some people’s attention span; deadly with a dull speaker
- Some people don’t learn best this way
- Where there is controversy, usually this highlights only one point of view; no balance
- Restricts audience participation – the people asking questions will be the most extravert, not necessarily the best
- Can easily be disrupted or hijacked by people who want to create trouble; or even well-meaning people in the audience who keep the microphone and give their own little speech, annoying everyone.
- Speaker’s costs will need to be covered