Conference Weavers: a closing session for events

Conference Weavers: the logo for the 2012 Sustainable Meetings Conference with the slogan "EN ROUTE TO MEETING INNOVATION"Off to GMIC’s Sustainable Meetings Conference this weekend. Besides a four-minute rant Torn About Tech, which will explore my ambivalence about some uses of technology at face-to-face meetings, I’m also emceeing a novel closing session on Tuesday, April 24, 3:00 – 4:30 pm with a format I haven’t tried before: Conference Weavers.

Conference Weavers?
The purpose of a Conference Weavers session is to encourage reflection and reinforce learning by publicly sharing thoughts and impressions from the conference presentations and experiences. We’ll use a number of volunteers who will each spend a few minutes sharing their conference response with the group, followed by a chance for audience questions and responses. In addition, Jenise Fryatt will lead a little interpretative improv at some point. If time permits, I’m going to include a pair-share so that everyone will have an opportunity to share his or her thoughts.

Pair-share?
I thought you’d never ask. Pair-share is a simple participation technique you can use to involve every audience member in sharing and discussion. Audience members divide into pairs and take turns sharing with their partner their conference impressions. Once that’s complete, optional public sharing can be added.

I’ll report on how this format worked after I’m back from the conference. Stay tuned!

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