Rudiments of A Seminar

What is Seminar?
-A seminar is generally understood to be a small group meeting in which students
and a tutor discuss information on a chosen topic.
-Formal presentation by one or more experts in which the attendees are encouraged
to discuss the subject matter.
-A seminar may be defined as a gathering of people for the purpose of discussing a
stated topic. Such gatherings are usually interactive sessions where the participants
engage in discussions about the delineated topic. The sessions are usually headed
or led by one or two presenters who serve to steer the discussion along the desired
path.

How do they differ?

1.) Symposium
-a formal gathering in an academic setting where participants are experts in
their fields. These experts present or deliver their opinions or viewpoints on a
chosen topic of discussion.
-it covers a single topic or subject and all the lectures given by experts are
completed in a single day.
-Symposium can be described as a smaller conference that gets over in a
single day with a lesser number of delegates.
2.) Conference
-refers to a formal meeting where participants exchange their views on
various topics.
-A conference is a meeting that has been prearranged and involves
consultation and discussion on a number of topics by the delegates.
-it need not be academic in nature all the time.

parent teacher conferences

sport conferences

a trade conference

a conference of journalists

conference of doctors

a conference of research scholars

3.) Workshop
- includes all the elements of the Seminar, but with the largest portion being
emphasized on hand-on-practice or laboratory work.

- The Lab work is designed to reinforce, imprint and bring forward an

immediate functioning dimension to the participants eye and hands by
implementing and practicing the actual concept or technique that was taught
through the lecture and demonstration process.

Purpose of Seminar
A seminar may have several purposes or just one purpose.

Educational

a seminar may be for the purpose of education, such as a

lecture, where the participants engage in the discussion of an
academic subject for the aim of gaining a better insight into the
subject.

Impart some skills or knowledge to the participants.

Examples of such seminars include personal finance, web

marketing, real estate, investing or other types of seminars
where the participants gain knowledge or tips about the topic of
discussion.

Motivational

the purpose is usually to inspire the attendees to become better

people, or to work towards implementing the skills they might
have learned from the seminar. For instance, a business seminar
with a financial theme could be for the purpose of teaching small
business owners how to pitch to investors or to write a solid
business plan, and to motivate them to get started right away.

Sometimes, seminars are simply a way for businessmen and women, or

other like-minded people, to network and meet other attendees with
similar interests. Such seminars provide opportunities for the attendees to
make some potentially valuable contacts that can help them move to the
next level in their careers or endeavors.

Why have Seminars?

Seminars create opportunities to:

explore topics in more depth;

share ideas in a way that will advance your thinking;

learn from other people's experiences and background knowledge;

gain perspectives and points of view that you might not have otherwise
considered;

identify and sort out any misunderstandings.

Types of Seminar

1.

Seminars are conducted in various stages. Based on the size and

organizational aspects the seminars can be classified in to four types: Mini
seminar , Major seminar, National seminar and International seminar

Mini Seminar

Its coverage and scope are small and simple.

A small population is enough to hold this seminar.

A mini seminar is felt necessary because it gives good experience to

conduct a major seminar at Institutional level.

2. Major Seminar

conducted at an institutional or departmental level for a specific topic

or subject

Usually students and teachers are participating in this type of seminar.

This major seminar can be organized at department level for every
month.

A specific topic or subject is selected for the theme of the seminar.

3. National Seminar

An association of any kind particularly with academic or professional

interest or an organization (Government, Firm, etc.,) conducts the
seminar at National level

The subject experts are invited to the seminar for discussion. The
Secretary of the seminar prepares the schedule and functionaries for
seminar.

4. International Seminar

Usually the seminar conducted by an international organization or

agency

Theme of this seminar has wider aspects.

Globalization, Renovation, Atomic

implementation and modification

energy

agreements,

Policies

The Seminar Committee

Seminar is conducted or organized by the committee proposed for this purpose only.
Usually a seminar has been conducted with the following team of organizing body.

Chairperson/ President/ Convener of Seminar

Organizing Secretary

Chairperson of the Technical Session of seminar

Speaker of Seminar

Participants

Role and functions of the persons involved in the Seminar

1.) Role of President or Convener :

The convener has to plan and prepare the total functionaries.

He is the core person and decides the theme of the seminar and fixes
the objectives of seminar.

He is the key person to hold all administrative functions and advisory

for the seminar.

2.) Role of Organizing Secretary :

He is the key person of the Seminar and responsible for the planning
and executing the functions of seminar.

He is the prime advisory for the convener in selecting the appropriate

functionaries for technical session and selection of paper presenters.

The time and venue of seminar and other administrative works are
decided by him with the advice of convener.

He is organizing the entire course of seminar till end session.

3.) Role of Chairperson of the Technical Session of seminar :

He is the only person to hold the complete responsibility of the whole

technical session.

He should have the adequate knowledge about the subject or theme

dealt in the seminar. Also he is cooperative and clarifies the speakers
presentation.

He has to control the whole session with lively instructions and

information.

4.) Role of the Speaker / paper presenter of seminar:

the person who prepares an article or paper about the theme or subtheme of the seminar to read and discuss in the seminar concerned.

He should prepare his paper with right and updated information with
sufficient knowledge about the paper or subject he dealt.

Also he may issue the copies of his paper to the participants. This
makes the observers and participants for warm participation with good
discussion forum. He has to reply to the group or questioner without
ambiguity.

How do they differ?

Speaker

shakes up peoples thinking, challenges them to think differently and

imparts some knowledge or a perspective that encourages people to
consider new options, new approaches or alternative ways of doing
things.

a Speaker is able to impart information of value or interest, in as short

a time as possible. The key here is that the Speaker has content to
deliver and can put the points over in a meaningful manner that the
audience can grasp and use.

Presenter
The presenter is a person delivering a message across to the other side.
For example, this person is giving the latest sales numbers in a business
meeting or letting members of the band boosters know the details of the
upcoming candy fundraiser.

Facilitator
- The definition of facilitate is "to make easy" or "ease a process." The
facilitator is not the same as presenter or trainer.
- The Facilitator will typically either have specialist knowledge, or the ability
to facilitate discussion between people that do have the knowledge, or both.
- The Facilitator keeps the discussion moving, ensures lively interaction,
stimulates the discussion, keeps it focused and draws it to a logical
conclusion.

5.) Role of the participants of seminar :

There may be 25-40 participants in each sitting only allowed.

The participants should have knowledge about the theme of seminar.

S/he must have the questioning skills. S/he must appreciate or criticize
speakers ideas and concepts positively.

Participant may express his own experience and knowledge to

interrogate speakers view. But it must be relevant to the discussion
held in the seminar.

6.) Role of the observer of seminar :

The eminent persons and Honorable guests are invited to attend /

participate in the seminar are known as observers. They have to
observe the discussion and other events occurred in the seminar and
deliberate their own views regarding them.

Their views and impressions play a remarkable role with the discussion
and finalization of the concepts derived in the seminar theme.

Steps Involved in Seminar

Before Seminar (Pre-Seminar Phase)

During Seminar (Seminar Phase)

After Seminar (Post-Seminar Phase)

Pre-Seminar Phase

Activities involved in the preliminary stage of seminar (pre seminar

phase):

The first step towards planning an effective seminar is to determine

what the purpose of the seminar will be.

Think about the target audience who will participate and what they
stand to gain from attending the seminar. Every seminar must have an
agenda, so determine what the agenda will be.

Set a budget for the seminar and work within this budget, and don't
get too carried away with the selection of venue and other
considerations that could potentially cost money.

Activities involved in Seminar Phase

Ensure the physical facilities (Stage settings, Seats, Audio-Visual

equipments, etc.) available for the participants of seminar.

Welcome the Chief Guests, Chair persons of Technical session,

Observers and Participants of seminar and encourage their active
participation in the seminar

The compendium must be distributed to the participants before the

beginning of seminar.

The seminar theme and its sub-theme need be explained.

Proper assistance must be ensure for every speaker / paper presenter

to facilitate their paper presentation by providing appropriate Audio,
Video equipments such as Public Address System, Over Head Projector,
LCD projector etc.

Activities involved in Post- Seminar Phase

Analyze the outcome of the seminar, including the response of the

attendees and their feedback in order to discover whether the aims of
the seminar were met.

You can also send out thank you notes to the attendees through emails
and any other follow up, such as upcoming seminars.

"People should leave your talks feeling happier and wiser than when they came in.
So often it's the opposite. Be an exception. Your talks should be clear, concise, fun,
exciting, and never ever run over time.

References:

http://foodsci.rutgers.edu/gsa/SeminarGaudelines.pdf
http://www.evenues.com/event-planning-guide/what-is-a-seminar
https://www.kent.ac.uk/library/subjects/lawlinks/skills-hub/docs/Learning-fromseminars.pdf
(Teaching of Science, First Year Source Book (D.T.Ed.) Tamil Nadu Textbook Society,
Chennai-600006. p74-78.).