Creating Inspiring Workshops and Courses in Transdisciplinarity: A Guide - Manual / Resource - Page 19
Can potential candidates apply to attend the training, or can you send them a
short survey?
A brief survey sent to potential participants can help you learn more about your potential learners so that you can
effectively prepare with them in mind. Develop a short questionnaire with a few key questions, such as:
•
Please describe any previous experiences you’ve had with TD.
•
In what other ways (if any) have you worked with societal partners to date?
•
If you do not have any prior experience, what have you heard or read about that makes this approach appealing to
you?
•
Do you have a project in mind, or are you currently working on a project?
•
What do you most wish to learn in a training on TD?
Can you limit the number of participants?
Depending on the goals of the training, and whether you have co-facilitators, the ideal number of participants can vary.
As a solo trainer, for an intensive hands-on training, a group of 12 to 15 participants is ideal. If you have two trainers, you
can work with 20 people. It can also be highly effective to have as few as eight participants. There’s a richness in having
enough people for a good group exchange. But if you have too many participants, it is challenging to be able to hear from
everyone, address their questions, and hear their reflections and comments. That said, a larger group may work in shorter
trainings that provide a basic overview of TD but have fewer opportunities for actual skill development.
Do participants know each other?
Does everyone who is attending have the same level of experience and position? Are they currently working on a project
together? It can be challenging and not ideal to have faculty and students in the same workshop because of power
dynamics; it is likely to inhibit conversation on the part of both students and faculty. When people are learning something
new, they want to feel safe from judgment and feel free to ask questions. Learners wants to build on their prior
experience.
Basics of training design
Participants
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