A study of the workshop as a teaching/learning strategy
Date
1979
Authors
Ronaghan, Roy Berton
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Abstract
This study examines the workshop as a teaching/learning strategy. The first part of the study traces the evolution of the workshop over a period of four decades from 1936, as it went through modifications to become what it is to practitioners today. A definition of the term "workshop" through the four decades; current usage of the term in advertising; current formats for workshops; adult learning theories and principles critical to the workshop form of learning; and evaluative techniques suitable for workshops are presented to develop an understanding of the context and practice of the workshop approach.
The second part of the study reports on a survey of North American workshop practitioners specially selected for this study, Results of the survey were compared with findings in the literature to determine the relationship between current practices and the existing literature. The results of the survey showed that most workshop practitioners today consider the workshop a special approach with a clear and precise set of theories, principles and strategies. The results showed unequivocally that the term "workshop" is not a generic one for meetings of a general nature for learning purposes.
Conclusions and recommendations are presented relating to the use of the workshop in the pre-service and in-service education of teachers and counselors in British Columbia.
The implications for agencies now using or contemplating the use of the workshop approach in in-service education programs were considered and recommendations were made about the skills, and the knowledge and experience levels of practitioners representing these agencies. An inventory of skills and abilities, a personal and professional growth program outline for practitioners, and a planning and design checklist for workshops were provided as devices to .be used to bring about improvement in the quality of workshops.