Thoughts from conferences and seminars

Given the numbers of presentations, keynotes, panels etc I attend each year, I thought it might be useful (for me and maybe others?) to post the stimulating ideas I hear about, or people I have met. There is so much EE and ESD practice but it is hard sometimes for people to connect!
For example I went to a seminar last night at the Institute of Education about ‘Pedagogies for Development Education’ presented by Doug Bourn. It was very interesting especially as SEEd develops its own pedagogy project.

Doug presented a diagram from a German conference showing 3 overlapping circles named Self, Others and World(s). In the centre was placed Development Education. It reminded me of the huge number of times I have seen this sort of diagram - always with 3 overlapping circles. Apart from the power and seductiveness of the number 3 (where does that come from?) I also wonder about the seductiveness of this type of diagram. Maybe putting more than 2 ideas shows your inclusiveness and a move away from oppositional thinking of only having 2 things (the ‘either or’ syndrome). Or maybe we can blame it on maths teaching in the sixties and seventies on sets and Venn diagrams.

On a positive note though it is good to see holistic thinking - my worry is the tyranny of the centre overlapped spot. What to put there? Well usually its the thing you are proposing. I have yet to see anyone put their area of work or idea on the other segments. Is it about showing importance or influences?

I often wonder how I ended up giving so many speeches - never a life plan, ambition, need. However I am at times almost becoming evangelical about not using Powerpoint. Why? Well 2 reasons - both again about the tyranny of diagrams or software to control how and what you say and eventually the unintended impressions you may give.

I find bullets (and long lists of them even more so) come across as very definitive, complete, ‘here are my conclusions, ‘this is the comprehensive list’ etc. And definitely not participatory. If you are not confident as a speaker I can see how alluring this is. However when 12 presenters do this in a whole day conference I begin to feel extremely sorry for the participants! This did happen to me - I was the 12th.

There are good examples - e.g. An Inconvenient Truth was structured by experts on how to motivate, entertain and keep an audience with you as well as ensure they get the main points.
But I wonder more about the appropriate presentation techniques that model or show either the thinking about ESD or the actual practice. I have got as far as using participatory approaches, encouraging reflection and doing some critical thinking. But am wondering if this is enough? How do we show the evolving nature and learning journey we are all on with ESD?

Thoughts and suggestions on this blog would be most welcome! Name checks are guaranteed!