Seminar, Symposium and Panel Discussion

Seminar

Definition

Formal presentation by one or more experts in which the attendees are encouraged to discuss the subject matter.

Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction,  either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is requested to actively participate. This is often accomplished through an ongoing Socratic dialogue with a seminar leader or instructor, or through a more formal presentation of research. Normally, participants must not be beginners in the field under discussion (at US universities, seminar classes are generally reserved for upper-class students, although at UK and Australian universities seminars are often used for all years). The idea behind the seminar system is to familiarize students more extensively with themethodology of their chosen subject and also to allow them to interact with examples of the practical problems that always occur during research work. It is essentially a place where assigned readings are discussed, questions can be raised and debates can be conducted. It is relatively informal, at least compared to the lecture system of academic instruction.

In some European universities, a seminar may be a large lecture course, especially when conducted by a renowned thinker (regardless of the size of the audience or the scope of student participation in discussion). Some non-English speaking countries in Europe use the wordseminar (e.g., German Seminar, Slovenian seminar, Polish seminarium, etc.) to refer to a university class that includes a term paper or project, as opposed to a lecture class (i.e., German Vorlesung, Slovenian predavanje, Polish wykład, etc.). This does not correspond to English use of the term. In some academic institutions, the term "preceptorial" is used interchangeably with seminar, although this is typically utilized in the scientific fields.

Increasingly, the term "seminar" is used to describe a commercial event (though sometimes free to attend) where delegates are given information and instruction in a subject such as property investing, other types of investing, Internet marketing, self-improvement or a wide range of topics, by experts in that field.

Seminar presentations are also intended for the improvement of technical knowledge of people.The presentations may also be uploaded in the internet for further reference by people.

 Symposium

Meeting or conference for the public discussion of some topic especially one in which the participants form an audience and make presentations

Panel discussion by experts on a specific topic with audienceparticipation that is less that in a forum.

Difference

A meeting, two or more people come together for the purpose of discussing a (usually) predetermined topic such as business or community event planning, often in a formal setting.

Symposium originally referred to a drinking party (the Greek verb sympotein means "to drink together") but has since come to refer to any academic conference, whether or not drinking takes place.

A Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at a university or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is requested to actively participate.

Panel discussion for example, if an issue is too complex for one person to handle, a panel may be covered so a group of specialists can speak. Or perhaps the audience need to introduced or exposed to various people or viewpoints at the same session.

Panel discussions, however, differ from team presentations. Their purpose is different. In a team presentation, the group presents agreed-upon views; in a panel discussion, the purpose is to present different views. Also in a team presentations, usually speakers stand as they speak; in panel discussions, usually speakers sit the whole time. In panel discussion each speaker prepares separately, the other speakers here one another for the time at the session itself.

Technically, a panel discussion consists of questions and answers only, and a symposium consists of a series of prepared speeches, followed by questions and answers. The compare must monitor time and manage questions. If each participant is making a speech for a set period of time, he should signal the speakers at the one minute to go mark and at the stop mark. If a speakers goes more than one or two minute he can stop them to gave the equal rights to each speakers. The compare must be a biased person; he is neither in nor against the topic.

Who takes part in a panel discussion?

There are three sets of participants in a panel disucssion.

They are :

1. The panel members who consist of experts in the field concerned.
2. The audience of selected students/trainees/participants and teachers. who ask questions of the panellist.
3. The moderator who initiates the discussion, questions, synthesizes and summarizes the key points.

The word ‘panel’ means a group of experts. The discussion held among these expert members in front of an audience could be called panel discussion.

The panel would change from subject to subject, but there would be an anchor person, who would introduce the panelists, receive questions and distribute them to the panelists upon their specialization..

The panel for a topic ‘ The effect of housework on children’ may include a child specialist, a child psychologist, a teacher, an educational administrator and a journalist.

What topics can be taken up for panel discussion?

When the theme or topic tends to be complicated and controversial in nature, a panel discussion often helps to clarify issues. The difficult aspects of the topic are considered in a systematic and objective manner.

How is a panel discussion set up?

1. Experts in the field are invited as panelists.
2. There is an invited audience of trainers and trainees or teachers and students.
3. Questions on the proposed topic are collected in advance from the audience and handed over to the panelists
4. Questions are generally classified according to the sub-topic/ aspect/ dimension of the proposed theme. The panelists come prepared to the panel discussion.

How is a panel discussion conducted?

1. The moderator introduces the theme of the discussion to the participants. The moderator also initiates the discussion on the issue under consideration.
2. The questions are then addressed to the panelists in a pre-determined order.
3. The panelists are called (in a pre-determined order) to express their views
4. Later, panel members may react to, respond to or complement the views expressed by co-panelists.
5. At the end of the session, the moderator integrates and synthesizes the different points of view and presents them to the audience.
6. If there is time, the moderator can call for further questions
7. Finally, the moderator sums up the discussion and highlights the key points.

What are the advantages of a panel discussion?

1. It facilitates clarification on knotty issues.
2. It highlights the multi-dimensionality of the issue under discussion.
3. It helps to develop critical thinking in both panelists and the audience
4. It fosters logical thinking
5. It develops presentation skills.
6. It teaches students to think of the issues under consideration and ask relevant questions.

Guidelines for Conducting a Panel Discussion

A panel discussion is designed to provide an opportunity for a group to hear several people knowledgeable about a specific issue or topic present information and discuss personal views. A panel discussion may help the audience further clarify and evaluate their positions regarding specific issues or topics being discussed and increase their understanding of the positions of others.

How to Proceed

1. Identify, or help participants identify, an issue or topic that involves an important conflict in values and/or interests. The issue or topic may be set forth as a topical question, a hypothetical incident, a student experience, an actual case, etc.
2. Select panelists who are well informed about and have specific points of view regarding the issue or topic. A panel discussion that includes three to five panelists is usually most workable. Select a leader or moderator.
3. Indicate to panelists the objectives the panel discussion is designed to promote and allow-time for panel members to prepare for the discussion. In some situations ten or fifteen minutes may be sufficient time for preparation while in other situations, panel members may need to prepare several weeks in advance of the scheduled discussion.
4. Decide upon the format the panel discussion will follow. Various formats are appropriate. The following procedures have been used effectively:
   
   
   a. The leader or moderator introduces the topic and the panelists present their views and opinions regarding the issue or topic for a set amount of time.
   b. The panelists discuss the issue or topic with each other by asking questions or reacting to the views and opinions of other panel members. A specific amount of time should be established.
   c. The leader or moderator closes the discussion and provides a summary of panel presentations and discussion. 
   d. The leader or moderator calls for a forum period during which the members of the class may participate by addressing questions to various panel members or by voicing their views and opinions. The forum period should be conducted by the panel leader or moderator. 

Principal Responsibilities of the Instructor

1. Identify, or help participants identify, issues or topics upon which to base a panel discussion.
2. Insure that all panelists and the moderator are familiar with the procedures for panel discussion in advance of the discussion itself so that they will be able to fulfill the responsibilities of their roles.
3. Assist panelists and participants (when necessary) in preparation for the discussion by directing them to various source materials, authorities in the field, etc.
4. Help participants understand the need for fair procedures in discussing an issue or topic, e.g., the freedom to discuss an issue, the obligation to listen to other points of view, the need for orderly, courteous discussion, etc.

Workshop

A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools (or machinery) that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods. Apart from the largerfactories, workshops were the only places of production in the days before industrialisation.