Interactive Symposium
The Interactive Symposium will allow time for debate, discussion and feedback about the presentations. Chairs and speakers play an active role in engaging the audience using interactive methods appropriate for large groups. This innovative format and session design techniques contribute to a dynamic and communicative symposium.
Why do we do this?
The EAACI Congress is what it is thanks to its participants and we want them to enjoy the Congress. In evaluations, the attendees told us many times: ‘We want more interaction.’
Participants look for three things: to learn, to network and to have a positive experience. All these points result from interaction.
Education changes through technology and science. It shapes format and group techniques. More interaction and group work and less lecturing seem to be the way forward.
How will the Interactive Symposium format be improved in 2018?
The session will last 1 hour, and 30 minutes and it will include interaction and group work.
The session time keeper facilitates the interaction, the conversations in the room. The facilitator helps participants, speakers and chairs when needed.
We allow for more interaction during the three presentations (each 18 min). Participants will be asked to respond on multiple voting questions.
The three presentations will be followed by a large group discussion, called Super Brainstorm. Participants will be asked to give input in the mobile app, after they discussed the topic/question/statement in pairs. Example: “from what you have heard, what is applicable for your job?”
Don’t be afraid to stand up and walk towards the microphone or ask the hostess in the room for the microphone and ask you questions.
How do you do this?
As a speaker or chair in the Interactive Symposium, you are in the driver’s seat to redesign your session: give your session a real energy boost!
It is simple:
1. Break your presentation (18 min) into smaller, more memorable, chunks
2. Use pictures, try to avoid bullet points
3. Involve the participants by asking one or multiple voting question(s)
4. End your presentation with a task for the pairs to work on
Get started!
a) Watch these short instructional videos:
Making your session dynamic (5 min) (hi tech tools from this video will be replaced onsite by low tech tools such as event app and handheld microphone)
How to improve your session slides (9 min)
b) Done?
No more than 18 slides? Including (at least) one voting + one discussion slide with one (1) statement/question/case?
Sample voting slide:
Sample discussion slide:
d) Presentation Review:
Submit your PPT to: “Interactive Sessions” interactive@eaaci.org
We check: number of slides, readability, quality of pictures, one message per slide, voting question(s) and discussion slide.
PPT submission deadline: Wednesday, May 16
Watch your inbox. Approved? All speakers giving a presentation are requested to validate their presentation in the Speakers’ Service Centre (SSC) a minimum of 2 hours before the session starts or the day before for early morning sessions.
Presentations received after this deadline cannot be guaranteed optimal audio-visual support.
Material for faculty members of Interactive Symposium:
As a speaker or chair in the sessions, you may find the following material useful.
- Session script
- Onsite checklist for speakers and chairs
- PPT template including sample voting slides and sample discussion slide
- EAACI standard speaker guidelines on PPT version, orientation and aspect ratio, picture and video format