Why Workshops Matter

Welcome to July! This month’s theme is Teaching Innovation (Workshops, Creativity, Pedagogy). I’ll cover why you should do workshops, how to design them, teaching while you are still learning, and creative teaching techniques. As you can tell, I’m a planner. When I first started this blog post, I called it ‘Why Do Workshops.’ Then I realized that might not cover everything. I feel like that implies why you should focus on concept and practice, and not so much on why you should do them. I want to talk about both. Workshops are “laboratories” and “creative settings” where hands-on work, collaboration, and lessons that don’t fit traditional lecture formats can take place. They are valuable because they provide low-stakes learning where participants can engage without the pressure of grades or criticism. I recently hosted a workshop on creating an abstract for a symposium or conference. One student asked whether the abstract should focus on what they do in the lab or on the lab’s work. They didn’t feel comfortable asking their mentor, which is understandable as an undergraduate. It’s a valid question and an important lesson. In the workshop, we discussed their concerns and clarified the expectations. This kind of open, supportive environment is exactly why workshops matter: they provide a space for students to voice questions and gain confidence that they might not find elsewhere.

Not all workshops are the same. According to Designing & Leading Life-Changing Workshops, there are three types of workshops: knowing (conventional), doing (experiential), and being (transformational). Knowing is the most common form, and what I tend to do and focus on. In a knowing workshop, the emphasis is on presentation and passive participation. Doing is active participation with one or more exercises, think writers’ workshop. The third isn’t something I’m going to go into in this post, but it’s worth mentioning. Transformational workshops are typically mind-body experiences; they tend to be more self-directed and oriented with specific goals.¹ Let’s stick to the knowing style of workshop this week. While creating a workshop may seem daunting, it’s not that different from creating a lecture.

Workshops are low-stakes explorations where your audience can learn in a creative or instructional way. It’s not a critique session or lecture; it’s something someone chooses to engage in. You are offering it, and they want to receive it. Creating and presenting workshops allows you the freedom to practice and perfect your teaching without assignments or grounded feedback. I’m not saying to host workshops for the practice but rather to share the knowledge you have about how to do something in an easy environment. You can be creative and step outside the typical classroom guidelines. You get to choose your energy for the workshop, which sets the tone. While it’s not quite gamification, it is similar to the idea of play as pedagogy. How can you unlock deeper thinking for others?

Beyond immediate learning, workshops help participants develop real-world skills such as public speaking, teamwork, creative problem-solving, and networking. They also help you, the leader, with the same things. For both the presenter and the audience, you learn a bit about academic and professional growth. Workshops teach students (or those attending) how to decide to engage, question, explore, apply feedback, etc. Workshops have clear expectations and boundaries for what they should do: present a topic and learn a new practice. What I mean by expectations and boundaries is that workshops have a defined pattern: they start with a topic and tone, move to exploration, guide, or demonstration, allow time for discovery, then reflection, and end with a reminder of what the workshop was meant to do. I usually end with a questions-and-comments section, allowing engagement from middle to end. Workshops are what we do, and they’re a reminder that writers, artists, students, and employees aren’t silos; we are in the real world together. If you’re hesitant to join or before offering to lead one because you feel inexperienced, remember: workshops are designed for everyone, regardless of background or skill level. The only requirement is curiosity and a willingness to participate.

Workshops, like everything you do, should evolve. When you do a new or old workshop, think about how this could have helped you if you were in the attendees’ shoes. What do you need the most? Learning is about constantly evolving, whether you give or attend a workshop. It’s a shared learning experience. Ready to experience the benefits firsthand? Sign up for an upcoming workshop, or consider leading one yourself. You’ll build confidence, gain new skills, and connect with others who share your curiosity. I promise you won’t regret it.

1. Ken Nelson et al., Designing & Leading Life-Changing Workshops: Creating the Conditions for Transformation in Your Groups, Trainings, and Retreats. Indianapolis: Cliffhouse Press, 2020., 23. ↩︎