The Advanced Learning Workshop Toolkit

A Guide for IEEE-HKN Chapters and IEEE Student Branches

12 March 2014 – Version 1

Advanced Learning Workshop (ALW)

Purpose: – The ALW is intended as a "self-contained" kit to

enable IEEE-HKN chapters and IEEE student branches to organize and conduct programs and workshops around student learning and academic success

– With content focused on specific student learning needs, the ALW is designed to assist students in becoming more efficient and effective learners, address academic challenges and position them for successful academic and professional careers

How to Use the ALW Tool Kit

This kit is designed to set you on the path to success by providing a “step-by-step” guide for organizing and conducting a workshop

The kit is presented in “stand-alone” sections that will enable you to develop the key planning steps, allocate tasks, develop your timeline, and to conduct your workshop

Supplemental materials include the content modules and Word and Excel documents to be used in both planning and conducting the workshop

The ALW Topic Library In power-point format, they contain the content slides,

speaker notes and instructions and session materials and handouts

*Currently there are six modules in the library:

o Time Management

o Managing Stress

o Developing Effective Study Habits (In Work)

o The Engineer Communicator (Communication 101)

o Preparing for Exams (In work)

o Dealing with a Difficult Professor

* Additional modules will be added as the program expands

Using the Modules Each Module contains:

o PowerPoint (With speaker script and instructions in the notes section)

o A Module Worksheet (With time and slide beak-downs as well as handout lists)

o A Session Evaluation Form

o Session Exercises and Handouts (Specific to each module) The PowerPoint slide deck is designed to be a starting point

o Speakers can use as is or adapt it to their own knowledge and experiences

o There are places in the deck to include links and information that is specific to the speaker’s institution

Using the Modules (2) To speakers/presenters . . . In order to prepare for a

presentation it is recommended you:

o Print out the deck as “Notes Pages”

o Review the slide content and the notes content

o Do your own research on the topic to add to your knowledge base

o Make any additions or modifications based on your own knowledge

o Become familiar with the handout materials and exercises

o Do a practice run-through to ensure you are familiar with the content and to time the session

o Confer with the organizers on audience make-up and size

o Have the appropriate number of hand-outs available

Using the Modules (3) Understanding the Speaker Notes:

o Text formatted in standard font is intended to be used by the speaker during the presentation to supplement the material on the slide

o Text formatted in bold is excerpted directly from the presentation slides

o Text formatted in italics is intended as directions or background notes for the speaker; italicized text is not meant to be read aloud

ALW Tool Kit Topic Index

Section Topic Slides Additional Materials

- Introduction 1-9

1 Making the Decision 10-13

2 Goals & Objectives 14-16

3 The Organizing Committee 17-21 Organizing Committee Template

4 The Timeline 22-26 Timeline Template

5 Developing a Budget 27-32 Sample Expense Budget Template

6 Developing the Program 33-35

7 Speakers and Presenters 36-38

8 Selecting the Venue 39-41

9 Marketing and Promotion 42-46 Promotion Template

ALW Tool Kit Topic Index (2)

Section Topic Slides Additional Materials

10 Registration 47-49

11 Fundraising and Sponsorship 50-54

12 Food and Beverage 55-57

13 The Day of the Event 58-60

14 Recognition 61-59

15 Assessment 60-64

16 Post Workshop 65-68

Section 1 – Making the Decision

Is There a Need?

Your IEEE-HKN chapter or IEEE student branch is looking for new activities and has decided to explore offering an Advanced Learning Workshop on campus

Before making a decision you should ask these questions:

– Is there a need for this type of workshop?

– Do students have access to other learning and academic resources on campus?

– Where are the gaps? What learning resources are students looking for that are not currently available?

Making a Determination Your “assessment of need” can include:

– Surveying the students

– Consulting with faculty members

– Investigating the current academic resources available

– Reviewing the history of previous activities

You should move forward with your planning if your assessment indicated:

– There are limited/no academic resources for students

– There are gaps in the resources and the ALW offers a complement to existing resources

– The students have indicated a strong desire for this type of programing

The ALW Chair With a go-ahead to organize an ALW, the first step is for your

unit leadership to appoint a Chair to oversee the planning and execution

The role of the ALW chair includes:

– Responsibility for the overall planning and success of the workshop

– Recruiting and recommending members for the organizing committee

– The development of the ALW program

– The development and monitoring of the ALW budget

– Delegating tasks and responsibilities to the organizing committee and holding regular meetings

– Reporting on status to the chapter leadership and preparing the post workshop reports

Section 2 – Goals and Objectives

Goals & Objectives: How Will You Know if You are Successful

Your leadership’s second step is to provide a charge to the Chair and Organizing Committee

This ensures they know what is expected of them so they can strategize and plan with the ends goals in place

Develop 3 to 4 SMART Goals:

– Specific – the goal needs to be clear and unambiguous

– Measurable – the goal must have measurable criteria

– Attainable – the must be able to be accomplished

– Relevant – the goal must be relevant to your mission and needs

– Timely – the goal must have a set time-frame for completion

Goals & Objectives: Examples The goals you develop are connected to your unit goals and

should focus on the outcomes you desire Before setting your goals your organizing committee should

meet to discuss the desired outcomes Goal Examples:

– Hold three 1 hour ALW sessions during the semester (event focused)

– Attract an average attendance of 25 students per session (attendance focused)

– In the post activity survey, 50% of the student attendees indicate they found the session valuable (satisfaction focused)

There should be agreement on the objectives and all they should be posted and communicated to all of the organizing team members

Section 3 – The Organizing Committee

The Organizing Committee You should create an Organizing Committee to

oversee the planning of the activity (see template included with this kit)

The size of the committee will ultimately depend on the scope of your activity

– A 1 hour dinner meeting after class does not involve the same level of planning as a full day workshop

A good first step is to populate key committee positions in order to determine the scope of your activity

– Additional committee members can be added as needed based on the work requirements

The Organizing Committee – Recruitment

A good place to start is with your unit’s operating board or executive committee

– Are there any unit leaders that would be interested in directly supporting this activity?

– Some positions, like the Program Chair and the Treasurer, might see this as an extension of their responsibilities

If you need additional resources beyond your unit leaders, recruit from the ranks of your membership

– Emphasize this as a learning opportunity and as a chance to contribute to the unit

– Also emphasize the limited scope of the volunteer commitment (Many people are reluctant to make long-term commitments of time, and this approach might prove so satisfactory to them that they want to join the unit leadership)

The Organizing Committee – Key Functions

As noted previously, the scope of the key functions can vary depending on the type of activity

The following key functions are typically part of event organizing committees:– Program: Responsible for overseeing the selection of topic(s),

identifying speaker(s), collecting event descriptions and speaker bios and serving as a contact for the speaker(s)

– Venue: Responsible for identifying event location, re-serving the venue and ensuring the room set-up meets the requirements

– Marketing/Promotions: Responsible for developing and executing the marketing plan (newsletters, promotional flyers, web site, e-mail blasts, etc.)

The Organizing Committee – Key Functions (2)

– Treasurer: Responsible for managing the budget, collecting revenues (registration fees, sponsorships, etc.), paying all expenses, recording all transactions and develop a final report

– Onsite Logistics: Responsible for speaker(s) set-up requirements (audio/visual, handouts, flipcharts), arranging for food and refreshments, checking in attendees, maintaining the attendance record, names tags, etc.

– Fundraising: Responsible for developing and executing the fundraising plan and maintaining relationships with all donor/sponsors

Your choice of activity will determine the need for the above committee functions and others should be added as needed

In selecting the right people to carry out these functions, try to map their experiences and expertise to the need

If an inexperienced individual has been assigned one of these roles, the Organizing Committee Chair should provide additional guidance and oversight

Section 4 – The Timeline

The Importance of a Time-line

Whatever project you might be working on, time management is the system that works best to make sure everything gets done

Creating a time-line for organizing your event, with associated milestones and responsibilities, ensures that everyone is working toward the same task and allows for an easy status check to help you focus on areas that need attention

The detail of your time-line can vary with the type of activity you are planning

– A more involved event, such a 1 one day workshop, with multiple sessions needs more planning than doing a single 1 hour lunch meeting

– Base your time-line on a realistic estimate of all of the task needed to be completed

Time-Line Guidelines

Start at the End

– The first milestone to identify is the end date . . . When do you want to conduct the event

– This enables you to work backward and add in the tasks necessary to organize your event

Set a Realistic End Date

– Don’t rush the planning, make sure you have enough time to plan, organize and hold your activity

– It’s better to do it right, than fast

Develop Your Task/Milestone List

– Identify each of the tasks you need to accomplish in order to hold the event and estimate the time necessary to have them accomplished

– Remember that some tasks might have to come first in order to do others . . . An example is identifying the speakers/program before creating the marketing piece

Time-Line Guidelines (2)

Build In Buffers

– It is ok to overestimate the time, especially if it’s the first time you are trying something

– You never know when something might come up or be harder to accomplish than you thought and it’s always easier

Set a Realistic End Date

– Don’t rush the planning, make sure you have enough time to plan, organize and hold your activity

Communicate

– Each task should have identifiable owner(s)

– The time-line should be ready available to all of the planning team

– If anyone notices a red-flag, meaning a deadline is passing without the task being accomplished, communicate to the rest of the team so everyone is aware and action can be taken

8 9 12

Finalize Date, Finalize Program Topics,

Recruit Additional Planning Members as

Needed, Confirm Venue

Confirm speakers, Obtain Bios, A/V

Requirements, Handout Requirements

-1 Day Final Check on

Materials, Room Set-up, A/V. Signage and Registration

Post Event (+30 Days)

Event Metrics and Assessment, Financial Report,

Thank You’s

Decision to hold event, Planning Team Identified,

Target Dates Identified, Begin

Program Development ,

Explore Venues

Recruit Speakers,

Develop Budget

Develop Marketing Materials (website,

brochures, blast emails, posters, etc.), Registration system

- 1 Week Confirm with

speakers, assemble all

necessary session and registration

materials and catering

confirmation

Conduct Event/Activity

This is an example text. Go ahead and replace it with your own text. It is meant to give you a feeling of how the designs looks including text.

Sample 5 Month Timeline

-1 month - 2 months - 4 months - 3 months - 5 months

Promotion and

Marketing (repeated 1 week prior)

Section 5 – Developing a Budget

Developing a Budget

Every event/activity has budget The extent of the budget depends on the details and

complexity of your event

– A lunch meeting requires a simpler budget than multi-session workshop

The budget is based upon how much income is expected from all sources set against the expenses that are anticipated

In most cases you will need to be realistic about what is affordable within the limits of your budget income

Most event organizers try to establish the amount they need that is the minimum, but your budget must be continually reviewed

Developing a Budget: Expenses These are typical *expense categories:

– Room Rental (Venue) – Fixed

– Food and Beverage – Variable

– Audio Visual Rental – Fixed

– Speaker Expenses (travel, honorarium, etc.) – Fixed

– Handout Materials (printing and reproduction) – Variable

– Signage – Fixed

– Registration Materials (Name tags, Program, etc.) – Variable

– Marketing and Promotion – Fixed

– Insurance – Fixed

*(See sample expense template)

Developing a Budget: Income

These are typical income categories:– Registration Fees

– Sponsorships

– Donations

– Raffle Sales

– Merchandise Sales

Developing a Budget: The Break Even Point

If you are planning a simple event held in a classroom, with pizza and sodas, and you’re using your unit budget to cover costs, you don’t need to develop a full expense/income budget

But it is still beneficial to create a budget to ensure you stay on track

If you are planning a more extensive event that requires additional funds beyond your chapter treasury, you will need to calculate a budget based on expected expenses and income

And what you’re looking for is a “break-even point”

Developing a Budget: The Break Even Point (2)

You never want to create a budget that “loses funds” At the very minimum attempt to break even and if possible produce a

modest surplus. Here are the steps:

1. Identify which expenses will be fixed and which will be variable (variable expenses tend to be based on the number of attendees, e.g. meals, as opposed to fixed costs such as marketing materials and audio-visual requirements)

2. Do a realistic assessment of your potential attendance

3. Calculate your total expenses based on that attendance

4. Calculate your budget income based on all potential sources of revenue excluding the registration fee

5. Unless you are expecting large revenues from sponsors and other sources, you likely have a shortfall

6. Now divide the shortfall by the number of expected attendees. This will tell you how much the registration fee should be. If the fee is too high, you might need to cut down on the expenses. If it is a reasonable fee, you could add a small amount to provide a pad. Your surplus comes from managing the expenses, exceeding your attendance projections and increasing your sponsorship revenue

Section 6 – Developing the

Program

Develop the Program Following the decision to hold your ALW, the most important

one after that is to decide what module or modules to offer Your planning team should select the most appropriate topic(s) There are currently 6 modules in the library with more to come

soon, so you will have many available choices Conduct an assessment of students needs at your university

– Conduct a survey or poll of the students to determine which topics are the most desired

– Scan the academic resources that are currently available to students on campus and select a topic that is not currently offered, for example there might be many options for students for time management tips, but there is nothing for Dealing with a Difficult Professor

– Choose the topic(s) that will most interest students to generate the highest attendance

Develop the Program (2)

Other steps to help you choose the program topics include:– Brainstorm ideas among your unit leadership and your

planning team

– Consult with the faculty members and/or the Academic Resource Center staff

– Solicit opinions from other student colleagues

– Should you not be able to come up with a definitive choice, it is always a safe approach to choose the most general topic . . . That might have the most appeal to a majority of the student audience

Section 7 – Speakers and Presenters

Identifying Speakers and Presenters – Students

The intent of the ALW is to have students serve as the speakers or presenters

– With preparation and practice, each ALW module contains all of the information needed for a student speaker to make an effective presentation

Two or Three (Max) students share presentation duties

– If there is more than one student presenter, make sure they clearly identify their assigned responsibilities

Suggested Speaker Criteria

– Demonstrated experience in making presentations

– Knowledge or experience with the topic

– Engaging, Energetic and Enthusiastic

Assign a small team to identify potential student speakers within your unit or even other professional society student groups

Identifying Speakers and Presenters – Academic or Industry

There might be time when you feel it more appropriate to have a more experienced speaker, possibly a faculty member or industry practitioner

There are a number of outlets to identify speakers:

– Your engineering department faculty

– Other schools within the university

– Your university academic or career resources center

– Your university’s industry advisory board

– Your local IEEE section • http://www.ieee.org/societies_communities/geo_activities/regional_world_map.html

– IEEE-HKN Alumni

Key to Success: Energetic and dynamic presenters contribute to the success of your events!

Section 8 – Selecting the Venue

Selecting the Venue

The best option for you to use an on campus site for your activity. The benefits include:

– No or low cost

– Students are already there

– Built-in audio visual But be sure to take into account some limitations with the on

campus site:

– Limited ability to alter the seating arrangement (classrooms)

– Limited availability during school hours (you might need to conduct the event in the evening or the weekend)

– You might need to self-cater (order food, bring the supplies, clean-up)

Selecting the Venue (2)

Steps to follow in selecting the venue:

– Establish your meeting needs (number of attendees, space requirements, desired room set-up, available dates, etc.)

– Conduct a search for all of the available venues on campus and assess them against your needs

– Identify the ones that meet your needs

– Visit the sites and compare all of the criteria and make the decision

– Be sure to reserve the venue as soon as possible (through your campus process)

Section 9 – Marketing & Promotion

Marketing & Promotion Before you start developing your marketing materials you must differentiate between “Features versus Benefits”

The biggest failure in marketing is presenting only the features of what is being offered as the solution to the target audience’s need or problem

In preparing your promotional materials you want to make sure you are speaking to the benefits

A Feature is what your product, service or event has or does. It is a characteristic that is a quantifiable, indisputable fact.

– Example: The ALW Time Management Module offers ten time management tips

A Benefit is something of value or usefulness that helps your target audience with solving problems or improving their personal or professional lives

– Example: The ALW Time Management Module offers you tips on how to efficiently manage your time so that you can focus on high priority tasks

Marketing & Promotion (2) Determining the Benefits Every feature typically has a benefit, so the question is how to identify the benefit?Start with a list of all your features Then ask some questions:

– Why does this benefit matter?

– Why problem does it solve?

– How does it improve something?

– What’s In It For Me (WIIFM)?

*If you find yourself describing features, listing product or program attributes, insert these two words, “So that” and finish your sentence with the benefit words.

– The ALW Time Management Module offers ten time management tips “so that” you can prioritize your time and use it more effectively

*Terri Langhans at http://www.blahblahblah.us/

Marketing & Promotion (3) Identify Your Target Audience IEEE-HKN Students IEEE Student MembersStudents from other engineering disciplines Students from outside the engineering school (Don’t limit yourself. Academic learning transcends majors.)

How Do You Reach Them? Website E-Mail Blasts (Student university list servers, professional society rosters, etc.)Flyers and Brochures (Printed and on-line) Posters Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)University Calendar of EventsClassroom announcements

Marketing & Promotion (4)

Items to Include in Your Promotional Materials A Great Headline

– Use visuals and something that will grab your audience

Meeting title, dates, location and contact detailsWho should attend and whyThe Benefits – This is about them, not you Session Description, Speakers and Bios Registration Information (how-to, deadline and fees if any)Where to go for more information

Section 10 – Registration

Registration The registration process is the first interaction your

attendees will have with your event, so it is important that it is simple and easy to accomplish

Registration is important because:

– It tells you how many people to expect so you can plan on supplies and food requirements

– Provides a list for the creation of name-tags

– It provides a measuring point during the planning phase. For example, two weeks out you might not have the numbers you anticipated so you can then step up your promotional plan.

– It provides a list of contacts that you follow-up with following the event and also invite to future events

Registration (2) Your registration requirements can vary depending on the

scope of your event

– A meeting after class might just involve an RSVP via an email

– A full day workshop with a registration fee requires an online registration tool that allow electronic payment

Choose the method that meets your needs, but is easy for the person registering

There are a number of on-line tools you can use:

– Survey Monkey – it’s for surveys, but can be adapted to collect simple registration information and it has no costwww.surveymonkey.com/

Other options include:– https://www.alareg.com/

– https://www.eventbrite.com/

– http://www.formsite.com/

Section 11 – Fundraising & Sponsorship

Fundraising and Sponsorship Depending on the scope and complexity of your event, you

might require a certain amount of fundraising to keep your registration low or even keep the event free of charge to students

No one really likes to ask for money . . . as it takes us out of our comfort zone

But think of this, the worst thing that can happen when you solicit donors for your event is that say “no.”

And if that’s what happens, you stay positive and move on the next potential donor

An important staring point is determining your goal . . . And if you did your homework in the budget area, you know how much you need

And before starting, ask is the goal realistic

– An unrealistic goal will lead to failure

Fundraising and Sponsorship (2)Some Important Steps Mission Document

– This document will describe the organization, some history, your mission and explain what you’re trying to accomplish. Focus on the impact the donor’s funds will have on students and relate it to the needs of the donor.

Marketing

– Create a marketing pitch and script. And have an elevator speech where you can describe what your trying to accomplish in less than 60 seconds.

– You can also create sponsorship levels, where the donor gets something in return. Options you could offer include having the company name and logo on a banner or in the program and even an invitation to have a company engineer speak to the students.

Fundraising and Sponsorship (3)Basic Fundraising Model Compile a list of the corporations around your city/campus area – for students to approachTalk to everybody in your department / campus / Senior Section(s) - ask for contacts in these corporations & for an introductionCheck with University (department & development office) about guidelines /restrictions for contacting corporations

– (You don’t want to create any conflicts with the university’s fundraising)

Develop a basic 'script' and the marketing materials

Fundraising and Sponsorship (4)Basic Fundraising Model Make fundraising everyone’s responsibility Reach out to local small- and medium-sized businesses for sponsorship (money and in-kind contributions such as food, give-aways, etc., for an event)Don’t forget about individuals. Most money donated comes from individuals who have an interest in the cause. You can reach out to the alumni. Thank your sponsors publicly and feature their names/logos in printed and online materialDonations to IEEE, whether cash or in-kind, may be tax-deductible for the donor.A final option is to consider using “Crowdfunding” sites like GoFundMe. These site enable you to reach out to friends and connections through social media.

Section 12 – Food & Beverage

Food and Beverage Do you need food and beverages at your event?

– For a one hour session, food is not necessary, unless you are doing it during the lunch or dinner hours . . . Then food becomes an incentive to attend

– For workshops that last for two or more hours, participants expect refreshments during break-times . . . and other food choices might be needed if the workshop extends during the lunch or dinner hours

Make the decision based on the needs of the event and your budget

If you decide to bring in food (pizzas and sodas), make sure you check if that is allowed in classrooms

– Always bring some extra plates, cups, etc., as well as trash bags

– Make sure you order enough food for each attendee

Food and Beverage (2) If you are using a conference facility or reserve meeting room

you might be obligated to use their catering service

– Be sure to check the requirements

Review menus and stick to choices that are within your budget Identify your expected food and beverage needs (how many

attendees for how many meals and breaks) Caterers require you to lock in your count several days prior to

the event, so this is where registration numbers are important

– For catered events have a process for identifying and accommodating dietary restrictions (You can use the registration form)

If you must sign a contract, be aware of any the rules on campus. Students typically cannot sign contracts and it might require a faculty member’s signature

Section 13 – The Day of the Event

The Day of the Event Arrive at least an hour before start time to set-up, verify room

arrangement and test a/v equipment Have direction signs up if it is a hard to find the building/room Have a registration desk with an IEEE-HKN or IEEE sign

outside the room

– Have programs, pens, tape, envelopes, extra name tags and tent cards available (If you are charging a registration fee, have extra cash and receipts)

If you are using pre-printed name badges have them set-up on a table so they are easy to find

Have a sign-in sheet, copies of the session materials and course evaluation forms.

If you have an external speaker attending, assign one individual to meet and escort them to the session room

Be sure to welcome and greet everyone and thank them for attending

Section 14 – Recognition

Recognition Whether you make use of an internal (Student, Faculty

Member) or an external (Alumnus, Industry Practitioner) speaker, you should recognize their investment in time and their contribution your event

Recognition acknowledges accomplishments, reinforces a person’s efforts and is also a sign of appreciation

The Chair of your unit or the event Chair should thank the speaker at the end of the session and solicit applause

A nice gesture is to present a certificate of appreciation You can also present the speaker with a small gift. A souvenir

from your institution like a mug or pen is also a nice gesture. And to the unit or event chair, don’t forget to thank all of the

students and faculty who volunteered their time to organize the event

Section 15 – Assessment

Assessment Why is post event feedback important?

Because it provides the reality check of what went right or what went wrong during the event . . . And if you want to improve the quality of your event and have students coming back, you need to know in what areas you succeeded and what areas need improvement

It also provides information on the expectations of your attendees . . . and if you met them, which is the one of the most important considerations for them to invest more of their time in future activities

Assessment (2) How to conduct the assessment Each ALW module contains a one page evaluation form in “Word”You are free to use the form as is, or adjust it to your needsHave the forms passed out prior to the end of the session

– Make sure the speaker is aware of the evaluation form so a few minutes can be left in the session to have the students fill it out

Collect the form and compile the composite scores for your sessionThe advantage of an onsite form is that you can typically get a 100% response from the participants . . . The disadvantage is you must compile the results by handYou can use an online system like Survey Monkey, which allows you to collect data electronically, but to ensure you get a maximum return, have the form ready to go out as soon as the session ends and be sure to have emails for all of the attendeesUnfortunately, online surveys sent after the event only average around a 50% return rate

Section 16 – Post Workshop

Post Workshop Collect final invoices, pay remaining bills and

prepare a final budget statement Send thank you notes to the

speakers/presenters and sponsors Review the session evaluations– Assess what worked well and areas that need

improvement Write up a lessons learned to be used in

planning future events and for future student organizers

Start planning your next event

Post Workshop – Please Complete Post Conference Activity Report In order to improve the quality of this program IEEE is requesting that each unit that holds an ALW session submit an on-line after-activity reportThis report will only take a few minutes to complete and will provide valuable information to aid the program managers Please complete the report within 7 days following the report You can access the report at:

http://fs25.formsite.com/ieeevcep/form54/index.html?1394547960101

For More Information To provide additional feedback or should you have

any questions send an email to:

Advancedlearning@ieee.org

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