Seminar
A 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 and Canadian 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 the methodology 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. The word seminar is derived from the Latin word seminarium, meaning "seed plot".
What are seminars and why are they important?
Seminars are forums in which issues are raised and explored, but not necessarily resolved; they require you to think, to practice the skills of analysis and synthesis, and by doing so, possibly leave with more and better ideas than the ones with which you came. Seminars are integral to most academic programs at Evergreen. They are the pistons which drive the intellectual heart of the college. Seminars are not intended as a mechanism for transmitting information; they serve as a means for groups of students to obtain a set of common experiences, usually based on a text, piece of art, film, etc.
Seminars are not a place for the transmission of data. Ideally, they go beyond the sharing of facts and probe the depths of the subject matter at hand.
Evergreen faculty member David Marr describes the seminar process:
Seminars do closely resemble orchestral rehearsals. They are working sessions, full of false starts, much practice, and some extended flights of analysis and synthesis. But the analogy with the orchestra breaks down in one interesting and crucial respect: seminars operate with no equivalent to a musical score. Indeed, it is precisely something like a musical score that gets "composed" in the course of the seminar. The success of the seminar is dependent on the group's ability to work together and, through intelligent discussion, develop an understanding of the material that you wouldn't have thought of on your own.
What to do and not do in seminar
- Be Prepared - Here are some tips on how to prepare:
- Always complete assigned reading prior to the seminar
- Take notes on the assigned reading, and bring those notes, along with assigned texts, to each meeting of the seminar. Such notes are of two kinds: paraphrases (glosses), and reflective comments or questions.
- Read specifically for ideas and for key concepts. Make your own index to them in back of the book.
- Get a study partner, or become part of a study group. Exchange papers or discuss the book before seminar.
- Bring questions. There are two kinds of questions you can bring to seminar: logistical questions that have answers, and the really important, open-ended questions that foster intelligent discussion.
- Be on time. If you must be late, do not join in the discussion until you are certain that you know exactly what is being discussed.
- Quote from the book and make references to specific passages. This helps to focus the discussion where it should be - on the text.
- At the center is the subject matter of the text, not personal opinion.
- Listen attentively to what is said by others and take notes on the general discussion. Taking notes in seminar is even more important, sometimes, than taking notes in lectures.
- Speak in turn and don't interrupt another person.
- Respond actively to what another has said before you contribute your own thoughts.
- Don't be afraid to try out ideas. Nobody expects you to have fully-formed ideas when you come to seminar.
- Remember to address the entire seminar, not just the faculty member.
- Avoid name calling or putting others down.
- Specifics from your own experience may be relevant. But place a DANGER sign here, because this is where too many seminars founder. Just talking about your own experience has little educational value. Your personal experience is relevant only insofar as you can show how it amplifies the point of the discussion.
- Be respectful of each person's culture, race, gender and sexual orientation. Don't expect that someone will be an expert on a subject simply because of their race, culture, etc.
- Don't engage in extended arguments. Seminars are for learning and listening, not for winning a debate.
- If you didn't read the book, don't talk. Instead, take notes.
- Don't engage in side conversations.
- Have Fun!!
A good way to keep focused on the text is to respond to the following three questions:
- What does the text say? Point to the exact page and paragraph so everyone can read.
- What does the text mean? Explain or interpret the passage in your own words.
- Why is this important? Discuss the passage's importance to the entire text or program themes.
Tips for creating successful seminars
- Seminars are collaborative adventures that require everyone's participation and ideas.
- Everyone is responsible for the creation of a good learning environment.
- Constructive roles in seminar include people who ask questions, people who summarize, people who refer to material, and people who clarify. Try out each of these roles.
- Take advantage of pauses to ask if people who haven't spoken have anything to add.
- Attempt to give space for others to speak.
- Take personal responsibility for making the seminar a good one!
- If the seminar is not going well, address the group at the end of one of your meetings to discuss what each person can do to improve the seminar or how your seminar format could be changed to facilitate more meaningful conversation.
- If problems persist, talk with your faculty member.
Seminars in Universities
In American universities, the term seminar refers to a course of intense study relating to the student's major. Seminars typically have significantly fewer students per professor than normal courses, and are generally more specific in topic of study. Seminars can revolve around term papers, exams, presentations, and several other assignments. Seminars are almost always required for university graduation. 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 word seminar (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
Seminars In business
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.
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