Effective workshop organizer(s) are one of the keys to a successful workshop. More than one person is often needed to organize a training program. A team approach to prepare, conduct, and evaluate the workshop is highly recommended.
The tasks involved in preparing for a workshop, and suggestions to perform these tasks efficiently, are outlined below:
1. Define the target audience for the training-basic or advanced. Start with basic training to reach the largest number of biosolids managers.
2. Decide on the length of the training workshop--1 or 2 days. A 1-day workshop might not give you enough time to cover all aspects of basic biosolids management. It is usually restricted to a lecture format. A 2-day workshop allows much more opportunity for thorough coverage of the wide-ranging subject matter. It also allows for "hands-on" participatory activities or tours.
3. Choose a time/location for training. Think about conducting the training in conjunction with an existing wastewater operator's short school, annual biosolids management association meeting, or other existing event. Partnering with existing events reduces cost for participants, provides free publicity for the workshop, and usually ensures a good turnout.
4. Make arrangements for meeting facilities. Make sure that the facility can accommodate the participatory group activities that supplement the lectures and presentations.
5. Determine which training modules will be covered. Shown in the table below are training modules that can be reasonably covered in a 1- or 2-day program (approximately 6 hours of instruction per day). It is helpful, but not critical, to present the modules in the order listed in the matrix table. Try to alternate data-intensive lecture presentations with group participation activities. An advanced workshop on any of the training modules could be offered as a half-day program in conjunction with a wastewater short school or annual biosolids management association meeting.
| Training module | 1-day workshop |
2-day workshop |
| 1. Regulatory Compliance | X |
X |
| 2. Biosolids Quality 2.1 EPA Part 503 Requirement 2.2 Sampling and Testing Biosolids |
X |
|
| 3. Public Information | X |
X |
| 4. Transportation to Land Application | X |
X |
| 5. Land Application: Nutrient Management 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Calculation of Agronomic Rates 5.3 Soil Testing |
|
|
| 6. Land Application: Site Management 6.1 Site Suitability 6.2 Biosolids Application |
|
|
6. Select presenters/trainers. Choose individuals with complementary expertise. For a 1-day workshop, a team including a regulator, a biosolids manager, a consulting engineer, and a crop/soil scientist is desirable.
7. Decide whether participants will receive a notebook. Assembling a notebook of speaker handout materials usually is greatly appreciated by participants. The notebook provides a reference for future use and ensures that every participant gets all the handout materials. It also can be used as an information source for a take-home test. Assembling the notebook is a major task. If you choose to provide a notebook, make sure you identify a person to supervise notebook construction and add the cost of the notebook to your budget.
8. Set a workshop cost/price. Try to keep costs low enough to make the training affordable for small wastewater treatment facility operators. Consulting firms or regulatory agencies may be willing to pick up part of the workshop cost. More participants from smaller wastewater treatment facilities will attend if you can provide continuing education credits (CEUs) for wastewater operator certification.
9. Determine the need for a workshop education coordinator. Often workshop presenters may not have much training and instruction experience. In this case, you need a workshop education coordinator. A coordinator can ask questions of the presenter or make summary comments after a presentation that help to clarify key concepts. The coordinator also can facilitate a discussion between the participants and the presenter. A good coordinator will make the workshop a successful learning experience. If you feel comfortable with the topics covered and have facilitation experience, you may serve as education coordinator yourself. Alternatively, invite a specialist or consultant (see "Working with an education coordinator," below).
An education coordinator is a person selected by the workshop organizer who has primary responsibility for the educational value of the training program. The coordinator should be familiar with all of the topics included in the training, attend all training sessions at the workshop, and be available to assist presenters in making smooth transitions between training sessions. The coordinator plays a key role in helping to ensure a consistent training experience when presenters are not familiar with the total program.
Other roles the education coordinator could fill:
Quality presentations are a key component of the training effort. The workshop organizer must provide presenters with adequate preparatory materials and information. At a minimum, provide presenters with the following documents:
To improve the overall quality of the workshop and avoid overlap among the various presentations, you may also provide the presenters with:
During 2 years of pilot workshops in Oregon, we learned the following:
A written evaluation, completed by participants, is an integral part of a training workshop. A thorough evaluation makes planning and executing the next workshop easier, since you have data on the things that worked well and those that can be improved. Consider offering participants a tangible reward for completing a workshop evaluation. In Oregon, we included the evaluation questions in multiple-choice format on the take-home test, and awarded credit for any response. Other rewards could include T-shirts, coffee mugs, key chains, etc. If rewards are not offered, only 10 to 20 percent of participants may complete the evaluations.