What does college study abroad have in common with delivering successful conference education? More than you might think. Last year, I had the privilege of seeing my daughter transition from high school to college – boarding a plane to London as a Florida State University freshman to study abroad.
Now, instead of spending her days in a traditional college classroom, she and her classmates explore centuries-old buildings; discuss Roman architecture influences; and meet at the British Museum to view the Rosetta Stone–truly learning through experience.
For many people, an immersive learning style like this is more effective in knowledge retention than simply listening to a lecture…or, more commonly in our world of events management, viewing a presentation.
My daughter’s hands-on experience challenged me to think about how event organizers can implement a similar approach in designing conference education.
Experiential learning methods are not new, but the international company Business Games has cracked the code on game-based learning content design. Every action serves a purpose in to ensure attendees step toward what they need to learn, make it easier to remember learning objectives, and create truly motivational and meaningful education.
After collaborating on several events, our belief in this learning model grew… and Meeting Expectations became Business Games’ official North American partner.
We’ve seen first-hand how effective these programs are for skills-based training, talent development, event engagement, team building, and more – in part because they provide an opportunity for attendees to step outside their comfort zones and try something new…without the fear of failure.
So far, we’ve partnered with Business Games on a variety of programs, from presenting the company elevator pitch at an internal meeting; to fostering excitement among attendees in the days leading up to a virtual event; to maintaining engagement among a global audience during the experience itself . Now that in-person events are thriving, we’re excited to create even more community-building ventures. And because hybrid events aren’t going anywhere soon, you can also look forward to virtual sessions that bring attendees to the edges of their home office seats, eager for more.
I know my daughter’s time abroad will stick with her for years to come because she’s learning up close and personal. Experiential education is a win-win strategy due to the powerful combination of an emotional connection with hands-on learning.
Get in touch to tap into the power of two industry-leading organizations for your next learning event.
Photo by Anthony DELANOIX on Unsplash
