Am I really the only person who does this?

[KristaTX]

I don't but most handouts at trainings/workshops that I attend are copies of the presenter's Powerpoint. If I read ahead then I'm bored out of my mind as the presenter goes through the same thing I've just read.

And, yes, I'd prefer to just get the Powerpoint and read it at my desk on my own but we're not allowed to do that for the most part.

It's not laziness or procrastination. I just don't see the point of reading something and then having someone else read it TO me with a lot of questions thrown in from other attendees.

I hate those Powerpoint handouts that have become so common. Powerpoints are great for up front instruction, but don't give me pictures of your slides and then just proceed to read those slides to me. I feel like my time is wasted, and like you said, I could just read them on my own. If I get bored, I just start looking at the slides on the handouts before the speaker gets to them. And then I'm really bored as the speaker continues unless they go into much more depth than just basically reading their own slides that I already have copies of anyway.

Plus I get lazy in my note-taking because I have this huge manual full of tiny little Powerpoint slides that I feel like should have everything I need to know on them considering the amount of paper it took to print them. But they're really pretty useless yet bulky, and I eventually end up throwing them into the recycling bin. I think I'd almost rather be given a blank piece of paper to take my own notes on and have them do a better job of teaching than do the whole Powerpoint handout thing.
And I know - I could do that myself. But I have all those "useful" handouts !!!

 

[Liberty Belle]

I hate those Powerpoint handouts that have become so common. Powerpoints are great for up front instruction, but don't give me pictures of your slides and then just proceed to read those slides to me. I feel like my time is wasted, and like you said, I could just read them on my own. If I get bored, I just start looking at the slides on the handouts before the speaker gets to them. And then I'm really bored as the speaker continues unless they go into much more depth than just basically reading their own slides that I already have copies of anyway.

Plus I get lazy in my note-taking because I have this huge manual full of tiny little Powerpoint slides that I feel like should have everything I need to know on them considering the amount of paper it took to print them. But they're really pretty useless yet bulky, and I eventually end up throwing them into the recycling bin. I think I'd almost rather be given a blank piece of paper to take my own notes on and have them do a better job of teaching than do the whole Powerpoint handout thing.
And I know - I could do that myself. But I have all those "useful" handouts !!!

Ugh. Me, too. Especially if I'm going to be given the material, why stand up there and read it to me?! It's such a complete waste of time.

The last seminar I went to was almost painful. We were told to read the speaker's book before going, so I did. When he spoke, it was like we'd never been introduced to the material. The only thing that saved me from falling asleep was the fact that the speaker seemed to have ADHD and never completed a sentence. He was difficult to listen to, and it kept me on my toes.

 

[MarilIncredible]

I hate those Powerpoint handouts that have become so common. Powerpoints are great for up front instruction, but don't give me pictures of your slides and then just proceed to read those slides to me. I feel like my time is wasted, and like you said, I could just read them on my own. If I get bored, I just start looking at the slides on the handouts before the speaker gets to them. And then I'm really bored as the speaker continues unless they go into much more depth than just basically reading their own slides that I already have copies of anyway.

Plus I get lazy in my note-taking because I have this huge manual full of tiny little Powerpoint slides that I feel like should have everything I need to know on them considering the amount of paper it took to print them. But they're really pretty useless yet bulky, and I eventually end up throwing them into the recycling bin. I think I'd almost rather be given a blank piece of paper to take my own notes on and have them do a better job of teaching than do the whole Powerpoint handout thing.
And I know - I could do that myself. But I have all those "useful" handouts !!!

Me, too (or three)! I hate hand-outs that are just your slides. If in b&w, they usually don't even copy that well, and when they use the layout that allows for 3 slies on the left and lined sections on the right for note-taking, many slides become too small to read later on if you decide you need to reference something from the presentation.

 

[paintnolish]

I always skim through whatever I'm given immediately. If they don't want you to read, they shouldn't put it there. They should have it sealed, with instructions to open it when directed or should hand it out later.

 

[Juliegirl1]

I had a teacher in high school (sociology) that gave us a test that 50% of our grade was based on. As he handed it out to us face down he instructed the class to read the test thoroughly before we began answering the questions. The instructions at the top of the paper said "Carefully read the test completely before answering any questions." (that was twice that we had been given those instructions) The last question said "Now that you have read the test completely answer only questions #1 and #2 and turn your paper over." Of course questions 1 and 2 were write your name and the date on the top of the test. TWO of us got it right. Ever since then I always read my tests/handouts/etc. when I am given them unless otherwise instructed.

 

[jillyb]

I do this...only because if you put something written in my hands, I can't resist reading it. I read EVERYTHING...even as a kid, I'd read the cereal box while eating my breakfast. I can't just sit there and do nothing and stare into space when there's something I could be reading.

And I don't think Type A has anything to do with it. I'm a Type B and I'd still read it

This is how I am too!

 

[Nette]

I had a teacher in high school (sociology) that gave us a test that 50% of our grade was based on. As he handed it out to us face down he instructed the class to read the test thoroughly before we began answering the questions. The instructions at the top of the paper said "Carefully read the test completely before answering any questions." (that was twice that we had been given those instructions) The last question said "Now that you have read the test completely answer only questions #1 and #2 and turn your paper over." Of course questions 1 and 2 were write your name and the date on the top of the test. TWO of us got it right. Ever since then I always read my tests/handouts/etc. when I am given them unless otherwise instructed.

I was just going to ask if anyone else ever got one of those! I know I got that test a couple of times in elementary school when kids were not following directions.

 

[onelilspark]

I skim ahead...and it's gotten me in trouble before. I love it when a presenter asks a question that's on the handout in front of you and no one knows the answer.

 

[Becky2005]

Based on the reaction of my colleagues, and the presenter, apparently they don't. Apparently I'm the only person in my organization who does this, maybe on the planet (from their reaction). I've been doing this for the 20 years I've been working, and honestly just figured that lots of other people were too.

So am I the only person on the planet (or at least the DIS) who reads the handouts when they first sit down?

I do it too! I'm anything BUT a Type A personality but I figured they are giving me handouts for a REASON, etc... Besides, it gives me something to do while waiting for the workshop to start.

However, I'm a weird one that used to read the information in the front of the phone book too whenever we got a new one because frankly there was interesting stuff there! I remember way back when they were talking about the video phones and that technology that was up & coming in the phone book. Now, they don't have quite that much detail in there but I still skim the front few pages because you just find little tidbits.

I also am NOT surprised the presenter & your colleagues assumed most people haven't read the stuff. A lot of people don't bother reading things. I am organizing a charity function, I can not tell you how many questions I have gotten that I just do a for. The information is right there and, such as location/date/cost & the questions are coming from people who sent it through the contact us button FROM the website.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I do it too! I'm anything BUT a Type A personality but I figured they are giving me handouts for a REASON, etc... Besides, it gives me something to do while waiting for the workshop to start.

However, I'm a weird one that used to read the information in the front of the phone book too whenever we got a new one because frankly there was interesting stuff there! I remember way back when they were talking about the video phones and that technology that was up & coming in the phone book. Now, they don't have quite that much detail in there but I still skim the front few pages because you just find little tidbits.

I also am NOT surprised the presenter & your colleagues assumed most people haven't read the stuff. A lot of people don't bother reading things. I am organizing a charity function, I can not tell you how many questions I have gotten that I just do a for some of the questions I have gotten that are right on the website, such as location/date/cost & the questions are coming from people FROM the website.

Me, too. I also like to read through it because you can find some interesting names.

It always surprises me when people say they are bored. I don't even remember the last time I was bored. There are a million things to find to read or make word games out of, etc. Now I'm starting to sound kind of weird, so I'm gonna stop.

 

[disykat]

The only time I WOULDN'T read ahead is if I really didn't have time to do so.

I'm always amazed that people don't read, even when they're told to. It was shock to me in college that people were paying all that money for a class and didn't do any of the reading. I hated study groups because I was always the only one who read the assignment.

 

[C.Ann]

I do this...only because if you put something written in my hands, I can't resist reading it. I read EVERYTHING...even as a kid, I'd read the cereal box while eating my breakfast. I can't just sit there and do nothing and stare into space when there's something I could be reading.

And I don't think Type A has anything to do with it. I'm a Type B and I'd still read it

Are you my long lost twin??

 

[Northstar]

It's one of those learning-style things. People apply the learning and coping strategies that work for them.

Some people like to know in advance what's going to be said, so they read if they can so they'll have a reference point. Others learn best if the session unfolds as an event, and regard the written material as supplementary notes to refer back to later.
Some people know they learn best from reading it (the cereal-box readers generally fall into this category). Some people know they learn best from hearing it. Some people know they learn best from experiencing the whole workshop with the group.

And some people are pretty flexible and can adapt to whatever procedure will work best for the situation.

I've been teaching in one situation or another for over 30 years, and two things I've learned are:

1. If you want people to read material before a session, you have to say that specifically, because some people's default is "don't read beforehand." If you don't want them to read handouts before a session, you have to say that specifically, because some people's default is "if there's print in front of you, read it."


2. With adults, it gets up their noses when you try to tell them that their way of learning, that's been perfectly effective for them over years, is not effective. So don't tell them that. Explain how you've planned the session and why you suggest a particular approach. Then let them do what they want.


And IMO, it's a rookie mistake to pass out handouts at the beginning of a session if you don't want people to read them before a certain point. A pro has the distribution of information built into the workshop plan.

 

[Evil Genius]

I don't but most handouts at trainings/workshops that I attend are copies of the presenter's Powerpoint. If I read ahead then I'm bored out of my mind as the presenter goes through the same thing I've just read.

And, yes, I'd prefer to just get the Powerpoint and read it at my desk on my own but we're not allowed to do that for the most part.

It's not laziness or procrastination. I just don't see the point of reading something and then having someone else read it TO me with a lot of questions thrown in from other attendees.

Exactly. The last few seminars I have been to is exactly this.

 

[Rora]

I will always read the materials handed out ahead of time. I like to be in the know.

 

[MomRN]

I didn't read the whole thread, and I'm sure this has been mentioned, but I read ahead because I am a visual learner. I cannot listen to someone talk and keep interest or gain as much knowledge as I can if I see what is being discussed.

I know it probably seemed rude, but all throughout nursing school I would open up my nursing books and read whatever the professor was discussing. I paused for any video, diagrams, or visual presentations, but the notes I took were the ones from the book with an occassional main point. This also allowed me to be prepared for questions, if I had any, during certain content.

So yes, I read ahead.

 

[diznygirl]

Without reading the other responses so I won't be swayed, I can tell you that I also read the handouts at seminars and presentations before the presentation begins. There could be many reasons why we do this:

• Type A (like the presenter suggested)
• The desire to be prepared so as to get the most out of the presentation/seminar
• Setting a value on work before socialization

It could also be our age and/or the values we were raised with. I'm in my 40's and was raised with a 'work first, play later' ethic. If someone puts something in front of me, I'm going to read it. If I'm away at a seminar, I'm going to be spending my evenings in my room going over the material so as to get the most out of the seminar as possible rather than figuring out how many sights I can see and how late I can stay out drinking each evening.

This isn't to say that I wouldn't spend ANY time taking in the local color and attractions. But it seems that most of the younger people I travel with place a much higher priority on their off-time than they do on the reason they're there to begin with: learning the material. The older people I've travelled with (my age and above) seem to be more interested in discussing the material over dinner, getting to bed early and maybe getting in a round of golf in the morning if that's possible.

So to answer your question: no, you're not the only one who reads and absorbs the material before the seminar is presented. Unfortunately, it seems that presenters are rearranging their presentations for the attention-span challenged amongst us. We'll simply have to adjust our expectations down because that's always easier than them trying to adjust their realities up to the level that the more experienced are used to.

Can we add another?

* Reading because the presenter is as boring as cardboard


I'll do what I have to do to stay awake, even if it means reading ahead. It's really just that simple. What does that make me? Type EB - Easily Bored?