Panel discussion
In a panel discussion , panel discussion or a panel discussion are experts or representatives of interest groups to talk in front of a larger audience together to represent their views and compare, and to create added value together. Broadcasts of discussions on radio and television are also referred to as panel discussions, with the transmission medium being considered here as an imaginary panel.
stage
The conversation is held on an elevated surface such as a stage (a podium ) so that as many listeners as possible can follow the discussion. The panelists usually sit next to each other at a long table, their contributions are amplified by microphones and a loudspeaker system.
Moderator
A moderator supports the participants in the discussion. He greets the audience, explains the topic of the conversation, the procedure and the rules, and introduces the participants. He controls the individual speeches, takes up important key sentences, summarizes, slows down overzealous and supports silent participants, mediates in conflicts, maintains an overview and tries to comply with the agreed speaking times. He directs the handling of the topic and involves the audience. At the end he summarizes the findings and open points, thanks the participants and says goodbye to the audience.
listeners
In the second half of the panel discussion, the audience usually has the opportunity to ask questions. Questions are often not answered directly, but used as a suggestion for a further series of short speeches by the panel members on the aspect raised in the question. Depending on the size of the room, the speeches of the discussion participants are amplified with microphones or a special discussion system .
With the increasing spread of smartphones and tablets , listeners are increasingly given the opportunity to formulate their questions digitally without having to make a contribution. Depending on the type of event, a microblogging service or a web app is used for digital moderation. The moderator receives digitally asked questions from the audience via a preview monitor. He can weave this into the ongoing discussion without letting a listener interrupt it.
A break is often planned in the event in which the audience discuss, assess and deepen the opinions they have heard in breaks . Even after the event, snacks and drinks are often given the opportunity to discuss what has been heard and to make contact with other listeners. Sometimes an " aperitif " ( standing reception with drinks) is invited before the beginning so that the audience can get to know each other and get in the mood for the topic. These peer discussions are essential for learning success .
Context shift problem
A particular challenge is the selection of the panelists and their moderation. The idea is that the participants express their opinion and listen carefully to each other so that they can discuss them and thus make a joint contribution to the topic at hand and satisfy the interest of the audience. The focus is on collaboration and the subject of discussion.
However, from careful consideration and the “dialogue against one another”, a competition easily arises . This often goes so far that the self-portrayal and profiling of the participants completely suppresses the topic and the listeners no longer have any gain in terms of content. For political issues, this form is sometimes desired as an election campaign .
Often the audience's questions hide the desire to make your own “expert” contribution, i.e. actually wanting to sit on the podium yourself.
If listeners have the opportunity to ask questions digitally while the panel discussion is running, the moderator has expanded options for dealing with the problem of shifting context. Thus, the moderator can be made aware of a context shift that may be undesirable by the audience by asking questions from the audience, intervening with the help of audience questions and ensuring a satisfactory course of the discussion for the audience. Furthermore, the moderator has the opportunity to take "expert" contributions from the audience's ranks from the digitally asked questions, to make them productive for the ongoing discussion and thus to give a larger number of audience questions time, which would otherwise be due to the time costs would have been disregarded by "expert" contributions.
source
- ↑ Matteo Selvini: Mara Selvinis revolutions . ISBN 978-3-89670-658-4 , p. 71.
