Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions

Have you ever felt like the most interesting and useful part of a conference talk isn't the talk, but the question-and-answer session that followed? Or that you would like it better if they skipped the talk and just did Q&A?

Me too! There's nothing wrong with talks (most of the time...) but often I get the greatest value not from the talk but from the unscripted, sometimes wild-west Q&A session that follows. It's there that the speaker has to listen and not just speak, improvise and not just read from a script, and connect with people and their issues and not just be a "rock star".  I don't know about you, but I remember specific questions and answers from speakers long after their keynote addresses are over.

That's why I offer Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions as a featured service as a speaker alongside keynote addresses and workshop sessions. AMAs are just what the name says: 30- or 50-minute sessions where you have my complete attention and can literally ask me anything – no script, no agenda, no rushing to get the talk done so there can be 5 minutes for questions. There is no talk; only questions and answers.

Here's how it works:

• Contact me to set up either a 30- or 50-minute AMA session. These can be in person if you like, but they work particularly well in a remote videoconference setting which saves time and money. (See below for pricing.)
• A few days before the AMA session, I'll provide you with a form that lets participants submit questions in advance if they want. This isn't necessary; the majority of AMA participants don't submit questions in advance. But some prefer to do so. I'll post those questions anonymously at a site accessible to participants, so they can upvote the questions they like the most.
• Then during the session, I'll take questions from the participants, live and unscripted. I'll make sure to keep each answer to a length of 3-4 minutes or less so we can get as many questions as possible in play. If we run out of questions, I'll go to the ones submitted in advance.
• The questions can be about anything at all. Most questions tend to be about topics I'm writing about: alternative grading, flipped instruction, the use of technology in teaching, and so on. But I've also been asked about productivity hacks and habits, artificial intelligence, my work as a musician, and more. Many times the more oddball the question, the more fun we have and the more memorable the response.

AMA sessions work particularly well if...

• You have a faculty reading group going for one of my books, Grading For Growth or Flipped Learning: A Guide for Higher Education Faculty. AMAs are a great way for me to connect with people actually reading the books, and for those folks to get answers straight from the source.
• You'd like to hire me to speak and you're on a limited budget. AMAs are a low-cost alternative to traditional keynote addresses and workshops, that still provide solid value for participants.
• You'd like to have me speak with a group without the hassle of setting up a traditional keynote or workshop. AMAs are simple: We get together online (or in person) just like any other meeting, and you ask questions.

AMA sessions are  \$300  \$200 for 30 minutes and \$500 $400 for 50 minutes. If you have a different time length in mind, let's talk (and it will cost about $10 per minute). If you want the AMA to be in person, we will also need to discuss logistics (meals, lodging, transportation) but this doesn't come up often because most folks do these online.

Sound good? Take the first step in scheduling an AMA by filling out my contact form and letting me know what you have in mind. I'll reply within three business days to take the next step.

To learn more about all the speaking, workshop, and consulting services I offer, please see my main Speaking page. For an updated schedule of upcoming and recent talks, workshops, and AMAs, please see my Speaking Events page.