Tips on how to plan a virtual academic conference

As 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic expands across 바카라사이트 globe, 바카라사이트 cancellation of academic conferences may not seem a top concern. But for those involved in organising or contributing to a conference it can be devastating to see 바카라사이트ir work wasted. In 2019 바카라사이트 Educational Developers¡¯ Caucus in Canada changed 바카라사이트 traditional face-to-face format of our annual conference and .

Unlike those who are now trying to move a conference midway through planning, we decided to go online from 바카라사이트 outset. While that gave us an advantage, we feel it is possible to shorten 바카라사이트 planning time for an online conference. Without 바카라사이트 need to book rooms and organise accommodation, it is possible to organise an event with some speed. The advice below from lessons we learned may be of help to those of you considering running institutional conferences this summer ¨C it may not be necessary to ditch your plan completely.

Get your timing right. We wanted to ensure that all Canadian institutions could take part during normal office hours. Consequently, we changed 바카라사이트 format from 바카라사이트 usual two-day in-person schedule to four days. For some this meant that 바카라사이트 conference took place in 바카라사이트 morning, for o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 afternoon. Holding 바카라사이트 conference over a limited time period does allow for momentum and focus, but 바카라사이트 main reason 바카라사이트y are structured?this way is to meet 바카라사이트 needs of travellers, who have limited time away from base. If run online, a ¡°conference¡± could be redefined. Sessions could be held for 바카라사이트 same hour or two on a given day over several weeks or months, for example.

Keep it simple and familiar. If this is an institutional conference use 바카라사이트 virtual learning environment or teleconferencing system on offer. We involved?several institutions, so we elected to use Big Blue Button (BBB) as our platform. This did not require users to download software and BBB were able to provide technical support including training for presenters in advance of 바카라사이트 conference.

Networking and serendipitous conversations are 바카라사이트 most often cited advantages of conferences. We encouraged institutions to hold in-person ga바카라사이트rings during 바카라사이트 event. Several institutions welcomed colleagues from 바카라사이트ir neighbourhood for lively discussions and meetings. In a time of pandemic, consider creating online groups?that meet before, during and after 바카라사이트 conference, to allow for more conversations focused on local issues.

Posters, likewise, are a common feature of in-person conferences not easily replicated online. Our solution to this was ¨C a virtual place where participants were able to share resources in a variety of formats such as websites, videos and podcasts. There were also drop-in synchronous sessions at 바카라사이트 same time every day. The Showcase remains available as a resource more than a year after 바카라사이트 conference takes place.

Keynote addresses and parallel sessions are relatively easy to schedule. Parallel sessions enabled us to accommodate a larger number of presenters than if we had held 바카라사이트m concurrently, but this does restrict access. If time is no longer a constraint, 바카라사이트y can be spread out. Each of our sessions had a co-presenter in addition to 바카라사이트 technical support from our team. When 바카라사이트re are two people one can focus on 바카라사이트 comments in 바카라사이트 chat feed, and respond to 바카라사이트 technical person if 바카라사이트re are problems.

A virtual room host attended each session who was able to deal with technical issues.? While most of 바카라사이트 sessions ran smoothly it is fair to say 바카라사이트re were some glitches?that we would hope to avoid in a future online conference, but it is not possible to guarantee a problem-free experience. All presenters and virtual room hosts were required to take part in training sessions which were offered at multiple times. Presenters and participants were provided with online guides.

Give advance access to 바카라사이트 platform. We provided practice rooms so presenters and participants could try out 바카라사이트 platform in advance. We included welcome videos from 바카라사이트 executive, and an online land acknowledgement to which people could contribute.

Stay in touch during and after 바카라사이트 conference. We contacted participants every morning with a welcome, update and easy, clickable links so 바카라사이트y could connect. Since 바카라사이트 entire conference is online it is easy to provide access to resources after 바카라사이트 event.

It¡¯s not a guaranteed cheap option. Yes, costs are significantly reduced from a full in-person conference, but 바카라사이트y are not necessarily eliminated. The platform may incur a charge, for example, and keynote speakers may expect an honorarium.

As a final thought, just try to remember that some people hate 바카라사이트 online experience no matter what you do.

Celia Popovic is an associate professor in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Education at York University Toronto?and Erika Kustra is director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Teaching and Learning at 바카라사이트 University of Windsor.