Dl07 Showcase

Virtual Professional Conferences within Courses: Training for Professionalism 23rd Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning Course Design Showcase Jane Zahner, Ph.D. Valdosta State University

Graduate level class with 12 students

Face-to-face class with few online components

Objective: to present at a professional conference

1. The Class

Three hour evening

Some ‘tech-savvy’, some ‘tech-terrified’

Half at home; half in lab with professor

Colleagues observed, in person and virtually

2. The People

WebCT Vista

Organizer Pages

Learning Modules

Simple Webpages

Discussion Groups

Chats

3. The Tools

DYI Nametags

Program in Publisher, then pdf

Uploaded Poster Sessions Ahead

Revealed Schedule and Roundtable Topic

4. The Preparation

Welcome messages prepared ahead

‘ Live’ interaction made sure all were in attendance

Visitor from Azerbaijan confused!

Lurker from Distance Learning Staff curious!

5. The Opening

Two hour wait for a virtual table; no waiting for classroom snacks 6. The Fun

In-lab students didn’t know Dr. S was in the room until they saw the picture posted in the virtual conference! 7. The Intensity

Lots of little ‘hallway action’ in the Internet Hotspot! 8. The Interaction

The Quicktime Movie of the Keynote worked for most; the back-up PowerPoint highlights sufficed for others 9. The Keynote

Poster sessions were PowerPoints with Notes describing the student experience with the main project of the course, a Needs Assessment Proposal. 10. The Poster Sessions

Each student scheduled for 15 minutes in specified chat room

Knew they would discuss one of three topics

Assigned as audience members to assure equal participation

11. The Roundtables

Logs of chats and quality of poster sessions evaluated by professor later and feedback given for leader and audience 12. The Assessments One student (nearly) panicked as janitor locked her inside the school