Sessions Format

Interactive Session Format

We all know that active pedagogy makes a difference. A unique feature of this conference is our intention to transform each and every session from a “talking heads” panel format to be, instead, an intense working group where presenters share ideas together with one another, and with participants. All sessions will be one hour long, and we have sought to curate and encourage creative, participatory formats, where at least half of that time is engaging the participants in some form of interactive activity.

Many sessions will be targeted to a dozen or so participants who have most to say and learn on the topic at hand.  We mean to go well beyond the usual “papers and then Q and A” format to sessions where participants can actually work through the topic together or use active learning methods to collectively create next steps, takeaways, models, or other practical implementation ideas for participants to take back to their home institutions.

Multiple Perspectives and Voices

Most of the sessions also include multiple presenters, who  represent different roles or institutions (for example, one session might include a community college student, a graduate student from another institution, and professor or administrator from a third institution). Scholars of color, and people with backgrounds historically underrepresented in the academy, and people with direct experience in community colleges.

Students will be an invaluable part of this conference as presenters and attendees. While some topics, by their nature, are more directed at college leadership, staff or faculty, session presenters will welcome student perspectives.

One-Page Take-Aways

Since not everyone will attend every session, we have encouraged presenters to create a one-page summary, ideally including concrete recommendations or practices or pedagogies, from their session. This way, all participants can have the opportunity to build a portfolio of ideas, takeaways, next steps, and models. These one-page summaries will also be posted to under each session on the schedule as an informal conference archive.