Presentation Formats

Symposium

A symposium includes three or four presentations on a related topic (research finding, practice, program, policy issue, etc.). Symposia are scheduled for 75 minutes, 20 of which will be reserved for active discussion with members of the audience, to allow for interaction between presenters and attendees. Symposia may feature active panel debate about a topic, as the presenters see fit.

Workshop

Workshops are designed to exchange information about a particular body of knowledge, evidence-based practice, engaged teaching technique, assessment or research instrument, or methodology. A workshop includes a small number of presenters and the emphasis is on disseminating specific knowledge. Workshops are scheduled for 75 minutes. Active discussion between audience and presenters should take place throughout the session and at least 20 minutes should be reserved for it.

Poster Symposium

Each poster symposium includes 4-8 posters organized around a common topic, but representing a variety of studies, projects, and perspectives. Poster symposia are scheduled for 75 minutes to allow for active discussion between presenters and attendees. Each presenter will be expected to display a poster of his/her work within the poster symposia exhibition area outside the Michigamme room. Attendees will have an opportunity to view and discuss the posters with presenters for the first 30 minutes of the session. This portion of the session is like a smaller version of a traditional poster session. After 30 minutes, a session convener will call the symposium portion to order by asking attendees to take seats and primary presenters to gather at the front of the Michigamme room. For the balance of the session (40-45 minutes), the convener will facilitate an interactive discussion between the attendees and a panel comprised of the primary presenters of the posters. The discussion is meant to create dialogue about themes cutting across the work represented in the posters and an opportunity to explore diverse perspectives on the common topic.

Poster

Two distinct poster sessions will be held, each with a different line up of posters. Each poster session will be convened for two hours. Posters will be clustered on similar topics near each other to create more natural spaces for thinking and discussion across common themes and will feature a reception with light food and drinks. The National Outreach Scholarship Conference will also recognize the most outstanding posters of 2011, as determined by a panel of judges, with special awards presented during the conference.