Advice for First Time Attendees

Written by Rachel Becker, a member of the #OpenEd21 Communications Committee

Attending professional conferences for the first time can be intimidating. The good news is the #OpenEd community is wide and welcoming to new faces. We asked #OpenEd20 attendees what advice they have for #OpenEd21 first-timers. Here’s what they said.

The Open Education Conference is a great place to meet new connections. Be curious:

#OpenEd20 was my 1st, and I was so happy to ask questions AS a noob. Sometimes established conferences can crowd out first-time attendees, but I learned so much and met so many new colleagues from actively engaging.

Don't be scared. Lead with curiosity. Ask with respect.

— Maya "yes, that's really my last name" Hey, PhD (@heymayahey) August 18, 2021

Prepare a schedule ahead of time:

Make sure to prepare your own schedule beforehand , there are a lot of sessions and you need to make sure which one are the most suitable to your needs

— Nadia Cheikhrouhou (@NadiaCheikhrou) August 18, 2021

And have a Plan B:

And schedule backups! There's inevitably going to be a session that wasn't what you expected, has tech issues, or you may only be interested in one part of it. Having a 2nd (or 3rd) session option at the same time already picked out makes it easier to hop around.

— Casey A. McCoy-Simmons (@Casey_McSims) August 18, 2021

Minimize outside distractions and maximize conference connections:

Plan uninterrupted time to attend sessions and social events. Close out of email, networking sites, and work distractions to fully focus. It's worth the time away to connect with new people! #OpenEd21

— Ra©hel B. MLIS (@FairUseLBR) August 18, 2021

Step outside your comfort zone and you might be surprised what you discover:

Go to a few sessions where you have NO IDEA what they are talking about even after reading the abstract and title several times.

— Dustin Fife (@DustinTheFife) August 18, 2021

Get your tabs in order:

Open the tabs you want to attend the sessions of in the morning

— Tiffany MacLennan (@tiffmaclennan) August 18, 2021

Attend those social events! Sometimes the best connections are made while being “silly”:

Try to attend as many social events as you can - no matter how silly they are! The zoom rooms are usually filled with laughter, new friendships, and collaboration. #OpenEd21

— Winni Zhang 张亚娅 (@WinniZhangLaw) August 18, 2021

And finally...

Ask questions!

— Dr. Virginia Clinton-Lisell got her 💉s (@drclintonlisell) August 18, 2021