Attendee Guide For OpenEd21
The 2021 Open Education Conference is finally here! The event starts on Monday, October 18th with five days of virtual programming packed with invigorating ideas, fresh perspectives, and new connections.
As the final countdown begins, we are posting a guide with everything attendees need to know to join the conference. Watch your registered email address on Monday morning for a link to join the conference, and you can always reach us at contact@openeducationconference.org!
Getting Started
Logging Into Sched
The #OpenEd21 program is hosted in Sched. The schedule is visible to the public, but only registered attendees can log in and view the program.
If you have already activated your account or know your password, login here.
If you need to activate your account, you can do so now with your Eventbrite ticket number and email.
If you aren’t sure or can’t get activation to work, you can also get in by resetting your password.
Do not leave this to the last minute!!
Joining Sessions in Zoom
All scheduled sessions will be held in Zoom. To access Zoom information for each session, you must be logged into Sched with the account you used to register.
When it is time to join the session, log into Sched and visit the page of the session you wish to join.
Click the blue button at the top of the session page (this only appears close to the session time).
Enter a name and email address into the Zoom instant registration form and click to join the session.
Code of Conduct
The Open Education Conference is committed to being a safe, accessible, equitable, and inclusive environment for all. Our code of conduct is important to facilitate those values and is essential to supporting environments centered on our principles in all conference spaces. The code of conduct applies to speakers, attendees, sponsors, and organizers alike, and it covers all aspects of the conference, including sessions, chats, and online spaces. Participation is conditional on reading and accepting the code of conduct, and unacceptable behavior is subject to sanctions. Please take a moment to review the code of conduct now.
Program & Activities
OVERVIEW
The #OpenEd21 community planning team has designed an action-packed and diverse program that has something for everyone. The program is available on Sched. Here’s a quick tour:
Structure: Each day’s formal program runs from 9:30am EDT to 6:00pm EDT, save for Friday which ends earlier. Before the start and end of each day, there is a 30-minute social session opening or recapping the day. Most live programming is concentrated toward the middle of each day’s agenda, while more pre-recorded sessions (which you can come back and view any time) are toward the start and end of the day.
Schedule: Sched makes it easy to assemble a personal schedule. The program has more than 200 live and pre-recorded sessions, so this conference was not designed with the expectation that you will attend everything live! Since nearly all sessions are either pre-recorded or recorded for later viewing, there is no fear of missing out. We recommend picking and choosing the parts that are most exciting to attend live, since you can always come back later to ones you miss.
Concurrent Sessions: Most of the scheduled program is filled with concurrent sessions. During each 90 minute concurrent block there are 5 to 6 sessions happening at once. Toward the middle of the day, there are 4 to 5 live sessions and 1 to 2 pre-recorded sessions, and vice versa toward the start and end of the day. Recordings from live sessions will be posted by the next day.
Tea Time: The daily schedule is divided into 90-minute blocks separated by 30-minute breaks that we call "Tea Time." Each Tea Time will offer a list of suggested activities. Some will have optional programming, and others will point to suggested asynchronous sessions or other aspects of the conference to explore.
Plenary Sessions: Each day has a plenary session where all attendees can attend the same program. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday offer keynote talks. Wednesday is a keynote panel featuring student leaders, and Friday will be an interactive session focused on the future of the conference.
Social Spaces
Discord: The conference has set up a private space on Discord where participants can engage in text and video chat. If you’re familiar with what Slack is, Discord may feel similar, but it offers a number of additional features that make it a great space for conference chatter. To join our Discord server, look for an email invitation from contact@openeducationconference.org.
Twitter: The official conference hashtag is #OpenEd21 and you can find us on Twitter at @HeyOpenEd. We’ll be active on Twitter throughout the conference, and we invite you to join us there.
Social Sessions: There will be a number of official and unofficial social activities happening during the conference, from virtual scavenger hunts to trivia to recipe competitions. The social program will be rolled out on Monday morning so everyone can get involved.
Schedule at a glance
9:00am EDT: Conference officially opens! You are welcome to join the opening session or watch the recording later.
Morning EDT: Attend an optional orientation or begin browsing the 100+ pre-recorded sessions available to view anytime.
11:00am EDT: Opening plenary featuring a keynote on trauma-informed pedagogy by Dr. Mays Imad.
Afternoon EDT: Concurrent sessions including a mix of live speakers and livestreamed pre-recorded sessions.
6:00pm EDT: Social activities begin, including the Late Show and a Crabcake Cooking Demonstration.
9:00am EDT: Day begins with the Early Show featuring a preview of the day and guest discussion.
Morning EDT: Concurrent sessions with "tea time" breaks.
1:00pm EDT: Plenary session featuring back-to-back keynotes by Leslie Chan and Kathleen Fitzpatrick.
Afternoon EDT: Concurrent sessions and "tea time" breaks.
Evening EDT: Social activities include the Late Show and Game Night.
Morning EDT: The Early Show followed by concurrent sessions, including "tea time" break activities.
3:00pm EDT: Plenary session featuring a panel of student leaders from around the world.
5:00pm EDT: Additional concurrent sessions.
Evening EDT: Social activities include the Late Show and Craft Time.
9:00am EDT: The Early Show followed by "tea time."
10:00am EDT: Keynote talk by Reggie Raju.
Afternoon EDT: Concurrent sessions through the end of the day.
Evening EDT: Social activities include the Late Show and a Talent Show.
Morning EDT: The Early Show followed by the final set of concurrent sessions.
12:00pm EDT: Closing plenary focused on the future of the OpenEd Conference.
Can’t Wait?
Neither can we! Building on the conference’s first virtual year in 2020, this year’s event aims to be a refreshing and engaging experience that is driven by the community. As the conference moves forward into the next phase of its history, we’re going to need everyone’s help to make this year’s event a success and improve it for the future.
Got questions? See our FAQ or contact us at contact@openeducationconference.org.
