Formats
The formats for ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN are designed to ensure we have the most dynamic agenda possible driven by experts and practitioners willing to share their experiences with you.
The agenda is made up of the following types of sessions:
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Pre-Conference Workshops
Practical skill learning sessions
Pre-Conference Workshops
Practical skill learning sessions
These workshops, that participants have to register for separately, will take place on Wednesday, November 30th prior to the main conference, offering participants the opportunity to gain practical knowledge and insight from leading experts in a variety of specialised fields. These can be either half- or full-day workshops. As the emphasis is on activity and interaction, the number of participants is limited and workshops selected normally target a maximum of 30 participants.
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Pre-Conference Seminars
Knowledge sharing sessions about a particular project, initiative or issue
Pre-Conference Seminars
Knowledge sharing sessions about a particular project, initiative or issue
These seminars, that participants have to register for separately, will take place on Wednesday, November 30th prior to the main conference and are typically knowledge sharing sessions focused on a specific topic. They provide in-depth insight into a particular project or set of projects, an initiative or development in the field of e-learning or an emerging issue being faced by the e-learning community. The emphasis is on the exchange of information and knowledge dissemination; the number of participants can vary from 20 to 150 depending on the topic. Please note, preference in the selection process will be given to seminars clearly addressing the latest developments in e-learning and where interaction and discussion are built into the agenda.
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Pre-Conference Meetings
Specific participants’ meetings
Pre-Conference Meetings
Specific participants’ meetings
These meetings are targeted to a specific set of participants and will take place on Wednesday, November 30th. They are essentially private and are not necessarily announced on the conference website or in brochures. Such meetings include consortium meetings for European projects and can be arranged for groups of 10 to 150 participants.
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Presentations
Particular experiences or activities within the framework of the OEB themes
Presentations
Particular experiences or activities within the framework of the OEB themes
We will include presentations in sessions dedicated to the specific themes of ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN 2011. Proposals for such presentations may feature a description of a particular experience or activity or alternatively an approach, an opinion or a view of a particular topic. However in all cases, preference will be given to proposals that promote dialogue and discussion with conference participants. Please note that time will be dedicated during all presentation sessions for audience interaction, therefore potential presenters need to emphasise in their proposal forms how they will promote dialogue about their chosen topic with session participants during and after their presentation.
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Demonstration and Best Practice Showcase Sessions
Show & Tell sessions
Demonstration and Best Practice Showcase Sessions
Show & Tell sessions
These are real ‘show and tell’ sessions which will include examples of pre-market tools, applications, services and courses that are likely to interest ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN participants. The format for these showcase sessions is highly interactive. Those selected will be allocated a table space where they set up their demonstration. Before the conference, those showcasing will be invited to provide a short text describing the tool, application or course they are going to show, which will be published in the conference programme. Participants attending these sessions will be free to move around the room to find out more about the showcases that interest them most on an informal, one-on-one basis. These sessions will last about three hours each and will involve a significant number of demonstrations. They will take place in an area that resembles a large open market of e-learning products, services and tools and are designed to highlight innovation, excellence and future developments.
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Discussions and Debates
Let’s hear it from you! a) Soapbox sessions, b) Discussion sessions
Discussions and Debates
Let’s hear it from you! a) Soapbox sessions, b) Discussion sessions
ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN 2011 will feature several discussion and debate opportunities designed to actively involve participants. There are two different formats foreseen for these sessions. In the first format, we invite people with a strong opinion about a particular topic to put forward their point of view in one of the planned open discussion sessions called “Soapbox Sessions”. If your idea is selected, you will be given a short amount of time to present your point of view and then session participants will be invited to discuss it with you. Suggestions need to be linked to the conference themes and we will group those selected under common themes. In the second format, we plan to set up entire sessions devoted to a specific discussion topic. For these, we invite you to put forward both the topic and a minimum of three people willing to discuss the topic. We will choose those that fit best within the themes of ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN 2011. Again, suggestions need to be linked to the conference themes and in their proposal forms, applicants need to emphasise how they will promote discussion and debate with other participants.
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Knowledge Exchange Sessions
Informal shared interest discussions
Knowledge Exchange Sessions
Informal shared interest discussions
Sometimes called 'Cracker Barrel' sessions, these are 60-minute long sessions where the emphasis is on the exchange of knowledge and networking. They are intended to be informal and informative where participants will introduce themselves and then move on to discuss the topic under discussion. It is an opportunity to share knowledge and ideas about specific projects, to find others who share your interests, to share new ideas or future visions, to pose a question in order to encourage discussion or to look for help with a specific problem. These sessions will be held in relatively small conference spaces and access will be limited to promote discussion.
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Learning Cafés
Sharing and creating knowledge together
Learning Cafés
Sharing and creating knowledge together
The purpose of these sessions is to share information and to build on existing knowledge. The format for these sessions will be that after introductions to the themes under discussion, small groups of participants will each discuss a single theme around a round table with a table moderator for about 15 minutes. The table moderator will record the main points raised and issues discussed. The groups of participants will then change tables and the table moderator for each table will introduce the issue summarising the points made by the previous group to the new group who will then continue the discussion and so add to the content of the dialogue. After several rounds of discussions, the main points related to each issue discussed are then presented to the whole group for discussion in the final part of the Learning Café.
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OEB LEARNSHOPS
Dedicated round-table discussions, introduced by expert presentations
OEB LEARNSHOPS
Dedicated round-table discussions, introduced by expert presentations
These sessions mix expert presentations with small group discussions and will typically focus on a single topic. The proposed format for these sessions, lasting between one and three hours, is for them to be led by one or two people expert or highly experienced in a topic relevant to the conference themes. Participants in these sessions will engage in several small round-table discussions, then report back main findings, conclusions or recommendations to the larger group as appropriate to the topic. The main purpose of these sessions will be to encourage participants to voice their own opinion and viewpoint on the specific topic.
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OEB Lab Sessions
Practical skill learning sessions
OEB Lab Sessions
Practical skill learning sessions
These are 90 to 120-minute long sessions, in a room equipped with 20 computers and a local area network, allowing participants to take part in real hands-on training of different types of tools and applications. Participants will be invited to sign-up for these sessions beforehand on a first-come first-served basis. Those responsible for running these sessions will provide all necessary software and support materials for the participants.
