Tips for participation

Make a commitment

While an online conference is designed to free you from the constraints of face-to-face conferencing, you still have to make a commitment to participate in the discussions. In setting up this conference, we have included a number of ways to stay up to date, including a daily email update. We would still recommend that you set aside some time not only review and participate in discussions but also to review the resources created by presenters, so that you may participate effectively.

Be prepared

Before the conference familiarise yourself with the conference environment by logging in and exploring features explained on our help pages. Take a note of our ‘helpdesk’ email helpdesk@alt.ac.uk and Twitter account @A_L_T. Check the conference timetable and take a note of the key dates and times. (Note: All times and dates are in GMT unless otherwise stated.)

Be realistic with your time

We want participants to gain the most out of the online conference but be realistic with your time. It might not be possible for you to participate in every session. Weigh up your time and focus on the topics you are most interested in or the ones to which you feel you can make the greatest contribution. Remember all the webinars hosted by ALT will be recorded, so there is an opportunity to review the other topics at a later date.

Keep other participants in mind

Being removed from the physical contact of a traditional face-to-face conference, it is easy to forget about the other participants. The conference is also open to everyone with a diverse set of skills and including those whose first language might not be English. Please respect the views and opinions of other participants. Here is our full conference code of conduct.

Adapted from Wang, Y.M., 1999, Online Conference: A Participant’s Perspective, T.H.E. Journal, v26 n8 p70-76.