Suggested Session Formats
As a Session Chair, you have the opportunity to structure your session in a manner that best accommodates the students from your discipline. Please consider employing one or more of the strategies below as you design your session.
Symposia:
In a Symposium, the total time devoted to a specific paper is generally 15-30 minutes including discussion time. For each symposium, up to five minutes should be scheduled at the beginning for an introduction and between five and ten minutes at the end for a summary by the Session Chair.
Creative Arts:
Performing Arts
Students in theatre, dance, and music may present short performances. Care will be taken to schedule performances in rooms appropriate for successful presentation quality. Also, students of history and theory in these disciplines can present papers.
Visual Arts
Visual artists present an artist’s talk, which includes images of artwork (projected slides, projected digital images, or actual work) and discuss their approach, methods and content. This type of presentation usually takes place in 15-30 minutes. Also, students of Art History can present papers.
Poster Sessions
Poster Sessions are an alternative, interactive method of presenting papers. Presenters post their papers and any other pertinent data on a bulletin board. Attendees may then discuss the paper with the speaker and gain additional input from other attendees. Poster sessions are typically held in a single large room for a several hour period where attendees can casually visit posters of interest and discuss their content with poster presenters. Contact Sue Payton (8-8967, paytons@wou.edu) for information about printing and production of posters.
Tutorials
A Tutorial is appropriate when there has been a rapid development in new technology, which requires an update to set the stage for one or more technical sessions on the subject.
Panel Discussions
Panels are useful for communicating views and experiences by a group of presenters who have worked on the same project / topic. One variation is to follow the presentation of papers by a panel discussion. The authors of the papers as well as other experts may participate on the panel.
Timeline for Session Chairs
- Friday, April 11th - Preliminary Session Planning Information (e.g., symposium, desired location, desired times) sent to Showcase Planning Committee.
- Wednesday, April 30th - Closing date for Session Chairs to submit Academic Excellence Showcase Planning Documents. This will include the following:
- Part 1: Session Planning and Scheduling Form
- Part 2: Session Organization Form
- Part 3: Proposal to Present Forms
- Program copy proof will be sent to Session Chairs in early May if time allows.
- Week of May 19-23 - Session Chairs should communicate with each presenter to reconfirm session arrangements, schedules, and plans regarding their presentation(s).
- Tuesday, May 20th - Showcase program is printed, posted on the Showcase Website, and distributed to faculty who will, in turn, distribute it to their students.
- Thursday, May 22nd - "Last Minute" Session Updates due.
- Thursday, May 29th - Academic Excellence Showcase Event.
"Last Minute" Session Updates
Any program changes that occur after the Showcase Program Book is printed may be included in a Program Update that will be distributed at the meeting and on the Showcase Web Site. No other Program Book will be printed. Updates must be received no later than May 22nd and must be submitted using the appropriate forms.