Sharing Good Practice
MakE education conferences fit for purpose
By Rachael Edgar region , and that is wide ranging . With 17 different curriculums in Dubai alone , appealing to all is a challenge . In order to stay relevant and competitive , an event must employ strategies that aim to satisfy the individual needs of audience members , as well as connect with the audience as a whole . By using the data attendees fill out when they sign up , you can create opportunities for networking and increased engagement .
SUBJECT
This will depend on your intended audience , pick something simple , punchy and on topic . Popular foci for conferences in this region are Digital Innovation , SEND , Wellbeing , subject innovations and best practice in pedagogy .
Valuable learning opportunities for educators are vital to ensuring continuing development . A well prepared and inspiring conference can go a long way to meeting such needs and give opportunities for teachers to share , collaborate and explore the latest in education innovation .
The Middle East has seen a rise in education events in recent years . Large conferences such as GESS / GEF , which has been running in Dubai for the past three years and BETT , held in Abu Dhabi 2016 , have raised the profile of the potential digital technology , has to transform learning regionally .
Teach Meets , free education “ unconferences ” have also become popular amongst schools in the region . SPARK , formed by a group of Dubai educators in 2013 , has held 20 such ' Teach Meets ', providing a forum for teachers and leaders to get together and learn from each other . It is fascinating to observe the number of teachers who are willing to exchange
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ideas with one another in this exciting format for professional development .
Putting together an exciting event , fit for purpose can be challenging . I have used the following formula to successfully produce conferences : PASS-IT - Planning , Audience , Subject , Speakers , Impact and Technology .
PLANNING
You cannot ‘ over plan ’ an education conference . Start by determining the purpose of your event . Identify the message clearly for the presenters and the audience . Start with the basics , budget , venue , timings , and structure . Then expand as resources allow . On the day , always expect the unexpected - speakers not turning up , sessions that over run , not having enough chairs and technical glitches . Even with the bestlaid plans , things can go wrong . Be flexible and go with the flow !
AUDIENCE
Your audience at an education conference will reflect the nature of the
SPEAKERS
It is your speakers that will make or break your event , so source these wisely . Great speakers get booked up well in advance , so think about this very early on . It is likely if you are hosting a substantial event in the Middle East , you may need to fly speakers in , which is expensive once you incur travel and accommodation expenses . Bear in mind , there is an array of locally available , talented educators . Visit the websites of previous events in the region and social media channels for contact details .
IMPACT
Measuring the success of your event will depend on calculating attendance and the post conference survey . Question attendees on the new challenges and insights they have taken from the conference and how they intend to take their learning forward .
TECHNOLOGY
Audience members should be encouraged to tweet and post pictures of their experiences on social media outlets . A variety of rich , captured moments can help spread the word about your event and also catalogue interesting moments from the conference .
There is undoubtedly huge potential and demand for education conferences in the Middle East . The challenge is ensuring yours is relevant , impactful and that your attendees leave bursting with fresh ideas .