Theme Guide Procedures
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Contents |
Theme Guide Procedures and FAQ
GOALS / PURPOSE
- Ensure presentations submissions suit the theme. If not, help presenters find another theme which would be more appropriate.
- Provide the presenter with feedback and guidance for planning and implementation up to the conference.
SOLICITING PRESENTERS
Once the deadline for presentation proposals has been set and posted by the Chair Committee, the next step is up to you as the Theme Guide. You should start working together in your theme pairs to develop some messages and suggestions to get people thinking about proposals that fall within your theme. These messages will be sent to the ResNet L list, RESNET-L@listserv.nd.edu. The trick is to be upbeat and informative, and not to sound like we are either desperate or in despair. One suggestion is to introduce the full theme and its description along with your message. Always make sure to include the link on the programs page on the ResNet Symposium site.
Here are two sample introductory emails:
Sample Email 1:
Dear Fellow ResNetters,
Are you scratching your head looking for ideas on a topic for a ResNet 2006 presentation? Search no longer – we’ve come up with a list of ideas for you. In the ever-changing, ever-evolving world of technology you only have to look as far as your desk top to see how your job has changed over the last few years and how it WILL change tomorrow.
Are you thinking about how you will implement the new Windows Vista operating system (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/) or considering the new Mac with the Intel chip? Are you doing cool and innovative things with security to keep your student’s computers (and your network) protected? Have you figured out how to incorporate Pod Casts, BLOGS, RSS (http://its.unc.edu/resnet/rss/), Facebook or VOIP into your ResNet? What about gaming systems on your network – how do you manage those? Online chatting – the new way that students communicate with each other – how are you using this new mode of communication to your benefit? And, if anyone has figured out how to use text messaging, I would be first in line at that presentation.
These are just a few of the new and emerging technologies that are out there today – educate your fellow ResNet colleagues by submitting a proposal today for RESNET 2006!
Hurry, we’re anxious to hear from you and time is short for submitting a proposal.
Submit your proposal here:
http://caweb.its.yale.edu/resnet2006
Some additional topics for "Emerging Frontiers" include:
• ResNet evolution: where have you been and where are you going
• User trends: what's happening with users and what does this mean for ResNet
• Legal trends: what's been going on and how does it affect ResNet
• Collaboration: what groups and initiatives have you participated with and how has it fared
• New technologies: is ResNet moving beyond just the old "computer plugged in a dorm wall" model
• Free Music to students
• P2P Ban
• Personal networks (Blue Tooth)
• The portable computer – Blackberry and others – how have these devices changed your support model
Sincerely,
Teresa Pearson & Jeremy Buenviaje
ResNet 2006 Theme Guides - "Emerging Frontiers"
Sample Email 2:
Hey ResNetters -
It's that time of year again... You guessed it, time to submit your presentation proposals for ResNet 2007! While you're considering it, please visit the ResNet 2007 site at http://resnetsymposium.org/resnet2007/programs.html and take some time to read over the new Program Themes (especially Education and Learning Technologies).
The Education and Learning Technologies theme recognizes that ResNet provides an important link between residential students and the classroom. Are you taking advantage of this by providing unique learning opportunities to your residents, or is someone at your university implementing new learning technologies for students at you school, residential or otherwise? Get your academic folks involved and present on topics such as "Linking Learning", classroom technologies , academic partnerships with ResNet, providing learning technologies in residences, residential learning communities, mobile learning technologies, social networking, adaptive technologies and more!
Here are some ideas we came up with to make your job a little easier:
-Clickers / Interactive Lecture Halls
-Deploying a Tables / Notebook PC Classroom -Using Smartboards
-How Facebook / MySpace have changed your ResNet
-Network File Storage / File Collaboration Tools (Xythos, Yahoo! Briefcase, Google Docs and Spreadsheets, etc.)
-Deploying and Supporting Smartphones (Treo, Blackberry, iPhone, etc.)
-YouTube in the classroom
-Professor Podcasting
We are certain that all of you would like to be at UCSD enjoying the sun, sand and ocean with 300 of your closest friends, so why not present while you're at it? Remember, presentation proposals are due by Monday, March 5, 2007 at 9am (PST). For more information, or to submit your proposal, visit http://resnetsymposium.org/resnet2007/programs.html. Don't delay, submit today!
Your friendly Education and Learning Technologies Theme Guides,
Sarah Hosken Minh Vuong
Assistant ResNet Manager Manager of Student Computing Support
Illinois State University STS Yale University ITS
You can send an email like these to start, and then one more time closer to the deadline.
Also, if you have seen some recent messages to the list that would make a good presentation then feel free to target folks with some encouraging words as well. Going through the list archive from this past year is another way to dig up some ideas. Find a posting and then respond saying that it seems like a fantastic idea for your theme and then take it from there.
Again, closer to the deadline, you will want to send a follow-up reminder email. Here are two sample follow-up emails:
Sample Follow-Up Email 1:
Thinking about presenting at this years ResNet Conference in San Diego?
Jeremy and I are writing to remind you that the proposal deadline is approaching fast. You only have one week to write those wonderful proposals for the Leadership and Management theme before the March 5, 2007 deadline. Submitting your proposal is an important first step toward a successful presentation!
The Leadership and Management Theme gives you a great opportunity to showcase your management style to your Resnet colleagues.
Possible topic areas could include, but are definitely not limited to:
-Creating a Budget
-Effective Decision Making
-High-Performing Teams
-Motivating your Student Staff
-Running/Leading Meetings
-Valuable Presentation Skills
-Providing Effective Feedback
-Interviewing/Hiring/Evaluating Student Staff
-Conflict Management/Disciplinary Action
Don't delay, submit a proposal TODAY!
You can submit proposals at:
http://caweb.its.yale.edu/resnet2007
Don't hesitate contacting us with possible topics or ideas. We will assist you in developing them into successful proposals!
Thank you!
Victoria Arnold and Jeremy Buenviaje
Leadership and Management Co-Theme Guides
Sample Follow-Up Email 2:
Dear Potential Presenter (this means you!)
About to put the finishing touches on your proposal? Or are you like the rest of us, can't quite nail down the concept that you know everyone will be discussing at ResNet 2006 after your presentation. We (Judi Rennie and Rhys Curtis, LL&T co-theme guides) are here for you, to encourage you to pull those ideas together into a modest proposal that can grow into an exciting and successful presentation at the conference. We'll be with you every step of the way, ready to provide guidance and encouragement.
The LL&T theme encompasses the interaction of technology with our academic mission as well as the social and cultural lives of our residents. If your topic idea seems peripheral to ResNet it probably is relevant to a great many of us and belongs in this theme.
Possible topic areas could include:
Academic and technology peer influence or programs
Myspace/Facebook and student culture
Living/Learning centers and technology
Special interest housing or freshman programs
Academic - faculty/student interaction - portals
Privacy
Computer labs
Research Networks
We know that you can get your idea down in a paragraph but time is growing short as the deadline is March 3, 2006. You can submit your proposal at:
http://caweb.its.yale.edu/resnet2006Please let us know if you have questions or concerns.
submit you proposal at:
Judi and Rhys
Living, Learning, and Technology co-theme guides
Sample Follow-Up Email 3:
Calling all geeks!
Stuart Peloquin (peloquin@mit.edu) and I are very hard at work developing a "magic fridge" that will bring forth presentations for the Technology and Security theme at BGSU.
Have something that is 'nuts and bolts' that you have been working on/implemented that you want to share with others?
Possible topics include, but are definitely not limited to:
- customized and open-source application development
- firewalls
- bandwidth management
- automated registration
- network monitoring techniques
- cluster imaging and administration
- directory services
- wireless implementation
Think of all the information that you have "mooched" off of people at past meetings. This is your chance to give something back. You canhttp://caweb.its.yale.edu/resnet2006Don't delay, submit your proposal TODAY! There are only 2.5 very short weeks until the submission site closes.
Please contact us if you have any questions, and please forward this message to others you think might be interested.
Thank you!
Lisa and Stuart
Technology and Security co-theme guides
EVALUATING THE SUBMISSIONS
After you encourage folks to become presenters, you will get a number of submissions. You can view these submissions in the Symposium Submission Site. The number of submissions you get may vary depending on which theme you are in. If you see areas that you think would be good to enhance, share and provide your feedback by adding comments to those presentation proposals. However, keep in mind that it takes a lot of courage to present, so we want to ensure we provide constructive advice in an encouraging fashion.</p>
EVALUATING THE PRESENTATION DRAFTS
Closer to the conference date, the co-chairs will set a deadline for presentation drafts to be uploaded. An email will be sent out to all the presenters and the program committee. This email will signify that the presenters have the ability to upload their draft presentation to the submission site and when the deadline date is. The intention of having these uploaded in advance of the conference is to confirm that they are ready to go for our conference before it starts, and also so we can provide feedback if necessary. We know that everyone is busy, so if they are unable to upload their presentation by the deadline, the co-chair will ask the presenters to send their theme guides a quick line to let them know.
Also, final electronic versions of the presentations will be made available as part of the conference site so that people can access them after the conference, To this end, co-chairs will request the presentation files before or, at the latest, when they arrive at the conference.
THE CONFERENCE
As a theme guide, you are part of the program committee throughout the conference. Since you represent the committee, we ask that you display a good example to the other participants. You will receive a program committee ribbon and you may help answer participants’ questions through the conference.</p>
We will ask that you arrive early to attend the program committee meeting the day before the conference begins. During this meeting, you will get to meet other members of the program and host committees that are running the conference. You will also get a chance to meet your co-theme guide if you haven’t already.
Theme guides do not have to attend the Presenter's Prep session at the beginning of the conference. However, if you do plan to moderate, then it is a good idea to meet the presenters for whom you are moderating. The program committee chooses the moderator roles at our Program Committee meeting the day before.
If you are a moderator, here’s a sample email you can send to your presenter during the conference:
Hi Megan,
My name is Jeremy and I'm part of the program committee with the Symposium. I am assigned to moderate your presentation session on Google Apps. This means I will be working with you on setup, introduction, facilitating questions, timekeeping, and with any other ways I can help make the presentation run smoothly. I would like to start the session with an introduction to your presentation. Please send me a short blurb (50 words or less) that introduces yourself, your institution, and something interesting you want me to point out before you begin. If I don't see you before then, I'll be there before the presentation begins.
Hope you had a safe trip to San Diego and I am looking forward to meeting you and to your presentation!
Thanks,
Jeremy
Again, thank you for getting involved as a Theme Guide and we look forward to working with you! Please do not hesitate to email the Program Chair with any questions you may have!
FAQs
Here’s a list of FAQs that may be helpful for you, the Theme Guides.
Q: Do we ask the presenter to include more information if we feel it's necessary?
A: Yes - you can ask for more information from the presenters - eventually they will have to provide their full presentation, but if you are not clear from their synopsis as to what the presentation is about, then most likely, the audience will not understand either. Politely ask for more information. Usually a potential presenter will throw in something that has only one sentence, most likely trying to beat the deadline.
Q: If we ask for more information or provide feedback via the submission site, should we then send an email to them to check their submission?
A: The submission site should send out an auto email indicating to the submitter that a comment has been made on their presentation.
Q: Do the co-chairs also review each proposal? Also, do they also ask the submitter for more information or is this left up to the theme guides?
A: The co-chairs will also review the submissions but we will likely go back to the theme guide to ask for more info.
Q: If the potential presenters select BoF rather than lecture or panel, do we comment on BoFs as well? Do the BoF Coordinators also review all proposals?
A: Yes to both questions.
Q: Some folks are saying that their changes are not showing up after saving them in the submission site.
A: From the presenter side of things, they are not able to distinguish the difference between the "Save" and "Submit" buttons when uploading their changes. The problem is that before the change appears to the theme guides, the person needs to resubmit the proposal. The changes that they made are saved, but they don't appear in the view window until they are submitted - so what's viewed is what's submitted. If you hear from people who are having these issues, try to explain the above solution - otherwise let the chair committees know and they can do the resubmit.
Q: Do the theme guides assign ratings to proposals in their theme, all of the submissions, or as many as they can get to?
A: Theme Guides are only able to rate proposals in their own theme. However, Theme Guides may add comments and suggestions to all of the proposals for the conference.
Q: I provided comments and feedback to other submissions in my theme. I felt awkward stepping into someone else’s theme, especially when the submitters began emailing me with questions or comments, and they were not always copying the "real" theme guides. How do you handle this situation?
A: If you reply back to a presenter, feel free to reply and provide your feedback. We would suggest to copy the other Theme Guides to make sure that they are in the loop of communication.
