Questions about conferences
We can all get better at asking better questions to create accessible #HigherEd conferences for all learners.
A few years ago, I flew home on a plane from Florida after being forced to cancel an in-person speaking engagement at the very last minute. I had once again underestimated the limitations of my chronic illness and the lack of accessibility provided “out there” for disabilities.
On the plane ride home, devastated but still fighting, always fighting, I wrote a list entitled, “Things I Can Do.” At the top of that list: I’m a great virtual presenter.
The shift to virtual conferences and workshops during COVID times has been life-changing for me and many others. Many of the “limitations” of my chronic illness vanished during this shift. Funny how that works, isn’t it? I was part of the group. I was just like everyone else. I could remain in my routine, stay as healthy as possible, and still learn with my peers.
As many organizations transition back to in-person conferences, folks who benefited from the accessibility of virtual conferences are losing out. I’ve been feeling frustrated and humbled by this challenge lately, and to be honest, torn about talking about it. It’s depressing. I’m really sad that protecting accessibility seems like an afterthought for many conferences. But I’ve learned that it’s therapeutic to talk about the things that we don’t want to talk about.
A contribution: Here’s a list of questions we can all get better at asking conference organizers, myself included. And if you’re a conference organizer, head us off at the pass! Proactively answer these questions when designing your conference and share your answers with us.
Remember, great learning design begins with empathy for the learner. Who are your learners? All of your learners. What do they want? What do they need? What are their strengths and challenges? Start there.
- What are you doing to ensure diverse representation among your keynote speakers and presenters?
- Will this conference be affordable for adjunct faculty? Graduate students?
- Is this conference in-person, HyFlex, or virtual? Who does that decision prioritize? Who gets left behind?
- Will your facilitators/presenters (the words you choose matter!) be supported in creating engaging learning experiences where learners are able to actively engage via multiple means?
- Are you centering disabled folks and folks with chronic illnesses in your conference design decisions? How so?
- What steps will you take to mitigate the negative impacts of your conference on climate change?
- Are you accepting corporate sponsors, and what are the implications of that choice? Do your sponsors support racist, ableist technologies that do harm to students?
- How are you supporting caregivers to help them make space for this conference?
What questions am I missing? How can we begin to reenvision the future of #HigherEd conferences? How might designing from the margins lead to more fruitful and inclusive conferences in the future?
