One of the most exciting and valuable aspects of the convention is the presence of the many thoughtful colleagues with whom we have limited in-person interactions throughout the year. To take advantage of this, session organizers are increasingly asking speakers not to read prepared papers but to experiment with more interactive and dynamic formats that allow for greater engagement among panelists and audience members. By including workshop elements or by focusing on discussion rather than presentation, participants of innovative sessions gain new insights and consider topics more fully.
If you’re looking for something a little different this year, consider the following:
- Preconvention workshops. If you’re interested in being an active participant, you might sign up for Engaging Pedagogy: A Hands-On Exploration of Student-Centered Approaches to Teaching Literature, or perhaps Get Started in the Digital Humanities with Help from DHCommons.
- Workshops during the convention. Topics range from archival research (FrostBytes: Archival Scholarship in the Digital Age) to how to apply your scholarly background to a government career (Using Your Language Proficiency and Cultural Expertise in a Federal Government Career).
- Creative Conversations. Check out at least one of this year’s conversations, in what has proved to be an inspiring series: Chicago Latina/o Writing, John Sayles and Maggie Renzi, and Siri Hustvedt and Nancy K. Miller.
- Pecha Kucha. Attend a session that features this dynamic, fast-paced structure in which participants speak using twenty slides that automatically advance every twenty seconds. Sessions that use this exhilarating structure leave plenty of time for discussion with the audience. Examples this year include Beyond the Protomonograph: New Models for the Dissertation and The Naked Eye: Visuality and Vulnerability.
- Electronic roundtables. These showcase digital work and include time for presentations and discussion. One session taking advantage of this new format is Evaluating Digital Scholarship: Candidate Success Stories.
For many members, sessions that try something a little different are the most engaging at the convention and leave the deepest impression after it has ended. What other innovative sessions have caught your eye? What ideas do you have for future session formats?
