DevLearn kicks off on Wednesday, October 24. This is how I’m preparing to get the most out of this conference.
Download the App and Create Your Schedule
DevLearn has a great app. Download it and register with your email address and the password: devlearn.
The first thing I do to prepare for the conference is go to the agenda and read through all the sessions listed there. Beside each session, you will see a plus sign. I check all the sessions I might want to attend so I can make an initial selection. When in doubt, check them; don’t choose between sessions that are in the same time slot. Add them both.
Please note that you can read the full info on the session in the app.
https://www.elearningguild.com/devlearn/content/5535/devlearn-2018-conference–expo–mobile-app/
In the app, you can switch between “Agenda” and “My Agenda.” Select all the sessions you might want to attend and then switch to “My Agenda.”
Review your agenda and choose between conflicting sessions. As you can see, I have a conflict with my own session (704) and a cool session on learning trends. I have to be present at my own session, so I have to remove the trend session from my agenda. This is how I built my conference schedule.
Check the Backchannel
David Kelly is the host as well as the curator of the conference. He creates backchannels on many conferences and he will manage a backchannel on DevLearn as well. Go to http://davidkelly.me/2018/10/the-2018-devlearn-conference-backchannel-curated-resources/ for an overview of all curated conferences and the link to the DevLearn channel. In the channel, you will find official conference posts, preconference posts, session notes and more. A must-see (even if you are not attending the conference).
Meet People
Elearning Guild conferences are also interesting because of the audience they attract. Try to meet as many people as you can. The lunch is served in a ballroom with large, round tables, making it an ideal opportunity to meet your peers. Use it!
Morning Buzz Sessions
Attend morning buzz sessions! I love them. They are small, informal sessions devoted to a specific topic. They are not presentations but gatherings hosted by a volunteer. I will host a morning buzz session on “Changing Mindsets About Learning and Development” on Thursday morning. Do attend them. They are a great way to start your day and a great way to meet people who are working on/struggling with the same issues as you are.
#DevLearn
Use the hashtag #DevLearn when posting and searching!
Meet Me
I will be hosting morning buzz session MB22 on Thursday in Jamaica AB and I will present on “Multiplying Your L&D Capacity with Employee-generated Learning” on Friday at 8:30 a.m. in Andros AB. You can meet me there. If you want to meet one-on-one, just let me know via mail@kasperspiro.com or the DevLearn app, and we will schedule something.
The Learning 2019 conference
I have been to a ton of learning conferences but this will be my first time at #learning2019. I’m looking forward to it and I’m planning to report on all interesting sessions via this blog.
