Last year I attended my first BbWorld conference. It was my first time attending any conference and I had just started my role here at Chapman as the Blackboard Support Specialist. Blackboard Learn LMS was new to me, and I was still learning the basics. I wanted to get the most out of the conference, so I attended as many sessions and one-on-one demos with the vendors as I could, and I networked with as many people as possible.

This year I submitted my first proposal for a panel session, Discover What Works Best for Adjunct/PT Faculty Training. Receiving the acceptance email and preparing for this panel has been one of the highlights of my career. I have the pleasure of acting as moderator for the following panelists: Regena Aye, Dean for Online Learning (Allen Community College), Bill Harlow, Senior Manager of Instructional Technology and User Experience (Ultimate Medical Academy), Natalina Parker, Blackboard Specialist (California Lutheran University) and Sarah Sproule, Instructional Designer (Roosevelt University). Our panel will discuss how we can better engage in Adjunct/PT faculty outreach, provide appropriate resources, and garner faculty feedback. I’m looking forward to our discussion and connecting with the audience.

I also plan on attending around 10 sessions with the following themes: enhancing the teaching and learning journey, engaging professional development, fostering inclusive education and using analytics to drive student success. With over 50+ exhibitors, I’m hoping to get acquainted with at least the ones new to me. The community knowledge bar will be a go-to spot this year. Of course, I will be bringing a large stack of business cards with the intent of receiving just as many from the Blackboard attendees. Lastly, I will be sharing my experience throughout the conference on our Twitter, so please be sure to follow @ATchapman.