Presenter Resources
Thank you for presenting at Strengthening Student Success Conference 2024 (SSSC24) and joining us for this annual professional learning event! In preparation for your session, you will find information below about room size, setup, technology, evaluations, and more.
All SSSC proposals are chosen through a review process by a team of experienced community college educators; in other words, your colleagues and peers. Each time slot has nine strong session choices. We can’t know in advance which topics will be the most popular or how many people will show up to your session.
When we plan the conference, we try to maximize space for attendees. Some of the topics may have a smaller target audience and draw fewer attendees. When this happens, it may feel like you have a small group in a large room. We encourage you to use the space in the way that works best for your session (e.g., you may rearrange the tables or chairs, or bring people closer together; however, should you choose to do that, it’s important that you move them back into the original setup at the end of your session).
Remember that your session attendees will be sitting for most of the day, listening to multiple presentations, and we know people learn more effectively by being actively engaged in the session with a variety of formats (PPT, video, talking, etc.) and activities (sharing with a partner, creating a poster, brainstorming, working in a group, etc.). If you utilize multiple presentation activities, you will have a memorable presentation.
We also encourage you to utilize the tips provided for making powerful PowerPoint (PPT) presentations. Every year, we receive consistent feedback that the PPTs in many sessions could be more effective. Under the Presentation Resources & Tips tab below, you will find examples and suggestions to make your PPT concise, visually clear, and punchy.
We appreciate the knowledge you and your colleagues share that makes the Strengthening Student Success Conference a lively place to learn!
The following information applies to each breakout session:
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Laptop
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HDMI (or micro HDMI) to VGA adapter (if your laptop requires HDMI for projector connection)
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Mac adapter if needed
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Your presentation on a backup flash drive
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Any handouts/session evaluations you plan to distribute
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Any supplies needed for your presentation not mentioned below
Most rooms will be set in banquet rounds of 8 to 10 depending on the room. Each room setup will also include:
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Podium
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Head table for three
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Water station
Sound:
AV:
*To request supplies, please email MeetingWise LLC by or before September 23, 2024. We will do our best to accommodate requests based on availability and budget.
A Note on Music During Sessions
Use of music during your session or small group time is a great way to welcome and/or connect with attendees. However, if you choose to play music at any time during your session, we ask that you keep the volume low. In addition, we encourage you to refrain from using music while people are speaking, as it can make hearing the presenters or other participants challenging for attendees, especially those with hearing impairments.
Design your session—regardless of length—for active learning. Through narratives, demonstrations, conversations, and/or hands-on activities, participants should be able to consider how concepts, models, and possibilities could be applied to their own practices and settings. Below, we have provided an example of how to structure an 80-minute presentation:
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5–10 minutes: Intro to session/what will be covered
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5–10 minutes: Activity
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10–20 minutes: Sharing information
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5–10 minutes: Activity
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5–15 minutes: Wrap up presentation
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5–10 minutes: Q&A opportunity
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3–5 minutes: Close
As you can see, there are time ranges that provide you with extra time for information sharing or extended Q&A, or extended activities depending on your topic. The important thing to remember is that people can’t sit for 80 minutes and just listen to someone talk, even if you have several presenters (which you should for an 80-minute session). You need to break up the time with activities interspersed to allow people to engage in different ways with your topic.
Room Hosts
A host will be assigned to your room to assist you with needs such as distributing handouts, changing lighting/room temperature, contacting AV support, or other needs. They will also help you to keep the session on schedule, make any closing announcements, and direct attendees to the next session.
Should your session fill, the host will place a “Session Full” sign outside the door. In most cases, we are unable to add chairs to rooms, but your session host will work with staff to make that call if needed. It will depend on space and fire code restrictions. For this reason, no one is allowed to sit on the floor.
We encourage you to arrive 15 minutes early for your session to meet your room host and to test your presentation.
Handouts
If you plan to provide handouts for your session, we suggest bringing a minimum quantity of 60 with you to be safe. Please note that we will NOT be able to do any copying on-site.
We would like to make your presentation slides and session materials available to conference attendees via the event app. As such, please make sure to review ALL of your visual content and physical handouts for accessibility BEFORE sending them to us. Making all your materials accessible ensures that your entire audience will be able to access them. Please note: We will not be able to post any presentations or materials that are not fully accessible on our app. View tips for creating accessible presentations.
PowerPoints
PowerPoint presentations must be submitted no later than Monday, September 30, so that they may be checked for accessibility. Email your PPTX file to Lila Tavelli at professionaldevelopment@rpgroup.org using the following format to name your files: “Session Title_Lead Presenter Name.”
Evaluations
The conference will not be conducting individual session evaluations. If you would like to invite written feedback at the conclusion of your session, you are welcome to distribute your own evaluation form to your participants. If you plan to do so, reserve approximately five minutes at the end of your session to allow attendees time to complete them.
These resources were created to support the development of your presentation. This set of resources can offer ideas on how to design your conference session to better meet the needs of the evolving conference attendee learner.
Tips for Creating Effective Presentations
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PowerPoint Presentation Tips
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Overall Presentation Tips
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Creating Accessible PowerPoint Presentations
Other Presentation Design Tools:
Contact
Lila Tavelli
Professional Development & Membership Manager
The RP Group