PE Jaws-Conference

In late May, Bangkok Patana School had the opportunity to host a PE JAWS - Conference. Our first face-to-face professional learning opportunity with external guests for almost two years! The excitement was palpable and the organising committee was constantly reminding ourselves of how we used to organise such events and what new layers of protection would be needed to prevent COVID-19.

Cindy Adair

Assistant Principal, ECA and Sports, Bangkok Patana School

This was our first attempt at a hybrid event and thus many lessons were learned. Here are our top 8 recommendations based on our experience we encourage you to try/consider:

1. Be sure to extend a welcome and farewell to the hybrid attendees. When planning your welcome address and final words include a shout out to those tuning in from afar, it’s a small touch but it ensures those who cannot travel remain part of our community. One particular area of concern was how to deliver a high quality “Hybrid” experience that face-to face and online participants would both enjoy and find valuable. Our conference featured a Keynote, practical workshops and then round table discussions.

2. Use the best technology you have at your disposal. High quality audio and video are always appreciated. Ensure you host in venues with fast and reliable WIFI. 3. The Hybrid model expands your options in terms of Keynote speakers. Thanks to the magic of technology we were able to engage the services of an excellent Keynote speaker who delivered via MS Teams on a big screen to our in—person audience.

4. Be sure to appoint moderators to the chat function of any technology you plan to use so they can engage with the online participants, answering questions, fine tuning the tech experience and relaying their questions to the presenter.

Hosting in a hybrid format is not for the faint of heart but it is possible. It was lovely to have colleagues from further afield attend our event, even if travel was not yet possible from their location. Our online attendees shared some great questions and knowledge and made for a richer JAWS experience.

5. During round tables it was helpful to pause every 10 mins and check-in with the virtual audience and take their questions. We had a laptop sitting at each table with the virtual attendees with their video switched on, as if they were participating in the conversation.

6. For our larger Round Table discussions, we created break-outs rooms in advance for all online attendees, this meant when we posed discussion questions all the online participants could create their own mini discussion group and chat among themselves like the other inperson groups around the table. 7. Be sure to set up a shared resources folder where all Presenters place their resources – this ensures that if a virtual attendee drops out of the call they can still access the materials shared. Where possible record the calls and share as well (we only managed this for the Keynote, the Round Tables were a little disjointed).

8. Consider your schedule. We followed a “traditional” schedule starting with the Keynote, then the practical workshops (whilst is was cooler outdoors) and finished with the Round Tables. Some of this was dictated by the practical outdoor nature of PE and our climate in Bangkok, Thailand. Virtual attendees were able to attend the Keynote and the Round Tables only. If we were planning another JAWS event not constrained by the outdoor heat, I would consider grouping the online offerings together in the same part of the day to make it more convenient for those attending virtually.