[BCMA] Give a hoot! Call for session and workshop proposals for BCMA Conference 2010 - "I Robot"

Thu Mar 11 17:06:17 PST 2010

If you watch the movie ¡°I Robot¡± you will see that our community got on board ¡ in fact some of the filming was done right here in New Westminster!

As I recall the opening scene has the hero leaping around the Parkade and Front Street had futuristic Shop fronts fitted. 

No one can say that New Westminster is stuck in the 1800s, even though we did celebrate our 150th birthday last year! 

Colin MacGregor Stevens,

Manager,

New Westminster Museum and Archives,

302 Royal Avenue,

New Westminster, BC, 

V3L 1H7

Phone Office:    604-527-4639

Work Cellular : 604-830-6965

Fax:                  604-527-4641

E-mail: cstevens at newwestcity.ca 

Web Site: www.newwestminster.ca 

From: Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. [mailto:bcma at lists.vvv.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 10:40 PM
To: bcma at lists.vvv.com
Subject: [BCMA] Give a hoot! Call for session and workshop proposals for BCMA Conference 2010

A call for session and workshop proposals has been sent out by the BC Museums Association Conference Program Committee for

I, Museum: Community, Technology, Opportunity 

The British Columbia Museums Association Annual Conference
October 27 - 30, 2010
Nanaimo Museum & The Vancouver Island Conference Centre
Nanaimo, British Columbia

The Three Laws of Museums:
1. A museum may not abandon the past or, through inaction, allow the community and its material culture to come to harm. 
2. A museum must embrace the future, except when it conflicts with the First Law. 
3. A museum must protect its own existence as long as such protection doesn't conflict with the First or Second Law. 

Borrowing shamelessly from Isaac Asimov's book, I, Robot, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Laws_of_Robotics>  and the Three Laws of Robotics, this year's conference theme I, Museum: Community, Technology, Opportunity investigates and celebrates what makes museums unique (working with and for our community), how we can use technology to help us forward our goals (but not let it take over), and what we can do to survive and adapt to the changing world around us (by seizing unique opportunities).

This Call for Proposals is just the starting point for you to develop session and workshop ideas and questions. Sessions and workshops should open discussion, raise new ideas and issues, share best practices, and spark imagination and innovation. They should also touch on our theme in a thoughtful manner. 

More detailed information on how each of our sub-themes are broken down will soon be available on the BCMA website. You can also join the conversation on conference development by fanning us on Facebook. <http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#%21/pages/Victoria-BC/BCMA-Conference-2010/347907295613?ref=ts> 

Please complete the attached form with your session/workshop idea, or fill in your information in the below. (Email caroline.posynick at gmail.com if you cannot access the form attached to this email.)

Sessions are 1.5 hours in length; double sessions/workshops 3.0 hours. Workshops can be full day (6.0 hours) or half day (3.0 hours). Sessions and workshops can follow a range of formats, examples are provided at the end of this message. 

We are always interested in new voices from a variety of institutions and organizations, as well as from people from outside the field. If you cannot identify all of the speakers needed for your session, ask friends and colleagues. The Program Committee may be able to assist you with recommendations. Please note that BCMA welcomes a mix of ¡°101¡± basic, mid-career, and advanced sessions.  We also encouraged cross-disciplinary approaches to topics with presenters looking at topics through their different lenses.

If you have an idea that you'd like to develop into a proposal, but have questions or need assistance as you develop it, you can contact the Program Committee <mailto:caroline.posynick at gmail.com> . 

The Program Committee is responsible for reviewing session proposals for their suitability for the conference, and to recommend sessions for the final program. The Program Committee will meet in May and you will be notified whether or not your proposal was accepted by the end of May. Speakers must be finalized by June 2010.

Proposal Deadline for Sessions and Workshops for BCMA Conference 2010 is April 30, 2010

Thank you for your interest in participating in the BCMA Conference!

________________________________

SESSION OR WORKSHOP PROPOSAL FOR BCMA CONFERENCE 2010: 
I, Museum: Community, Technology, Opportunity                                                  

Proposer¡¯s Name

Title

Institution / Company / Affiliation

Address

City / Province / State                       

Postal / Zip Code

Phone                                

Fax

E-mail

Moderator (if different from Proposer):

Session / Workshop working Title:     

Session Format:   (Please ¡Ì - and see descriptions of these formats below)
__  Pre-Conference Workshop    
__  Study Tour        
__  Mini-Workshop
__  Panel   
__  Dialogue/Forum  
__  Roundtable     
__  Plenary   
__  Special Interest Group (SIG)  
__  Other (please describe): 

If you are proposing a Pre-Conference Workshop or Study Tour, please specify the sponsoring organization:

Session or Workshop Duration:   ___ Single (90 minutes)    ___ Double-Session  ___  Half Day Workshop   ___  Full Day Workshop          

Session or Workshop relates to/would be of interest to: (Please ¡Ì all that apply)

___     Administrators / Managers       
___     Artist-run Centres    
___     Arts Service Organizations    
___     Attractions (Themed)    
___     Civic Cultural Planners         
___     Collection Managers / Registrars                           
___     Conservators                                                               
___     Cultural & Friendship Centre¡¯s (First Nations)                           
___     Curators                                                                  
___     Directors                            
___     Educators / Programmers                            
___     Exhibitions    
___     Galleries    
___     Gift Shops    
___     Heritage properties / historic sites 
___     Interpretive Centres  
___     Marketing / Public Relations
___     Media / Publications 
___     Military museums, collections  
___     Post-secondary institutions 
___     Sports Halls of Fame 
___     Small museums
___     Technology applications
___     Tourism / Travel Industry 
___     Trustees (Board Members) 
___     Volunteers
___     Wildlife Parks, Aquaria & Zoos
___     Youth Engagement / Programs
___     Other(s):                            

Session Description:
Please INSERT or ATTACH a 70-word description of the session or workshop as it might appear in the Conference program. You need to describe the:
- Focus and intent of your session
- Relationship to the overall Conference theme
- Goals you wish to achieve
- Outcomes for participants

Please INSERT or ADD a list of proposed speakers or presenters you have contacted. Please provide their professional title, institution, and complete contact information, including email and mailing addresses.

Audio-Visual Equipment & Technical Requirements: (Please ¡Ì all that may apply)
(NB:  BCMA has a limited Conference budget to provide for audio-visual requirements. Due to the increasing high cost of renting AV and computer equipment, presenters are encouraged to provide their own equipment, when at all possible. The Program Committee, BCMA staff and local Conference organizers will work with presenters and the host venue to facilitate all AV arrangements.)
__ Digital Projector (PowerPoint)
__ Internet Connection
__ Flipchart(s)    
__ Carousel (Slide) Projector   
__ VCR & Monitor   
__ White Board

Please Send Proposals by APRIL 30, 2010

*	By e-mail (preferred) to:  caroline.posynick at gmail.com  <mailto:%20bcma at museumsassn.bc.ca>  &  bcma at museumsassn.bc.ca <mailto:%20bcma at museumsassn.bc.ca>   

*	By mail, or deliver in person to:          

	Conference 2010 Proposals 
	British Columbia Museums Association 
	#204-26 Bastion Square, Victoria, B.C.  V8W 1H9

*	Or by fax to BCMA at: (250) 387-1251

Thank you for your interest and support of the British Columbia Museum Association
And your provincial museum community!    

________________________________

Formats

To provide a varied and dynamic conference program that appeals to a range of learning and communication preferences, we encourage you to "think outside the box" of a normal panel presentation. While panels are the most commonly used format, they are not always the most effective format for a topic!  Think about other formats that may be more appropriate for your topic and intended audience. Sometimes dividing the time and using more than one format can be effective. 

Case Study: Focuses on one actual situation, program, or project, the decision-making process undertake, implementation methods and its relevance and applicability to the audience. This format must provide the perspective of the affected audiences and/or evaluation that demonstrates its success

Debate: Find lively speakers with well-developed ideas who can present contrasting views and then open the debate to everyone. This format requires a firm but open moderator. 

Forum: A medium for open public discussion involving audience participation. Discussions centre around specific issues that are of current shared relevance.

Idea Caf¨¦: Similar to a "forum" approach, but there is a public discussion about socially relevant current issues, usually articulated by one or several authorities. Takes place in a casual public setting, such as a caf¨¦, pub, or theatre. 

Guest speaker: Find a true expert everyone wants to hear and allow time at the end for comment, questions, and discussion. 

Marketplace: Recruit 6-10 participants who will bring materials and create a browsing area. Select one focus (like volunteer management) or a broad brush (such as BC 150 Celebrations). 

Mini-workshops: Identify one or two individuals who wish to share their expertise, skills, or a new tool that they have developed or implemented. May include a hands-on component, or encourage participants to bring materials with them for use within the workshop (critique, etc.) Focus should be practical and provide participants with outcomes they can easily take home and implement.

Panel Presentation: Panels are limited to no more than 3 speakers. Panels must include a moderator to keep presentations on track, on time, and allow time for questions. Please allow 45 minutes for questions and discussion. Research shows that we both learn and enjoy a session more when we are an active participant. 

Roundtable: Recruit a thoughtful, well-informed person for each table who can provide an introduction and initiate discussion. 

Showcase: An informal, noncommercial session with six or more presenters, each providing a poster or tabletop display and handout with complete program description. The session organizer gives a brief introduction, and participants move around the room to hear brief prepared remarks by showcase presenters. Seats are available. 

Commercial Session: Available to trade show vendors who rent booths in the conference exhibit hall; session must be relevant and significant to museums and other organizations. 

Chairing a session requires work ¨C but it¡¯s worth the effort! As a session leader, you are the main contact with the program committee for your session. While the program committee will provide assistance, it will be your responsibility confirm and liaise with other presenters, provide the title and description of the session, outline the goals, format, and intended content of the session, and confirm a/v requirements. 

PLEASE NOTE : The BCMA does not pay expenses or offer honoraria to presenters from within the museum community. If you have presenters from outside the field who ask for reimbursement of any expenses, you must get prior approval from the BCMA Executive Director.

________________________________

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