Hello faithful readers! Sheila B Robinson, aea365 Lead Curator, sometimes Saturday contributor AND Conference Week blogger here with a quick update on the goings-on in Cleveland!
Our series of two-day workshops got off to a great start Monday and continued on Tuesday, while a number of one-day workshops also took place Tuesday. Wednesday will feature a slew of half day workshops in the morning and afternoon and those will lead us right into our opening plenary!
Many of my friends are here taking the pre-conference workshops and it’s wonderful to see the mix of veteran evaluators continuing the learning journey right alongside first time conference attendees. I’m hearing great feedback about the workshops people are participating in and these conversations spill out into the break areas as people gather for mid-morning coffee and tea, and again in the elevators and sidewalks on the way back to hotel rooms after the day comes to a close. Even the late night conversations over adult beverage seem to gravitate back to evaluation and our collective work and learning. It’s incredibly heartening to see so many people engaged in talking about work that inspires them and that they clearly enjoy.
Have you made it to Cleveland yet? Perhaps you’re coming in for the start of the concurrent sessions on Wednesday afternoon. This year, you’ll be greeted by a pretty fancy registration station and information booth, along with the usual plethora of signs that help us find our way in unfamiliar territory. Many thanks to the AEA staff and volunteers who make this happen!
Lesson Learned: And did you know the while many of us were having fun think-pair-sharing, scratching out ideas on post-it notes, writing on chart paper, numbering off, getting in groups, moving around, drawing pictures, practicing new skills…and otherwise having a grand old time learning and adding to our toolboxes, our AEA Board of Directors, presidents (current, past, and elect), executive director, and operations coordinator were working intently and intensely on key association issues? Let’s give them some love and thanks too, for all they do to support us. Offer up a handshake, a high five or a hug to these hardworking folks!
Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this aea365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the aea365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an aea365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to aea365@eval.org. aea365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators.