Bringing the Academy to Life: Qualitative Innovations in Conference Programming

Location

3031

Format Type

Paper

Format Type

Paper

Start Date

January 2016

End Date

January 2016

Abstract

Qualitative research has the ability to bring academia to life. This presentation will depict the development and outcome of innovative qualitative programming at a diversity conference that served to deepen the attendees’ connection to the conference theme.

On February 13, 2015, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology hosted the Cultural Impact Conference. The conference theme was The Socio-ecology of Immigration: The Role of Psychology. Given the many issues surrounding immigration in 2014, it was a timely topic. However, there were some participants who might have felt removed from the topic if they themselves did not relate to issues of immigration. The conference committee initially planned a series of traditional academic presentations but became inspired to incorporate something more innovative and personally touching to attendees to help grow excitement and engagement with the theme.

One of the current presenters (Dr. Cynthia Lubin Langtiw) had(s) been working on The Migration Project, a research project exploring the role of migration in the formation of community. The conference co-chairs (Drs. Tiffany Keller and Michelle Cutler) approached Cynthia to explore how the conference could be made more relevant and applicable for the participants. The result was a variety of interactive qualitative opportunities for conference participants to share and contextualize their own migration stories. Activities included a migration map, a migration story recording booth, a migration art/written instillation, paired sharing of migration stories and sweets around the world. Conference attendees experienced a multifaceted interface that brought the conference theme of immigration to life.

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Jan 15th, 2:10 PM Jan 15th, 2:30 PM

Bringing the Academy to Life: Qualitative Innovations in Conference Programming

3031

Qualitative research has the ability to bring academia to life. This presentation will depict the development and outcome of innovative qualitative programming at a diversity conference that served to deepen the attendees’ connection to the conference theme.

On February 13, 2015, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology hosted the Cultural Impact Conference. The conference theme was The Socio-ecology of Immigration: The Role of Psychology. Given the many issues surrounding immigration in 2014, it was a timely topic. However, there were some participants who might have felt removed from the topic if they themselves did not relate to issues of immigration. The conference committee initially planned a series of traditional academic presentations but became inspired to incorporate something more innovative and personally touching to attendees to help grow excitement and engagement with the theme.

One of the current presenters (Dr. Cynthia Lubin Langtiw) had(s) been working on The Migration Project, a research project exploring the role of migration in the formation of community. The conference co-chairs (Drs. Tiffany Keller and Michelle Cutler) approached Cynthia to explore how the conference could be made more relevant and applicable for the participants. The result was a variety of interactive qualitative opportunities for conference participants to share and contextualize their own migration stories. Activities included a migration map, a migration story recording booth, a migration art/written instillation, paired sharing of migration stories and sweets around the world. Conference attendees experienced a multifaceted interface that brought the conference theme of immigration to life.