JOPERD Table of Contents
Making the Most Out of Convention Attendance: Tips and Tricks
Xiaoping Fan, Collin Brooks, Jaimie McMullen, and Kevin Patton
Attending a convention is a means for people’s
professional learning and development, and therefore
it is important to discuss how to make the most out of
the experience. The benefits of professional convention
attendance include the acquisition of knowledge and practical
ideas (Stroot, 2001), the establishment of professional networks,
the exploration of job opportunities (Kampla et al., 2008), and
the maintenance of current knowledge (Napper-Owen et al.,
2008). Attendees may expect to get the most out of their convention participation but may not know what to expect or how to
make the most out of the experience. This is especially true for
attendees with less experience such as preservice teachers and/or
first-time convention attendees. This article provides useful advice
and tips that can be applied to convention preparation, attendance, and postconvention activities for in-person convention
attendance.
A variety of individuals attend professional conventions, and
there are tips and tricks that can help them to make the most out of
their experience. In 2005, Petersen and colleagues provided some
guidelines for faculty to encourage students to attend the American
Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (currently SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators)
convention (Fiorentino et al., 2005; Petersen et al., 2005). However,
it has been 15years since those were published, and there are likely
new guidelines that should be considered (e.g., electronic schedules
and social media, etc.). This article provides some tips and tricks for
professionals to consider as they attempt to make the most out of
their convention experience. Though these suggestions are specifically based on attendance at the SHAPE America National
Convention, many of the tips are tricks can be applied to a variety
of convention situations.
To read the rest of this article, click here to download a pdf.
