Program and Schedule

These sessions provide intense professional development opportunities that result in participants acquiring new skills. Workshop proposals should identify specific learning goals or outcomes for attendees. In Chicago, pre-conference workshops will be half-day (3 hours) or full-day (6 hours) in length. In order to attend, participants need to register for pre-conference workshops and pay an additional registration fee.

These sessions showcase a research project, program, activity, and/or initiative. Posters may be projects that are completed, in progress, or in their beginning stages. Conference attendees can visit the poster gallery on Monday and Tuesday. Presenters will share information about their work on Wednesday [time].

Committees, Special Interest Groups (SIGs), and Affinity Groups will be hosting meetings and gatherings throughout the conference. More information on the schedule of meetings will be available soon.

POD Network President Christine Rener, Vice Provost for Instructional Development and Innovation Director, Robert and Mary Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center at Grand Valley State University will give remarks to share highlights and information with the membership. The Presidential Address will be live-streamed and recorded for POD Network members.

Join fellow POD Network members and conference attendees for a reception, followed by a Karaoke Party on Monday, November 11 at 7 pm. Get your songs ready!

Information coming soon!

On Tuesday, November 12 the Graduate Student, Professional Student and Postdoctoral Scholar Special Interest Group (GPPD SIG) will host a networking lunch for graduate students and postdocs. The goals of the lunch are to connect graduate students and postdocs interested in teaching; to create opportunities for professional networking between future faculty developers and current faculty developers; and to create connections across institutional contexts. You will be able to sign up for the lunch when you register for the conference.

Join us for an Improv Show inspired by the historic improv culture of Chicago on Tuesday, November 12 at 7 pm.

The Career Fair will be held on Wednesday, November 13 at 9am. This is an informal opportunity to look for a position and also to advertise a position for your center or institution. The conference team will be announcing a call for participation in an upcoming newsletter.

The annual awards presentation will take place on Wednesday during lunch. We will honor our POD Network members who are contributing new knowledge or tools to the field of instructional, faculty, and organizational development and exemplifying the values of the POD Network. 

The selection process is underway for the following awards.

• Robert J. Menges Award for Outstanding Research in Educational Development
• POD Innovation Award 

Nominations for the following awards will open soon. 

• Bob Pierleoni Spirit of POD Award
• The Christine A. Stanley Award for Diversity and Inclusion Research in Educational Development

The Resource Fair will be held on Wednesday, November 13, from 2:15-3:30 pm and seeks to provide a venue for participants to share or freely exchange information and resources relevant to our work as educational and organizational developers. This is an opportunity to socialize while acquiring new information or by sharing activities, resources, and services that benefit the POD Network community. The Resource Fair features tables from college- and university- affiliated programs, centers, and POD Network committees and SIGs. Please reserve your table when registering.

Join us for a final plenary session to conclude the conference on Thursday, November 14.

The POD Network is grateful to our sponsors from other educational organizations, commercial enterprises, technology services, publishers, and consultants. Sponsor

Sponsor Sessions (designated in the program) are intended to reflect the engaged and research-based approach of the POD Network while showcasing services or products. The sponsor sessions and the sponsor exhibits are the only times at the conference when items or services may be promoted or offered for sale. For information about sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities visit our sponsor page.