September 2020 Newsletter
That's a Wrap!
The 2020 Print[ED] Virtual Summer Professional Learning Conference is officially in the books. Thanks to everyone who was able to attend! For those who weren't, here is a recap and a bit of info about it. The recording will also be available under the Digital Content section on our website. Traditionally, the Print[ED] National Teachers Conference was held in the summer at various colleges around the country that offered graphic communications. Print[ED] piggybacked on the GCEA annual conference arriving a day early to have a full day of Print[ED] sessions. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, GCEA was forced to cancel its annual face-to-face conference scheduled for Ball State in Indiana. Instead, they put on a fantastic 2-day virtual conference in place of their annual meeting.
We followed suit with the Print[ED] Virtual Summer Professional Learning Conference using Zoom on August 11. Starting with Warren Werbitt's passionate keynote about instructors' enthusiasm and its effect on students to Konica Minolta's Virtual Press Demo, the schedule was full of Print[ED] related content. There was a Print[ED] update, a live demo of digital finishing equipment for the classroom streamed from the offices of AGS, and a sharing session about remote instruction and distance learning. A campaign to attract new employees to the industry, Print is Everywhere was presented, followed by tips on promoting your program and Print[ED].
There were 35 registrants plus several other onlookers for a total of 40 participants. Most participants stayed for the entire conference. The number of participants never fell below 30, indicating that they were engaged and interested in the content. The post-meeting survey also revealed success. The majority of ratings from respondents were "very good" or "excellent."
To add hands-on experiences to the online program, we sent a box of supporting materials to each participant before the conference. As speakers delivered their presentations, they referred to the box's contents to provide that missing hands-on experience.
Both virtual conferences and face-to-face events have their pros and cons. We are pleased with the results of our first virtual event, especially the pre-conference box of materials. However, we also believe that there is still merit in face-to-face programs. We look forward to providing you the highest quality, relevant, and professional development opportunities possible. Thanks again to those who attended and to those who weren't able to attend, we hope to see you next time!
Website and Digital Content Updates
One of the main goals since we took over the Print[ED] was to create a source of digital content and keep it updated for all of our programs to use. One of the big updates recently is the updated Accredited Program Map on our website, showing current Print[ED] programs across the county. This is one great way to connect with other instructors for accreditation advice, classroom content, etc. If you see any errors or missing information on the map please let us know so we can update it ASAP!
We have also been populating our Shared Print[ED] Google Drive with various material throughout. Feel free to use any of these resources or add any of your own. Together we can help build a great Print[ED] Professional Learning Community!
Upcoming Events
Even though our first virtual event is over, that doesn't mean it'll be another year before we host something else. We plan on holding smaller conferences and events throughout the year to support accredited programs. The next one planned is a shorter, 4-hour/4 session Professional Learning day with a tentative date of Friday, October 16th. This one will be FREE to attend, with new speakers and new hands-on material! Please take a moment to answer a few questions so we can determine the best date for the event:
October PLC Survey.
We're also working on a series called Accreditation 101 as well as additional forms of interactive communication for not only the instructor but also the classroom, so keep an eye out for these in the upcoming months!
Reminders
Print[ED] Accreditation Renewal. Do you know when your accreditation renewal is due? We will send renewal reminders to you starting 6 months before your renewal is due. If you would like to get a head start on the renewal process, submitting an application is free. Access to the application form can be found here.
Skill Area Skeletons are available on the Google Shared Drive. Please send us an email if you are interested in joining the shared drive. Skeletons for Introduction to Graphic Communications, Graphic Design, Digital File Prep & Output, and Screen Printing. Skeletons are forthcoming for Offset Press Operations & Binding and Finishing and Digital Production Printing. Instructions for downloading skeletons can be found here.
The Print[ED] Professional Learning Community (PLC) Forum is an open forum for instructors to collaborate on various Print[ED] topics. If you would like to become a member please send us an email with your name, organization, and the email you would like to have associated with the forum.