The 2012 Habitat X Summer National Conference was held July 23-26, 2012.

Archive: It’ll be a collaborative working event — come study with us for four days and you’ll go away with an improved ability to educate other people. This event is relevant for anyone in the housing industry — trainers, managers, or sales people — who need to communicate effectively with staff members or customers.

Facilitators for this event are Chris Dorsi, J. West, and Ben Cichowski. Learn more about the facilitators.

This conference includes three primary themes that are reflected in the agenda below:

• Language and Communication Skills
• Tools and Techniques for Training
• Curriculum Development and Management

Monday

• Opening session. This a planning and brainstorming forum in which we lay the groundwork for the entire conference. We’ll work in a roundtable format that’s managed to provide an optimum amount of information about one another, and our expectations for the event, in an efficient and timely manner. Through this process, we’ll fine-tune the agenda, and we’ll identify topics for peer-initiated sessions on Thursday – these sessions will draw from group’s expressed interests and embedded expertise.

Turman Larison Contemporary Gallery.

• Planning session. We’ll each begin to develop a presentation to be delivered to the small groups on Thursday — for that presentation, you can choose from among three formats 1) one of your existing presentations up to 7 minutes long on a subject about which you are an expert, 2) a Pecha Kucha presentation in which you can utilize 20 slides of 20 seconds each for a total of 6 minutes and 40 seconds, or 3) a 3-minute un-rehearsed flash presentation on a subject which will be revealed to you 3 minutes before your presentation.
• Group workshop. We’ll identify and document the learning objectives for the conference. We’ll work with the Blended Learning Matrix, a curriculum design tool used to choose learning venues and optimize delivery methods. This basic process of assembling educational elements should be a core skill for all educators. As with every session this week, we’ll provide a take-home template in both printed and digital forms so you can adapt this tool for your own work.
• Catered Lunch at Campus Center
• Small group A: Chris Dorsi and Ben Cichowski. We’ll practice spoken communication skills that emphasize succinct and technically accurate language. This session leverages the principles established in the Federal Plain Language Guidelines. We’ll begin preparations for our Thursday presentations.
• Small group B: J. West. We’ll introduce the Federal Plain Language Guidelines. We’ll practice written communication skills through structured exercises. This lesson requires us to write in clear and unambiguous language, bridging grammar and composition.
• Group session: at Great Northern Plaza. Wrap up and debrief.
• Hosted reception: the good folks at Turman-Larison Contemporary in downtown Helena will host us for drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Casual attire. 5:30 – 7:00.
• Dinner on your own.

Tuesday

• Group session: We’ll review our work from the day before. A group reporter will have been chosen from each small group — they’ll capture the group’s summary comments and report back to the entire group each morning. We’ll also discuss Thursday’s peer-initiated sessions and personal presentations.
• Small group A: Ben and J. We delve into strategies and means for facilitating learning in the classroom with technological tools. The emphasis will be on adapting simple, commonly available equipment and processes that accelerate learning without requiring large expenditures or advanced training.
  • Catered Lunch at Campus Center
  

  The LEED-certified State Fund building.

• Small group B: Chris: We’ll demonstrate and work with consumer-level web-based meeting and training tools. We’ll learn how the management of both meetings and online classrooms can be optimized with these cheap and accessible delivery methods.
• Group field trip: We’ll take a field trip to the nearby LEED-certified office building owned by the State of Montana. We’ll use this outing to demo planning templates, checklists of components and learning objectives, and structured exercises used to maximize learning in field environments.
• Group session: at Great Northern Plaza. Wrap up and debrief.
• Hosted dinner: We’ll meet at Spring Meadow Lake for a catered outdoors BBQ. Casual attire. 6:00 – 8:00.

Wednesday

• Group session: Small group reporters review Session Summaries. Review field trip reports. Discuss peer-initiated sessions and personal presentations.
• Small group A: Chris and J.We’ll continue our study of technological aids in the classroom and field, with further hands-on application of effective, consumer-level equipment. The emphasis will be on adapting simple, commonly available tools. You’ll get your hands on all the tools and toys.

Catered Lunch at Campus Center

ExplorationWorks Science Center

• Small group B: Ben. We’ll study the use of still photography and video for technical training of all types. We’ll analyze both media with eye towards light, color, and scene — and learn how to control these to maximize technical content. We’ll also consider how to capture high-quality audio. We’ll show you the best practices to use when you need high production values, but we’ll also learn about fast-and-easy shoots that bring the cost and ease of video down so organization can afford this most powerful medium. The emphasis of this session is choosing accessible and effective processes.
• Group field trip: We’ll take a field trip to the nearby LEED-certified ExplorationWorks science center. We’ll follow a training plan developed by the group as we explore the building and its systems.
• Group session: at Great Northern Plaza. Wrap up and debrief.
• Dinner on your own.
• Optional evening event: Community Pecha Kucha Night at ExplorationWorks science center. Mingle with the locals, and watch presenters work the Pecha Kucha format by presenting on a variety of subjects. No-host bar. 6:00 – 9:00.

Thursday

• Group session: Small group reporters review Session Summaries. All evaluate community Pecha Kucha presentations. Finalize peer-initiated sessions and personal presentations.
• Small group A: Chris. We’ll each make a short presentation to this group. We’ll record your presentation to video, and you’ll receive private web access to the recording after the conference. The group will perform structured evaluations of your presentation.
• Small group B: Ben and others.Peer-initiated session, topic and format to be determined by group process.
  • Catered Lunch at Campus Center
• Small group C: J. and others. Peer-initiated session, topic and format to be determined by group process.
• Closing session: We’ll discuss the week’s work, and identify the resources we’ve acquired from the experience. We’ll discuss any unmet needs and expectations, and develop follow-up plans to provide that information or training. We’ll identify opportunities for future collaboration and cross-education, and consider plans for future meetings.

Friday, optional event

• Field trip by boat to Gates of the Mountains recreation area. $14.

Weekend, optional events

• If you can stay for at least part of the weekend, there’s a fabulous music festival being held in nearby White Sulphur Springs. Taj Mahal will make an appearance, and the headliner is country star EmmyLou Harris. $45-50 each day
• You might consider visiting Yellowstone National Park or Glacier National Park, each a scenic three-hour drive from Helena.

Can’t attend this event?

We can bring the Habitat X Trainers Conference, or any of our other events, to your location. We’ll provide the agenda, educational materials, and conference planning tools. We’ll work with you to adapt the entire event to your needs. And we’ll send one to three facilitators for your event. This is an efficient and trouble-free to hold your own events without having to re-invent the wheel. Submit an inquiry for more information.