Overview  |  FAQ  |  Get Involved  |  Explore the Foundry  |  The Ex Foundry Games

 

 

 

ex·po·si·tion

/ˌekspəˈziSH(ə)n/

  • a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory
  • the part of a movement in which the principal themes are first presented
  • the action of making public
  • a large public exhibition of resources, services and ideas

found·ry

/ˈfoundrē/

  • a workshop or factory for casting metal

 

Overview 

The Exposition Foundry is a new initiative for educators of all roles to come together to network, design and collaborate around critical issues and opportunities in our field. Sessions in the Exposition Foundry (or “The Foundry”) are designed by corporate partners and sponsors to bring together community members of ALL roles around topics related to innovation and change work in the field of online, blended and digital learning.

Exposition Foundry sessions are meant to contribute to the promotion of a paradigm shift from the traditional exhibit hall experience and the current educator/partner relationship through:

  • Authentic relationship building
  • Sharing of knowledge and ideas
  • Creation of intentional spaces for testing and play, and
  • Co-working and collaboration

The Foundry is a space where you will collaboratively reimagine the future of online and digital learning through provocations surfaced by the community. This might mean dialogue around the products and tools used across the work you do in supporting online and digital learning, but it can also mean planting seeds for new ideas, new collaborations, new points of engagement, and new opportunities for us to connect and build as a community. Importantly, the Exposition Foundry is also a place for you to ask questions and engage in dialogue with our corporate sponsors and partners, resulting in a collection of different voices and perspectives from areas across the OLC community around the amazing work that we collectively contribute in support of student success.

Read the FAQ below to learn more about how The Foundry is designed and how you can participate at OLC Accelerate.

 

FAQ

How is this different from an Exhibit Hall or industry Showcase?

As a conference attendee, you might be familiar with the exhibit hall experience where you walk into a large room full of vendor booths unsure of what your interactions with the folks behind the table might look like. The Foundry was, in part, born out of this experience and the recognition that there are often barriers serving to minimize the goals, outcomes, and possible impacts of these interactions. Additionally, the Foundry acknowledges that our needs as a community dictate that we must shift towards genuine co-working and the sharing of knowledge and ideas if we are to be successful in our collective goal of innovating around the future around quality online, digital, and blended learning. As such, whereas an Exhibit Hall or Industry Showcase might center the sale or product promotion, the Exposition Foundry seeks collaboration and authentic relationship building. The Foundry is a place for play and testing. Through its goals and design, it is also a space where educators and technology partners alike are strategically positioned to establish meaningful relationships and co-build together regardless of role or title. Finally, it aims to promote a paradigm shift from the traditional exhibit hall experience, dismantling previous expectations and notions of what spaces like these look like, in order to forge new possibilities for the educator/partner relationship.

How does The Foundry work?

Exposition Foundry sessions are interactive sessions, where facilitators and participants can share provocations via recorded video sessions hosted on VoiceThread. Like the OLC Discovery Sessions, these fully-online, asynchronous sessions are accessible during and beyond the conference, and attendees and community members will have the continued opportunity to comment, provide feedback, and further the conversation well past a typical 45 minute session.

The Exposition Foundry reimagines and transforms the transition Exhibition Hall experience into a collaborative community building and co-working space. These sessions are distinctly marked as Exposition Foundry sessions in conference materials including the program and website.

The expectation is that these are not strictly one-way dialogues or presentations. Session facilitators will be expected to consider and implement strategies to actively engage you and other conference attendees in sharing your own experiences, asking questions, brainstorming, and collaboratively building community around online, digital, and blended learning. As such, when you enter the Foundry, as opposed to virtual booths, you will be welcomed instead by a series of sessions which center collaboration, community building, and storytelling.

What kinds of things can I expect to do in The Foundry?

There will be a range of opportunities throughout the Foundry, depending on the goals and outcomes facilitators designed around. From focus groups, collaborative research activities, design sprints, storytelling circles, gamified sessions, show and tells, meetups, discovery sessions, and more, you will be able to flexibly move in and out of Foundry spaces (and even return to them later to continue building on the work you’ve already contributed to).

Where can I find a listing of the sessions happening at The Foundry?

A listing of Foundry sessions can be found in the general program listing for the conference.

    I have an idea that I think would be good to discuss in a session at The Foundry – where can I share this out?

    True to its collaborative nature, we look to our audiences for feedback on what The Foundry could do (both for our Fall 2020 conferences and into the future. If you have a session, topic, or even collaborative session format you believe is meant for The Foundry, email Maddie Shellgren via the Exposition Foundry email (thefoundry@onlinelearning-c.org).

    I have questions – who should I reach out to next?

    We are here to help – reach out to thefoundry@onlinelearning-c.org  expert help if you have questions around any of the following:

     

     

    How to Get Involved

    If you are a partner not affiliated with an educational institution and are interested in being a session facilitator in the Exposition Foundry, visit the Exposition Foundry Sponsor webpage for more information. 

    If you are an educator interested in sharing topics, we would love to hear your suggestions. Please reach out to thefoundry@onlinelearning-c.org with any suggestions.

     

    Explore The Foundry