By Allison Rief, University of Arizona Global Campus, Innovate 2025 Conference Chair
This year marks the 10th anniversary of OLC Innovate—a major milestone! While Innovate may be the metaphorical younger sibling to Accelerate, turning 10 is a big deal. After all, how often do we aim for a perfect 10? Whether it’s turning it up to 10 for maximum effort, counting to 10 to regain composure, or celebrating a decade of growth and transformation, the number carries significance.
And here’s an interesting fact: tin and aluminum are the traditional gifts for a 10th anniversary. Known for their durability and flexibility, they bend but don’t break—a fitting metaphor for educators today.
Bending, Not Breaking: Why Innovate 2025 Is Going Fully Virtual
This year, we’re asking you to bend, not break with us. Innovate 2025 is making an exciting shift to a fully virtual experience. We know change isn’t always easy, but this decision was made with you in mind. Let’s be real—everything is expensive right now (anyone else notice the price of eggs?). Airfare, hotels, catering, and venue costs have skyrocketed, making travel a challenge for many.
So, instead of asking you to come to the conference, we’re bringing the conference to you—expanding access to more educators than ever before. And it’s working! This year, we’re seeing record-breaking registration numbers for our virtual event.
But that’s not all. One of the biggest perks of going virtual? You’ll have full access to session recordings for an entire year. No more feeling overwhelmed by trying to squeeze everything into a few days. If a session catches your interest but doesn’t fit your schedule, you can hit rewind and revisit it later.
Want more details on the program? Be sure to check out the blog post from our fantastic program co-chairs, Matt LaBrake and Jennifer Wurch!
How to Make the Most of Your Virtual Experience
Attending a virtual conference while juggling work and home life takes some strategic planning. Here are some practical tips to help you balance everything without feeling overwhelmed.
Pre-Conference Planning:
- Block off your non-negotiables first (meetings, deadlines, family commitments).
- Identify your must-attend live sessions and schedule around them.
- Create calendar placeholders for sessions you want to watch later.
- Set up a note-taking system before the conference starts.
During the Conference:
- Choose session times that match your energy levels (are you a morning or afternoon learner?).
- Plan short breaks between sessions to handle emails or quick tasks.
- Use transition times for movement/stretching instead of cramming in work.
- Have a backup workspace ready in case of home disruptions.
- Keep healthy snacks and water nearby.
Managing Dual Responsibilities:
- Let your team know about your reduced availability during conference hours.
- Set an email auto-response for focused learning periods.
- Use your normal commute time to attend a session.
- Break up your conference day into manageable chunks instead of a marathon.
Maximizing the Virtual Format:
- Engage in chat discussions and live polling to connect with others.
- Tag sessions in your calendar with keywords for easy recording searches later.
- Keep a “parking lot” document for ideas to revisit after the conference.
- Take advantage of the virtual format to attend more sessions than ever before!
Innovation, Connection, and a Whole Lot of Fun
One thing hasn’t changed—OLC Innovate is all about transformative content, fresh perspectives, valuable networking, and, yes, a little fun too!
What we ask from you is simple:
- Bring your authentic self.
- Be open to new ideas.
- Engage and participate.
While our format may be virtual, our commitment to learning, sharing, and growing together remains stronger than ever. Innovate 2025 is a testament to the idea that our community’s strength isn’t about where we gather, but how we connect and inspire each other.
We can’t wait to see you online in April—let’s celebrate 10 years of innovation together!
