Questions about Collaborvention 2011

When Will the Unconference Occur?

The unconference window will be open before (April 22-May 13) and after (May 22-May 30) the f2f conference. Events should be scheduled to occur during these times. Connections with the f2f conference are also encouraged. The connection window for sharing ideas, finding collaborators, and announcing events opens on April 1.

How Do I Propose an Unconference Event?

There are no proposals for C&W 2011 Online, the Unconference. Rather, you commit to holding an event by announcing it on the computersandwriting.org website. During the connection window you can try to gauge interest and make decisions about an event.

What Kind of Unconference Event Can I Propose?

The principle behind an unconference is that it's a self-organizing conference. An unconference event might be a blog carnival, a premiere of a video with scheduled discussion, a commons-based peer production project, a workshop session for teaching others about a new technology, a money-raising event or interest meeting for a special group, an activity connected with the f2f conference, or something else entirely: it’s up to you to help define the conference through the activities and features you create and schedule.

What Are the Expectations for Announcing an Unconference Event?

There are only a few guidelines:

1. The event should be something of interest and relevance to the computers and writing community.
2. You submit an announcement (not a proposal) for your event to computersandwriting.org. Include the time(s)/date(s) of your event. Your announcement should link to the gateway (i.e. Internet location) for your event and/or a web page providing more details.  You should provide contact information in case others wish to assist in organizing and creating your event.
3. The unconference organizers will not manage scheduling of events. Once you have posted an idea for an event, you can decide to schedule it during the unconference windows. However, we ask that participants think about how best to organize events for the community. For some ideas a small group of collaborators might form. If a large group forms, a broader event might be offered at a time when many can participate.
4. Before planning an event, you should check the schedule of previously-announced events on the computersandwriting.org website. You may find a group doing something similar with whom you can collaborate.
5. if you are scheduling a synchronous discussion presentation event, please review already announced events and avoid conflicts between your event and other synchronous presentations.

When Do Unconference Events Need to Be Announced By?

Events should be announced no later than one week prior to the unconference window opening so that people can make plans to come to your event. We recommend announcing earlier and building a group of collaborators or participants.

Who Can Announce an Event or Unconference Feature?

Any organization, institution, or individual is welcome to participate in the unconference by announcing an event. However, in the spirit of collaboration, we do recommend that individuals partner with other individuals for planning and implementing events rather than trying to set up and schedule an event all alone.

How Can I Offer to Provide Technology Hosting for an Event?

For those who would like to offer technological platforms (e.g. a MOO, specific blog, wiki site, etc.) for use by others who want to plan an event, go ahead and post your offering as a preconference activity just as you would announce an event for during the conference.

How Can I Find Assistance in Advertising/Planning/Implementing My Unconference Event?

The goal of this unconference is to harness the crowdsourcing potential of the computers and writing community to create an online conference in an emergent manner. If you need assistance in advertising, planning, or implementing your event, you might link up with others via the #cwuncon hashtag, on listservs (particulary techrhet), through social networks, and just as you would if you were proposing a panel for a conference and needed to find other participants.

If you have questions about submitting an event or general questions about Collaborvention, send them to cwuncon@gmail.com.