The 2018 ASHA Convention (described as “Revolutionary Learning, Evolutionary Practice”) is scheduled from November 15th -17th in Boston Massachusetts. The convention is one of the largest professional development events for speech-language pathologists, audiologists, speech, language and hearing scientists and beyond. It features 15,000+ attendees, 2,500+ educational sessions and 300+ exhibitors. To claim that this event was a “revolution” to the industry would be an understatement. With so much at stake, it is easy to comprehend how an attendee might become overwhelmed. As a long-time participant, Abington Speech Pathology and Remote Speech have developed a comprehensive guide to help attendees to make the most of their participation. Whether you are a first-time attendee or a seasoned veteran, these steps will help you to get the most out of the 2018 ASHA Convention.
1. BE PREPARED.
The very first step in preparing for the 2018 ASHA convention is to familiarize yourself with the ASHA Convention’s policies and procedures. General information, such as dress code, camera/recording policies, convention floor plans, on-site resources and more can equip even the most seasoned attendee with valuable insights to navigate the convention with ease.
2. MAKE THE MOST OUT OF CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT.
With over 2,500 educational sessions, the ASHA Convention serves as a leading resource for building your educational bank. Once you have become acclimated with the ASHA Convention policies, your next step is to review your eligibility for gaining credit. And, if you are registered for the Convention, you are eligible for CE credit
The ASHA Convention is:
one of your best opportunities to earn continuing education credit to maintain your state license or ASHA certification, demonstrate continued professional development to employers, or simply to increase your knowledge.
3. PLAN AHEAD.
While educational sessions may be your focus, they are certainly not the sole advantage of the ASHA Convention. Hundreds of exhibitors provide an additional resource and other attendees serve as a strong networking opportunity. The ASHA Convention has an intuitive portal that serves as the ultimate “program planner” to help participants make the most out of their visit. The Program Planner provides advance access to the entire ASHA Convention program. Access and read session abstracts, author bios, presenter disclosures and plan how to spend each day to earn the most continuing education credit. This portal provides extensive information on sessions, exhibitors, maps, authors and more. Intuitive features provide filters to help users navigate the sessions by audience, focus, duration and beyond. Additionally, the Program Planner provides access to all handouts uploaded prior to the convention and final presentations that can be downloaded after the convention.
Once you’ve taken advantage of the Program Planner, Download the Mobile APP for Android or IOS for on-site access during the convention.
4. CHECK YOUR WORK – STRATEGIZE YOUR AGENDA WITH ASHA’S CONCIERGE LEARNING CENTER.
With all of the resources available to pre-plan your involvement in the ASHA Convention, there are additional on-site resources available to help you check your strategy. A leading resource for the ASHA Convention is The Concierge Learning Center that assists attendees in developing a customized strategy for the convention and beyond. The Concierge Learning Center features experts from a wide variety of ASHA National Office teams to help you identify sessions and create a personal schedule that focuses on the topics or issues that interest you, professional interests, goals, and challenges both at the convention and beyond!
The Concierge Learning Center
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
Hall A
5. GET INVOLVED!
Want to learn how to advocate more effectively on behalf of your clients, students, or colleagues? Need some tips on how to speak out on issues you care about in your life outside of work? The Empowerment Zone provides a comprehensive resource for attendees to advance the causes that are the most crucial to the industry. As noted:
The Empowerment Zone is here to help you rise to the challenge and find a way to make a meaningful difference in a way that feels right to you. Featuring representation from ASHA’s volunteer leadership, ASHA staff members, and other experts, we will guide you through filtering and elevating the issues you care about most, and we’ll show you ways to make your message impactful. Join us in the Empowerment Zone to share your story, tell us what you care about, channel your passion, and find your personal path to action!
The Empowerment Zone
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
Hall A
6. START OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT!
Despite the most tedious of preparations, The ASHA Convention can be a bit daunting, and with so many resources available, admittedly, a bit intimidating. To kick-off the annual event, an Official “Kick-Off Party” will be hosted by the ASHA President, convention co-chairs, keynote speakers and more. This event will provide a valuable introduction to the ASHA Convention to help excite and motivate your experience.
Thursday, November 15
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Hall B2
7. GET A HEAD START FOR NEXT YEAR.
It is never too early to plan and look ahead, and get started on your preparations for next year’s event, scheduled for November 21–23, 2019 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Take advantage of supportive resources to prepare, including this template to garner employer support for your attendance!
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