This paper reports on a new initiative in online conferencing that has resulted from the collaboration between three tertiary institutions on three continents and across three time zones. The paper describes the role of the Follow the Sun Online Learning Festival in revitalising professional online learning and networking events in a similar manner to the way in which elearning revitalised tertiary education. The paper also discusses the evaluation of online conferences and introduces the new learning methodology as an alternative method for evaluating online conferences. The methodology used to evaluate the Follow the Sun Learning Festival is discussed and some preliminary findings are shared. Initial results suggest that online learning events have the potential to engage and connect professional peers and facilitators across traditional geographical boundaries. The potential for the Follow the Sun conference to result in new learning is however still unresolved.

1. Following the Sun:
Sustainable
Conferencing in a
Climate of Change
Angela Murphy
Shirley Reushle
Ascilite 2012

2. The Follow the Sun Online Learning Futures Festival ran non-stop for 48 hours,
over six shifts of eight hours each, with consecutive handovers between
Australia (University of Southern Queensland), United Kingdom (Leicester
University) and Canada (Athabasca University).

3. The aim of the conference was to bring together university staff and students
from a range of disciplines across the world to share ideas and explore
knowledge development.
750 participants from over 35 countries registered for the conference.

4. Objectives & Approach:
1. Identify participation trends during conference sessions. Analytics
2. Explore networking and interactions trends. Twitter, chat and social media
3. Real-time insights into participant
Real time evaluation questions
perceptions and new learnings.
4. Identify and track new learning and
intention to action.
Summative survey evaluation
5. Presenter experiences and
future support requirements.
Presenters’ survey
6. Inform the conduct of
future events. Focus group with organisers

5. Objectives & Approach:
4. Identify and track new learning and
intention to action.
Summative survey evaluation

6. 194 people completed the survey

7. 194 people completed the survey
60% registered but
did not attend

8. 194 people completed the survey
70% were attending FTS for the
first time

9. 194 people completed the survey
30% were attending an online
conference for the first time

10. Work gets in the way…….
We need to accommodate tight
schedules and competing priorities

11. One in two register for online
events then don’t attend
because of work

12. Most attend only
3% 4% 81%
6 7 9
one or two 5%
4
5
sessions 7%
3
22%
Attended two
sessions
51%
Attended only
one session

13. 31%
find online conference session
times to be inconvenient or
outside working hours

14. Only 8%
didn’t attend
because there
was nothing
else they were
interested in

15. Most attending online
conferences are not giving you
their full attention…

16. Three in every ten people are
multitasking or dropping in and
out 38%
28%
21%
4% 6%
3%
None of these I tried to listen I dropped in and I listened I listened closely I was actively
and multitask out of sessions occasionally to the sessions listening, asking
but didnt while working but did not ask questions
manage it very or multi-tasking questions and/or
well communicating

17. Online conferences are not always
easy or simple to attend, or make
new connections…

18. 80%
Say that difficulties scheduling
time off work is the no 1 barrier
to attending online conferences

19. 34%
experience
connectivity or
network problems

20. 17% consider registration
fees to be too high
15% think that online
conference sessions are too long

21. 20% found networking and
connecting opportunities to
be limited
Found the format makes
it difficult to establish
new contacts
45%

22. People attend online conferences
for different reasons than face to
face conferences…

23. 44% attended because
of a specific interest in 44%
learning technologies
18%
15%
11%
5%
2% 2% 2% 2%
Other Interest in a Interest in a Interest in Opportunity Relationship The content is General Particular
specific specific topic how it works to network with one of directly interest in the interest in
speaker the related to my topics learning
participating discipline presented technologies
host
organization

24. 15% were there to
enhance knowledge about 44%
their discipline
18%
15%
11%
5%
2% 2% 2% 2%
Other Interest in a Interest in a Interest in Opportunity Relationship The content is General Particular
specific specific topic how it works to network with one of directly interest in the interest in
speaker the related to my topics learning
participating discipline presented technologies
host
organization

25. Only 5% are there to network
44%
18%
15%
11%
5%
2% 2% 2% 2%
Other Interest in a Interest in a Interest in Opportunity Relationship The content is General Particular
specific specific topic how it works to network with one of directly interest in the interest in
speaker the related to my topics learning
participating discipline presented technologies
host
organization

26. Email is still important……
Most not on email or newsletter
lists will not get the message

27. 41% found 41%
out via email
23%
16%
14% 14%
11% 10%
5%
2% 2%
Other Search Printed Other Australian Beyond Athabasca Social Word of Email or
source Engine (i e flyers or website or Digital Distance University Media mouth newsletter
Google) posters blog Futures Research website or (Facebook
Institute Alliance blog / Twitter)
website or website or
blog blog

28. 16% from 41%
Social Media
23%
16%
14% 14%
11% 10%
5%
2% 2%
Other Search Printed Other Australian Beyond Athabasca Social Word of Email or
source Engine (i e flyers or website or Digital Distance University Media mouth newsletter
Google) posters blog Futures Research website or (Facebook
Institute Alliance blog / Twitter)
website or website or
blog blog

29. 43% from 41%
various blogs
23%
16%
14% 14%
11% 10%
5%
2% 2%
Other Search Printed Other Australian Beyond Athabasca Social Word of Email or
source Engine (i e flyers or website or Digital Distance University Media mouth newsletter
Google) posters blog Futures Research website or (Facebook
Institute Alliance blog / Twitter)
website or website or
blog blog

30. Yet 47% say social media is the
most effective way of reaching
74% them in the future
47%
26% 24% 23% 21% 19%
7% 5% 5%
Email or Social Search Athabasca Word of Beyond Australian Printed Other Other
newsletter Media Engine (i e University mouth Distance Digital flyers or source website or
(Facebook / Google) website or Research Futures posters blog
Twitter) blog Alliance Institute
website or website or
blog blog

31. What formats will appeal more to
people considering online
conferences?

32. Combining pre-recordings 34%
with live questions is ideal
17%
16%
12%
7%
5% 6%
3%
Other Half day mini Full online Full online Shorter Mini webinars Pre-recorded Synchronous
preferences webinars conference conference sessions, e g , of one or two mini webinars and
over a day over two or 30 minutes hours accessible at asynchronous
more days any time events

33. Learning, technologies and futures are the
topics of greatest interest

34. Audiences everywhere are
tough. They don’t have time to
be bored.
Craig Davis
Chief Creative Officer, Worldwide
J. Walter Thompson (World’s 4th Largest Ad Agency)