December 2021

On November 1, when acceptance notices went out to 2022 Annual Meeting participants, they were asked to determine whether they wished to participate place-based in San Diego or on the virtual platform. While that option allowed for choice, it necessitated that those in accepted sessions confer as a group in order to arrive at a single decision by December 10.

It is a testament to AERA members and other participants that they engaged in the process of arriving at a group-level decision—with a 100 percent response from those in symposia, paper sessions, and roundtables. Also, 100 percent of papers to be presented at poster sessions had authors weigh in with their preference.

Decisions have been made, and participant choice is heavily oriented to attending the meeting in person in San Diego. By the December 10 deadline, a substantial majority of the sessions—almost 80 percent overall—are designated to be presented on-site in San Diego. A majority of authors of papers to be presented in poster sessions still chose the place-based option, but far less than the turnout for accepted sessions.  

“Hats off to our 2022 Annual Meeting participants in the accepted program. We are very pleased that they universally helped out and took advantage of the opportunity to decide what was best for their group,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “It was unfortunate that the rapid spread of COVID required AERA Council to shift from a completely on-site meeting to one with a virtual component, but we are grateful that meeting participants collaborated and made a choice for their session.”

In announcing the choice plan, AERA asked for a decision as best as those with acceptances could determine based on current health, safety, and COVID-related conditions (including non-travel policies or cut backs in funding). The association emphasized in communications that it recognized and appreciated that conditions could very well change in the month and months ahead. AERA processes already incorporate a migration plan. Sessions that choose the San Diego option will be able to shift to the virtual platform if they decide to do so by March 8. 

AERA is expanding wireless bandwidth in all session and convening rooms to allow for one or two participants being able to join a session through their own provider from a remote location. 

As the first placed-based AERA conference since 2019, the 2022 Annual Meeting will offer special programming and significant opportunities for informal networking, author-to-author exchange, and a chance to meet up in person with colleagues and mentors.

The virtual component of the 2022 Annual Meeting will also include designed experiences to further informal networking and foster discussion of issues significant to education researchers.

All attendees in San Diego will have full access to the virtual component of the meeting irrespective of whether they are virtual presenters. Attendees on the virtual platform will have access to all virtual sessions as well as a sizable selection of high-profile sessions being held in San Diego and live streamed through the virtual platform. A smaller number of high-profile invitational sessions will originate on the virtual platform and be broadcast live in San Diego session rooms.    

The 2022 program schedule will be designed with the attendee/user experience as a high priority, with sufficient time for breaks and a plan that minimizes conflict between the place-based and virtual components. The program schedule will be released on January 18.