PanelPicker FAQ

What is the entry period for the 2012 PanelPicker?
Monday, August 29, 2011 through Saturday, October 1, 2011 (11:59 PM CST).

When can the community vote and comment on 2012 PanelPicker proposals?
Wednesday, October 12, 2011 through Friday, October 28, 2011 (11:59 PM CST).

When will I learn if my proposal is accepted for the 2012 event?
The first round of confirmed sessions for SXSWedu will be released on Monday, November 7. All proposals will receive a response no later than Tuesday, January 31.

Who can enter a proposal in the SXSWedu PanelPicker?
Anyone with access to the internet can send a proposal to the PanelPicker.

Will I be able to edit my proposal in the 2012 PanelPicker?
Yes. You will be able to edit any part of your proposal through the end of the day on Friday, October 7. After Friday, October 7, you will no longer be able to make any changes or edits to your proposal.

Will session ideas be accepted after the deadline?
We will be adhering strictly to the October 1 deadline for PanelPicker entries. For more deadline information, email us at sessions@sxswedu.com.

Do I need to have an account to enter a proposal in the PanelPicker?
Yes. Creating a PanelPicker account will allow you to securely edit your proposal as long as the entry phase is open. Signing up is free and takes just a few minutes. If you have lost your PanelPicker password, you can retrieve it here.

How many proposals can I submit?
Each user can enter at most three (3) proposals for SXSWedu.

How long has SXSW been using the PanelPicker to help program the event?
2007 was the first year that PanelPicker-generated proposals were included as part of the programming for the SXSW Interactive Festival. In 2010 the PanelPicker was extended to include SXSW Music and SXSW Film. 2012 will be the first year that PanelPicker is used for SXSWedu.

Is crowd-sourcing really the best way to generate content for an event such as SXSWedu?
PanelPicker is a great way to gauge the kinds of topics that most interest the SXSWedu community. Likewise, it will help bring great new topics into the event. However, we also rely significantly on the expertise of the SXSWedu Advisory Board and the SXSWedu staff to help curate the most relevant programming.

Can anyone post comments on my panel proposal?
When the voting and commenting portion of PanelPicker opens, anyone with access to the Internet and with an interest in SXSWedu can comment on a proposal. To post comments, users first have to create a free log-in account (which takes about two minutes). All login information remains completely confidential to the PanelPicker interface.

Why does SXSWedu ask for programming ideas six months before the event? How can SXSWedu expect to cover the latest trends and ideas?
The sooner we can put together an exciting array of sessions for the 2012 event, the easier it is for our community to plan for their time at SXSWedu. Don't worry though, we always leave many slots open until January or February to allow room for late-breaking developments.

Who designed the PanelPicker?
Special thanks to Lindsey Simon for developing the SXSWedu PanelPicker.

What makes for a good proposal?
The more specific a proposal is, the better. Specificity demands a lot more thought and planning – and pre-event thought and planning are the two biggest keys to a successful session. For example, “The Impact of Open Educational Resources on Early Childhood Development” is a lot better than “Open Educational Resources in the Classroom.”

What makes for a good title?
Cute titles are fun, but remember that your title is going to be competing for attention with hundreds of other titles. So, the more direct / explanatory you can make your title, the better. For example, "Strategies for Implementing Game Mechanics in the Curriculum” is a lot better than "Making Change Happen."

The form asks me to choose a FORMAT for my proposal. What are the differences in the various formats offered at SXSWedu?

The form asks for the LEVEL of difficulty of my proposal. What are the distinctions between Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced?

What is the expertise level of most SXSWedu attendees?
Most SXSWedu attendees have an intermediate or advanced level of expertise in their field. It is best to focus beginner-level sessions for the PanelPicker on very new industry-related development that most attendees might not yet be familiar with.

The form asks me to choose a CATEGORY for my proposal. How can I make sure I choose the correct one?
Each of these categories represents one of the many micro-events that comprise SXSWedu. Presentations within each category will be grouped together, making it easier for attendees to find the programming they are most interested in.

The categories that you have to choose from represent the broad, overview topics SXSWedu will cover in 2012. Select the one that you feel most suites your idea. Use the three user generated tags to further categorize your idea to make it more easily searchable by the SXSWedu community, staff and Advisory Board.

How important is correct spelling, grammar and punctuation in my proposal?
Very. You wouldn't turn in a resume that was full of typos and incomplete sentences, would you? It is essential that you take time to proof your entry.

Things to remember / Things to avoid:

Will I be able to make changes (big or small) to my proposal after the voting interface goes live?
You will be able to edit any part of your proposal through the end of the day on Friday, October 7. After Friday, October 7, you will NOT be able to make any changes or edits to your proposal.

Will all the information I enter in this form be seen in the public interface?
No. We ask for a lot of information to help SXSWedu staff fully evaluate all proposals. However, only a select amount of information about your idea will appear in the public interface. As you fill out the entry form, you will be able to see a preview of what your idea will look like to the voting public.

What does the PanelPicker entry form mean when it asks for "Primary Contact"?
The Primary Contact is the person who is ultimately responsible for seeing the proposal to its fruition. All SXSWedu communications will go through this person.

Do I need to have other speakers confirmed when I submit my panel idea?
Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: For 2012, all speakers proposed with a given idea will be associated with that idea, and should be confirmed before they are added. To that end, we are asking for a lot more information about each speaker, including detailed contact information and how they can contribute to the panel.

What if I want to propose a speaker for my panel that I don't currently have contact with?
While we strongly recommend that you confirm your speakers before you make your entry, there is also a place in the PanelPicker form to enter the names of prospective speakers you have not yet contacted.

How many speakers should I add to my panel idea?
Panels at SXSWedu typically include up to three (3) speakers and one (1) moderator. You will only be able to enter information for a total of four speakers. Audiences always prefer smaller panels, so consider limiting your session to two (2) or three (3) speakers.

What role do moderators play? Do I have to have a moderator if I propose a panel?
The moderator is a neutral party that will run the session. This person is typically also the organizer, but that does not have to be the case. Having a neutral moderator will help keep your session focused on the proposed topic and will allow for a more balanced presentation. This is greatly recommended.

What sort of speaker lineup makes for the best panel presentations?
The most interesting sessions are the ones where there are many different perspectives. When choosing speakers keep in mind the V-O-W-E-L scale of basic diversity principles:

VARIETY · More than 3,000 proposals were submitted to the 2011 SXSWedu, Interactive, Music, and Film Festival and Conferences. The session selection process is therefore very competitive so having a variety of new and interesting speakers is essential to having an effective presentation.
OPINION · If all the speakers on your panel proposal have the same opinion on the given topic, then the resulting conversation will likely be uninteresting. Whatever topic you are addressing at SXSWedu, you are encouraged to include at least one person whose opinion differs sharply from yours.
WOMEN · There are thousands of extremely qualified women in the education industry. If you are organizing a session with at least three total speakers, then at least one of these speakers should be female.
ETHNICITY · Different ethnic backgrounds and different cultures take a different approach to different topics. And, different is usually a good thing at SXSWedu.
LOCATION · Lots of amazingly talented professionals call New York, Austin and San Francisco home. But, there are scores of very qualified education experts located at various other locations in the U.S. and around the world. Their voices also help contribute to this ongoing goal of diversity.

How much weight do votes from the public have in the selection process?
Voting from the public accounts for about 30% of the decision-making process for SXSWedu programming. Also important in this decision-making process is the SXSWedu Advisory Board (40%) and the input of the SXSWedu staff (30%).

Who can vote in the PanelPicker?
Anyone who has access to the internet can vote in the PanelPicker.

What do I need to do to be able to vote in the PanelPicker?
All you need to do is sign-up for an account during the public voting phase that begins on October 12. Signing-up is free, quick and easy. Your sign-up information will remain completely confidential.

If I submitted a proposal to the PanelPicker, should I encourage my friends to vote for my submission?
Absolutely. Rallying your friends and associates to vote for your panel proposal demonstrates energy, motivation and organizational ability. All of these skills are important when it comes to organizing a successful panel for SXSWedu.

When the voting interface goes live, can I post comments about my own panel proposal?
Yes. We strongly encourage you to use the comment section of the PanelPicker interface to offer more explanation of your proposal.

Why don't you post the voting totals?
Like it or not, people's opinions are easily swayed by other people's opinions. We don't post voting totals because we don't want people to only vote for proposals that other people are voting for.

How can my idea compete against people who have large e-mail lists?
Remember, voting from the public only accounts for 30% of the selection formula. If you put together a strong idea that intrigues the Advisory Board and the SXSWedu staff, then you won't need to worry about competing with people who have large e-mail lists.

What is the SXSWedu Advisory Board?
The Advisory Board is a group of experienced education professionals, whose advice and insights about programming and other event-related issues are trusted by the SXSWedu staff.

If my idea is selected, does SXSWedu pay for my registration, travel or lodging?
All speakers are given the opportunity to register for the conference at the speaker rate of $150. SXSWedu is not able to provide travel, lodging or other financial compensation for speakers.

If my idea is selected, how can I best prepare for my session?
Preparation is key. The more preparation you devote to your session, the better it will be. SXSWedu attendees are smart and they enjoy smart programming. If they realize you haven't prepared, they will leave your session and find a more interesting one next door. The more you communicate with your fellow speakers in the months before your session, collect your ideas, find opposing viewpoints, dive deep into your topic and find new ideas that excite you, the more your audience will enjoy your presentation.

If my idea is selected, does that mean all the hard work is over?
Absolutely not. If your proposal is accepted, then the hard work is just beginning! The best panels and presentations are the ones where the organizer devotes a significant amount of time to the organizational process.

Questions about SXSWedu programming should go to sessions@sxswedu.com »
For more general SXSWedu-related questions, e-mail info@sxswedu.com »