2023
SSEY
Overview of Program: 3-day Wakefield Event

Descriptions of Sessions and Optional Events
Session A Setting the Scene: You will be welcomed by the event organizers, provided with an overview of what’s to come at the event, and learn about the anticipated outcomes of the event – a special journal issue and an edited book. Bags and nametags will be distributed.
Session B Personal Presentations: Everyone will have 4-5 minutes to introduce themselves and share relevant details such as name, affiliation, research interests, research partners (e.g., people, schools, organizations), participants (e.g., educator, child, or both), contexts, important findings.
Session C Speed Meeting: In this moderated networking session, you will take part in 2-minute speed meetings. The moderator will keep track of time and announce when to switch partners. The purpose of this activity is to provide lightly structured opportunities to dig deeper into points of interest that arose during the personal presentations.
Nature Walk & Scavenger Hunt: This optional outdoor activity will get you acquainted with some of the local flora and fauna, as well as several points of historical interest. Apply sunscreen liberally and bring water for this gentle hike.
Session D Pivoting Panel: This session will consist of several panels made up of volunteers who draw on similar theories, theorists, and frameworks to inform their work. Panelists will briefly discuss their common topic and then answer questions.
Session E Communities of Practice: During this unstructured session, you will meet and talk with other participants in any way you see fit. You may even choose a different location for these meetings.
Campfire and S’mores: This optional outdoor event, which is sponsored by the Wakefield Mill Hotel and Spa, is a chance for you to relax while experiencing an authentic North American summertime activity – making s’mores over a campfire!
Session F Lightning Round: In this session, volunteers will talk for 5-10 minutes about particular tools or methods they use.
Session G Lightning Round: This session, which is the same format as the previous, highlights volunteers talking for 5-10 minutes about challenges in the field (i.e., ‘what not to do’).
Session H Communities of Practice: This session is a second unstructured opportunity to talk with other participants however and wherever you would like. The goal is continued network development.
Session I World Café Session: This session begins the shift in focus from exploring personal interests to pursuing group outcomes. At tables of four to six people, you will discuss pre-established topics. You will be free to move from table to table, spending time at the tables you find interesting. Ideally, each table will have a host who takes notes of what’s been discussed; the host may change as people move from table to table.
Free time to explore Wakefield: This afternoon you are free to rest, relax, or explore the town of Wakefield, just down the hill from our hotel. Check for discounts offered by local merchants, visit the covered bridge, rent a kayak, or just window shop. You are responsible for your own dinner tonight; there are several excellent local restaurants.
Session J Snowball Fight: This slightly unusual activity will allow us to explore individual (and anonymous) responses to a number of different prompts with a partner before forming small groups that will ultimately merge to recreate the larger group. The results of this session will help shape our thinking as we enter the final working session.
Session K What’s Next?: In this session we will establish a ranked list of research priorities. What kinds of things should we be thinking about as we leave the event?
Session L Closing: During the closing session, the event organizers will thank sponsors and will remind participants of the event outcomes, with reference to Session K’s research priorities.
Field trip en route to Ottawa: We will visit the iconic Gatineau Park, with a stop at the Visitor Centre, a short stroll on well-maintained paths, and perhaps even an activity led by Friends of Gatineau Park.