And we're off...planning the 5th Annual Virtual International Day of the Midwife, 5th May 2013

I cannot believe it, but this year is the 5th year I have been facilitating the online conference, The Virtual International Day of the Midwife, which is held on the 5th May; runs for 24 hours; free to attend; open to anyone interested in midwifery and childbirth.

VIDM 2013 Committee
We are delighted to have the following people on our committee this year:
Deborah Davis, University of Canberra, Australia
Mary Sidebotham, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
Chris Woodhouse, Facilitator/Consultant, UK
Lorraine Mockford, Nova Scotia Community College, Canada
Sarah Bandasak, CPIT, New Zealand
Annette Dalsgaard Vilain, University College Lillebælt, Denmark
Linda Wylie, Midwife, UK
Jacob Theilgaard, Denmark

The VIDM 2013 committee met (a virtual meeting, needless to say) on the 12th February 2013. Here is the planning so far; please feel free to comment or leave ideas here, or email me: sarahstewart07(at)gmail.com

1. What technology are we going to use for the meeting day?   
There are a number of options we can pursue. However, I am keen to keep things as familiar as possible- it isn't very helpful to us or participants if we keep using different technology every year, because it does take two or three years to become confident with using a particular technology. We also have materials on the wiki that we can re-cycle if we use Adobe or Elluminate, which saves time. The other very important factor to consider is that we need a meeting room that take more than 100 people - we had access to 100 seats last year and at times, this was not enough. We would prefer to use Adobe Connect or Elluminate/Collaborate for the VIDM, if we can. 

• WebEx - Cisco are interested in sponsoring a meeting room for the VIDM with seats for app. 250 people. Disadvantages are thatWebEX is not a 'sexy' and dynamic as Adobe Connect or Elluminate, and we have never used it before.
• Adobe Connect - We are familiar with Adobe Connect having used it last year. We will ask Otago POlytechnic if we can use theior facilitaties again, as long as they can provide more than 100 seats.
• Elluminate/ Collaborate - We also may be able to access this via Lorraine Mockford.

2. Process for managing the speakers

•  Mary has drafted an EOI for speakers with application template - committee to comment on it by the 16/2/13 before the final draft is accepted and disseminated to everyone's networks.
• Disseminating EOI - to be sent as far and as wide as possible. Sarah S contact different international mailing lists, Annette with contact the ICM jisc mailing lists for Normal Birth, Research, and Education. Linda will contact Lesley Page (RCM), AIMS and ARM. We will record who is doing what, and our progress on the wiki.
• How to judge EOI? Are we going to have criteria for the VIDM conference? Sarah S. will check up on last year's criteria. Mary will check up on ACM's criteria to see if we can adapt them. We need to keep in mind that the VIDM is not a scientific conference, but rather an unconference that aims to give people a chance to present who would otherwise not do so, and also to develop people's digital literacy skills. At the same time, we do want to maintain a level of quality so we remain a credible professional development activity.
• Chris and Mary will work out the time frames for the management of the EOI and confirming speakers.

3. Opening speaker

• Various suggestions were made, keeping in mind the time zones for when we start the conference.
• Mary will contact Frances Day-Stirk because she is the president of the ICM, and ask her to be the opening speaker. Mary will try to find other options if Frances is not available.

4. Social media

• Sarah Bandasak, Lorraine, Linda and Sarah S. will coordinate our social media channels, including Twitter and Facebook.

5. Opening and closing sessions
The time that we start will depend on the opening speaker, and when he/she can do it. However, we will start, as usual, in the morning on the 5th May based on New Zealand time.

6. Facilitators and Master Facilitators
We will postpone the decision on master facilitator and facilitator to next meeting when we have a better idea what our technology will be.

7. Time plan and plan of jobs

• There are people who have already volunteered to help. We will co-opt them as and when we need them, but will keep the core committee as is so that it doesn't get too big and "unmanageable".
• Sarah S. will do a time plan and circulate it.

8. Media release
Linda will work with Sarah S to develop a media release that we can all use to ensure consistency around the world - this will be stored on the wiki for easy access.

9. Sponsorship
Deborah has written a wonderful document on sponsorship but we have left it too late to enact this year. We do need to pursue this more actively once this year's conference is over - it would be fabulous to have our own virtual room that we can use every year without worry about access and seats.

 

10. Succession planning

• Sarah S plans to step back for leading the facilitation of VIDM next year. Linda will work closely with Sarah S this year with the view of contributing more actively with the facilitation next year.

11. No other business