Education Session Moderator Guidelines

Below you will find outlined the essential responsibilities of the moderator, as well as some background information on presenting at AIHce EXP.

If you are a session moderator, please review/download the on-site duties for your position:

Moderator Instructions​

If you have any questions regarding the on-site responsibilities of the session moderators, please contact Diana Kane, Program Manager, Education​​.​​

Presentation Central Uploading & Speaker Ready Room Check-In

Moderators should check in to the Speaker Ready Room at least one hour before your session. The Speaker Ready Room staff may have messages, program changes, and other updated information about your session. Moderators should confirm that all presenters in their session have checked in to the Speaker Ready Room and uploaded their presentations. Moderators should get to know the presenters and their content to develop a cohesive flow between presentations. We strongly encourage you to schedule a quick meeting in the Speaker Ready Room with all your presenters before the session. Arrive at your assigned room at least 15 minutes before the session start time.

Note: All presenters are required to upload electronic copies of their presentations, using the official conference PowerPoint Template, to AIHce EXP’s Presentation Management System in the Speaker Ready Room. AIHA will provide computers in session rooms, upon which the relevant presentation(s) will already be loaded. Presenters may NOT bring personal computers as a way to avoid the upload requirement. Speakers will have an opportunity to review their presentations in the Speaker Ready Room and make any updates until one (1) hour before the session. Presenters will not be able to load any presentations or materials in the session room. Workstations and a projector will be available to review and practice presentations, and staff will be on hand to offer technical assistance, troubleshoot, and answer questions.

All presentations will be recorded for OnDemand unless a speaker opts out. All speakers should log in to Online Speaker Center to read and sign the Speaker Agreement.

Presenter Absences

In the event a presenter cancels, we will permit the other speakers in the session to present for additional time or to end the session early. This means that during a one-hour session with three presenters at 20 minutes each, two speakers would get 30 minutes each (an additional 10 minutes). Alternatively, the presenters can choose to keep their talks to 20 minutes and end the session early after 40 minutes. The additional time can also be used for further group discussion or Q&A.

Announcements

At the start of a session, moderators should:

• Identify the session title.
  
• Introduce themselves.
  
• Briefly introduce each presenter. The bios/CVs for these introductions are posted on the AIHce EXP website.
  
• Advise the audience of any last-minute presenter changes not already advertised.
  

During the session, moderators should:

• Politely thank the speaker whose time has run out and firmly move on to the next presentation. It is important to make sure each presenter stays on schedule.
• Facilitate Q&A between audience members and presenters. Please restate the question into the microphone, or have the speaker do so to ensure that the recordings (and our virtual audience, if applicable) can hear the question.

At the end of a session, moderators should:

• Thank the presenters.
• Request that attendees complete the session evaluation that will be emailed at the end of each day. Evaluations provide valuable information on the suitability of topics and are used by staff and volunteer groups for future conference planning.

Session Recordings

• Personal recording (both audio and video) is prohibited.
  
• Audio recordings of education session presentations will be available after the conference if permission has been granted by the presenters.
  
• Presenters who do not grant permission to record their presentations will be edited out of the recordings.
  
• The room must be kept quiet to ensure the quality of the recording.
  
• Questions asked by an audience member should be repeated by the moderator or presenter at the podium using the microphone. This is important so that the entire audience, including the virtual audience, can hear the question.

AV and Computer ​Equipment

• AV and computer equipment will be provided for presenters in all meeting rooms.
  
• Personal laptops may not be used in education session presentation rooms; however, they may be used to review slides and practice in the Speaker Ready Room.
  
• Presenters must use the microphone provided to ensure high-quality audio recording. Presenters wearing a microphone should avoid shuffling papers or holding conversations, as these noises will be picked up by the microphone.

Safety

• Locate lighting controls and emergency exits in case of an emergency. Please announce to the audience the location of the exits in case of emergency.
  
• Locate the audiovisual (AV) technician assigned to your meeting room floor (they typically wear all black); this technician will be available to troubleshoot any problems. Note this person’s location before the session starts.
  
• Announce that standing in the back of the room or the aisles is prohibited (as advised by the fire marshal) unless it is to accommodate individuals with disabilities.

General Information

• Expect questions to be asked and answered. This should be done professionally. AIHce EXP encourages scientific debate, open communication, healthy discussion, and respect for a diversity of opinions. Please ensure that any session(s) you moderate is conducted accordingly.
  
• All session personnel, presenters, and attendees should professionally conduct themselves.
• In the unlikely event of a disagreement, disruption, or emergency, go immediately to the Speaker Ready Room and request staff assistance.

Thank you! Your assistance is essential to the success of education at AIHce EXP!​