2008 Presentation Formats

The Sixth National Conference featured workshop sessions that maximized interactive participation, while integrating plenary sessions on key national policy issues.  Presentations highlighted innovative programs and policies focused on partnerships and collaborative efforts.

Preconference Intensive Training Sessions (Sunday, September 21 - ONLY) 

As in previous years, the conference offered half-day intensive training sessions on organizational cultural competence, culturally competence care, cultural competence training, language access, and policy issues. 

Main Conference (Monday, September 22-Wednesday, September 24, 2008)

Main conference workshops. Concurrent workshop sessions featured two to three 30-minute presentations addressing specific implementation, educational, research or policy challenges from the presenters own experiences in separate presentations. Moderators facilitated discussion and problem-solving or strategy-devising with the audience. In turn, the audience was encouraged to comment on their related experiences, ask questions, and dialogue with presenters.

Peer-to-peer practice advancement sessions. Many participants have commented on how useful it is to share experiences face-to-face with others working in their field of specialty. Introduced in 2004 and widely praised, peer-to-peer sessions were designed to facilitate the exchange and documentation of practice challenges and solutions. A group of 4-7 panelists engage in discussion of a specific practice challenge (e.g. how to design and market cultural competence training to busy health care professionals). An expert facilitator leads participants in a 2 hour session that includes discussion and brainstorming (with the audience) on cutting-edge practices and solving specific implementation problems. Background materials on each participant’s program are contained in the conference resource binder, and the session proceedings may be documented and summarized for later distribution.

Roundtable Discussions. This format featured 3-6 panelists who engaged in a moderated discussion of a multifaceted or controversial topic. The moderator plays a very active role, asking questions of the panelists and ensuring that all panelists (three to six people) have the opportunity to speak.

Film Festival. The Filmfest featured several recently produced or in-production videos that use a variety of techniques and formats to convey cross-cultural health issues. This year we also welcomed films on the immigrant experience or global migration issues. In 30-minute presentation segments, filmmakers shared their projects, showed snippets or a long segment from the piece, received feedback, and answered questions.

Best Practices Poster Presentations. This format was designed to inform conference participants about best practices and research in cultural competence by highlighting effective programs and practices, relevant practitioner oriented research, and strategic policy developments.  

Exhibitors. The Resource Center featured formal exhibits by professional interpreting companies, government agencies, cultural competence training organizations and others. Please see the Exhibitor Information page for further details.