What is the conference theme?

Harnessing the power of feedback to advance transformation in teaching and learning.

When is the conference?

• Sunday, August 2, 2020: Pre-conference Workshops, Community Meetups, and Change Leadership Roundtables
• Monday, August 3 through Wednesday, August 5, 2020: Full Conference

Where is the conference?

The Palmer House Hotel by Hilton | 17 East Monroe Street | Chicago, Illinois, USA 60603

How much does it cost?

• **NEW** Special Bundle: (ends March 20, 2020)
  • Bluenotes GLOBAL registration + Blue Expert Certification camp* or Blue Report Master Certification camp
    • $3,750 per seat (35% discount)
    • $5,950 for two seats (50% discount)
    • $7,750 for three seats (55% discount)
    • Original price per seat: $5,845 USD ($895 conference registration & $4,950 for BEC/BRMC)
  • *Includes a Learning Expediter session before BEC, for those that do not have a BAC
  • *Applies to attendees from the same organization
• Early Bird: (ends May 1, 2020)
  • Single Attendee Registration: $599 USD
  • Group of 3 Registration [Buy 2 Get 1 Free]: $1,198 USD (instead of $1,797 USD) for 3 people
• Regular: (ends July 17, 2020)
  • Single Attendee Registration: $895 USD
  • Group of 3 Registration [Buy 2 Get 1 Free]: $1,790 USD (instead of $2,685 USD) for 3 people
• **NEW** Faculty (Instructors & Professors): (ends July 17, 2020)
  • Single Attendee Registration (50% off):  $450 USD 
    
• **NEW** Student: (ends July 17, 2020)
  • Single Attendee Registration (95% off):  $50 USD

Are there discounts available?

Yes! There is a special bundle discount available until March 20, 2020. If you miss this special bundle rate, there is the early-bird discount available until May 1, 2020, as well as a buy-2-get-1-free group rate. There are also discounted rates for both faculty and students.

What is included in my conference registration?

Full conference registration with option for Pre-conference Workshops or Architecting Change Leadership Roundtables at no additional fee; attendance to the opening reception on the evening of Sunday, August 2, 2020; breakfast, lunch, and refreshments throughout the conference; and attendance to the social activity and dinner on the evening of Tuesday, August 4, 2020 on the Spirit of Chicago cruise ship.

Do I have to pay when I register?

• Not necessarily. As our Bluenotes Community mentioned informed us of a typical academic budget cycle, we “untied” the registration and the payment timing.
  • Submitting your conference registration form and completing the registration fee payment are done separately. Once you submit your conference registration, your attendance and selected preferences will be reserved for you. A conference registration confirmation email will be sent to the email address indicated on your registration form with payment details.
  • You may complete your payment at any time by the end of July 31, 2020: We will honor the special bundle rate or the early bird rate, as long as your conference registration is made prior to the discount expiration date.
  • We strongly recommend completing your registration as early as possible to ensure your preferred choices are available and your place in various learning activities and social networking activities are reserved for you.
• Payments may be completed, at any time by the end of July 21, 2020, online via credit card through the conference registration fee payment site or by contacting Stacey Martini, Community Engagement Manager.

Who attends the Bluenotes GLOBAL conference?

The Bluenotes GLOBAL 2020 Conference will have sessions available for users of Blue product suites such as Blue, Bluepulse, DIG, BTA, and BlueX. The Bluenotes GLOBAL Conference is the unique place for “Feedback Matters” where various stakeholders in institutional research, institutional effectiveness, teaching and learning, IT, faculty members and leaders come together to share, discuss, learn and problem-solve together how best use feedback in transforming teaching and learning and improving learning experience and student retention.

Why should I attend the Bluenotes GLOBAL conference?

• By attending the Bluenotes GLOBAL conference, you will:
  • Share experiences, best practices, and insights to learn, problem-solve, and innovate together
  • Network with your like-minded colleagues throughout the conference, formally and informally, expanding your professional development and learning
  • Participate in various Bluenotes Community Meetups such as the Blue Experts Community, Medical and Health Sciences, Business Schools, and regional Bluenotes Chapters
  • Speak directly with Explorance staff to ask, get answers, and influence Explorance’s vision and product directions
  • Learn about upcoming software releases and the product roadmap
  • Experience hands-on software use during pre-conference workshops and Explorance-staffed stations
  • Attend social events and dinners exclusive to the Bluenotes Community to expand your professional network and learning
  • Become a certified Blue Administrator, Blue Expert, or Blue Report Master by attending the BAC, BEC , or BRMC in-person training camp immediately preceding the conference.
• This is what those who attended the Bluenotes GLOBAL 2019 conference attendees said about why to attend.

Is there a conference website?

Yes! www.bluenotesgroup.com/bluenotes-global-2020-conference

Is there a business case document that can help make a case for budget planning and approval?

Yes! We prepared a “Make a Case” document that you can use to help your budget planning and approval. Download – it is editable so that you can customize to make a strong business case.

Are there any pre-conference learning activities?

Yes! There are 7 workshops (4 workshops for the beginner/intermediate level attendees and 3 workshops for advanced topics including one organized by the certified Blue Experts are planned), 3 Community Meetups, and 2 Architecting Change Leadership Roundtables. More details can be found the Bluenotes GLOBAL 2020 conference program draft.

When are the pre-conference learning activities?

Sunday, August 2, 2020; breakfast and lunch included. The conference opening cocktail is scheduled after the pre-conference learning activities at the historic Empire Room.

Do the pre-conference learning activities cost extra?

The pre-conference activities do not require an additional fee however, space is limited so please register early.

Do I have to sign-up for the pre-conference learning activities?

You may opt-in to the pre-conference learning activities as you complete your conference registration form.

What are the Community Meetups?

A Community Meetup is a meeting where the members of a particular community of interest or practice get together to share, discuss their unique needs, and solve problems together. Currently, three community meetups are being planned – the Blue Experts community meetup, the Medical and Health Sciences community meetup, and the Business Schools community meetup. See the Bluenotes GLOBAL 2020 conference program draft for the community meetup schedules for sign up.

What is an Architecting Change Leadership (ACL) Roundtable?

An ACL (Architecting Change Leadership) Roundtable is a roundtable to discuss and problem-solve together organizational challenges that institutions are facing, as they implement technology-enabled feedback processes, for successful adoptions and use of the data. There are 2 ACL roundtables planned. See the Bluenotes GLOBAL 2020 conference program draft for the ACL roundtable schedules for sign up.

What are the conference tracks?

• Faculty Engagement
• Leadership and Analytics
• Implementation Insights: Course Evaluations
• Implementation Insights: General Feedback Processes (such as Surveys, 360, Formative Feedback)
• New to 2020: Faculty Research-centric Track

I would like to share my experiences. How do I submit a presentation proposal?

All details including suggested topics, presentation formats, deadlines, and process instructions for submitting your proposal, please visit the Call for Presentations webpage. We hope to ease your presentation proposal submission process, and look forward to working with you as needed to ensure that everyone who wishes to present has an opportunity to do so. For any question, please don’t hesitate to contact yjang@explorance.com.

Is the conference program available to review now?

The full program and agenda detailing the conference session topics and presenters, as well as social networking activities, will be posted on the Bluenotes GLOBAL 2020 Conference website as details are finalized. Please continue to check back regularly for updates.

Are there any social events or networking opportunities?

• There are two scheduled social events:
  • Welcome Reception: Sunday, August 2, 2020 | 6pm @ The Palmer Hotel
  • Social Networking Dinner: Tuesday, August 4, 2020 | 6pm @ The Spirit of Chicago Dinner Cruise

Is there a fee to attend the social events?

There is no additional cost to attend the social events. These social events are included in the conference registration fee as a part of continuing to connect and expand professional development and learning.

Are there any in-person certification training camps running in conjunction with the conference?

Yes! By popular request, in-person BAC, BEC, and BRMC camps are all being held immediately before the conference.

When are the certification training camps?

• July 30 – July 31: Blue Administrator Certification (BAC) In-Person Training Camp
• July 30 – July 31: Blue Expert Certification (BEC) In-Person Training Camp
• July 30 – August 1: Blue Report Master Certification (BRMC) In-Person Training Camp
• Coming soon! July 30 – August 1: Blue 7 Expert In-Person Training Camp for Blue Experts

Where will the certification training camps be held?

For your convenience, the in-person training camps will also be held at the Palmer Hotel.

Do the certification camps cost extra?

Yes, additional fees may apply. Bundle and Save – the special bundle promotion (conference registration + BEC or BRMC Certification Camp registration)! Check out the Blue Certification Camps at the Bluenotes GLOBAL 2020 page or consult with your Account Manager.

Are there discounts available?

• **NEW** Special Bundle: (ends March 20, 2020)
  • Bluenotes GLOBAL registration + Blue Expert Certification camp* or Blue Report Master Certification camp
    • $3,750 per seat (35% discount)
    • $5,950 for two seats (50% discount)
    • $7,750 for three seats (55% discount)
    • Original price per seat: $5,845 USD ($895 conference registration & $4,950 for BEC/BRMC)
  • *Includes a Learning Expediter session before BEC, for those that do not have a BAC
  • *Applies to attendees from the same organization

Is there a discounted group rate at the Palmer Hotel?

Yes! A special group discounted room rate of $199 per night is available the Palmer Hotel for all Bluenotes GLOBAL 2020 attendees. This rate will be available for the nights of July 29 through August 8, 2020. This special hotel group rate ends on July 17. Please note that if you are reserving the hotel stay through a travel agency, you may not be able to take advantage of this special group discount rate.

How do I reserve my stay?

To reserve your accommodations at the special hotel group rate, you may call the Palmer Hotel at 1-877-865-5321 referencing “Bluenotes GLOBAL 2020” or the code “EXP”. Alternatively, you may reserve your stay directly online via this Palmer House Reservation link created for the Bluenotes GLOBAL 2020 attendees.

What transportation options do I have?

• The Chicago O’Hare (ORD) International Airport is 17 miles from the hotel. Drive time is around 35-60 minutes and typical taxi fare is around $40 USD. There is also the option of taking the subway (the CTA train, also called the “L”) from the airport at $2.25 USD with a travel time of 45 minutes to downtown. When taking public transportation from O’Hare International Airport, take the Blue Line train to Monroe/Dearborn stop. Take Monroe east to the hotel and the Palmer House is on the south side of the street.
• The Chicago Midway (MDW) Airport is 11 miles from the hotel. Drive time is 30-40 minutes and typical taxi fare is around $40 USD. There is also the option of taking the subway (the CTA train, also called the “L”) from the airport at $2.25 USD with a travel time of 25 minutes to downtown. From Midway Airport, take the Orange Line to downtown, exiting at the Adams/Wabash stop. The Palmer House is located on the west side of Wabash Avenue.

I did not find my answer in the FAQ – what should I do?

For any questions or other information required, please contact: Stacey Martini, our community engagement manager in the Bluenotes GLOBAL 2020 Organizing Team.

Note: Register now and reserve your place. You can pay later, as the submission of your conference registration form and the payment of the conference registration fee are handled separately.

• Once you submit your conference registration, your attendance and selected preferences will be reserved for you. A conference registration confirmation email will be sent to the email address indicated on your registration form with payment details.
• Payments may be completed online via credit card here or by contacting Stacey Martini directly.
• You may complete your payment at any time prior to July 31, 2020. The early bird special rates will be honored to those who register before the early bird pricing ends.

We’d strongly recommend registering your attendance ASAP to ensure your preferred choices are available and your place is saved.