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Planning for the
next Demography
Conference
We've had some time now to review how we did at our first Demography Conference and we're upbeat. When we passed 32 pre-registrations, we had to grab a second computer lab to be able to include all 44 participants. That created a few challenges in balancing time and crossing campus
to the different sessions, but the session surveys show that most of the
participants were pleased with the
sessions. In the future, we're going to schedule two computer labs at the start.
I owe a massive mea culpa to those who
couldn't attend. Next year's conference will
be scheduled in the first or second week of
June. I recognize that Brookings is not the
center of the universe, and just because
finals are over, and grades are reported at
state, I shouldn't assume all schools have
let out for summer. I don't need to write it
fifty times on the blackboard - the
message was repeated and clear.
We emphasized methods of accessing,
downloading and manipulating data in the
conference, and will continue several of
those sessions next year - but next
year'sparticipants will be able to select
their
sessions when they pre-register. If
we're going to have two computer labs
going, we might as well have choices.
The best-liked sessions were: Mastering
Factfinder, Shortcuts Through Missouri,
and OnTheMap. All of the PowerPoint
exercises used in the conference will be
posted on the data center website - if you
missed the conference, you'll at least be
able to attend virtually over your own
computer.
Thanks to all who attended and helped
make South Dakota's first Demography
Conference a success.
Mike McCurry
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Demography Conference:
Evaluating the Process
How did attendees evaluate
individual sessions?
Click links below to find out!
Session 1 Projecting SD Evals Review
S2 Migration Review
S3 Challenges in Data Review
S4 Indian Country Review
S5 What Can Data Center
Provide Review
S6 Data for Communities Review
S7 Data in Indian Country Review
S8 Data Center Findings
S9 BIDC Lost Review
Overall 2013 Conference Scores
Conference Summary
-Valeriah Vasek
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What We'll Change
What We Did at South Dakota's
First Demography Conference...
As I look back on the Demography
Conference, after a few weeks to
go through the evaluations, I'm
convinced it was a success . . . and
I'm equally convinced that there are
things we could have done better.
I'm more comfortable with self-
criticism, so let me start with the
spots where we will improve next
year.
1) The date.
Next year's conference will be
after every school has finished
finals, and the date will be set far
enough ahead that folks can plan
for it. In 2014, the South Dakota
Demography Conference will
occur on June 10, 11, and 12th.
2) Hands-on Practical Applications.
We underestimated the folks who
were interested in demography.
Our largest computer lab had 32
stations, and we had 44 people
attending, which meant we had to
split the audience between two
labs, and put on each presentation
twice. It worked, but it was
unwieldy.Next year's conference
will have Practical Applications
sessions scheduled in two labs,
plus a simultaneous breakout
session, and folks will be able to
pre-register for the specific
sessions they want.
3) Registration. We weren't as
efficient in handling registrations
as we will be next year.
4) University Credit.Six participants took advantage of the opportunity
to get 1 university credit for $40
more than the registration.We will
attempt to maintain this opportunity.
5) Underestimating the appeal.
We began with a plan that could
handle a maximum of 32 people.
Next year, our planning target will
be 100.
Mike McCurry, Ph.D.
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scandal data - just information about IRS data . . . for example, 426,011 of those South Dakota returns were filed electronically, and South Dakota filings totaled $5,136,249,000.
We've been answering individual questions about women and farming as they come in, but this bulletin provides a fast reference, with much of the research already completed.
