Short courses (formerly master classes) provide a more intensive, advanced learning opportunity for seasoned professionals or those whose work has a specialized focus. They are ticketed (additional fee) two-hour oral seminars that will be presented only in person onsite at the ASHA Convention. Class sizes are limited to a smaller audience. Presentations are advanced-level and emphasize clinical applications and/or science backed by appropriate levels of evidence. Presenters, who are invited by the Convention Program Committee, demonstrate recognized expertise in their area and have experience presenting continuing professional education programs. Short courses count for 2 hours of Professional Development Hours (PDHs).
Oral seminars are standard concurrent 1-hour sessions intended to provide in-depth, continuing education for audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech-language-hearing scientists. Emphasis is on clinical applications and research advances, backed by appropriate levels of evidence. Content is tailored to fit the time period. Oral seminars are presented live, in-person at the ASHA Convention only. Some presenters may be invited by the Convention Program Committee to present on a particular topic to enhance the education program. Oral seminars count for 1 hour of PDHs.
Poster presentations combine a short oral presentation with a visual display to facilitate the rapid communication of scientific ideas. During the presentation, viewers visually guide themselves at their own pace through the basics of the study displayed on the iPoster, while the presentation focuses on explanation, clarification, and discussion of key elements of the work.
On-demand/Virtual-only Posters
Virtual posters will consist of a digital poster and 15-minute audio recording uploaded to the iPosters platform. They do not have a corresponding scheduled interactive Q&A session. On-demand/virtual poster presentations count for 15 minutes of PDHs.
In-person Poster Q&A Sessions
In addition to an on-demand/virtual poster and 15-minute audio recording uploaded to the iPosters platform, in-person poster presenters will be scheduled for a 90-minute session at the ASHA Convention to answer questions while their poster is displayed on a monitor. The in-person Q&A session provides an opportunity for viewers to engage in discussion with the presenters and/or fellow viewers. Both in-person presenters and in-person attendees may earn an additional 15 minutes of PDHs for participating in the in-person Q&A session.
Technical clinical sessions and technical research sessions are 30-minute oral presentations that have either a research or a clinical focus. The purpose of a technical session is to communicate scientific information or highlight clinical innovations in an efficient form. Technical research sessions present recent research findings, or research in progress. Technical clinical sessions address the applied clinical aspects of the professions, such as the methodology of a specific diagnostic, a therapeutic strategy, or a unique service delivery model used by the clinician.
On-demand/Virtual-only Technical Sessions
All technical sessions will have an on-demand, virtual presentation with 30 minutes of narration/audio/video uploaded to the virtual platform. The audio portion may include, but is not limited to, a presentation, transcripts, or additional supporting video. On-demand/virtual technical sessions count for 30 minutes of PDHs.
In-person Technical Sessions
In addition to an on-demand/virtual presentation with 30 minutes of narration/audio/video uploaded to the virtual platform, in-person technical session presenters will be scheduled for a 30-minute presentation at the ASHA Convention. The in-person technical session will allow for a brief Q&A period with speakers at the end of the presentation. Both in-person presenters and attendees may earn an additional 30 minutes of PDHs for participating in the in-person presentation.
The purpose of a technical demo is to demonstrate how to perform a particular treatment technique or diagnostic method, or how to use a piece of equipment or software application. Technical demos will consist of a 30-minute presentation uploaded to the virtual platform. Presentations may include a combination of videos, audio recordings, transcripts or slides. Products, equipment, or devices described or used in the demo may not be marketed. Demos will be carefully reviewed for adherence to ASHA’s Continuing Education Requirement 3.
Not sure what to expect with a virtual technical session or virtual poster presentation? Check out our collection of virtual presentation examples.
Please email us at papers@asha.org if you have any questions about the session formats.