How to Attend

We can't meet in person — but we can still meet! We've put together what we believe will be a rewarding conference for you. To make the most of it, here's a quick reference on how to participate:

  1. If you haven't already, register. Then, peruse the presentations and presenters from the Breakouts Schedule page to get an idea for which you want to attend.
  2. All live sessions will be held using Zoom. If you've never used Zoom before, go to this Zoom test site to make sure your computer or tablet is ready.
  3. You will receive an email with the Zoom Links page. Use that page to access all the Zoom links you'll need to attend. Hint: bookmark it for each access, as you'll be referring to that page throughout.
  4. When the day of the conference comes, click the Zoom link on the Zoom Links page. As you go from session to session, you'll be leaving one Zoom meeting, and clicking the link to enter another.
  5. During the conference, check the homepage of this website for any announcements: conference.sealaskaheritage.org.
  6. Getting Help. If you didn't get an email with the Zoom Links page, or if you have any questions at all, you can reach the conference staff through one of the following:

Getting the Most Out of a Zoom Conference

For many of us, interacting in Zoom is new. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of the conference.

  1. Speaker/Gallery View. In a Zoom you can change your view between gallery and speaker view. There are also a number of other options you can learn about in the Zoom Help Center.
  2. Mute/Unmute.Know how to mute and unmute yourself. Unless you're speaking, you'll want to keep your microphone on mute so that all other participants don't hear your incidental sounds while others are talking. So, make sure you know where that mute button is and how to push it.
  3. Turn your camera on. Presenters love seeing their audience, so if you're comfortable, turn your camera on so they can see you nodding in understanding and encouragement. If you want to make sure to look your best, face a window or light source.
  4. Raise your virtual hand. When you're in a Zoom, you'll see a button labeled "Participants." Click it to open a window that shows all participants. At the bottom there are buttons, one of which lets you raise your hand. This tells the meeting hosts that you have a question or would like to make a comment. You also may be asked to use the Yes or No buttons to answer questions from presenters.
  5. Edit your name. Also in the Participant window, if you put your mouse over your own name, you'll be able to rename yourself. Make sure your name in Zoom reflects the name you registered with. During the conference you might be called on to add your city to your name.
  6. Speak into your microphone. If you do raise your hand and you are called upon, make sure you know where on your computer or tablet your microphone is, and speak loudly and clearly into it.
  7. Use the chat. The chat box in Zoom is a great place to engage with other participants and have sidebar conversations. You'll find the button to open it near the Participants button. Some presenters may ask you to put comments and questions in the chat, so make sure you know how to find it.
  8. Be on time — or early. When a participant joins a Zoom, the hosts and presenters hear a chime. Once a meeting has begun, this chime can be distracting, so if you can make sure to join your Zoom sessions on time or a little early.
  9. Ensure equity of voice. In some sessions a group may be broken up into smaller breakout rooms. This is an excellent to engage with fellow participants, but make sure everyone who wants to speak is given that chance.
  10. Adjustments for low bandwidth. If you have low bandwidth, there are a couple things you can do:
    • Turn off your video and,
    • Use the option to join the audio portion of the meeting by dialing in on your phone instead of connecting over Internet audio.