ASLA Online Virtual Conference 2008

To access the e-forums
You need to Login.
If you are not taken to the Welcome page, then click on Welcome in the left hand menu.
The link to the forums can be found on the Welcome page in the Site Tools section on the right hand side of the screen.

E-forum guidelines

  • At the commencement of the forum sessions – Introduction forum – post an introductory message to this forum.

This Introduction forum is designed to allow you to introduce yourself to the other delegates and to exchange general information with others throughout the conference. Please use this space for discussions outside the actual strand/theme forums. This forum will be open for the duration of the conference.

This is an opportunity to let us know what you do and where you are from. Only include the information you wish other delegates to know. For example, if you include an email address within the body of the message please be aware that delegates may wish to contact you outside the forum to discuss or share ideas. If including a ‘signature’ please keep this brief.

There are two ways you can post a message to the forums.

  1. The ‘Start a new topic’ link is to be used if you have a new topic for discussion -- Add your title (see below for some guidelines), include your text and post.
  2. Reply or respond to an existing message by selecting the ‘Expand messages’ link to view the thread of discussion and respond within this space – Add your title (see below for some guidelines), include your text and post.

After posting your message you will need to select the ‘Refresh’ link to view the new messages, similar to the refresh feature in your browser for a web page.

Be aware that when a number of delegates are online at the same time there will be some cross posting. Just relax, enjoy the lively moment and be involved.

  • When posting a message to the strand forums, for example, Digital Environments, please prefix your title line with the author’s last name (if applicable to the content of your message) and then include your topic. This will help the presenter who is online to focus on specific topics or questions in relation to their paper.
  • Keep the content of the message to a single topic and relevant to your title line. This will help the forum discussion to focus specifically on your question, comment or thought, and help to maintain the thread of the discussion.

All the papers for each strand will be discussed within the one forum. For example, all the papers from the Digital Literacy strand will be discussed in the Digital Literacy forum.

  • When responding to a message try and maintain the thread of discussion. If you have a query, thought or comment that is outside the scope of the current topic please select ‘Start a new topic’.
  • Think before you respond. Does your response make a contribution to the discussion? Do you really want everyone on the forum to see your response?
  • When replying you may wish to ‘snip / copy’ the relevant section of the previous message or alternatively paraphrase the message so it will be easier for other forum members to follow the discussion.
  • No attachments can be sent to the forum. If you need to provide extra information then include a web link within your message or let the forum members know they can contact you. You will need to provide your preferred method of contact.
  • Be considerate of others and respect the differences that may be reflected in the forum. This is an opportunity to explore, discover, share and learn from each other.
  • Please refrain from posting ‘commercial’ messages about your business or company unless it is requested within the forum discussion.
  • Please observe general ‘netiquette’ behaviour. For example, avoid making personal comments about other people within the forum or those outside the forum, and avoid profanities or obscenities.
  • Each forum will be moderated. Should the moderator suspect a breach of general ‘netiquette’ you will be removed from the online conference.
  • Please maintain your antivirus software.
  • Please participate – if need be, ‘read’ for a while and then become involved.

Last updated 16 April 2008