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Thanks for Registering for Our Virtual Conference. Here’s What You Need to Know Before You Go!

September 17, 2020

First, here's how to join the conference.

COE's 39th Annual Conference is hosted on the virtual conference platform OpenWater. Login using the same e-mail address you used to register at (https://coenet.secure-platform.com/a).

Participants can live stream the entire conference or specific sessions via the OpenWater video platform, in virtual meeting rooms powered by Zoom.

You must be registered for the 2020 COE Annual Conference to participate. You will be able to log-in using a single sign-on credential to the conference hub. To make the most of your time 'on-site,' take an hour or so before the conference begins to play around in the event hub. Your experience is in your control.

• 1) Click on Virtual Sessions menu item at the top of the page to be directed to the login page.
• 2) Enter the e-mail associated with your registration.
• 3) Please check your e-mail inbox for login instructions. The platform will automatically send you unique information to access the virtual conference platform and session gallery.
• 4) Once you click the link in that e-mail, you will be automatically redirected into the session gallery.

The session gallery is your hallway to the conference. Participants and speakers will be able to browse through the schedule and find the session they wish to join.

Here's how to find and join a session under the Virtual Sessions menu.

Click the title of the session you wish to join.

If you arrive early, you'll see the session button will not yet be active. The page will refresh every 15 seconds and will change to 'Join Session' when the meeting room opens, and you can enter.

By default, all participants will be in listen-only mode for most sessions. For some sessions, you will be unable to unmute yourself, however. We encourage participation via the Q&A box during most sessions.

Now that you're in, enjoy! Block off time in your day to attend live and interact with other attendees and have your questions answered directly by the conference speakers. Treat a virtual conference as you would an in-person conference with respect to your calendar and task load. Prioritize the time to be truly present in the experience, engage with the sessions and presenters, and use the Q&A box and other networking tools regularly to connect with other participants.

Experiencing difficulty during the conference?

During a session, you can use the chat box if you're having any technical difficulties. If you have any technical difficulties outside of the sessions, contact John Hernandez via e-mail at (john.hernandez@coenet.org) or Angelica Vialpando at (angelica.vialpando@coenet.org).

It's basically Zoom! Join from anywhere and on almost any device!

Great news! Software requirements for participating in the annual conference are the same as those for joining Zoom! Click here for more information about software requirements, recommended microphone/headsets and webcams, and supported operating systems, tablets and mobile devices.

Zoom technical requirements include the following.

• An internet connection — broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE). Minimum bandwidth is 600kbps (up/down) and recommended is 1.5 Mbps (up/down). Check your Internet bandwidth using Speedtest.
• A microphone — built-in to your computer or USB plug-in or wireless Bluetooth.
• Built-in headset jack from laptop or desktop. Even if your laptop or desktop has speakers, you must plug in a headset so that the sound from the speakers does not cause an echo in the Zoom meeting. Any headset with a 3.5mm plug will plug in.