DLAC Sessions:
DLAC includes a variety of session types—more than many conferences! Knowing what to expect will help you get the most out of the conference.

Breakout sessions are scheduled for 50 and 110-minute blocks. The concurrent sessions, however, are quite different from each other.

Contributed Talk (20 minutes/1 segment) – These talks are made up of 15 minutes of presentation and 5 minutes of questions and discussion. The Program Committee will organize these short talks together under broad themes.
Explore and Engage (50 minutes/2 segments) – This session is intended for a presenter to share information about a topic for 25 minutes (similar to a Contributed Talk) and then lead a discussion about the topic directly following the presentation for the next 25 minute segment (similar to a Table Talk).
Table Talk (50 minutes/2 segments) – Table talks are facilitated small group (10-15 people) discussions of 50 minutes. Discussion topics are chosen by the moderator of the session and can focus on any aspect of digital learning. The moderator does not need to be an expert on the topic, but should have questions planned prior to the Table Talk to guide the conversation. Screens, projectors, and microphones will not be provided for Table Talks.
Book Study (50 minutes/2 segments) – Book Studies are facilitated small group (10-15 people) discussions of 50 minutes. Sessions are focused around a book that will be highlighted before the conference so attendees have the opportunity to read the book prior to the session. The book is chosen by the moderator of the session and can focus on any aspect of digital learning. The moderator does not have to be the author of the book but should have questions planned prior to the Book Study to guide the conversation. Screens, projectors, and microphones will not be provided for Book Studies.
PechaKucha (0.5 segments) – This is a very specific type of presentation that is exactly 6 minutes and 40 seconds long, where you must have exactly 20 images in a Powerpoint with slides auto-advancing after 20 seconds. See www.pechakucha.org for more information. Presenters will be given 10 minutes, allowing for a couple of questions at the end of each presentation.
Poster Session (40 minutes) – Posters are presented during the Tuesday morning coffee break in the exhibit hall. We would like you to think of your poster as an “infographic” to stress that the graphics must convey a problem and solution, or research question and findings. Speakers will be available during the 40-minute block to address participants' questions.

Blocks may also be used for the following types of activities, using the entire 110 minutes or a portion of the full amount of time:

Fishbowl (2 segments) –Fishbowl is a method for facilitating group discussions. In a Fishbowl discussion, there will be four "panelists" at the front of the room (the “fishbowl”). The moderator (person submitting the session) will propose the topic and those on stage will actively discuss the topic. The initial panelists can be selected ahead of time or they can volunteer once they hear the selected topic, this is the moderator's choice. Attendees outside the fishbowl listen carefully to the conversation but are not allowed to actively engage with the panelists unless they go on stage. When they go on stage, they will replace the individual who has been on stage the longest. The topics can change throughout the session with attendees and panelists taking turns being both contributors and listeners in a group discussion.
Panel Discussion (2 segments) – After short introductory statements on the panel topic, a moderator will lead a discussion with the panelists on the topic, encouraging the attendees to pose questions. Panel discussions must be interactive between panel members and the audience and not a set of individual presentations. The preferred panel discussion provides panelists with a variety of perspectives on a topic from multiple schools/organizations. (The Program Committee can assist in finding other panelists as needed.)
Research Study Data Collection (2 or 4 segments) - Researchers may complete a feedback/data collection session to help complete a research study. This should not be a company/organization trying to collect feedback to offer a focus group for a new product or service.

Workshop (4 segments) – This session provides an opportunity to explore a topic in depth. It is expected that the workshop will have various interactive components. DLAC is not looking for traditional conference sessions. Please do not select Workshop as a way of getting the time for a traditional conference session. These must be interactive sessions, engaging all participants in activities and discussions to take a deeper experiential dive into a topic.

Please reach out to ignite@deelac.com with questions about this session type.

Special Session Types:

State/Regional Meet-up (1 hour - 2.5 hours) - The state/regional meet-ups will take place on the morning of Wednesday, February 18, 2026 prior to the conference, free of charge. DLAC State Affiliates who wish to set up an in-person state/regional meet-up during the conference will select this session type. All DLAC State Affiliate primary contacts will receive a special submission code from Chris Voelker, DLAC Director to input into their proposal. To learn more about state affiliates, contact info@deelac.com.
Sponsor Session (1 to 3 segments) –Carol Klyver, our Director of Sponsors, will provide the submission code to her main contact of each sponsor. Sponsor sessions will require the code to be entered into the proposal for their pre-assigned sessions. To learn more contact sponsor@deelac.com.
Community Meet-up (2 or 4 segments within program or outside of program) - If you are interested in adding a new community to the DLAC membership organization (We currently have community groups focused on: Charter Schools, Design & Refine, Private Schools, Policy, and Research) or a new state affiliate (you are not a current DLAC State Affiliate member), please submit your idea as this session type. We will contact you after the conference to determine interest in continuing the conversations.