Badges and the letter transcribed below were mailed to attendees who completed the registration process prior to October 2nd. (Attendees registering after October 2nd can pick up their badges at the registration desk.)
Important Conference Information
Registration – Your Credentials are Enclosed!
Thank you for registering in advance for the AASL 15th National Conference and Exhibition. Enclosed you will find your badge and applicable tickets. To receive your badge holder and other conference materials, please bring these credentials to the Pre Registration counter in the registration area.
Changes?
- Please review your credentials to make sure the information on your badge is correct.
- If you need to make changes, please send your badge with corrections to Experient, 1888 North Market St., Frederick, MD 21701, and your corrected badge will be available for pick-up on-site.
- Badge corrections must be received by October 12th.
- If you receive your badge too late to send in for corrections prior to October 12th, please bring it on-site to the Pre-Registration counter, and an attendant will make the changes for you.
- Exhibitors should go to the Exhibitor Registration counter.
Questions? Registration questions prior to conference arrival can be emailed to aasl@experient-inc.com or by calling 866-229-2386.
Conference Information:
Location - Most conference activities will occur at the Minneapolis Convention Center located at 1301 Second Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55403.
Registration Hours - Registration will be located in Lobby B outside Hall B of the Minneapolis Convention Center and will be open during the following hours:
Wednesday, October 26 – 7:30am – 5:00pm
Thursday, October 27 – 7:30am – 7:30pm
Friday, October 28 – 7:00am – 4:30pm
Saturday, October 29 – 7:30am – 4:00pm
Contact Information – The Registration Desk can be reached starting Tuesday, October 25, 2011 by calling: 612-335-6663
Housing Information:
- Please see your separate confirmation for details regarding your conference hotel location.
Sessions:
- Please note that there are many concurrent sessions that will reference the AASL Standards for the 21st-Century Learner. It is highly suggested that you download a copy of the learning standards and carry it to each session. A PDF version of the learning standards is available for download on the AASL website at: www.ala.org/aasl/standards
Virtual Conference:
- Included with your registration is access to the AASL11 Virtual Conference! This conference component gives attendees access to all session materials and handouts uploaded by the presenters, recordings of the opening and closing general sessions, recordings of seven concurrent sessions, and 42 slidecasts (recorded sessions synced to the presenters slides.) Access to these materials will be available through January 31, 2012.
- Virtual conference attendees will receive an email confirmation which will include their user name and password when the virtual conference goes live on Monday, October 17. Attendees will not be able to log in prior to this date and no other confirmations will be sent.
Pre-Conference Homework:
- AASL’s One Book, One Conference is an early morning book discussion session and a popular part of the conference. This year, the National Conference has selected “The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains” by Nicholas Carr. Also, be sure to sign up for the AASL11 Ning http://aasl11.ning.com to read the book discussion that happened prior to the conference.
- Printed materials for concurrent sessions or the Exploratorium are not provided. All materials for concurrent sessions and the Exploratorium may be downloaded on the virtual conference website. Instructions for this will be sent separately.
Standard Travel Tips:
- Double-check your flight departures, and if possible, print out boarding passes in advance.
- Always be aware of your surroundings. Report suspicious items or people to security.
- Do not wear your badge outside the convention center or the convention hotels.
- Always use the secure lock on the door after entering your hotel room.
Transportation/Getting Around:
Conference Shuttle Buses
- Due to the close proximity of all official hotels to the Minneapolis Convention Center, daily shuttle service is not necessary. (There is shuttle service between conference hotels and the Saturday night Celebration at Nicollet Island which will be available from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m).
Public Transportation
- Getting to and from your hotel, the Convention Center, and restaurant locations is easy. Pay no fare on buses marked “Free Ride” while traveling on Nicollet Mall. Look for free-ride buses at the stations every 10 minutes from 7am to 7pm on weekdays, every 15-30 minutes on evenings and weekends.
- Other buses cost 50¢ if traveling within the downtown zone. If you have questions about a Metro Transit route or schedule, contact Metro Transit at 612/373-3333. Look for a Metro Transit bus shelter or bus stop and catch a ride!
Taxi Services
- Typical fare to and from the airport is approximately $35.00, with distances between 15-20 minutes.
- Taxis are readily available at all conference hotels.
Other
- The Hilton Minneapolis, Hyatt Regency and Millennium Hotels are all connected by skyway to the Minneapolis Convention Center. The Marriott City Center and DoubleTree Suites will have maps with walking directions at the front desk.
- Should you wish to take advantage of airport shuttles, please visit: http://www.mspairport.com/GroundTransportation.aspx
Conference Tips:
- Attire for the conference is business casual.
- The average temperature in Minneapolis in October is a high of 59 degrees and a low of 39 degrees. Fall is the beginning of Minnesota’s crispest, most beautiful seasons. With mild temperatures and crystal-blue skies, you can enjoy a stroll along the Mississippi River with a flaming leaf-filled backdrop.
- Comfortable shoes are especially important for covering ground in the convention center.
We look forward to seeing you in in Minneapolis!
