FAQs
Q: What are the dates of PBL World?
A: June 18-22, 2012.
Q: Who should attend?
A: Teachers, curriculum writers, site administrators, instructional coaches, teacher preparation faculty.
Q: Where is the conference located?
A: At New Technology High School in Napa, CA.
Q: Who is sponsoring the conference?
A: The conference is a partnership between the Buck Institute for Education and the Napa Valley Unified School District.
Q: How many attendees are expected?
A: If the conference sells out there will be a maximum of 365 participants.
Q: How do I register?
A: Registration is available online.
Q: Who will facilitate the workshops?
National Faculty of the Buck Institute will facilitate all workshops.
Q: When is payment due?
A: All payment (credit card, checks, purchase orders) must be received and cleared by June 1, 2012.
Q: Will any of the workshops I register for be cancelled?
A: BIE reserves the right to cancel any workshop due to lack of registration. That decision will be made by May 28, 2012. If a workshop you register for is cancelled you will automatically be enrolled in a similar workshop scheduled at the same time. You will be informed of this change by email.
Q: What if I/we need to replace someone who is registered to attend?
A: The new participant must complete a registration form and confirm that action by emailing lauren@bie.org. The replacement participant may be required to attend only those workshops that the original participant registered for.
Q: If I bring my family with me will there be things for them to do?
A: The city of Napa has a wonderful system of public parks. The Napa Premium Outlets is a prime destination for those who like to shop. Napa is within 30 minutes of Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and with 60-75 minutes of San Francisco. Napa Valley offers a wide variety of options to keep your family busy and entertained.
Q: Can I receive Continuing Education Credit for participating in the conference?
A: Yes. Download the linked form and complete the instructions and payment.
Q: Can I check in Monday morning before my workshop?
A: Yes, but it will be more efficient and enjoyable (food, wine, refreshments, student performances) if you attend the check-in reception Sunday night from 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the Napa Valley Marriott.
Q: Are there host hotels??
A: The Marriott Napa Valley Hotel and Spa is offering a limited number of discounted rooms to conference attendees. In addition to those sites, participants can stay at any of the 30 or more hotels, inns, B&Bs and motels in Napa.
Q: Will the conference organizers make travel arrangements for me?
A: No. All participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements.
Q: Do I have to rent a car or can I take an airport shuttle to Napa?
A: Napa is located 55 miles from the Oakland (OAK) International Airport, 60 miles from San Francisco (SFO) International Airport and 55 miles from Sacramento (SMF) International Airport. Transit time by rental car or shuttle will vary depending upon the time of arrival or departure. Expect to spend 90-120 minutes when traveling to and from Oakland or San Francisco and 75-90 minutes when traveling to and from Sacramento. Participants flying into and out of the three main airports can arrange for shuttle service(or a rental car) to and from Napa:
Napa Airporter
Phone: (707) 252-1900
Evans Transportation - SFO and OAK only
Phone: (707) 255-1559
Q: Will there be shuttles from my hotel to the conference?
A: Yes. Parking at the conference site is extremely limited. Shuttle service will be available at the following sites to and from the conference: Marriott Napa Valley Hotel and Spa, Embassy Suites Napa Valley, and the parking lot of Napa High School. Several downtown hotels are within walking distance (.5 miles) of the conference site. The rest are not. The schedule of shuttle service will be made available in your registration packet.
Q: Will there be food at the conference?
A: A continental breakfast will available at the conference site each morning from 8:00-8:30 a.m. A light lunch will be served from noon-12:45 p.m. every day. Participants will receive a lunch ticket for every day they are registered. Participants with dietary restrictions must indicate that information on their registration form. Participants can bring their own lunch – the conference site/campus shares the grounds with a public park.
Q: Do I need to bring a laptop or tablet computer to my workshop?
A: We highly recommend bringing your own laptop or tablet computer. Free wireless will be available in each workshop and public conference space.
Q: Are there any half-day workshops?
A: No.
Q: Are there materials that I can review or read to prepare myself for PBL World?
A. You can join BIE’s community on Edmodo, you can view our archived series of PBL Webinars on our YouTube Channel, and you can explore our Do-It-Yourself project design site.
Q: Will social media play a role in PBL World?
A: The most important platform will be Edmodo. Participants are encouraged to prepare for the conference by joining BIE’s community on Edmodo.
Q: I have a lot of good ideas I would like to share. Will there be a way for me to share them?
A: Yes. After you register for the conference you will receive information about Ignite sessions that will allow you and other participants to share their ideas.
Q: Will I be able to attend ISTE in San Diego the following week?
A: PBL World is scheduled so that domestic and international participants can attend our conference June 18-22 and then head to San Diego for ISTE, which runs June 24-27.
