I have attended some conferences both national and international ones. Each time I came home, the question of whether I have attended a social gathering or an academic gathering usual pops up on my mind. The presentations could be cool with little or no academic questions to improve the presented studies. Ironically, come to the evenings of the conference you be amazed to see "the inactive" participants now full with enthusiasm and very energetic drinking beers and socializing with people. In some parts of the world, they even have "special uniform attires" for conference as if it's a burial party. I begin to wonder what is going with educational community? Where are the critical constructive questions to challenge the vailidity, reliability, novelty and overall improvement of the presented materials? Questions that will open doors for more genuity, generalization (if possible) and put the young folks on learning tracks.
I will be happy to hear your views, perhaps I am the one mistaken.
It is both. It is an avenue where constructive feedbacks on research are given, networks are built and expanded, job are advertised and found, and firms advertise their services and products.
Thanks Ismaila Rimi Abubakar for this precise contribution. It is a great remark for scientific conference to incorporate socials and networking. However, my concern has always been in most conferences I attended the social aspects seems overshadowed the academic essence. This is evident in the limited number of feedbacks received after presentations and increased attention for socialization.
i agree with Ismaila Rimi Abubakar it is both.
Some of the most useful links and networking I have undertaken at conferences have occurred in the social interactions of a conference. With regard to your observation about a lack of academic challenge in some conferences, I would also say that it can take time to reflect on a conference presentation and in such cases I often contact presenters later (days or weeks) with questions, I suspect I am not alone in that approach.
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