Newcomers' Experiences of MERGA 36

This paper reports on the experiences of newcomers at the 36th Annual MERGA Conference. The paper applies Wenger's (1998) social learning theory to explore the kinds of feedback that might assist newcomers. Questionnaire responses to describe the experience of ten newcomers and interview responses from five of the ten are reported. The participants identified the stimulating presentations and being immersed in an environment conducive to rich dialogue as important factors that contributed to a positive experience. The newcomers felt welcomed by the MERGA community and were able to contribute, particularly those who had previous experience in research or at other conferences.