ISSOTL11 Call for Proposals

To submit your proposal, scroll to the bottom of this page.

We invite you to submit an abstract for presentation at the ISSOTL 2011 Conference
Abstract submission dates:
Submission accepted: January 10-March 15, 2011
Notification of acceptance: May 1
Participation confirmation due for all presentations: June 15, 2011

You are invited to join the 8th annual conference of the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, from October 20 to 23, 2011. International scholars, researchers, and educators will come together to share recent work and discuss how our collective efforts will transform the future of higher education. Convened in the beautifully scenic, academically rich, and culturally diverse community of Milwaukee at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center, the conference will feature workshops facilitated by leading scholars in the field, distinguished international plenary speakers, panel presentations, individual paper and poster presentations, roundtable discussions, and ISSOTL’s signature Conference Commons for informal idea-sharing and networking. Please join us!

2011 Conference Theme:
Transforming the Academy through the Theory & Practice of SOTL

CONFERENCE THREADS

This theme encompasses the following potential topics or threads:

Impact of SOTL

Does our SOTL work have an impact?  Is it “transforming the academy”?

• If so, what does that impact look like, and how do we know? 
• How do we measure it?
• Where is this impact?  Is it: within individual students? In our collective classes? Within our departments?  Across the campus?  On the entire institution? On higher education as a whole? Across national borders?

The Practices of SOTL

What are the practices of SOTL?

• What are the universal practices of SOTL?
• How is SOTL informed by the specific practices of the disciplines?
• How do the practices of individual and collaborative projects differ?
• How do classroom practices inspire SOTL inquiries? 
• How do SOTL inquiries inspire and transform our teaching practices?

The Theoretical Perspectives and Principles of SOTL

What are the essential theoretical perspectives and principles in the scholarship of teaching and learning?

• What are the theoretical perspectives and principles that all scholars of teaching and learning should know?
• In what ways do theories inform the work we are doing in our classrooms, departments, programs, campuses, disciplinary societies, etc.?
• What disciplinary theories do/should we draw on for rich SOTL work? What are the holes in our theories?  What do we still not understand?

The Tensions between Theory and Practice in SOTL

What is the relationship between theory and practice in SOTL?

• What are the sources of the tensions between them?
• How can these tensions be understood, explained, and/or resolved?

Internationaliz(s)ation of SOTL Theory and Practice

How can (has) SOTL theory and practice transcend(ed) national boundaries? 

• What are the global impacts of SOTL as a field, ISSOTL, and/or specific SOTL projects?
• How have or can we, as ISSOTL’s mission states, facilitate the collaboration of scholars in different countries and the flow of new findings and applications across national boundaries?

Professional Development and SOTL

What is the relationship between SOTL and professional development? How do they inform each other?

• How do we engage and support faculty and instructional staff in SOTL? 
• What are best practices within SOTL professional development programs, and how do we know? 
• How do we promote SOTL within the academy? 
• What leadership efforts if any are used to promote SOTL?
• How do SOTL programs effect the recognition of SOTL as an accepted form of scholarship?

For more information, visit http://www.issotl.org or http://issotl11.indiana.edu/, or email issotl11@indiana.edu.

PRESENTATION FORMATS

Concurrent sessions will be organized by the conference threads (Impact of SOTL, Practices of SOTL, Theoretical Perspectives and Principles of SOTL, Tensions between Theory and Practice in SOTL, Internationaliz[s]ation of SOTL Theory and Practice, Professional Development and SOTL) to aid conference attendees in making informed decisions about which presentations to attend.  During the electronic submission process, proposal authors will be asked to identify the thread most relevant for their presentation.

Panels

We especially invite participants to help shape the conference through organized panels that discuss important and timely topics, particularly those related to the conference threads. Panel sessions are particularly appropriate for topics that benefit from multiple perspectives, including disciplinary, institutional, and national perspectives, connections, and tensions. The goal for panel presentations is to provide panelists and audience members the opportunity to exchange perspectives, engage in discussion, and learn from each other’s experiences.  Panels

• feature two to four presenters
• may be organized, proposed, and chaired by one of the presenters or by someone not presenting
• representing two or more countries are especially sought
• will last 60 or 90 minutes, and include at least 20 minutes for discussion.

Panel proposals should be submitted by the panel organizer and must include the following:

• the title of the panel as a whole
• a summary of the panel as a whole for inclusion in the conference program book (up to 75 words)
• an abstract of the panel as a whole for the review process (between 750 and 1,000 words) that includes
• a description of the panel as a whole and/or the individual presentations (and titles) within the panel
• a designation of the session chair (one of the presenters or an additional person)

Papers and Concurrent Sessions

We invite proposals for single paper presentations on conference threads, especially presentations on completed SOTL projects. The goal of these sessions is to share knowledge and encourage critical dialogue among conference participants. Individual paper presentations

• will last a maximum of 30 minutes each, including time for questions and discussion. The organization of each presentation should allow adequate time for discussion.
• will be grouped into sessions of two or three, with a total time of 60 (2 presenters) or 90 minutes (3 presenters). The final presenter in the series will chair the session.

Paper proposals should include the following:

• the title of the paper
• a summary for inclusion in the conference program book (up to 75 words)
• an abstract for the review process (up to 500 words) that
• addresses one or more of the conference threads
• in the case of SOTL inquiries, indicates the literatures, methods, evidence, and conclusions involved.

Posters

We invite poster presentations for sharing scholarly work that would benefit from interactive and collaborative discussion.  The poster session is a well-attended event that is particularly useful for presenting emerging work but may also be an excellent means of engaging in detailed dialogue about completed projects.  ISSOTL will provide the backing boards and other materials for displaying the posters.
Poster proposals should include the following:

• the title of the poster
• a summary for inclusion in the conference program book (up to 75 words)
• an abstract for the review process (up to 500 words) that includes
• the focus of the inquiry or program
• the way(s) in which it contributes to current SOTL conversations
• the poster’s connections to the conference theme and/or threads

Workshops

We invite proposals for workshops in both the pre-conference (2, 3, or 4 hours) and the conference (90 minutes) sessions. Workshops are interactive sessions (not presentations) that teach, develop, and explore questions, literatures, methods, theories, possibilities, and solutions. Workshops may or may not address the conference themes.
Workshop proposals should include the following:

• a title of the workshop
• a summary for inclusion in the conference program book (up to 75 words)
• an abstract for the review process (up to 500 words) that includes
• the names of the workshop facilitator(s)
• the facilitators’ relevant experience for this workshop
• the learning goals and outcomes for the workshop
• plans for participants’ engagement

Roundtables

We invite roundtable presentations for topics suitable to group discussions. Roundtables are an ideal format for networking and in-depth, collaborative discussion on a particular topic.  Roundtable presentations may include 10-15 minutes of presentation, followed by discussion and feedback.  Roundtable presenters should bring targeted questions to pose to others at the table in order to learn from and with those attending. Presenters are encouraged to bring handouts. Attendees will not sign up in advance and may move from one roundtable to another to follow their interests. The conversation topic will be displayed on a placard at each roundtable. There will be no audio/visual equipment available for roundtable sessions.
The roundtable session proposals should include:

• a title of the roundtable
• an abstract for inclusion in the conference program book (up to 75 words)
• a summary for the review process (up to 500 words) that includes
• the focus of the session
• way(s) the session contributes to SOTL

Proposal Submissions

Proposals will be accepted online beginning January 10, 2011 until March 15, 2011 at http://issotl11.indiana.edu/.
Proposal notifications: May 1, 2011
Participation confirmation due for all presentations: June 15, 2011

Each proposal will be reviewed by three reviewers from different countries.  The proposals will be rated as one of the following: Accept, Accept with minor revisions, or Reject.  Where only minor revisions are required, you will have the opportunity to revise and resubmit.  The reviewers’ decision will be final.

All proposals should be in accordance with local policies for research involving human subjects. 

Considerations for Review of Proposals

1. Questions and Rationale
   • What important question(s) related to SOTL, the conference theme, and/or the conference threads do you identify?
   • How do you demonstrate an understanding of the SOTL issues and/or existing scholarship in the field?
2. Theory/Methods/Framework/Models
   • What theories/methods/frameworks/models are you using, and why?
3. Outcomes
   • What evidence and/or findings do you report?
   • How does your work contribute to the understanding or practice of SOTL?
4. Reflective Critique
   • What critical/reflective evaluation of your work do you offer?
5. Audience Engagement, especially for workshops and roundtables
   • What opportunities do you plan for active audience engagement throughout your session?

SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL!
(click here)