FINDING THE RIGHT ANGLE: GETTING YOUR CRLA CONFERENCE PROPOSAL ACCEPTED

College Reading and Learning Association Conference

Houston, TXNovember 2012

PROPOSING When you create a conference proposal, you

need to consider several concepts:

1) The conference theme 2) The call to conference 3) The proposal requirements 4) The proposal organizational structure 3) The assessment rubric

Analogous to the conference theme, REVOLUTIONIZING LEARNING TO ENHANCE STUDENT SUCCESS, the 2013 conference logo celebrates student success. The upraised arm of a graduating student clasping a diploma emphasizes commencement, which denotes a new beginning and symbolizes the impact of revolutionary learning. A revolutionary tri-corn hat and a mortarboard, honoring the past while envisioning the future, flank the celebratory diploma. The CRLA logo accentuates the important role of our organization in re-envisioning higher education. It is important to emphasize that CRLA provides opportunities to revolutionize our profession by following Shaughnessy‘s lead: challenging all of us to be actively patient while simultaneously persisting—with our students and with ourselves—in order to get things done, big things, little things, important things, that can make all the difference.

The city of Boston is the perfect backdrop for CRLA’s 2013 Conference theme: Revolutionizing Learning to Enhance Student Success. Boston, with its rich history as an integral part of the American Revolution, inspires our theme, which focuses on celebrating change and innovation. To “revolutionize” means to embrace change, and for the CRLA organization, to revolutionize means to transform learning by Supporting students and enhancing their educational experiences.

This revolutionary idea of empowering students to be the authors of their own knowledge inspires a different kind of learning, one that provides students with strategies that encourage and support life long learning. It is with this spirit of revolution and student-centered learning that we encourage conference presenters to demonstrate ways in which they have fostered change: change in pedagogy, change in administration, change in research, change in teaching and learning strategies, and change in professional development.

These are the ideas that we will be looking for in proposals.

CALL TO CONFERENCE

CRLA has always been on the cutting edge of pedagogy; the organization inspires education professionals to create and sustain opportunities for students to enact effective learning strategies, and in so doing, to revolutionize the process of learning for students, teachers, and practitioners.

Thus revolutionary, or nontraditional, learning assistance is the heart of our organization. And, re-envisioning pedagogy is revolutionary; it brings about radical change. This pedagogical revolution means so much more than simply revising common educational practices; it means embracing the kind of radical thinking that changes those involved --students, teachers, administrators, and practitioners—all of whom can’t help but be transformed during the process.

Ideas for proposals?What revolutionary concepts, ideas, research, theory, or technologies have helped you address student success? How can we, as educators, be revolutionaries? What are some revolutionary ways of serving an expanding diversity of students?What are we doing, or should be doing, to build creativity in our profession?How can we build collaborations across institutions to revolutionize the discipline?

Sample Ideas for proposals—feel free to be creative!

What revolutionary concepts, ideas, research, theory, or technologies have helped you address student success? How can we, as educators, be revolutionaries?

What are some revolutionary ways of serving an expanding diversity of students?

What are we doing, or should be doing, to build creativity in our profession?

How can we build collaborations across institutions to revolutionize the discipline?

What other ideas do you all have for conference proposals based on the theme?

SESSION TYPES Pre-conference Institutes Concurrent Sessions (60 minutes) Concurrent Sessions (90 minutes)

Panel Workshop

Roundtables (60 minutes)

It is important to think about your topic and make a strategic decision about which session type will work best for you and the attendees.

PRE CONFERENCE INSTITUTES:o The opportunity to present an in-depth workshop

that allows participants to delve deeply into a specific and significant issue.

o Institutes should be highly interactive and audience participatory.

o Usually the attendance at these is anywhere from 4-15 people.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS (60 MINUTE) The opportunity to present research reports

and best practices presentations Research Report: provides background, rationale,

questions, methodology, results, and implications of a completed study.

Best Practices Presentation: provides insight into specific practices including research synthesis, position papers, or innovation in programming, curricula, instruction or instructional support (NOTE: This type of presentation is not a simple summary)

CONCURRENT SESSIONS (90 MINUTES): Provides the opportunity to present panels

and workshops. These are not extended presentations of

reports but should be either collaborative or interactive presentations. Panel: focuses on significant issues and presents

a strong, unifying theme. Typically consists of a chair and three speakers

Workshop: provides a unique opportunity for participants to develop new knowledge and competencies pertaining to the topic by problem-solving

WORKSHOP: Provides the opportunity for practical

application for curricular, instructional, research, evaluation, or assessment topics

Presenters should lead attendees through interactive techniques to develop and apply new knowledge

Presentations should be highly collaborative, discussion-oriented, and interactive.

PROGRAM STRANDS: Brain Compatible Teaching/Learning College Reading College Writing English Speakers of Other Languages Graduate & Professional Student Success Learning & Study Strategies Learning Assistance Center Management Learning Communities Learning Disabilities Mathematics Multiculturalism Peer Assistance Research and Evaluation Technology and Distance Learning Professional Development and other topics

THINK/PAIR/SHAREWhat are your ideas for a 2013

conference proposal?

What session type would work best for this topic?

What strand would work best for this topic?

SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL:

Pay attention to the Call for Proposals and conference theme

Follow all submission guidelines Consider the proposal evaluation rubric Use APA for any documentation

PROPOSAL SCORING RUBRIC Relevance to Conference Theme/Strand Relevance to Field Proposal Format Learning Objectives Knowledge and Experience Delivery Interest

RUBRIC

PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS: Proposal Title: Should be descriptive and

brief. This title will be published in the program

Proposal Abstract (50 word limit): Should be clear, informative, and concise. The abstract will be published in the program and helps attendees make session decisions

Proposal Summary: (Note: You will not read your summary but, instead, will speak extemporaneously; the summary is for the reviewers).

PROPOSAL SUMMARY (1,000 WORD LIMIT):

Should be research-based with relevant citations Be rhetorically savvy by making sure that you:

Make your purpose clear Craft specific learning objectives for attendees Demonstrate your expertise, knowledge, or experience (usually

through citations) Make clear the relevance of your topic to the field Make clear the relevance of your topic to the theme of the conference Create enthusiasm for your topic by clearly demonstrating its interest

to attendees. Describe your delivery format Follow the required format

NOTE: Make sure that no identifying information is included on the summary (this includes institution name, your name, the name of your program, etc.)

SMALL GROUPS (3 TO 4 PER GROUP)Choose one or two important parts of

the proposal process we have addressed so far

and discuss how you will address that

requirement.

DISCUSSION What part of the development of the

proposal do you feel most confident about?

What part of the development of the proposal do you feel least confident about?

GET A CONFIRMATION PLEASE make sure that the system emails

you a confirmation. If it does not, then it wasn’t received.

This is why crafting the proposal in a Word document first is preferable. 1) You can check grammar and spelling. 2) You can always just cut and paste pieces into

the submission system again if you need to resubmit.

But remember, the Word document you attach with the meat of the proposal must be BLIND.

REVIEW PROCESS Once all the proposals have been received then a

strand chair will assign proposals to reviewers. Reviewers will have two-three weeks to review,

score, and give feedback. Once all reviewers have submitted their materials

the strand chair makes a decision whether to accept or reject.

Then the Conference Program Chair will make the final decision whether to accept or reject.

Please realize that just because you got two accepts and one reject doesn’t automatically mean accept. They are weighed against the other proposals in that strand.

RESARCH A brief summary—it is NOT scary!

WHAT IS RESEARCH?: Research is the systematic process of

collecting and analyzing information to increase our understanding of phenomenon under study. It is the function of the researcher to contribute to the understanding of the phenomenon and to communicate that understanding to others.

(Pearson Education)

CONDUCTING BACKGROUND RESEARCH Investigate current journals and books Utilize historical texts Discover context for project Narrow the topic Focus the topic

FORMULATING METHODOLOGY:

Quantitative StudiesQualitative Studies

QUANTITATIVE STUDIESNumerically basedStatisticalQuantifiable

QUALITATIVE STUDIES:

DescriptiveInterpretiveEthnographic

TYPES OF QUALITATIVE STUDIES(EXAMPLES):

Content analysis Analyze course syllabiStudy online tutorialsDiscourse analysisFocus groupsCase studiesInterviewsObservations

COLLECT DATA ACCORDING TO METHODOLOGY:

Be preciseBe thoroughBe carefulConsider sample size

INTERPRETING/EXPLAINING DATA/EVIDENCE:Keep audience in mindLook for obvious results as well as less obviousIdentify gaps Avoid generalizing results beyond the appropriate scope for data set

ONLINE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS To go CRLA.net and click on Conference then

click on Submit a Proposal Take time to gather all of the required

information prior to beginning to include: Title Abstract Strand Session type Summary with applicable reference list Contact information for each presenter—including

name, mailing address, phone numbers, and email)

Create a password

ONLINE SUBMISSIONS CONTINUED: Follow prompts on website Complete each section fully The Proposal Summary should be completed in a

separate WORD format and copied into the online form as requested

You will be requested to assign a password to your proposal, which allows you to make changes to your submission if so needed

You will receive a confirmation email along with other pertinent information such as proposal ID, submission number, and password. If you do not receive this confirmation, contact headquarters for more information

CRLA HEADQUARTERS CONTACT INFORMATION Association Manager: Andrea Rowe Phone number: 414-908-4961 A.rowe@crla.net

BOSTON 2013

o Theme: Revolutionizing Learning to Enhance Student Success

o IMPORTANT DATES Call for Proposals: February 8, 2013 Proposal Deadline: April 1, 201 Notification Deadline: June 3, 2012

Conference Chair: Diana Calhoun Bell, University of Alabama in Huntsville

Diana.bell@uah.edu

ONCE YOU’VE BEEN ACCEPTED: PRESENTING RESEARCH Speak Extemporaneously Make a clear point Use examples Avoid simple summarization Use inclusive language Watch your time Leave time for comments and questions

FINALLY,Additional comments or

questions?

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE CONFERENCE

We look forward to your submission!