Please compile all of the following information listed below before submitting your proposal:

  • Login or Create an OLC user account. In order to participate in the OLC Innovate 2018 Call for Presentations, you will need to register or log into an active OLC user account. When registering or logging in, please review and complete your OLC user profile. Be sure to include your name, title, affiliation, biography, a profile picture, and most current contact information.  Before saving your submission, you will be asked to review – and update if necessary – your name, title, affiliation and bio before you can save your submission. 
  • All co-presenters need to also have registered, active OLC user accounts. After you create a user account, proceed to the “Submit Now” link on the CFP pages. You will be able to submit a proposal by clicking on “OLC Innovate 2018″ in the top menu navigation within the conference management system, then select “Submit Session”. 
  • Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the submission from and click “Save”. You can edit your submission at any time up until the CFP close date, at which time all submissions are considered final. 
  • Note that each individual is limited to no more than three (3) submissions, including the roles of presenter, panelist, co-presenter, and workshop facilitator.
  • Title of presentation (limit of 120 characters)
  • Session Types:
    • Conversations, Not Presentations
    • Education Session
    • Emerging Ideas
    • Graduate Student Emerging Ideas (must be a graduate student, if accepted, we will require proof of your graduate student status)
    • Innovation Lab
    • Workshop
    • Career Forum Roundtable
    • Solution Design Summit
  • Program track and any unique keywords. Please select only 1 track per proposal, and add as many unique keywords as apply within that track. Please add unique and innovative keywords that best describe the content of your presentation by using the “Keywords” field. 
  • Presentation Teaser / Abstract (limit of 50 words) words for inclusion in the conference website and mobile app listings.
  • Presentation Description and Goals (up to 1500 words for inclusion in the conference website). Please provide a longer description of the presentation. Here are some helpful hints to crafting your proposal for session types with specific requirements: 
    • Conversations, Not Presentations
      • Proposals should include the conversation topic and engaging questions for discussion. (*Helpful hint – be sure to include your questions in your abstract.)
    • Education Session
      • Strong preference for proposals that include unique strategies for engaging the audience.
    • Innovation Lab proposals should address the following questions:
      • How will participants work collaboratively to prototype a meaningful solution to a particular problem using design thinking?
      • What is an applicable deliverable with which participants will leave the session?
      • How will the session assist participants to identify emerging trends in educational technology and their potential uses?
    • Workshop proposals should be interactive, 90-minute workshops designed to engage a group of participants in an activity related to one of the conference tracks. Non​-​traditional, cutting-edge ​interactive ​presentations are desired, possibly around topics such as design thinking, makerspaces, conducting educational research, designing hands-on, experiential online activities and labs, removing barriers to online learning, and so on. Workshops should be designed with 2-4 meaningful and measurable learning outcomes with opportunities to support collaborative and/or interactive group activities​ to achieve stated learning goals​. Proposals should answer the following questions for reviewers:
      • ​What types of collaboration or interactivity will occur during the workshop?​
      • What will participants take home as a tangible deliverable or takeaway?
      • How will they be able to apply the effective practices shared in the workshop at their home institution?
      • Who do you envision as the primary audience types who would get the most out of this session and why?

      Presenters must provide an opportunity for questions, answers, and/or whole group discussion within the course of the workshop and must describe how this element will be used to best engage participants. Elements of the workshop may be flipped to extend the amount of time participants can engage with the workshop content. Sessions that​ ​offer the opportunity to earn a​ ​credential, badge, or certificate are encouraged. The program committee also reserves the right to change the presentation type selected in the proposal in order to encourage more participation. 

      Competition for workshop slots is very selective. Please understand that you may be considered for an education session instead of a workshop at the workshop chair’s discretion.

    • Career Forum Roundtable proposals should address the following questions:
      • What specific EdTech career issue, challenge or opportunity will the proposed Career Forum address? (The proposal should lead with a clear statement of an issue, challenge or opportunity of significance.
      • Who is the target audience for this Career Forum? (Example target audiences might include faculty (full-time and adjunct), university administrators, instructional design professionals, consultants, and entrepreneurs.)
      • What major discussion points will be covered? Do these points reflect contemporary EdTech trends and issues? Do they connect with current workforce innovation trends or opportunities? (A brief discussion protocol would be useful to include.)
      • What specific career-related takeaways (e.g., lessons learned, resources) will the Career Forum attendees glean from their participation?
    • Solution Design Summit

      • Review the detailed SDS page before submitting a proposal for a Solution Design Summit session. Review the timelines and requirements, and be sure to email and/or add sds@onlinelearning-c.org to your address book to ensure you receive your notification. 

  • Special Session Designations: The following special session designations may be applicable:
    • Blended Focus
    • CC/TAACCCT Focus
    • HBCU Focus
    • Research Focus
  • Who might benefit from the presentation? Indicate target audience for attendees.
    • Indicate Target Audience: Administrators, Design Thinkers, Faculty, Instructional Support, Students, Training Professionals, Technologists, Researchers, All Attendees, Other

Note: The following standard audiovisual equipment will be provided in each room: data projector equipped with a universal VGA or HDMI (TBD with AV team onsite) cable to accommodate both PC and Macintosh platforms, an Internet connection, and a screen. Presenters should plan to provide their own computer equipment or other specialized equipment.

Helpful Tips:

  • Become part of the OLC Community – register for your (free) user account on www.onlinelearningconsortium.org.
  • When developing your title choose keywords that accurately describe your presentation content. (One of the most common comments from attendees is about titles and descriptions not matching content.)
  • The Presentation teaser/ abstract should contain a maximum of 50 words.  This abstract is published on the website and in the mobile app.  When developing your presentation description and goals (up to 1,500 words), please make sure you identify how you plan to engage the audience. This can be accomplished through a number of techniques including small group moments, interactive question and answers, audience contribution, interactive handouts, games, partner exercises etc.
  • Please be sure to add conference@onlinelearning-c.org to your “safe-senders” list so you receive your notification as well as other important communications from the OLC Conference Team. 
  • If you do not receive a notification by December 21, 2017, please email us at conference@onlinelearning-c.org to have your notification resent. All submissions, regardless of status, will receive a notification. 

When developing your presentation abstract, description and goals, keep in mind they should:

  • Be concisely written, accurate, self-contained, and coherent
  • Use a clear and direct writing style with active voice rather than passive
  • Give a clear statement of what participants will learn from this presentation
  • List what materials—slides, handouts, web links—will be provided during the presentation and posted on the conference web site
  • Give participants a good idea of the content and format of your presentation
  • Persuade the proposal reviewers and conference attendees that you are going to present something unique, valuable and engaging

Please make sure you check your work for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Keep the abstract short and to the point. Since a broad audience will view your abstract you should spell out all acronyms. Also keep in mind that all information submitted through the online system will be used verbatim to generate the web agenda and any conference publications. Please make sure that your information is accurate and carefully edited. This includes information about you and your co-presenters.