OLC Innovate 2017 CFP Session Types & Details

This year we are adding to our session types, and ask that you carefully review the descriptions below before submitting a proposal. 

1. Conversation that Works (45 minutes)

These 45-minute, small table facilitated conversations should propose an issue, challenge, or idea pertinent to the conference topics to discuss with participants. Presenters should be able to bring about a few key points to lead the discussion around this topic; however facilitation and shared exploration by the group is strongly encouraged for this interactive session. The audience will participate to help solve the dilemma or explore the topic you present. Your proposal should suggest the conversation topic and engaging questions for discussion.

2. Education Session (45 minutes)

To inform and educate your audience, proposals will include a 45-minute presentation in which you share information related to one of the conference proposal tracks. Each presentation should include at least 5-10 minutes for questions, answers, and discussion with the audience within the 45-minute education session.

3. Emerging Ideas (45 minutes)

These Emerging Ideas Sessions may include a brief (10-15 minutes maximum, repeated to attendees over a 45 minute time period) electronic presentation to elicit ideas from your peers. These digital submissions can include works in progress, research ideas, collaboration opportunities, or pilot projects.

This session type provides a great opportunity to present your ideas to your peers in a community forum.

Please note that each presenter must bring his/her own laptop. A small table for your laptop and power to the table will be provided. Wireless Internet will also be available to allow for further exploration of related Emerging Ideas content.

4. Innovation Lab (45 minutes)

These labs are designed to highlight applied teaching, learning, management, and research for learning, all within an active learning space, design studio and collaborative makerspace.  Encompassing the spirit of an education session, a conversation and a hands-on demo, the Innovation Labs sessions should be comprised of the following segments:

• Discussion: a 5-minute facilitated, quick-start conversation to kick off the lab session

  • i.e. – The facilitator asks those present in the lab how they actively engage learners in the instructional process.  

• Demonstration: a 20-minute presentation or interactive demo

  • i.e. – The facilitator shares a brief overview of a few active learning strategy examples and splits the participants into Jigsaw teams to provide guided examples of what each of these strategies looks like.

• Innovation: a 20-minute lab session for participants to process, discuss and apply the concepts and practices shared

  • i.e. – Teams present findings and reflect on practical application in their own instructional context.

These focused “show and tell” sessions will highlight a specific pedagogical strategy, technological tool, research method, design-thinking, industry innovation, or leadership approach designed for participants to learn more about, experiment with, and implement immediately for all skill levels.  Presenters are encouraged to leave participants with a takeaway, which could be a tangible resource or even a call to action.

Proposals for an Innovation Lab session 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?

5. Research Highlights & Trends in Innovation (15 minutes, 3 per 45 minute time block)

Research Highlights proposals provide authors the opportunity to present original work related to the conference program tracks. Proposals must be on a completed or well-developed project. Proposals must contain sufficient information regarding the research problem, research question, methodology and potential results for the review committee to ascertain relevance to the conference program and to future practice or research with the corresponding tracks. Submissions to Research Highlights & Trends in Innovation may be eligible to submit their full research manuscript for consideration to to the Online Learning Journal. Please visit the journal’s site for additional information on the submission process.

6. Workshop (90 minutes)

Proposals for this session type 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:

1. ​What types of collaboration or interactivity will occur during the workshop?​
2. What will participants take home as a tangible deliverable or takeaway?
3. How will they be able to apply the effective practices shared in the workshop at their home institution?
4. 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.

Workshops are offered free to all participants, but require advance registration. Please note that computers are not provided for this or any session at OLC Innovate; therefore, all sessions are designated at BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). Each presenter must bring his/her own laptop/device and must specify what device requirements are expected of participants attending the workshop. 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.

7. Career Forum Roundtable (45 minutes)

Proposals for a 45 minute roundtable discussion 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?

8. Solution Design Summit

For the Solution Design Summit (SDS) 2017, small teams (e.g. 3-5 people) will submit a challenge from their respective organization and/or institution that requires a creative, multi-disciplinary approach. Selected teams will receive feedback on their SDS proposal, participate in the SDS workshop session at the start of the conference to network with peers and solicit feedback from experts, will “pitch” (i.e. 10 minute presentation) their ideas during the OLC Innovate conference where participants can ask questions or give feedback, and share with the OLC community after Innovate 2017 concludes.

Be sure to review the detailed SDS page before submitting to the Solution Design Summit.

9. Blended-focused Session (all session types)

At OLC Innovate 2017, we would like to highlight sessions which focus on blended learning—innovative models, programs or research—for attendees particularly interested in these topics. Please indicate in your submission whether your session has a blended learning focus by answering the question in the form “Is the primary focus of this proposal Blended Learning?”. Your response to the questions below will help our reviewers determine if we should highlight your session as a “blended learning” session.

Proposals for this special session designation should address the following questions:

• Is the primary focus of this proposal blended learning?
• If the primary focus is blended learning, how will those interested in blended learning benefit from the content?
• If the primary focus in not blended learning, how might those interested in blended learning benefit from the content?

The following rubric will be used to evaluate all proposals in the refereed proposal review process.

• Do the title and abstract clearly describe the session?
• Is the proposed topic timely and/or appropriate?
• What are the session outcomes?
• Will this session positively contribute to the conference and to the field?
• Are the format and session type selected for the presentation the most appropriate to the topic and format of the presentation?
• Is the session designed to be interactive and engage the audience?
• Are you sharing research data or assessment information during the session?
• Did you address the specific criteria outlined for each session type? 

Specific Criteria:

• Relevance to the conference
• Clarity
• Audience Appeal
• Interactivity

During the review process, reviewers are also asked to indicate whether or not your proposal meets Effective Practice criteria and would be a good candidate for EP submission. We encourage, but do not require, Effective Practice submissions from conference presenters.  EP submissions from conference presenters will be eligible for Effective Practice Awards selection; awards will be presented onsite at the conference. With regard to effective practices, reviewers will consider proposals in light of this question:

• Does this proposal include all 5 of the following elements: innovation, replicability, impact, evidence and scope?

If your proposal is accepted, you will be asked to:

• Register for the conference and pay the published fees.
• Edit all materials used in your session.
• Transmit your PowerPoint Slides, Handout (PDF files), data charts, or other presentation materials to the conference repository by the deadline of March 15, 2017.
• Submissions to Research Highlights may be eligible to submit their full research manuscript for consideration for the OLC Online Learning Journal.

• Proposals due by 11:59pm ET November 2, 2016 
• Notification of acceptance by December 21, 2016
• Deadline for presenters to accept is January18, 2017
• Deadline for presenters to register is February 8, 2017
• Final date for presenters to edit abstracts is February 8, 2017
• Final presentation upload date is March 15, 2017

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

If your presentation is accepted, you are strongly encouraged to post it as link or a pdf or PowerPoint file to the presentation repository by March 15, 2017. The contributions will remain online as part of the conference materials after the conference. You will be notified of the presentation repository site at a later date by the conference management team. Session abstracts and information about the presenters also will be included on the site.

IMPORTANT:  Presenters will be provided instructions on how to upload their presentation materials to the conference management system at a later date (after acceptance of proposals).

Companies and vendors provide value to OLC Conferences through program presentations, exhibits and sponsorships.  Vendors may submit presentations in any of the program tracks or presentation formats:

1. Academic Presentations:

• Vendors are encouraged to submit with institutional partners, but any individual or group may submit papers to the traditional academic presentation track for presentation. Presentations must be non-commercial, and focus specifically on the track topics.  Presentation content will be reviewed by the conference committee as part of the regular review process.   Presentations must contribute new knowledge to the field through the presentation of original research or applications.  Presentations of an academic nature should be submitted through the call for papers system.
• Vendors will be limited to one proposal where they lead the presentation.

2. Solutions Showcase Presentations:

• Solutions Showcase presentations are established as part of the conference program schedule to allow sponsors/exhibitors to make presentations on their products and services during the conference.
• Solutions Showcase presentations may include submissions to the CFP system that are moved from academic tracks in the CFP system to the Solutions Showcase schedule at the recommendation of the Program co-chairs.
• Solutions Showcase proposals from sponsors and exhibitors may be submitted through our Solutions Showcase form as part of the sponsorship/exhibit process. Showcase proposals will be reviewed by the Director, Conferences, and conference chairs for approval of content.
• National and Gold sponsors are guaranteed a Solutions Showcase presentation slot. Remaining Solutions Showcase slots are assigned to sponsors by level, then to exhibitors in the order exhibit contracts were received, and finally to non-sponsor/exhibitor companies on a space-available basis.
• These sessions are distinctly marked as Solutions Showcase presentations in conference materials including the program book, website and room signage.
• Conference program materials include language that these presentations should be expected to include some sales promotional language in them. These sessions are clearly marked as sessions that have not been peer-reviewed.