Invitation To Present

The AECT International Convention supports our efforts to improve ourselves by bringing together participants from around the world who offer practical applications, high quality research, hands-on workshops, and demonstrations of innovative approaches, developments in learning, instruction and performance technologies. You are invited to present at the 2012 AECT International Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Share your expertise and knowledge with your peers, with those new to the field, and with professional practitioners and researchers representing various disciplines.

This year’s convention theme is Learning in the Age of Globalization. Global citizens “must be able to competently negotiate cultural differences, manage multiple identities, comfortably interact with people from different cultures, and confidently move across cultures as well as the virtual and physical worlds” (Zhao, 2007). Converging web, mobile, and social technologies have generated a level of communication and interaction never before possible. In the Age of Globalization, how are these tools being used to enhance learning and prepare students and their organizations to succeed in a global society?

In response, AECT 2012 seeks to explore the transformational potential that these innovations hold for education and training, as well as share current research and best practices related to these developments.

Presentations related to the following sub-themes are encouraged:

• Distributed Learning Systems: Globalizing Education
• Mobile Technologies for Teaching and Learning
• Social Tools for Teaching and Learning
• Innovations in Open Educational Resources
• The Continuing Evolution of Distance Education
• Issues in Learning and Design in the Age of Globalization
• Research Methods for New and Emerging Technologies

In keeping with the conference premise, proposals may be submitted that feature the use of advanced information and communications technologies for remote presentation through a special track for Second Life. More traditional proposals that present findings and discuss important developments in research and practice are also welcome.

General Information

Proposal Deadlines
Proposals Open – December 15, 2011
Proposals Close – March 2, 11:59PM (EST), 2012
The review process by divisions and affiliates will be completed within six weeks of the closing date for proposals. Check with division and affiliate leaders with regard to their specific interests and review processes.

Proposal Process
All proposals must be submitted electronically (see Proposal Submission Process, below) to one primary AECT division or affiliated organization for consideration. Guidelines and principles posted at www.aect.org will assist in preparing proposals for submission. Presenters are expected to follow the AECT Code of Ethics, available at http://www.aect.org/About/Ethics.asp.

Proposals are peer-reviewed in a blind review process. See the Division/Affiliate links on the AECT.ORG website for further information on proposal requirements. You will receive electronic notification that your proposal has been received and, at the appropriate time, whether it has been accepted for the program. Proposals will be reviewed using the following criteria:

1. Clarity of the proposal and the quality of writing.
2. Quality of proposed session’s content, organization and format.
3. Relevance, timeliness, and general interest level of the topic.
4. Match to the convention's focus and other demands of the program.
5. Suitability for division/affiliate or organization mission and membership.
6. Length and session type including appropriateness for needs of the convention program.
7. Level of interactivity with audience. Discussion and topic-related activities are encouraged as an important element of this year’s presentations.

In an effort to encourage additional discussion, planners also have been advised to create panel presentations on a given topic. This will allow a greater sharing of ideas and discussion. The focus is to have presentations that value “talking with” over those that are more “talking at.”

The vast majority of proposals are regular proposals. Such proposals must be submitted electronically (see How to Submit a Proposal Electronically below) to one primary AECT division or affiliated organization for consideration. That is, proposers must identify a division or affiliate to which to submit and not submit the same proposal (or one that is largely the same) to any other division or affiliate. Each division/affiliate has a Convention Planner (usually the President-Elect). If this Convention Planner and/or the peer review panel for a division feel a proposal is not well suited to their division/affiliate, they may recommend it for consideration by another division/affiliate. This occurs without action by the proposer. In addition, a person may propose no more than two concurrent session presentations on which he or she is key presenter, although that individual may be a co-presenter on other proposals and may have roundtables/poster presentations.

The intent of (1) not allowing submission of the same (or a very closely related) proposal to more than one division and (2) limiting the number of presentations on which a person may be key presenter is to assure a diverse program in which many strong presentations are included and little duplication occurs.

If you are unsure of the suitability of your proposal to a particular group, we encourage you to contact the Convention Planner for that group or organization.The following list describes particular topics suggested by each group and identifies the planner for each group.

Group Name	Description
Design and Development    Design and Development Showcase    Distance Learning    Division on Systemic Change    Featured Research    Fee-Based Workshops    ICEM    International    IVLA    KSET    Leadership Development Committee    MIM    Multimedia Production    NESLA    Research & Theory    School Media & Technology    SICET    Teacher Education    Training & Performance    Virtual Worlds

How to Submit a Proposal Electronically

To be considered, a complete proposal must be submitted electronically no earlier than December 15, 2011 and no later than March 2, 11:59PM (EST), 2012. A complete online proposal submission consists of:
   1. Presentation title
   2. A short (fewer than 75 words) description
   3. A 750-1000 word abstract that does not identify the presenter/s by name or content.
   4. Equipment request
   5. List of presenters

Failure to comply to the word limit will result in proposal rejection.

Procedure:
   1. Go to www.aect.org/events/call
   2. Read the guidelines for electronic submissions.
   3. Complete and submit the requested title information in the online proposal form.
   4. Complete the fewer than 75 word description, following the directions provided.
   5. Complete the 750-1000 word anonymous abstract, following the directions provided. Remember, it’s best to write your narrative off-line to facilitate editing and ensure accuracy.
   6. Complete the requested information in the online equipment request form (if you are requesting equipment).
   7. Complete and submit the requested presenter information in the online proposal form.

Remember, it is best to write your narrative offline to facilitate editing and ensure accuracy. After submitting your proposal, you will receive electronic notification that it has been received. The peer review process begins shortly after the submission deadline. on.


Notification of results of review process:
You will receive notification from the division/affiliate convention planner whether your proposal has been accepted or rejected within two months of the last date for submissions - February 15, 2012. . If accepted, you will be required to reply to the appropriate division convention planner and register for the conference to verify your commitment to make the presentation at AECT 2012 in Louisville, KY. 2012, Louisville. It is the responsibility of the key presenter to notify all individuals involved in the presentation as to the status of the proposal. You must register for the convention; presentations of presenters who not registered by September 30, 2012 will be dropped and their presentations removed from any print and/or electronic documents related to the convention program.

Funding
Presenters are required to assume responsibility for all costs associated with the presentation, including handout materials, convention registration, travel, lodging, meals, and related expenses.

Types of Sessions

Concurrent Sessions
These 30- or 60-minute sessions are primarily in presentation format and have comprised the majority of convention sessions in past years. The focus of these sessions is on sharing information, such as best practices and research results. Proposals for 60-minute sessions may include more than one presentation (as in symposia or panel discussions). In addition, two 30-minute concurrent presentations may be “bundled” with another of related content to form one 60 minute session.

Roundtables
Roundtable sessions are designed for small group discussion of specialized topics, with the presenter leading the discussion. This participatory format allows for a highly interactive presentation lasting 60 minutes. Typically, several roundtable discussions are scheduled simultaneously in one large room, with minimal audiovisual use

Poster Sessions
Poster sessions allow individuals to share a research studies, best practices, innovative programs, or other topics of interest. Poster presentations provide other conference participants an opportunity to quickly and easily become acquainted with a topic. Poster sessions last 60 minutes and will be held in conjunction with roundtable sessions.

Panel Sessions
These 30- or 60-minute sessions are intended for panel presentation format. The participants collaborate and chose to submit a proposal in the panel format on a topic of shared interests. Multiple presenters with a common topic may also be asked to present as part of a panel by the conference planner. The panel format will allow each presenter a limited time for individual comments followed by audience discussion and interaction..

Virtual Worlds Concurrent Sessions
Presenters and their avatars present in a 60 minute session both in RL and SL on key issues in the field related to one of this year’s themes and sub-themes. 'Virtual Worlds' presenters would prepare for presenting both venues. AECT will provide a presentation room with a facilitator as well as a computer connected to a data projector so attendees can view the 'Virtual Worlds' simulcast presentation on a large screen. Following the presentation, the onsite facilitator will coordinate live questioning of the presenter in 'Real Life' and in a 'Virtual World'. Depending on bandwidth availability at the convention site and at the presenter’s site, live questioning may be done using two-way video, two-way audio, email, or chat (such as IM).

Fee-Based Workshops
As half- or full-day sessions, workshops are intended to provide intense professional development opportunities that result in participants’ acquiring new skills. Workshops are targeted to specific interest groups and will be delivered on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. (October 30, 31, and November 3).

Presidential Sessions
Presidential sessions are selected by the AECT President-Elect, Marcus Childress. These limited sessions will be selected based on their strong alignment with the convention sub-themes, their importance to the work and interests of the AECT membership, and their likelihood to draw participation from multiple constituencies within AECT. Presidential session proposals are submitted directly to the President-elect (mchildre@emporia.edu) or recommended to the President-elect by Division/Affiliate leaders; proposals should contain all of the elements expected in concurrent session proposals. Presidential sessions may be 60 or 90 minutes long.