Overview
Join us on Thursday, December 7th and Friday, December 8th in Hamilton, Ontario for the 2023 Innovations in Education Conference. We are pleased to announce the theme this year: “Taking risks and embracing challenge.”
This theme aims to foster a dynamic exchange of ideas, experiences, and best practices among educators, researchers, administrators, and other stakeholders in the field of teaching and learning as they explore the ways in which new and unique approaches, outside-the-box thinking, and taking risks can enhance the student learning experience and build connection within the education community.
As educators, we must recognize that taking risks can lead to both success and failure. But failure can still be a success. What did we learn? How can we adapt and improve? What were the unexpected outcomes? We learn more from failure than we do from success and in a time of disruption in the educational landscape it is critical to explore innovative approaches, leverage emerging technologies, adapt to new pedagogical methods, and build on or even challenge existing approaches.
The goal? Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Share your knowledge, research and approach for taking risks, experiencing failure, and how it helped you and your colleagues learn and grow!
During this event, we will explore the opportunities and challenges that arise from innovation, such as personalized learning, collaborative teaching models, interdisciplinary approaches, and inclusive education. We will also critically examine considerations when implementing these strategies, including addressing diverse student needs, managing technology integration, adopting new policies, fostering student engagement, and promoting equity and accessibility in education.
Through keynote speeches, interactive workshops, panel discussions, and paper presentations, we will create a safe space for participants to share their professional insights, research findings, and stories of success (or failure!). By engaging in collaborative discussions and networking opportunities, attendees will gain valuable knowledge and practical tools to navigate the ever-changing landscape of teaching and learning in higher education.
Join us at the conference on “Taking risks and embracing challenge” to be part of a transformative event that empowers educators and inspires innovative practices in higher education. Together, let us unlock the potential of our students and shape the future of teaching and learning.
Day 1: Thursday, December 7
This day will be fully in-person and will include a keynote speaker/panel as well as presentations and hands-on workshops. The closing session on Day 1 will include a networking event.
Day 2: Friday, December 8
This day will be fully online and include a variety of presentations, talks, and workshops.
Registration will open in Fall 2023. Please check back for more information, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to learn about all upcoming events and programming offerings from the MacPherson Institute.
The Paul R. MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation & Excellence in Teaching is excited to announce the 2023 Innovations in Education Conference. The conference will be hosted in a blended format over two days: December 7 will be at McMaster Innovation Park, and December 8 will be held virtually on Zoom Events.
We invite proposals for research or scholarly projects that explore one or more of the conference topic areas below from individuals or teams of scholars:
- Accessibility: Projects that share approaches, strategies, and ideas to create inclusive and accessible educational environments for all learners.
- Inclusion & Anti-Racist Education: Projects that explore strategies, research, and best practices that aim to foster inclusive and anti-racist educational practices that empower students and create transformative learning experiences.
- Decolonization, Indigenization, & Reconciliation: Projects that explore approaches that integrate Indigenous knowledge, decolonial or reconciliation perspectives and practices into curricula, research, and governance structures, fostering reconciliation and respectful relationships.
- Students as Partners: Projects that share experiences of engaging students as active partners in their own learning experiences.
- Educational Leadership: Projects that explore strategies for visionary leadership, cultivating organizational growth, fostering an innovative culture, and empowering faculty and staff to spearhead positive transformations in teaching and learning within their own contexts.
- Educational Development: Projects that explore best and emerging strategies in educational development, teaching and learning support, culture change, and community building.
- Technology-Enhanced Education: Projects that explore innovative uses of educational technologies, online learning environments, blended learning models, and the integration of digital tools (ex. Generative AI) to enhance student engagement, collaboration, and learning outcomes.
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning/Research on Teaching and Learning: Projects that focus on research and scholarly inquiry into teaching and learning practices. Projects can explore methodologies, findings, and best practices derived from the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and Research on Teaching and Learning (RoTL), fostering evidence-based approaches to enhance teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes.
Proposals should consider how these issues are interpreted, understood, enacted, and investigated. Because of the blended format of this conference, you will be asked to indicate if you prefer to present in person (on Thurs. Dec. 7), virtually (on Fri. Dec. 8), or to indicate if you have no preference.
Proposals can take the form of the following types of participation:
- Short Papers/Oral Presentations (25 + 5 min questions):
Short papers or oral presentations provide an opportunity to communicate research results (or related material) in a more condensed fashion. While these sessions may be akin to traditional conference papers, presenters are encouraged to include interactive components wherever possible. - Poster Presentations
Posters allow participants to present research ideas and/or findings in an informal context that facilitates one-to-one discussion and exchange of ideas with other conference attendees. Interactive and creative posters are encouraged but not required (ex. stickies, QR codes, opening flaps). Beverages and appetizers will be served at this afternoon/early evening event on Day 1. - Roundtable Discussions (1 hour, 3 x 20 mins):
We are bringing back the popular roundtable discussion format, where presenters will be seated at a table (low tech) to share their projects. This is especially suitable for work-in-progress, calls for collaboration, or those newer to Scholarship of Teaching and Learning/Research on Teaching and Learning. Multiple roundtables will run simultaneously in a larger room, and attendees will have the opportunity to share with three small audiences during the session with the objective of establishing connections and receiving feedback from colleagues and conference attendees.
Individuals are free to submit more than one proposal but should be the first author on only one proposal. Work in progress is welcomed.
Submission Process:
The deadline for submissions is 5:00pm EST on Friday, September 29. Compete the online proposal form.
All proposals must include the following:
- Submission Title
- Submission Type
- Indicate which conference topic area(s) with which the abstract is aligned.
- Author name(s), title(s), & contact information. Please indicate student authors with (*).
- A brief abstract (no more than 250 words) that indicates the focus and objectives of the session. Proposals for short papers/oral presentations, posters, and roundtable discussions should also outline the interactive methods that will be used.
- Presentation modality preference (virtual, in person, or no preference)
- An indication of technical support(s) desired for the session (e.g., technical support for breakout sessions) or otherwise support your ability to present at the conference. Please note that we will do our best to meet your needs but cannot guarantee that all requests will be met.
For additional information about the proposal submission process and conference details, please visit the conference webpage. Note that the abstract review committee may accept your proposal as submitted, suggest edits to your proposal, or accept your proposal in an alternative format type, depending on the number/types of submissions.
All proposals will be peer-reviewed, with reviewers taking the following criteria into consideration:
- Alignment: The session does at least one of the following:
- Makes a unique contribution to teaching & learning and/or learning research related to at least one of the conference topic areas
- Considers how sub-theme issues are integrated and interpreted within teaching and learning literature and experiences
- Format
- The content/objective(s) of the session are clearly stated
- The session can be achieved within the proposed format (i.e., short paper, poster presentation, roundtable discussion)
- The interactive component has the potential to stimulate thinking and discussion
Conflict of Interest
During the review process the review team will do their best to eliminate or reduce the possibility of conflicts of interest while evaluating proposals.
How to Submit a Proposal
To submit a proposal, complete the online Call for Proposals form before 5:00pm on Friday, September 29.
Authors will receive feedback on their submission(s) by Monday, November 6.
Additional Submission Information:
- By submitting an abstract, you agree to register for and to participate in the conference if your submission is accepted.
- By submitting, you are also giving the 2023 Innovations in Education Conference planning committee permission to publish the submission information, if accepted, in promotional materials related to the event.
- The abstract you submit will be the one included in the final conference program. No editorial changes will be made.
- The cost to attend this year’s conference is $50.00 for general admission. We are offering a reduced rate of $25.00 for students and presenters.
Call for Proposal Reviewers
We also invite faculty, instructors, staff, and students to volunteer to review abstracts (250 words) for this conference. As a reviewer, you are also able to submit a proposal for a conference session. The review team will do their best to reduce or eliminate any conflicts of interest for those who volunteer to review and are also submitting a proposal. Abstracts will be available online on or before Friday, October 6 and you will be required to complete your reviews by Monday, October 30 at 5:00pm
If you are willing to serve as a reviewer, please complete the online Call for Reviewers form by Wednesday, September 27 at 5:00pm. The form will ask for your institutional affiliation. This information will appear in the conference program and on the website.
If you have questions about the review process, please email: mi@mcmaster.ca
Questions about the Conference?
Please visit the conference webpage.
Keynote speaker: Ronald A. Beghetto
Ronald A. Beghetto is an internationally recognized scholar on creative thought and action in educational settings. He holds the Pinnacle West Presidential Chair at Arizona State University, USA, and is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association. Ron has been named one of the Top 200 University-Based Scholars in Education by Education Week. More information about Ron can be found at www.ronaldbeghetto.com.