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Call for Sessions

The Call for Sessions is now closed. Participants will be notified of the sessions selected for the conference program by September 23.

The agenda for the 2019 ATE PI Conference offers opportunities for ATE project and center participants to conduct presentations, lead demonstrations and workshops, and facilitate discussion sessions and breakfast roundtables.

Proposal Submission Information
Session guidelines and detailed information for submitting proposals can be found below. The Call for Sessions is now closed. Participants will be notified of the sessions selected for the conference program by September 23.

Conference Theme: Innovation and Impact: ATE for the Future
The theme for this year’s conference focuses on the future of the ATE program and celebrates the significant role that ATE projects and centers play in creating and implementing successful and impactful career pathways resulting in a highly skilled U.S. workforce. By engaging in strong industry, community, and academic partnerships, ATE projects and centers are actively leading development and implementation efforts to provide innovative technological education programs that prepare students with the technical and professional skills they need to be successful in the global workplace of today and tomorrow.

Session Guidelines and Criteria

Where applicable, submissions in all tracks should demonstrate how the ATE community has successfully broadened impact through partnerships and collaboration with key stakeholders. Including internal and external stakeholders (e.g. college leadership, industry representatives, secondary or 4-year college representatives, etc.) as presenters is strongly encouraged.

Sessions will be selected based on their alignment with the conference theme, Innovation and Impact: ATE for the Future, and the ability of session leaders to address the following criteria: 

  • Share case studies, experiences, promising strategies, and lessons learned that demonstrate evidence-based project or center impact in one of the topic areas identified by the session tracks provided below.
  • Focus on learning experiences and promising strategies that are common or relevant across disciplines and different project areas.
  • Engage participants in interactive learning activities and provide take-away resources that participants can use and/or implement in their own work.
  • Demonstrate collaboration among ATE centers or projects with strong preference given to session proposals that involve more than one project or center in a presenting role that can speak to project impact.

Session Tracks
In keeping with the conference theme, individuals proposing sessions for the 2019 ATE PI Conference are encouraged to submit in one of the following six tracks.

  • Track 1. Innovation and Impact:  ATE for the Future

Examples of topics in this category include: evidence-based teaching strategies; undergraduate research; competency-based learning; work-based learning; stackable credentials; credit for prior work experience; internships; apprenticeships; bridge programs; addressing emerging career fields/technologies; career pathways; and assessment strategies and resources.

  • Track 2. Developing STEM Leaders in Innovation

Examples of topics in this category include: methods and models for professional and faculty development; faculty externships; leadership development; new PI succession planning; and mentoring programs.

  • Track 3. Engaging Students for Success in STEM

Examples of topics in this category include: interactions with secondary school CTE programs; dual enrollment; career awareness/outreach; working with guidance counselors and career coaches; summer camps; direct student interaction with industry; strategies for recruiting and retaining underrepresented students.

  • Track 4. Advancing Innovation through STEM Research and Evaluation

Examples of topics in this category include: strategies for conducting institutional and educational research; partnering with 4-year colleges on student learning outcomes; strategies for sustaining and scaling programs; strategies for capturing reliable impact data; and evaluation.

  • Track 5. Broadening the Impact of ATE by Engaging Partners

Examples of topics in this category include: creating and leveraging partnerships with business and industry, college administrators, secondary schools, funders, local/state government, and/or the community; addressing workforce development needs through collaboration with business/industry; and outreach and marketing to external constituents.

  • Track 6. Sharing Proven Practices in Grants Management and Program Administration

Examples of topics in this category include: project and fiscal management; meeting evaluation and accountability challenges; strategies for sustaining and scaling programs; creating and leveraging partnerships; working with college administration; preparing annual reports; and dealing effectively with unforeseen project changes.

Session Formats
Proposals submitted in any of the six tracks must follow one of the formats described below. Please note that these sessions should not be used as a venue to report out on grant activities. Sessions are designed to share impact, proven strategies, and lessons learned.

Forum
A forum session should involve at least two, but no more than three, presenters and a facilitator. Preference will be given to sessions that involve multiple presenters who represent different projects and centers. Session proposals that focus solely on a general report out of a project’s or center’s activities will not be accepted. Forums should include an experienced facilitator who will present two to three thought-provoking questions to the panelists and coordinate presentations in addressing the session topic. Forums must allow for audience participation and interaction through questions and discussion, and share proven strategies and lessons learned in accordance with the session criteria.

  • Session Length: 50 minutes
  • Time Slots: Thursday, October 24, 10:10–11:00 a.m. or 11:10 a.m.–Noon
  • Session Capacity: Varies, up to 50 people
  • Maximum Number of Presenters: 3 presenters/ 1 facilitator
  • AV Provided: Rooms will be equipped with a laptop, data projector, and screen.

Demonstration
Demonstrations are formal presentations that show how to use or apply a pedagogical tool or concept. The proposal should describe how the presenter (or a small number of presenters) will walk attendees through a clear, step-by-step explanation of the concept or tool, how it compares to other teaching and learning tools, its strengths and weaknesses, and how it can best be applied or implemented. Presenters should be experts on the concepts or tools they are presenting. Note: Demonstration sessions are not intended as a report out of project or center outcomes, but rather serve as a venue to explain a pedagogical tool or concept. To share information on project and center work, ATE grantees are required to participate in the conference Showcase Sessions. Please see the separate Request for Showcase Sessions (link to Showcase Page once site is up) for additional information.

  • Session Length: 30 minutes
  • Time Slots: Thursday, October 24, 2:15–2:45 p.m. or 3:00–3:30 p.m.
  • Session Capacity: Varies, up to 40 people
  • Maximum Number of Presenters: 3 presenters
  • AV Provided: Rooms will be equipped with a laptop, data projector, and screen. Internet is also available for demonstration sessions upon request.

Discussion Sessions
The discussion session format offers an interactive venue for ATE grantees to share promising practices and lessons learned with other members of the ATE community, to network, share insights, and explore ways to collaborate around areas of similar interest. Discussion moderators serve as facilitators of interactive, substantive discussions and small group activities. Proposals should explain the overall context surrounding the anticipated discussion, as related to the conference track, and clearly identify the intended audience. Discussion proposals also should reflect the capacity to generate new ideas and questions from conference attendees as a means of making the session stimulating and meaningful.

  • Session Length: 50 minutes
  • Time Slots: Thursday, October 24, 10:10–11:00 a.m. or 11:10 a.m.–Noon
  • Session Capacity: Varies, up to 30 people
  • Maximum Number of Moderators: 2 people
  • AV Provided: No AV is provided for discussion sessions. Flip charts and markers are available if requested prior to the conference.

Breakfast Roundtables
Breakfast roundtables provide forums for informal discussion of a specific topic among small groups. Attendance is first-come, first-served and limited to a maximum of 12 people, including the moderator, seated around one round table.

  • Session Length: 60 minutes
  • Time Slots: Thursday, October 24 or Friday, October 25, 7:45–8:45 a.m.
  • Session Capacity: 12 people including the moderator seated around one table
  • Maximum Number of Moderators: 1 person
  • AV Provided: No AV is provided for breakfast roundtables. Moderators typically bring handouts or take-aways for participants.

High Impact Practice Workshops
High impact practice workshops are multi-presenter/facilitator sessions designed to address targeted areas of need within the ATE community, such as those identified in the conference tracks, including but not limited to addressing challenges in student recruitment/retention, grants management, evaluation, stakeholder engagement, and the implementation of new pedagogical or technological tools to keep in pace with industry demand. High impact practice workshops should focus on content that is relevant and applicable across STEM disciplines. Session proposals should identify the area of need or challenge to address, outline proven practices to be shared, include three to four learning objectives, and provide key takeaways for session participants. A short bio for presenters will also be required to demonstrate their experience in leading workshops.

  • Session Length: Two hours with a 15-minute break
  • Time Slots: Friday, October 25, 10:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
  • Session Capacity: Varies, up to 60 people
  • Maximum Number of Presenters/Facilitators: 6 people
  • AV Provided:  Rooms will be equipped with a laptop, data projector, and screen.

Synergy Meetings
Synergy meetings are informal gatherings of like-minded individuals who wish to discuss a certain topic without a pre-planned agenda. Synergy meetings are a great place to meet other ATE community members with similar projects and/or interests. Synergy meetings allow groups to meet and discuss issues relating to regular conference sessions and discuss common challenges. The meetings can be used to gather the people you have been working remotely with on a project, as well as potential new collaborators, into a space to conduct a deep dive on a topic.

  • Session Length: 60 minutes
  • Time Slots: Friday, October 25, 10:15 a.m.–11:15 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
  • Session Capacity: Varies, up to 50 people
  • Maximum Number of Facilitators: 4 people
  • AV Provided: Rooms will be equipped with a laptop, data projector, and screen.

Showcase Sessions
Please note that all grantees are required to participate in a showcase session, which is separate from this Call for Sessions process. See the separate Request for Showcase Sessions page for additional information. The showcase sessions are designed as a venue to share information on grant activities and resources.

Session Collaboration
AACC provides information on its conference website to assist ATE projects and centers with identifying potential session collaborators and similar projects—such as searching through opens in a new windowATE Central or the opens in a new windowNSF awards database. AACC reserves the right to identify similar session proposals and ask those submitting to work together on conducting a session, as well as to change the presentation type as needed to adhere to session guidelines.

How to Submit a Session Proposal

All proposals must be entered online using the opens in a new windowsubmission link.

Required information for all session proposals includes:

  1. Submitting center(s) or project(s)
  2. Contact information for all presenters/moderators
  3. Session Title
  4. Session Description/Program Abstract (limited to 500 characters)
  5. Discussion Questions: 2-3 discussion questions that the session will address (Forum and Discussion submissions)
  6. Session Outline: An outline to include a session agenda, 2-3 participant learning outcomes, a list of activities, and any handouts or materials to be distributed (Forum, Demonstration, Discussion, and High Impact Workshop submissions)
  7. Presenter Qualifications: A brief statement on the presenter’s expertise on the concept or tool they are presenting, or in leading high impact workshops (Demonstration and High Impact Workshop submissions)