Improving Student Learning – For What?
The 15th Improving Student Learning Symposium, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, 3–5 September 2007.
Call for conference papers
The closing date for submissions was 28 February 2007.
All submissions will be reviewed by three independent international referees. Decisions will be relayed to authors in the end of March 2007. The decision of the Symposium Committee will be final. Submissions are invited in one of the following four formats:
Session types
Research papers (60 minutes)
Papers should present new research findings, new analyses of issues or innovative conceptions of areas, and should be used where there is substantive new content to present. They should involve research evidence and/or use of theory to interpret learning phenomena. They should not be used for descriptive accounts of practice, and evidence should involve more than untheorised evaluation feedback. No more than 40 minutes should be used for presentation, allowing the rest of the time for questions and discussion. Papers should be written before the symposium and made available for participants at the session at which the paper is presented. Papers may be re-drafted after presentation at the conference and will be published in the proceedings. The final form will be a maximum of 5,000 words including appendices and references.
Research seminars (60 minutes)
Seminars should be used where there are new and possibly preliminary findings or analyses of issues, where the interpretation is open or new and would benefit from extensive discussion and also where interpretation may be controversial. This format is especially appropriate for works in progress. If submitted in time, papers written after the symposium may be published in the proceedings. No more than 20 minutes should be used for presentation, allowing the majority of time for questions and discussion which should be planned to involve all participants.
Conceptual papers (60 minutes)
These papers will take a more philosophical and/or theoretical perspective. They may present an argument or attempt to reconceptualise an issue, possibly by attempting to answer a specific question (eg, do different disciplines require different pedagogies?). Rather than being based on primary research data they will be based on existing literature. No more than 30 minutes should be used for presentation, allowing the rest of the time for discussion and debate, which should be planned to involve all participants. Papers should be written before the symposium and made available for participants at the session at which the paper is presented. Papers may be re-drafted after presentation at the conference and will be published in the proceedings. The final form will be a maximum of 5,000 words including appendices and references.
Symposia (90 minutes)
Symposia involve three related papers presented together in an extended session lasting 90 minutes with a panel consisting of a Convenor and the authors of the three papers. Submissions should be made by the proposed Convenor, and must include an overview of the relationship between the papers as well as abstracts for each paper. Papers will each be refereed on their own merits as research papers (see above). Papers may be re-drafted after the conference for publication in the proceedings (maximum 3,000 words each, with a 500 word overview written by the Convenor).
Posters
There will also be a poster session (both paper and electronic). Details will be included in the conference booking form.
Criteria
The following criteria will be used in accepting papers and seminars:
Research papers
- New evidence/findings
- New analysis/interpretation
- Use of research tools
- Awareness/use of theory
- Focus on theme
Conceptual papers
- New analysis/interpretation
- Clarity of argument
- Awareness/use of theory
- Focus on theme
Seminars
- Topic interesting for discussion
- Use of evidence and theory
- Focus on theme
Every submitted contribution is expected to show awareness of existing literature, research tools, theories and interpretations, and to actively build on this literature. All sessions should attempt to maximise the possible interaction of participants. ISL attracts a wide international audience, and English may not be some participants’ first or even second language, therefore acronyms, jargon, and localised terminology are not acceptable.
Important notes
- Each author is only permitted to present one paper at the conference (although you may co-author as many papers as you wish)
- We are only able to write letters of invitation to attend the conference to those who have had a conference paper accepted.
