Breakout Sessions
***The deadline for proposal submissions was November 21, 2014; proposals are no longer being accepted.***
***Thanks to everyone who submitted a proposal!***
The LOEX 2015 Conference Planning Committee invites you to submit breakout session proposals for consideration to the 43rd Annual LOEX Conference in Denver, Colorado. The conference will be held April 30-May 2, 2015.
Successful proposals will showcase effective and innovative library instruction & information literacy practices, provide valuable information that participants can utilize at their libraries, support collaboration, and be as applicable as possible to a broad variety of academic institutions.
Breakout Session Formats
Two types of proposals will be accepted:
- Presentation: A 50-minute session that includes time for a 40-45 minute presentation and 5-10 minutes of question and answer. Most feature a successful program, practice or key issue related to instruction or information literacy. Presentations are intended for an audience typically of 30-70 people. Presenters should include in the proposal a description of the topic and an outline of the presentation.
- Interactive Workshops: A 50-minute session where the presenter facilitates a learning experience in which attendees develop or explore teaching and/or research techniques. Presenters are expected to facilitate a well-planned and interactive session. Workshops are intended for an audience typically of 30-50 people. Proposals should include a description of the topic and details on how the presenter will make this session a "hands-on" experience for attendees.
For all sessions, the exact number of participants won't be known until the session takes place; however, estimates of attendance and room size based on results of interest surveys will be provided to the presenters before the conference.
Proposal Tracks
Proposals should reflect elements of one of the six tracks:
- Pedagogy: The Art of the Craft
The craft of teaching is a balance of theory, practice, and the desire to deviate from the norm. How do you craft innovative lesson plans, activities, or assignments to engage students? - Assessment: Taste Test to Perfect the Batch
Assessment is a "taste test" of what is happening in your teaching. How do you know if you got it right? How do you know if your students are learning? Assessment or evaluation of teaching and instruction programs is essential to perfecting our craft. Share your assessment tips and techniques. - Collaboration & Outreach: I'll Buy the Next Round
Who's at your table? Collaboration with colleagues, teaching faculty, or other institutions is a worthy investment. How do you take instruction beyond the library's walls? How do you market services and resources? - Learning from Failure: Tweaking the Recipe
Tell us your stories about learning from failure. When your batch fell flat, what was your process for tweaking the recipe and making improvements? - Cultivating Leadership: Lessons from Fellow Crafters
Brewers gain a precise understanding of beer making techniques through training and experience, allowing them to help others cultivate the best batch. How has your leadership empowered colleagues and affected change? How have you worked with colleagues to facilitate transitions to new models of teaching? Have you implemented successful professional development programs that inspired change in cultures and attitudes? - Innovative Contexts: Brewing a New Batch
Transformations in the profession inspire innovative recipes for student success. Whether you've been inspired by the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, innovative technologies, or campus or higher education initiatives, these transformations are vital to pushing our teaching forward. How are you adopting the Framework in your teaching? Are you inspired by national trends, such as MOOCs? What cutting-edge technology are you using to enhance learning?
Submission Information
***The deadline for proposal submissions was November 21, 2014; proposals are no longer being accepted.***
Proposals can be submitted only through the online submission form (see below) and must be received by Friday, November 21, 2014. The primary contact for the proposal will receive a message indicating receipt of the proposal when it is submitted and will be notified if the proposal has been accepted for presentation by Monday, January 12, 2015.
If your proposal is accepted, then up to three presenters will be automatically registered for the conference and required to pay registration in full by Monday, March 30, 2015. Presenters are encouraged to submit a full paper version of their presentation (see due dates below) for inclusion in the LOEX Conference Proceedings.
Note: Failure to pay the registration fee will result in the cancellation of presentation and conference registration. All presenters are responsible for paying their own travel and lodging expenses.
All proposals must include the following:
- session title (limit 20 words);
- short description of the session (limit 100 words);
- long description of the session (limit 500 words);
- list of 1-3 learning outcomes (visit Tips on Writing Learning Outcomes from the University Library at UIUC for guidance);
- type of audience(s) for which the session is intended
You do not need to be a LOEX member to submit a conference proposal. We accept the best proposals, regardless of institution or membership. LOEX membership only matters for general registration, which occurs on February 6, 2015.
Contact for presenters: Lyda Ellis at sessions2015@loexconference.org
Proposal Timeline
- November 21, 2014: Deadline to submit proposals
- January 12, 2015: Notification of acceptance of proposal
- April 30-May 2, 2015: 43rd Annual LOEX Conference in Denver, CO
- April 24 and May 22, 2015: Deadline for all Presentation and Interactive Workshop presenters, respectively, to submit full papers (up to 2500 words) for inclusion in the LOEX Conference Proceedings.
Proposal Selection Criteria
The committee will be using a rubric to score the proposals during a double-blind review process. Along with the criteria listed under the session format descriptions, the rubric grades each proposal on:
- Content and objectives of presentation
- Relevance to the selected conference theme and track and to the field of library instruction
- Originality and creativity
- Demonstrated expertise of the presenter(s) on the topic
- Methods used to inform and also engage the audience
In addition, the rubric grades Presentation proposals on how well they utilize a variety of presentation modes. Interactive Workshop proposals are graded on the degree and type of audience participation.
Presenter Benefits
The solid reputation of the LOEX Conference ensures that presenters benefit as much as their audience. Presenters can expect to contribute to:
- the field of library instruction and information literacy;
- receive professional recognition at the conference;
- highlight their institution's accomplishments;
- publish a full paper on the presentation topic in the LOEX Conference Proceedings;
- obtain valuable feedback from colleagues; and
- receive automatic registration for up to three presenters at the LOEX Conference.
