Proposal Tracks

Successful proposals will show evidence of being lively, fast-paced and thought provoking, while reflecting elements at least one of the conference tracks: 

• Pedagogy: Instructional Nuts and Bolts 

It’s essential that we help students build a foundation for their own learning. Give us your blueprint to student success: How do you use instructional design principles, learning outcomes/objectives, or authentic engagement activities to foster student learning? How do you create a responsive classroom? What theories or techniques have been the engines in moving your classroom forward? How do you adapt your instruction to meet the needs in online and hybrid learning environments?

• Assessment: Building in Quality Control

Grab your clipboard and tell us how you measure instructional output and impacts. How do you ensure total quality management of student learning? How have you mass produced meaningful and authentic assessment around your library instruction? This part of our work has always been important, but it is increasingly relevant and offers potential for future growth. 

• Innovation: Forging Ahead for 21st Century Learners

Necessity is the mother of invention! How have you adapted your instructional role for changing times? What new technologies are reshaping your instructional approaches? How are you rethinking library spaces, tools, resources, and instructional formats to reimagine what information literacy can look like? 

• Leadership: Stepping Up to the Line

Leaders are built at all points along the line -- in formal and informal ways. Half of the battle is leading from where you stand! How are you establishing your library, your instruction program, or yourself as a leader in information literacy at your institution? Share your advice on developing leadership skills, managing larger-scale instructional projects, or advancing your library’s teaching presence on campus.

• Failures and Problem-Solving: Retooling and Reinventing

Even the best designs have flaws, and failure is often part of the process. How have you transformed failures into successes? How have you developed problem-solving skills and strategies? What strategies have you used break through bottlenecks in students’ learning?

• Collaboration and Outreach: Assembling Production Teams 

Instructional allies are key to any information literacy instruction effort. How have you developed mutually-beneficial partnerships to respond to changing climates at your institution? What outreach have you done to connect with diverse populations, such as international students or those in underrepresented groups? Are there strategies you’ve used to maintain existing or longstanding partnerships? How do you know when a collaboration reaches the end of the line and it’s time to part ways?

Lightning Talk Format, Timing, and Quantity

Each presenter will have seven minutes total. There will not be additional time for questions, but presenters may reserve part of the seven-minute allotment for Q&A if desired.

Lightning Talks will very likely take place after lunch on the Saturday of the conference, and be presented in a general session open to all attendees.

We expect, at maximum, five Lightning Talks proposals will be accepted for the conference. 

Lightning Talk Submission Information

 ***The deadline for proposal submissions was Monday, January 20, 2020; proposals are no longer being accepted.***    

Proposals can be submitted only through the online submission form and must be received by Monday, January 20, 2020.

There is only one presenter permitted for each Lightning Talk presentation due to time constraints.

If your proposal is accepted, the presenter will be automatically registered for the conference, and required to pay registration in full by Monday, April 6, 2020. A Lightning Talk presenter is not required to, but can choose to submit a full paper version (up to 1,000 words) of their talk for inclusion in the LOEX Conference Proceedings.

Note: Failure to pay the registration fee will result in the cancellation of your lightning talk and conference registration. All presenters are responsible for paying their own travel and lodging expenses.  

Contact for Lightning Talk presenters: Clayton Hayes at lightning2020@loexconference.org  

Lightning Talk Submission Timeline

• January 20, 2020: Deadline to submit lightning talk proposals
• January 31, 2020: Notification of acceptance of lightning talk proposal
• May 1, 2020: Deadline for all Lightning Talk presenters to submit full papers (up to 1000 words) for inclusion in the LOEX Conference Proceedings
• May 7-9, 2020: 48th Annual LOEX Conference in Ypsilanti, MI

Lightning Talk Proposal Selection Criteria

The committee will be using a rubric to score the proposals during a double-blind review process. The rubric grades each proposal on:

• Content and objectives of presentation
• Clarity of topic, particularly how presenter will achieve presentation objectives in seven minutes or less
• Relevance 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

For more guidelines on preparing and giving lightning talks at LOEX, please visit our Lightning Talk Guidelines page.

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
• Receive automatic registration at the LOEX Conference