Call for Proposals: Sustainability and Scholarship: Research and the K-20 Continuum

Posted by on January 22, 2007

7th International Research Conference on Service-Learning and Community Engagement
Call for Proposals

Sustainability and Scholarship: Research and the K-20 Continuum
October 7?9, 2007 ? Tampa, Florida
(Pre-conference October 6, 2007)
http://www.floridacompact.org/irsl

Florida Campus Compact is pleased to invite you to the 7th International Research Conference on Service-Learning and Community Engagement, October 7-9, 2007 in Tampa, Florida. The theme for this year’s conference is “Sustainability and Scholarship: Research and the K-12 Continuum” and is being hosted by the University of South Florida and co-hosted by Florida State University, Miami Dade College, the University of Central Florida, and the University of Miami.

At this year’s conference we want to continue to showcase current exemplary research on service-learning and engaged scholarship. We encourage greater involvement of scholars from around the globe, as well as scholars from a variety of disciplines who can contribute diverse disciplinary frameworks and perspectives. The overarching goal of the conference is to convene researchers interested in service-learning and engagement from throughout the world to share research findings, build networks and partnerships, and identify new directions for service-learning research.

Deadline for Receipt of Proposals
To be considered, all proposals must be received via electronic submission by 5:00 p.m. (EST) March 15, 2007. All proposals will be evaluated by at least two reviewers. We anticipate that the notification of the results of review will be sent by early May and the conference program will be announced by June 2007.

Areas of Emphasis
This conference will convene scholars and practitioners from around the world to present new study findings, methodological and theoretical advances, and developing research agendas related to service-learning and community engagement in K-12 through higher education. The conference sessions will explore a broad range of research issues in the study of service-learning and community engagement, including:
? The impacts, implementation, and institutionalization of service-learning and related community engagement strategies (i.e. community-based research)
? Theoretical and/or methodological understandings of the study of service-learning and community engagement
? Scholarly work on the relationship between service-learning and related aspects of community engagement and educational reform
? Studies on building a continuum of service-learning and other engagement strategies across educational sectors
? Academically tested methods for student, faculty, and/or community development
? Methodological issues and challenges; innovations in research design, analysis, and implementation
? Advancements in engaged scholarship and advanced issues in research

Important Note: Research must be at the center of all proposals submitted. To be sufficiently competitive, proposals that focus on program descriptions, program evaluations, or ?how-to? strategies must describe how the topics discussed will advance the nature, quality, and/or quantity of service-learning and community engagement research. Pure descriptions of service-learning or other engagement programs are unlikely to be accepted unless they are accompanied by rigorous research and/or analysis that advance understanding and knowledge in the field.

Topics
Topics for presentations should address one or more of the following:
? Theoretical bases and conceptual frameworks for research
? Methodological issues and challenges; innovations in research design, analysis and implementation
? Community partnerships and community impact
? Pedagogy and instruction
? Student impact including social, emotional, civic, academic, and/or workplace factors
? Faculty and teacher impact and related issues such as study of models of faculty roles and rewards and faculty development models
? Civic skills/outcomes of engaged students
? Disciplinary and interdisciplinary models for research
? Motivation to develop/study service-learning and community engagement programs and models
? Institutionalization, role of engagement infrastructure, costs
? Social or community change through service-learning/community engagement;
? Institutional change including impact on retention, diversity, persistence, and/or research productivity
? Sustainability and service-learning/community engagement
? Results of longitudinal studies
? Findings from dissertations and theses on the topics listed above

Presentation Categories
Please select one of the following seven categories:
Emerging Scholars
A small number of emerging scholars (4-6) will be invited to present in showcase sessions. In each session, one emerging scholars will present her or his research, followed by a critique from a senior scholar. Submissions for this category must meet the following criteria:
? Author is a scholar in the first five years of research activity
? Author is a junior faculty member, graduate student or research associate who has completed research at the time of presentation
? The proposal is accompanied by a letter of support from the author?s supervisor/chair speaking to his/her promise as a scholar

Global Focus
Submissions in this category should highlight service-learning and/or community engagement research in a specific country or region. Sessions may include multiple papers, and should be hosted by a country or an international consortium. Proposals should address topics such as:
? What research is being conducted?
? What are the results and outcomes?
? What are the unique benefits and challenges of this work?
? How do specific social/cultural/political factors of the country/region affect the research?

Master Classes
The master class is an opportunity for an individual to present a conceptual research challenge or problem and engage in public discussion and problem-solving with a ?master? in the field. The process for submission and selection is as follows:
? Submit proposal following the conference submission format
? Undergo peer-reviewed selection process
? At the conference, present a conceptual issue/problem
? Receive public critique and constructive feedback from an expert in the field
? Offer a public response to the expert, then engage in open dialogue with session attendees

Topics for master classes can focus on methods, theoretical constructs, impacts, research challenges pertaining to specific education program contexts (K-12, teacher education, higher education) or disciplines, etc. The focus should be work under development. Presenters should be willing to engage in public discussion of their work, and are invited to suggest appropriate ?experts? for their session.

Cross-National Showcase
Submissions in this category should highlight approaches to similar problems in multiple countries around the world. Sessions may include up to three papers, and may be convened by an individual, a group of collaborators, or an international consortium. Proposals should address topics such as:
? What research is being conducted?
? What are the theories, designs, methods, results and outcomes?
? How do specific social/cultural/political factors of the various countries/regions affect the research?
? What can we learn from different countries to inform our research?
? What collaborations exist/can be developed to further the research?

Disciplinary/Multidisciplinary Perspectives
These sessions will demonstrate research in a specific discipline or the application of multidisciplinary perspectives on specific aspects of service-learning or community engagement investigations. Specific disciplinary sessions will address the question, ?What does service-learning or community engagement research look like in [X] discipline?? Proposals should:
? Showcase quality research studies on service-learning and community engagement representative of the discipline?s research paradigms
? Emphasize relevant theories, designs, methods, results and outcomes
? Illustrate relevant learning that may be applied to other disciplines
? Highlight the role of the discipline in advancing research

Multidisciplinary perspectives will address the question, ?How do the theories and methods of [A], [B], and [C] disciplines inform the study of [X] issue?? Proposals should:
? Showcase quality research studies on service-learning and community engagement representative of the multiple disciplines involved
? Emphasize relevant theories, designs, methods, results and outcomes
? Illustrate the value added by a multidisciplinary perspective
? Highlight the role of individual and collective contributing disciplines in advancing service-learning and community engagement research

Research Agenda-Setting
These sessions will facilitate conversations to discuss, debate and define appropriate research directions on specific topics and/or in specific disciplines. Conveners should identify the specific discipline(s) or topic(s). Submissions should highlight:
? Relevant research done to date, including relevant frameworks and results
? Key research questions on the topic not addressed to date
? Potential theoretical frameworks and methods
? Challenges and strategies

Topical Presentations
Submissions should address specific results of research and related scholarly work on any of the suggested conference topics. Research should be completed, and proposals should include sufficient detail to articulate research focus and address criteria listed in the Proposal Review section below. Research may address service-learning or community engagement strategies specifically, or may be derived from other contexts that offer relevant methods and strategies for application to research on service-learning and community engaged scholarship.

Session Format
Each proposal may be considered for multiple formats of delivery. Please indicate on the proposal submission form all formats that you are willing to employ for presentation. The formats include:
? Formal oral presentations of papers that advance service-learning and community engagement practice and research (most will be given in 45 minute segments and may be paired with other presenters.)
? Interactive discussions about a variety of issues related to service-learning and community engaged research
? Poster presentations of research findings
? Roundtable discussions for individuals to test ideas about particular issues with conference participants and engage in dialogue towards problem-solving

Proposal Review
Each proposal will be sent to at least two peers for review. The following criteria will be used to evaluate proposals:
? Topic (originality, statement of problem/issue, importance)
? Relevance and clarity (application to the study of service-learning and community engagement)
? Contributions to advancing service-learning and community engagement research (methodological contributions, theoretical significance, etc.)
? Frameworks (theoretical/conceptual frameworks, rationale, literature review, grounding)
? Mode of inquiry (research design, methods, rigor, use of evidence, quality of data sources)
? Analyses and interpretation (significance of conclusions; implications for research, practice, policy; development of ideas; relationship of conclusions to findings; generalizability or usefulness of findings or concepts)
? Written proposal (quality of writing, clarity, logic, organization)
? Audience appeal (service-learning/community engagement research community appeal, breadth, potential for publication/further dissemination)
? Opportunities for discussion and interaction

Proposal Submission
Deadline for submission is 5:00 p.m. (EST) March 15, 2007. There is no limit to the number of proposals that may be submitted by an individual or group of individuals. However, a proposal submission form must be completed for each proposal submitted. The proposal submission form can be downloaded at http://www.floridacompact.org/irsl.

The proposal submission form is in Microsoft Word. Completed proposals should be saved in Word using the author?s name (e.g., Smith_Proposal.doc), and submitted as an attachment to an email. The narrative as described on the proposal form should be submitted as a second attachment named as Name_Narrative.doc (e.g., Smith_Narrative.doc).

Presenter Confirmation
All presenters will be asked to confirm their participation by registering for the Conference by May 30, 2007.

Conference Registration
Registration forms, hotel reservation information, and travel logistics will all be posted on the conference website in the Spring of 2007. Please watch for Early Discounted Registration deadlines and additional information at www.floridacompact.org. All presenters are required to register.

Publication Opportunities
Papers developed from conference presentations may be submitted after the conference for consideration for publication in the following:
? Volume 7 of Advances in Service-Learning Research

Other special issues and publication opportunities will be announced. Details regarding submission will be made available at the conference.

Questions? Please e-mail IRSL@floridacompact.org or call 850-488-7782.