Conference graphic features coloured circles overlapping oneanother

Proposal submissions

We invite community members from UCalgary and beyond to submit proposals, including academic staff, postdoctoral scholars, graduate students and staff. 

How do I submit a proposal?

Download the submission form

You will use this form to submit an anonymized copy of your proposal for peer review purposes. It will be uploaded along with your submission in the Open Journal System (OJS) portal.

Download the submission form template >>

Align your session with the theme and proposal criteria

Carefully review the conference theme and threads, and the Proposal Review Rubric to ensure your submission meets the requirements of conference presentations.

Download the Proposal Review Rubric >>

Reflect on your session format

You can choose from four types of sessions: 

  • 60-minute interactive conference session
  • 30-minute research presentation and discussion
  • 25-minute roundtable
  • Mixed-media presentation/poster sessions

You can find more information on session formats below.

Identify your co-authors and co-presenters

Consider the members of your group and their contributions to your proposal. When you submit your proposal, you will need to identify:

  • Group members who are authors only
  • Group members who are authors and who also plan to facilitate or co-present the session at the conference

Consider any special requirements or accommodations

You will need to indicate any special requirements you might have related to accommodation, technology or any additional needs for your session. Some of the requirements or preferences you may want to include are:

  • Scheduling preferences
  • Session recordings 

Every effort will be made to accommodate your needs.  


Session formats

The OJS system requires authors to identify the preferred session format from the choices below.

During the peer-review process, reviewers may suggest another session format than the one selected by the author. Based on the peer-review process, you may be asked to revise your proposal to accommodate another session format type, and you will be given a deadline to resubmit.

60-minute interactive conference sessions

These 60-minute sessions provide an in-depth opportunity for delegates to interactively present and facilitate dialogue and discussion on a topic or issue related to the conference theme. For example, presenters could share highlights of research findings or explore how innovative approaches to assessment have supported student learning in their courses or field. Other ideas include sharing insights on how to design meaningful assessments that acknowledge the importance of student and instructor wellbeing, include student choice and voice, or use technology in creative ways. We also welcome sessions that explore how conventional methods and processes of grading, standardized testing and exams are being re-imagined. 

All 60-minute interactive conference sessions will be offered as concurrent sessions, on Tuesday, April 29 and Wednesday, April 30.

30-minute research presentation (10 minutes for questions)

These presentations are focused on a 20-minute overview and discussion of a particular research topic, methodology, or project related to the conference theme, including an additional 10-minute opportunity for guided Q&A from conference attendees. 

All 30-minute research presentations will be offered on Tuesday, April 29 and Wednesday, April 30. 

25-minute round-table discussion

These 25-minute roundtable sessions provide opportunities for presenters to lead a discussion focused on a particular research topic, innovative strategy, or work-in-progress related to the conference theme. These sessions are intended to be interactive conversations rather than presentations. No audio-visual equipment will be provided.  

All roundtable sessions will be offered on Tuesday, April 29 and Wednesday, April 30.

Mixed-media presentation/poster sessions 

Mixed-media presentations provide an opportunity to visually communicate and share practices, research findings or early-stage research projects relevant to the conference theme. Presenters are encouraged to choose the poster style, format and approach that best suits their topic. 

Digital media presentations and print posters will be displayed during plenary sessions on Tuesday, April 29 and Wednesday, April 30. A limited number of video carts will be available to display digital materials.


Submission requirements

  • The submission file is in Microsoft Word document file format.
  • All URL addresses in the text (ex. http://pkp.sfu.ca) are activated and ready to click.
  • The text is single-spaced, uses a 12-point font and employs italics (instead of underlining with the exception of URL addresses). All illustrations, figures and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
  • For peer review purposes, authors’ names are removed from the submission file, with “Author” and year used in the bibliography, instead of author name, title, description, etc.
  • For peer review purposes, authors’ institution names and cities are removed from the submission file, with “University” and “City” used instead.
  • All authors listed on the proposal are aware that the proposal is being submitted under their name(s). Authors can be listed as primary author on a maximum of two proposal submissions.
  • Include the author name(s) and 50-word bio(s) in the OJS at the time of submission (add an author during metadata step).
  • All presenting authors agree that if accepted, they will register, pay and attend the conference to present their work at the designated time. (Co-authors who do not intend to present or attend the conference do not need to register or pay the registration fee.)
  • The proposed title is no more than 70 characters in length. Titles that surpass 70 characters may be changed at the discretion of the conference committee, without notification to the author(s).

To remove personal information from file (PC user)

  • Go to File Explorer (manila folder icon)
  • Select your file by clicking once
  • Right click > select Properties from menu
  • Go to Details tab > click Remove Properties and Personal Information (link at the bottom of the dialogue box)
  • From the Remove Properties dialogue box, select Create a copy with all possible properties removed (radio button at top) > Click OK
  • File will appear in same location as original, retitled "File name - Copy" 
  • Rename file as needed

To remove personal information from file (Mac user)

  • Open the file
  • Click on Tools on the main header menu 
  • Select Protect Document 
  • Select Remove personal information from this file on save
  • Click OK

It is the author’s responsibility to ensure the proposal submitted meets these requirements. 


Conference proposal peer review

All proposals will be peer reviewed based on a collaborative process and guided by the following criteria: 

  • how the intent and goals of the session are shared in the proposal;
  • how the session will create a space for shared learning, reciprocal engagement, belonging and inclusion;
  • how the session is linked to existing scholarly and/or community perspectives;
  • how the session aligns with the conference theme and threads.

Peer review timeline

Proposal submission deadlineJanuary 6
Peer review assignmentLate January
Peer review completionMid-February
Final committee reviewMid-February
Author communicationLate February

 

 

Using the Open Journal System (OJS)

  1. Go to the open journal system website
  2. Click Register in the top menu (right hand side).
  3. Under Profile, create your username and specify a password.
  4. Complete your profile by filling in the information requested, keeping in mind the following:
  • The information that you enter will be used in the conference program for your name, title and institutional affiliation.
  • The email that you submit will be used for correspondence regarding your proposal submission or review assignments. Please use your professional, not personal email account.
  1. When you create your account, please check all the applicable boxes:
  • Yes, I agree to have my data collected and stored according to the privacy statement.
  • Yes, I would like to be notified of new publications and announcements.
  • Yes, I would like to be contacted with requests to review submissions to this journal (optional).
  1. You will receive a validation email (typically within 1-5 minutes) with an account activation link (sent to the email address you provided in your account setup), please activate your account.
  2. You will now be able to login to your OJS account and begin your submission.
  3. To begin your proposal submission, click New Submission (if in OJS left hand side beside the search menu). You will now complete a series of steps to submit your proposal.
  1. Go to the open journal system website
  2. Click on the Login tab in the top menu (right hand side).
  3. Enter your username and password and click Login. If you’ve forgotten your password, you can click on Forgot your password?
  4. To begin your proposal submission, click Make a Submission (red button on the right-hand side of page). You will now complete a series of steps to submit your proposal.

Submit your proposal in OJS

If you encounter any problems during the submission process, or have questions, please contact: ticonf@ucalgary.ca or refer to the FAQs section on this page.

  • Select Session Type (will appear under the section drop down bar at the top of the page).
  • Check all items on the Submission Requirements.
  • Enter Comments for Conference Chair/Director such as accommodation requirements or additional needs for your session. If you cannot make a certain day of the conference due to a teaching or travel commitment, please let the conference chair/director know. Every effort will be made to accommodate needs. 
  • Check off the Corresponding Contact items if you agree to the terms
  • Click Save and continue.
  • Select your article component (this is the specific thread that your presentation falls under).
  • Click Upload File and select the file from your computer. You will have created this file from the submission form download.
  • Click Continue and you will now be able to review your submission, once you are satisfied click Continue again.
  • Click Complete.
  • Click Save and continue.
  • Enter title of your presentation (and any subtitle if relevant).
  • Under Abstract, copy and paste your 250 word session description.
  • Enter Author details under the List of Contributors. Include affiliation and a short bio statement (max. 50 words) as you would like it to appear in the conference program if your proposal is accepted.
  • Click Add Contributor to add additional authors and repeat the step above. Please enter contributors in the order you would like them to appear in the program. The primary author needs to be listed first.
  • Click Save and continue.
  • If you need to interrupt the proposal submission process, you may save your work, log in at a later time and continue any proposals you have started as long as the proposal is not yet submitted.
  • Once you are satisfied with your proposal submission, click Finish Submission to submit your proposal for review. 

FAQs

We invite community members from UCalgary and beyond to submit proposals, including academic staff, postdoctoral scholars, graduate students and staff. 

Yes, authors can submit a maximum of two proposals as primary author. However, you are invited to collaborate on multiple sessions.

Once you've completed the process of submitting your first proposal, return to the USER HOME page and begin the process again for the second proposal.

Click My profile in the top right menu and ensure you have checked off Author at the bottom of the Edit Profile page. This will give you permission to submit a proposal.

Only one author can create an account, although the account information and password can be passed along to other authors in order to track the submission through the review process. Additional authors can be added to the proposal during the submission process by editing the submission metadata.

No. Authors will be invited to register once proposals are adjudicated. 

Yes, all authors who attend the conference are required to register and pay for their conference attendance.

Yes, co-authors are required to register and pay if they plan on attending the conference.

There may be co-authors to whom you would like to give credit, but will not be formally presenting as part of the conference presentation. Please make note of this when filling out the metadata for each co-author.

Undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars can apply to volunteer by emailing ticonf@ucalgary.ca before February 28, 2025. All volunteers must commit to volunteering for a full day of the conference and attend an orientation session a few weeks prior to the conference. Registration fees are waived for volunteers.