Call for Proposals: Celebration of Teaching and Learning Conference
Online Submission Deadline: Friday, October 30, 11:59 p.m.
The 2027 Celebration of Teaching and Learning conference will occur Wednesday, February 3, 2027 through Friday, February 5, 2027. The first two days of the conference will include an offering of virtual sessions while the last day of the conference will be a fully in-person experience. Our annual teaching conference brings educators together from across the university to elevate teaching and learning at all levels. With flexible attendance options, you can engage, collaborate, and celebrate teaching excellence in whatever format fits your schedule best.
We invite all educators to join the conversation by submitting a proposal to share the important work being done in the classroom, online and beyond to advance the university’s educational mission.
We are seeking proposals that describe teaching and learning efforts by UofL faculty, staff and students that are thoughtfully designed, implemented and evaluated. Proposals should invite session attendees to consider how they might apply, extend or adapt the presented ideas. Proposals will be blind reviewed according to specific review criteria by a program review committee comprised of faculty and staff representatives from across the institution.
The submission deadline is Friday, October 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
Notifications about conference acceptances will be sent in December.
Please read the information below carefully before submitting!
Conference Details & Proposal Criteria
Note: Track designations will be used as “tags” on the program to make searching for session types easier for participants. During proposal submission, you will be asked to assign a track to your session from the list below.
- Teaching and Learning in the Age of AI - Exploring thoughtful, ethical, and innovative uses of artificial intelligence in education
- Active, Engaged, and Connected Learning - Strategies that foster student participation, motivation, collaboration, and meaningful connections to learning
- Authentic Learning for the Real World - Connecting classroom learning with professional practice, communities, and real-world challenges
- Building Community and Belonging - Teaching practices that strengthen connection, inclusion, collaboration, and students’ sense of belonging
- Sharing our Successes: Faculty Research and Practice Showcase – Don’t see a track that fits your proposal perfectly? That’s okay! We want to hear what you are working on in your classroom. Select this track if one of the other four does not apply.
- Virtual Interactive Sessions: 60-minute virtual interactive sessions are designed to engage participants in active learning through meaningful interaction between the presenter and attendees. Presenters are encouraged to create a dynamic and participatory environment that fosters deep engagement with the session content and facilitates the exchange of ideas and experiences among participants. These sessions will take place in a fully virtual environment and should leverage interactive tools such as live polls, real-time chat prompts, shared digital whiteboards (e.g., Jamboard, Padlet), collaborative documents, group reflection on application, or structured whole-group discussions to promote connection and active participation.
- Virtual Spotlight Sessions: Our 30-minute Spotlight Presentations provide an opportunity for presenters to spotlight insights, research findings, or innovative practices in a concise format. These sessions focus on delivering key information and will include only minimal interaction between presenters and attendees.
- In Person Workshop (60m): Sessions should incorporate various interactive techniques such as group discussions, hands-on activities, or collaborative problem-solving exercises. These sessions are designed specifically for in-person delivery and should incorporate highly interactive, hands-on elements that take full advantage of the physical space and face-to-face engagement. Presenters are encouraged to incorporate various interactive techniques such as group discussions, hands-on activities, or collaborative problem-solving exercises. Select this format only if your session’s goals and methods require in-person interaction that cannot be effectively replicated in a virtual environment. Proposals should clearly explain why a workshop setting is essential to participant learning and engagement. Because very limited slots are available for in-person sessions, you may be asked to deliver your presentation virtually, if accepted.
As you prepare your proposal, please ensure that you are planning for the components below and that your activities align with the session type.
- Current Contact Information for Main Presenter and Any Co-Presenters
- Presenter Names as They Should Appear on the Schedule (Include Department/Unit if Desired)
- Session Title (10 words or less)
- Abstract (not more than 100 words)
- Session Description (not more than 400 words)
- Preferred Session Format
- Session Track
As you prepare your proposal, please ensure that you are planning for the components below and that your activities align with the session type.
- Current Contact Information for Main Presenter and Any Co-Presenters
- Presenter Names as They Should Appear on the Schedule (Include department/unit if desired)
- Session Title (10 words or less)
- Abstract (not more than 100 words)
- Session Description (not more than 400 words)
- Preferred Session Format
- Session Track
Each proposal will be reviewed by a minimum of two review committee members, with reviewers using the following criteria:
- 4 = EXCELLENT (There are no concerns or questions with the item.)
- 3 = GOOD (The item has a few minor concerns or questions, but they will not be an impediment.)
- 2 = FAIR (There are concerns or questions about the item that should be addressed if accepted for the conference.)
- 1 = POOR (There are significant concerns or questions about the item which must be addressed if accepted for the conference.)
- N/A* (Please note that a score of N/A will NOT get factored into or diminish a proposal’s final score.)
Session Description
1. _____ Based on the description of session and activities provided, the session is likely to accomplish the outcomes stated in the proposal.
Interactivity/Engagement
2. _____ The session will be conducted in appropriate ways for fostering participant engagement.
Applicability
3. _____The material is likely to be applicable to a range of disciplinary/instructional contexts; it is not highly discipline or presenter-specific.
Scholarly Practice
4. _____The proposal takes a scholarly approach to practice. That is, the material to be presented incorporates previous research, theory, evidence, and/or assessment.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
5. _____The proposal supports and advances institutional goals related to fostering an inclusive campus environment.
Innovation
6. _____The session will offer fresh ideas and/or describe innovative or creative instructional practices.
Final Recommendation
- Accept
- Accept with Reservations
- Reject
In addition to addressing each rubric criterion, reviewers will be encouraged to provide comments and feedback that explain the rationale behind their scoring and offer constructive feedback for improvement.
Conference organizers rank proposals based on a variety of factors including numeric scores, final recommendations, and reviewer comments to determine acceptances.
Questions? Contact John Whitney at 502-852-7623 or john.whitney@louisville.edu with questions about the call for proposals process or the Celebration for Teaching and Learning Conference.