Call for Proposals: 2026 Celebration of Teaching and Learning Conference

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.

• Integrating Technology in the Classroom
• Teaching Across Modalities
• Teaching in the Health Professions and STEM-H
• 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 three does not apply. 

Please choose one of the following session types below for your proposed presentation:

• Virtual Interactive Sessions (50m): 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 (25m): These sessions 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.

As you prepare your proposal, please ensure that you are planning for the components below and that your activities align with the session type.

1. Current Contact Information for Main Presenter and Any Co-Presenters
2. Presenter Names as They Should Appear on the Schedule (Include department/unit if desired)
3. Session Title (10 words or less)
4. Abstract (not more than 100 words)
5. Session Description (not more than 400 words)
6. Preferred Session Format
7. 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.