Have a voice in the largest conversation about teaching and student learning at Illinois State University. The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology invites proposals for the 2020 University-Wide Teaching & Learning Symposium. The deadline to submit a proposal is 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 30.

The theme

While all proposals related to teaching and student learning are welcome, we especially encourage proposals that address the symposium theme, Intentional Technologies: Reclaiming Our Spaces.

Much has been said about the use, or in some cases, the overuse, of technology in education. As we cast our eyes forward, peering across the next decade, we need to think intentionally about the technologies we use, the ways in which we use them, and the predilections and prejudices which inform our choices. Doing this may allow us to reclaim physical, virtual, mental, and emotional spaces for our teaching.

As you frame a proposal for this Symposium, you may consider some of the following:

  • What technologies do you currently use and why?
  • What technologies have you abandoned and why?
  • What problems might technology solve, what problems might technology exacerbate, how might we overcome those challenges?
  • What promising innovations in technology do you see impacting teaching and learning?
  • What older technologies can we put to new use?
  • How would intentional technology free up spaces for other uses?

For example, you might explore a technology that works well in your discipline that could be of use in others. You might have successfully substituted a newer technology for an older one, such as pen and paper. Or, you may have experimented with a new technology only to abandon it in favor of a more traditional approach.

Successful proposals will not only explore these questions but also engender robust discussion and leave your colleagues with new perspectives and tangible practices to take back to their own spaces.

Types of presentations

Everyone with teaching responsibilities at Illinois State University (full- and part-time faculty, teaching assistants, and administrative/professional staff), as well as those who support student learning in cocurricular contexts, are encouraged to share the insights gained from their recent projects, research, and reflective teaching experiences in one of the following formats:

  • A 20-minute presentation (maximum two presenters)
  • A 40-minute presentation (minimum three presenters; more than five not recommended)
  • A 40-minute round table discussion as part of the morning Idea Café (no co-presenters, please)
  • A poster (posters will be produced by CTLT at no charge, using your design)

Get answers and make your submission

Check out CTLT’s main Symposium webpage for example submissions, the evaluation criteria, and more. Need help? Contact Dana Karraker, Ed.D., at dmkarra@IllinoisState.edu or (309) 438-5110.

2020 University-Wide Teaching and Learning Symposium logo

About the Symposium

The 2020 University-Wide Teaching & Learning Symposium will be held Wednesday, January 8, at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Uptown Normal. This annual event is facilitated by Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology with the generous support of the Office of the Provost.

If you need a special accommodation to fully participate, please contact the main CTLT desk at (309) 438-2542.