New Media and the Interdisciplinary Teacher/Student
The 6th Annual Innovation in Instruction Conference
Elon University August 20, 2009

http://org.elon.edu/catl/conference/index.html

For many college and university faculty, the ground rules have changed dramatically. Beyond traditional teaching methods centered on texts and talk, students and faculty alike are increasingly called upon to engage with and making meaning from information in new ways. The explosion of new material available to us as teachers and learners makes integrating insights and methods from multiple disciplines into our teaching and learning easier than ever before.

What is the role of new media in teaching and learning across the disciplines? What are the potential benefits – and burdens – of integrating new technology or visual pedagogies into interdisciplinary work? What do we need to know to promote learning in this new environment, and how can we best empower students to transition from passive consumers to active co-producers of knowledge and culture both within and without the classroom?

We invite you to submit proposals showcasing your Innovations in Instruction for our one day, free, interactive conference -- August 20, 2009 at Elon University.

Proposal submissions are due by April 17th at 5:00 p.m.

Possible Topics Include:

Innovative Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning
How can we most effectively support interdisciplinary learning? The benefits of interdisciplinary learning can considerably outweigh the challenges that it poses to the teacher who may or may not be comfortable stretching beyond disciplinary training and expertise. In conjunction with a plenary presentation by Therese Huston, author of How To Teach What You Do Not Know (Harvard University Press, 2009), we seek proposals that not only inspire educators to reach beyond disciplinary lines, but also provide them with concrete “how to” tools, methods, resources, technologies or case studies that demonstrate best practices in interdisciplinary teaching.

Teaching and Learning with Technology
The web is making it possible to access and use vast storehouses of data, primary sources, and visual images previously not readily or widely available to students. What are the best ways access and use these resources? How might be use social networking sites, mashable applications, and other consumer-created content in education? What are some strategies for handling the complex ethical issues surrounding the use of these new resources, including the blurring of boundaries between public and private domains, intellectual property, and evaluation of student work?

Visual Pedagogy
We live in a highly visual world; what are we doing to help prepare students to analyze and make meaning from the many visual forms all around them? What does it mean to read an image, and how can teachers help students develop the skills to do so thoughtfully? How can we teach students to decode, comprehend, and understand images? How do we teach students to discern point of view or bias? How can we teach students to create imagery that informs, persuades, argues, illustrates or entertains?

Two Possible Proposal Formats
We welcome proposals in one of two formats:
1) 70 minute interactive sessions that involve the audience
2) posters and table-top demonstrations

We particularly encourage you to include evidence of the effectiveness of your instructional innovations as well as practical advice about their use so that educators can implement (and argue for) these ideas in their own courses on their own campuses.

Important Deadlines
Submission Deadline – April 17, 2009, 5:00 PM
Acceptance Notification – May 1, 2009
Conference – August 20, 2009

Submission Instructions
Please send your proposal in an attached Microsoft Word file to catl@elon.edu.

Proposal submissions must be received by 5:00 PM on Friday, April 17, 2009.

Your submissions must include:

• Name and contact information of the primary presenter
• A firm list of any co-presenters
• A title for your session – 10 words or fewer, please
• An abstract of no more than 100 words, suitable for use in the conference program
• The type of session you are proposing (interactive workshop or poster)
• A proposal narrative of no more than 750 words that describes:
  • -the background and context of your session
  • -the goals/objectives for your session
  • -an outline how the session will be conducted
  • -the connection(s) between your session and the conference theme
  • -any other information that will help the program committee understand your proposed session
• A list of equipment/technology needs for your presentation

A committee of Elon faculty will review how your proposal fits into the conference with preference given to those that connect to the theme and that reflect or model innovative practice. Further information about posters and other logistics will be provided upon acceptance of proposals.

Conference information is available at http://org.elon.edu/catl/conference/index.html

Questions about the conference should be directed to catl@elon.edu.

The conference is co-sponsored by the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) and Instructional Design & Development (ID&D) at Elon University.