Call for Session Proposals
32nd Annual Visitor Studies Association Conference
Virtual • July 13-15, 2021

"Reimagining and Rebuilding: Visitor Studies After a Year of Change"

Submit your Session Proposals Here
Deadline for Submission: December 16, 2020 11:59 pm PST

The past year has been one of rapid and significant change. A global pandemic that has affected the lives of billions. Protests in over 30 countries that have called for an end to police brutality and systemic racism. As a result of these worldwide events, the informal learning field has seen an immense amount of change, including loss of jobs, taking on new or different roles, and helping institutions address complex questions around equity and racial justice. Now more than ever, society demands that cultural organizations support anti-racist practices that establish more equitable spaces that ultimately benefit the communities they serve. Researchers, evaluators, and all museum professionals have been faced with the question of how we can create more relevant and socially conscious organizations, but given extensive layoffs and institutional restructuring, how can this work happen with fewer resources and competing priorities? This year, the Visitor Studies Association will not only reflect on current crises in the informal learning field but also look to the future. How can we confront and dismantle oppressive structures in our field; recover from months of closures, extensive layoffs, and lost funding; and re-envision our organizations and the visitor studies field at large, ultimately rebuilding them for a better and more just society?

We invite attendees to consider how the past year of change has led (and might lead) to structural changes within their organizations and how they are re-imagining the fields of informal learning and visitor studies. This year’s conference will allow speakers and presenters to address questions like the following:

• How has the national conversation around systemic racism played out in our organizations, and how can we continue to grow as a field to better reflect the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and continue to address systemic racism within our field and institutions?
• How can staff engaged in (or who want to engage in) research and evaluation help guide the necessary transformation of institutions towards equitable and inclusive spaces? What data-driven approaches have worked and what have been missed opportunities?
• How has the work of research and evaluation changed? What practices and tasks have stopped or started? What new expectations have been set regarding the quantity and levels of work when many organizations have experienced staffing reductions?
• How do we build and report to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or metrics of success when the goals are unclear and the ground keeps shifting? How do we measure engagement in highly digital spaces where large portions of our audience no longer attend in person? Are there new ways of thinking about metrics of success?
• What role can organizations like VSA play in supporting the visitor research community during these times of rapid change?

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be rated on the following criteria:

• The proposal provides a clear picture of what to expect during the virtual session, including how presenters will elicit dialogue with the audience about project relevance and implications.
• The proposal articulates how it is aligned (directly or indirectly) with this year’s theme.
• The proposed learning objectives are realistic and achievable.
• The proposal should represent diverse perspectives.
• The proposal demonstrates presenters’ knowledge of and experience with the topic, including relevant methodologies, sources of evidence, and/or literature.
• The proposal highlights specific findings and conclusions and their relevance to the visitor studies/informal learning field.
• All presenters should be confirmed by date of submission.

Timeline

December 16, 2020 11:59 pm PST: Deadline for Submission

January 2021: Sessions undergo peer review

February 2021: Program Committee finalizes decisions and arranges program schedule. If there are any special presenter circumstances that would impact scheduling, presenters should list them in the submission form.

Mid-March 2021: Notifications sent to applicants

Questions? If you have questions or require additional information, please e-mail VSA Headquarters at [email protected].

Session Proposal Guidelines:
We encourage the inclusion of substantial audience discussion within sessions. We are especially looking for ways to involve participants through thought-provoking, reflective conversations related to key ideas and issues raised during your session.

This year, we are using an online submission form. Read through the guidelines below; the complete this form to submit your proposal. Please note that special formatting, such as bullets, is not transferred in the online form.

All proposals must include the following:

1. Session Chair: The session chair is the principal contact person for communications between VSA and presenters and is responsible for sharing logistical information with co-presenters. Please be sure to list the individual who will serve in this organizing role in the “Session Chair” field.

2. Confirmed Presenters: Presenters should represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives and come both from the museum world and outside it. Proposals with confirmed presenters will be rated more highly. Please note: In order to encourage diverse perspectives, VSA has instituted a participation limit for individual presenters. Individuals may only appear on 2 session proposals total. If an individual is listed as a session chair or presenter on more than 2 proposals, none of the proposals will be considered until that individual has withdrawn his/her name from the appropriate number of proposals. Posters do not count toward the two session limit.

3. Title of your session: 10 word maximum

4. Program description: Please provide a high level description of your session for inclusion in the Preliminary and Final Programs (50 word maximum). This description may be edited by the Program Chairs for clarity.

5. Session format: Your session should acknowledge and build upon the participants’ own knowledge and experiences. They should be able to clearly connect with your material and apply it to their own situations. Most conference sessions should be designed so that participants are actively engaged rather than passively receiving information. You must indicate one preferred format from the list below for your proposal.