Call for Session Proposals "Reimagining and Rebuilding: Visitor Studies After a Year of Change" Submit your Session Proposals Here 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:
Thinking about submitting a proposal for VSA 2021? Check out a recording of the recent webchat "Submitting a VSA Session Proposal". Evaluation Criteria Proposals will be rated on the following criteria:
Timeline December 16, 2020 11:59 pm PST: Deadline for Submission Extended: January 6, 2021 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: 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. The session format options are: A) hosted presentation B) panel presentation, C) individual paper presentation, D) facilitated discussion. More details on each of these options are below:
A) Hosted Presentation
While this may include traditional presentations, we encourage presenters to consider alternative techniques that incorporate greater audience engagement, discussion, and interaction on the topic. Presenters should reserve sufficient time for audience discussion and Q&A within the session. Presenters should describe the format in the “Session Plan” section.
B) Panel Presentation:
We encourage presenters to consider alternative techniques that incorporate greater audience engagement, discussion, and interaction on the topic. Presenters should reserve sufficient time for audience discussion and Q&A within the session. Presenters should describe the format in the “Session Plan” section.
C) Individual Paper Presentation:
Generally, this will include a presentation of completed, or mostly completed work, including findings, lessons learned, and next steps. Presenters will be responsible for facilitating audience discussion, and should reserve sufficient time for Q&A within the session. Presenters do not need to complete the “Session Plan” portion of the proposal.
D) Facilitated Discussion:
Presenters should describe how they will frame the topic, facilitate discussion, and wrap up the conversation in the “Session Plan” section. In this plan, presenters should also explain how they will adapt their discussion for varying audience sizes (e.g., small break out groups, pair and share, digital polls, chat functionality, etc.).
Note: Poster presentations will be invited through a separate solicitation in mid-March.
6. Length of Session: As part of the virtual conference, VSA wants to offer as much flexibility as possible to presenters. Please use the recommended session times in each session format description as a guideline for selecting the length of the session below.
Program Chairs may recommend changes to session length if the selected time does not seem to align with the session plan. 7. Intended Audience: Indicate via checkboxes which audience(s) will benefit most from this session. Consider level of material, job focus, etc. You may make up to three selections.
8. Learning Outcomes: What will participants know or be able to do as a result of attending your session? You should have two or three learning outcomes, each a separate thought. At least one should relate to VSA’s learning competencies, as described here: http://www.visitorstudies.org/competency-list 9. Proposal Narrative: Provide a summary of the content of your presentation. Please include how your session relates to this year’s theme. Word Limit (excluding references):
Please observe these word limits out of respect to our volunteer reviewers. 10. Session Plan (for Hosted Presentation, Panel Presentation, and Facilitated Discussion Formats): Describe what will happen during your session. Be sure to include your strategies for audience involvement and interaction, as well as a breakdown of how you intend to use the time allotted. Detail any plans to incorporate online resources and other technologies, as well as how you expect attendees to participate. Technology Guidelines All sessions will be presented virtually using a mixture of video and chat functionality. All presenters will have the ability to:
Any specific needs or requests should be emailed to [email protected] Presenters are expected to provide a personal device capable of video and audio recording. Your session will be recorded and made available to attendees and VSA members throughout the conference and after. Sessions will be shared digitally with attendees via a virtual platform during the conference, as well as recorded for review after the session. VSA will not present the recorded session outside of the conference context, without requesting permission from the session chair. Submission Agreement: In order to submit your proposal, you will need to read and agree to the following six statements:
I confirm that I have read and agree with the six statements listed and that I am responsible for sharing this information with all presenters for this session. Proposal Submission Process:
Proposal Review Process:
For more information about VSA, including updates related to the 2021 conference, please visit our website. |