Message from the President-Elect

I can’t think of a better venue to be at in the middle of winter then the Westin Resort Hotel in Hilton Head Island, SC. While you certainly could spend your entire conference enjoying Hilton Head’s 12 miles of beautiful beaches, or the conference hotel’s numerous pools and hot tubs, we hope you join us in what is shaping up to be an exciting and engaging conference.

The conference will again begin on Thursday morning with sessions running all day Thursday and Friday. Keynote Speakers will be featured during our opening session on Thursday morning as well as our lunch session on Friday. Back by popular demand will be our Three-Minute Thesis Session and our Graduate Student Luncheon to be held on Thursday. Each day of the conference will conclude with an opportunity to socialize and mingle with your colleagues at the conference receptions---the always popular President’s Welcome Reception will be held on Thursday night followed by our general conference reception on Friday.  On Saturday morning we will have the EERA Board of Directors meeting, and if necessary, we may hold several concurrent sessions concluding no later than 10 AM.

Hilton Head has many fun and lively restaurants ranging from fine seafood restaurants to trendy pizza joints. While some of the best restaurants are located off the beaten path, head to Coligny Plaza or Harbor Town if you’re looking for lots of restaurant options in one place---some of the best shopping is found in these areas as well! If you are interested in enjoying a night out there are numerous areas around town that offer a variety of entertainment venues within walking distance of one another. Oh, and there is a golf course or two!

Please contact me if you would like to serve as a Session Chair at this year’s conference (smfitzgerald@widener.edu)!
  
See you in Hilton Head this February!
Shawn Fitzgerald

Submitting a Proposal

A proposal may be submitted only once. An individual may participate in a maximum of three sessions, excluding invited addresses, business meetings, and award activities. EERA will provide overhead projectors for proposals accepted as Research Paper presentations; other audio-visual or equipment needs must be arranged by the participant.

Submitted proposals should be 2000 words or less and should summarize the major objectives or focus, the theoretical perspective, research methods or techniques, data sources, results, conclusions, and educational or scientific significance of the work. Electronic copies of the proposal must be submitted using key words for review. Each submission should include the title of the proposal and author's name, institutional affiliation, mailing address as you want it to appear in the program and on the Web version of the program (including zip code). Please include a phone number (including area code) and e-mail address.
 

Session Formats

Research Papers
Description: Research paper proposals are structured synopses or completed data-based studies that utilize any variety of quantitative or qualitative methodological approaches. Theoretical papers are acceptable. Papers not meeting these criteria (e.g. literature reviews) should be submitted under another format. The proposed paper should be appropriate for submission to a refereed journal.

Evaluation Criteria: Paper proposals will be evaluated according to: (a) the significance of the problem or issue to the field; (b) the originality of the work; (c) the adequacy of the theoretical/conceptual framework; (d) appropriateness of the mode of inquiry; (e) the rigor and accuracy of the analysis of the data; (f) clarity of the written exposition of ideas, analyses, and arguments; and (g) reasonableness of stated conclusions and implications. 

Symposia
Description: Symposia are thematic, integrated dialogues between session participants about a clearly identified theme or topic. This format allows a team of researchers or practitioners to present or review scholarly perspectives on issues. The format is not intended as an opportunity to present papers that have not gone through a review process. Rather, symposia should provide attendees with an opportunity to hear presenters engage in dialogue amongst themselves as well as with attendees about cutting-edge research, practice, theory building, or policy development.

Evaluation Criteria: Symposia proposals will be evaluated on: (a) originality; (b) clarity of topic; (c) significance of topic and/or relevance to EERA members, (d) organization and coherence of individual presentations, (e) range of knowledge and points of view represented by presenters; and (f) opportunities for audience participation.

Roundtables
Description: Roundtables may be proposed on any topic, but are best suited for small group discussions intended to advance, enhance, or share information about research projects that are still in progress. Roundtables are also a useful format for discussion of sharply or narrowly focused topics of policy, practice, professional, or theoretical concerns. Proposals may be submitted that are for one roundtable only or for a group of related round tables.

Evaluation Criteria: Roundtable proposals will be evaluated on: (a) the significance of the topic/issue/ problem to the field; (b) clarity of objectives and intended outcomes of the session; (c) potential for stimulating scholarly discussion, (d) originality, and (e) methods planned to engage participants.

Posters
Description: Poster sessions combine the graphic display of materials with the opportunity for individualized, informal discussion of the research throughout the session.

Evaluation Criteria: Poster session proposals will be evaluated on: (a) the significance of the topic/issue/problem to the field; (b) clarity of objectives and intended outcomes of the session; (c) potential for stimulating scholarly discussion, (d) originality, and (e) methods planned to engage participants.

ALL PROPOSALS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2015.

Message from the Vice-President for Conference Planning