Call for Proposals

UCEA Convention 2007 Call for Proposals  (48 KB)
"Fostering Compassion and Understanding Across Borders: An International Dialogue on
the Future of Educational Leadership "
Alexandria, Virginia November 15-18, 2007

I. General Information. The 21st annual convention of the University Council for Educational Administration will be held in the West End of Historic Alexandria at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. The convention will open at 5:00 pm on Thursday evening (November 15, 2007) and close at 1:00 pm on Sunday (November 18, 2007). The purpose of the 2007 UCEA Convention is to engage participants in discussing research, policy, and practice in educational leadership and administration. Members of the Convention 2007 Program Committee are Stephen Jacobson (The University of Buffalo), Andrea Rorrer (University of Utah), and Lauri Johnson (The University of Buffalo).

II. Theme.  The 2007 UCEA Convention theme, “Fostering Compassion and Understanding Across Borders: An International Dialogue on the Future of Educational Leadership” is consistent with the message given by the Dalai Lama in a recent address at the University at Buffalo (September 2006).  In it, he said that, “the world has emerged from a century of bloodshed and violence, in part because education has failed to pay sufficient attention to inculcating values of the heart.”  He called upon educational institutions “from kindergarten to the university to instill compassion and understanding in order to turn the 21st century into a century of dialogue.”

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As countries across the globe become increasingly interdependent, it is surprising how little we know about the educational systems of other nations.  For example, how do educational leadership and policy address issues of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and disability across and within other nations?  How do educational leaders prepare to engage practitioners in reflective practice? 

This UCEA Convention theme serves as an invitation to participants from diverse geographic, cultural and political contexts to share their perspectives about theory, research, policy and practice in educational leadership and administration.  Moreover, this convention is intended to be an opportunity for members of an expanding UCEA community to engage in dialogue that promotes compassion for and understanding of schooling among educators across international borders.  Below is a representative list of issues we believe deserve examination from diverse geographic, cultural and political perspectives:

• How are the underlying goals, values and purposes of education defined and enacted?  For example, how are social justice and equity defined and enacted? What is the role of civic engagement in education?
• How is educational leadership defined, developed, enacted and determined effective, and to what ends?  For example, how do we prepare school leaders to be culturally responsive and promote academic success and global citizenship for all children?
• How are schooling processes created and sustained to be more responsive to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and/or physical and learning disabilities?
• How do national policies affect educational leadership, educational reform, teaching and learning?  For example, what effects have accountability measures and high stakes, standardized testing had on curricula, pedagogy and other educational processes?
• How is education funded? How are these resources distributed across schools? How is funding used to promote improvements in teaching and learning?
• What leadership practices and/or organizational factors promote compassion, understanding, dialogue and action within the school and/or the community?
• How has technology impacted the educational landscape?
• What is the role of research in improving educational leadership and/or educational policies?
• How can cross-national research be successfully conducted?

III. Session Categories.

1. Paper Sessions: These sessions are intended for reporting research results or analyzing issues of policy and practice in an abbreviated form.  Presenters are expected to provide copies of papers.  The proposal summary should include a statement of purpose, rationale, findings and conclusions.  For research reports, also describe data sources and methods.  A discussion leader will be assigned to facilitate dialogue for the session.
   
   Leadership to connect home and school: Educator perspectives on



2. Symposia: A symposium should examine specific issues, research problems, or topics from several perspectives and allow for dialogue and discussion. Session organizers are expected to chair the session and facilitate discussion. Symposium participants are expected to develop and provide copies of papers. 



3. International Community-Building Sessions (NEW): These sessions, regardless of format (i.e., paper, symposia, conversation, etc.), require participants to be from 2 or more different countries.  The focus of these sessions must be examinations of critical issues from these multiple international perspectives.  Given the conference theme, these sessions will be given priority.  The proposal summary should describe the purpose of the session, the format participants will employ, and a list of the national contexts that will be represented.



4. Conversations/Dialogues: These sessions are intended to stimulate informal, lively discussions using a series of provocative questions or vignettes. Session organizers may organize a panel of participants who facilitate and guide the conversation about critical issues, concerns, and perspectives. Alternately, these sessions may be organized as a dialogue where the organizers and audience discuss together an issue or series of questions in small groups.  The proposal summary should describe the purpose of the session, the ways in which participants will engage in conversation/dialogue, and examples of questions or areas to be addressed.
   
   Shifting problems of practice to promises of practice: Redesigning preparation programs to meet the challenge of preparing successful principals for equitable schools
   



5. Interactive Roundtables: These sessions are intended for small group focused discussions such as book discussions, "fireside" chats, research in progress, practitioner voices, and issues in teaching in educational leadership. The proposal summary should describe the focus and purpose of the session and the format(s) used to engage participants.



6. Point-Counterpoint Sessions: Point-counterpoint sessions are intended to stimulate review, debate, and discussion around a specific and current issue related to the field of educational leadership. The proposal summary should describe the focus of the session, the alternative, competing or opposing points to be presented, the format in which the various points of view will be aired (e.g., debate format), and opportunities for audience participation. Session organizers are expected to chair the session and facilitate discussion.



7. Innovative Sessions: Proposals utilizing innovative presentation/interaction strategies are encouraged.  The proposal summary should describe the focus and purpose of the session, the innovative format, and how the format will enhance adult learning and discussion.



The road less traveled: Women leaders at the crossroads

Interactive research symposium: Opening the black box on our theories of leadership preparation

IV. Criteria for Review of Proposals. All proposals will be subject to blind, peer review. The proposal must not include names of session organizers or presenters. Proposal evaluations will be based on (1) significance of research problem/topic and contribution to the field: (2) thoroughness and clarity of the proposed presentation; (3) theoretical framework, methods, and analysis (for empirical research); and (4) the format of the session. All proposals must be submitted electronically and will be reviewed electronically.

V. Participation Guidelines and Proposal Deadlines. Anyone involved in research, policy, or practice in educational or youth-serving agencies may submit proposals for consideration. Individuals may present or participate in no more than three sessions. Paper presenters are required to provide an advance copy of their paper to the assigned discussion leader and a minimum of 30 copies for distribution. By submitting a proposal, the lead author agrees to review at least three (3) convention proposals.  An author’s failure to live up to this commitment may lead to his or her proposal being removed from consideration. Proposals must be received between mid-March and May 7, 2007. All submissions must be submitted electronically at http://www.ucea.org. All submissions must be submitted electronically at the link to be provided at the http://www.ucea.org homepage. Submission length must not exceed 8000 characters (approx. 3.5 – 4.0 pages, single-space). References are required and must not exceed 2500 characters in length (approx. 2 formatted pages).