Call for Proposals
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Conference Overview and Theme
Leaping Ahead: Embracing the Gift of Time in Writing Centers
The East Central Writing Centers Association and Wright State University look forward to “taking the leap” with you from February 29 through March 2, 2024!
Leap years, with their extra day, are embedded in cultural traditions, creating an aura of excitement, novelty, and even superstition. This Leap Year offers us a unique opportunity to reflect on our history, goals, practices, and values within the Writing Center community.
During this conference, we will delve into the following themes:
Reflection and Development: Time changes all things, and Writing Center practices have evolved in recent years, challenging and reinforcing traditional theory, research, and pedagogy. We will examine the impact of online tutoring, inclusive practices, evidence-based methods, and flexibility on our centers.
Prioritizing the Work: Using time wisely is crucial in the ever-changing landscape of Writing Centers. We will explore how technology has helped us optimize our time for communication, scheduling, collaboration, and more. Additionally, we will focus on finding time to prioritize institutional and political change, giving voice to diverse perspectives.
Quality Time: Just as leap years remind us to cherish our relationships, we will discuss how Writing Centers offer space for building supportive relationships that foster learning and student development.
Seizing Opportunities: Leap years serve as a reminder to embrace the unexpected and make the most of the time available. We will discuss how Writing Centers can seize opportunities, whether through innovative programming, fostering collaborations, or exploring new avenues for support and development.
As part of our reflection, we must also consider the limits of time and how they impact our work. How can we optimize our time spent with writers, tutors, or in prep work to provide the most support?
Let's come together and make the most of this extraordinary gift of time.
Proposal Information
- You can submit a proposal using the form below.
- The extended deadline for proposals for the 2024 ECWCA Conference is January 12, 2024.
Topic Considerations
We invite you to consider how time has impacted the writing center at your institution in the following ways:
- What opportunities do new technologies like generative AI or online tutoring platforms offer to help us save time - as students, tutors, and administrators?
- What are those “time zappers” that suck away your time? Do you have any special tricks for avoiding or managing them?
- As administrators, we’re often asked to split our time between tasks - teaching, supervising, research, etc. How do you decide how to prioritize, or what tools help you make this happen?
- What evidence-based methods help ensure that tutoring time is time well spent? How can these methods save time for student writers? How can time out of sessions best support writing tutors?
- How do tutors prepare for sessions? What habits, rituals, or strategies help us get ‘in the zone’?
- Time flies when you’re having fun! In what ways has your writing center worked to foster community (and have fun!) at your institution?
- In what ways can we or should we be challenging social, cultural, or linguistic traditions in the Writing Center?
- How do you prioritize inclusive practices such as Universal Design for Learning Principles in your work?
- What Innovative programming have you undertaken by seizing an opportunity or collaborating with campus and community partners?
- Writing Centers are constantly adapting to the needs of their campus community. How do you remain flexible as tutors, faculty, or administrators year to year?
Presentation Types
We welcome a range of presentation types, including roundtable conversations, individual or group presentations, panel presentations, posters, participatory workshops, or other presentation forms. Because we do not privilege Standard Written English, we recognize, honor, and value multiple Englishes in proposals. Proposals from people whose voices have historically been left out of academic spaces and conversations are especially welcome. See below for descriptions of each presentation type.
- Lightning Talk (10 minutes): A brief, dynamic presentation lasting no more than 10 minutes, delivering concise insights or ideas on a specific topic.
- Roundtable Conversation (30 minutes): A moderated, interactive discussion with experts and attendees, fostering open dialogue on a focused subject.
- Individual or Group Presentation (30 minutes): A traditional format where speakers share research findings, projects, or concepts to an audience, individually or collaboratively.
- Panel Presentation (30 - 60 minutes): Multiple presenters discuss a central theme or issue, offering diverse perspectives and insights, followed by Q&A with the audience.
- Poster: Visual displays summarizing research or projects, providing an opportunity for one-on-one discussions between presenters and attendees.
- Participatory Workshop (30 - 60 minutes): An interactive session encouraging hands-on learning, collaboration, and problem-solving.
- Other (30 minutes): This category allows for unconventional or unique session formats.
Proposal Deadlines
The deadline for proposal abstracts (250 words) is December 18, 2023. Visit ecwca.wildapricot.org for more information on creating a proposal and how to submit it. For questions or concerns, reach out to Jill Tussing, Wright State University, at jill.tussing@wright.edu or Eugene Oswald, Sinclair Community College, at eugene.oswald@sinclair.edu.
Timeline
- All proposals should be submitted electronically by 11:59 PM on January 12, 2024
- Notification of acceptance by early January
- Travel grant applications are due January 24
- Conference early bird registration ends January 15
- Regular registration ends February 16
