Call+for+Proposals

=Call for Proposals - Second Life Education Community Conference 2008=

[The Call for Proposals deadline expired on June 17, 2008. This page is available for archival or reference purposes.]
The SLEDcc is a peer-reviewed academic conference, with emphasis upon evidence-based practices and scholarly work that leads to innovation and the identification of best practices for teaching and learning in the [|Second Life] virtual 3D environment. It is also designed to maximize the opportunities afforded by the Second Life medium itself – and the advantages of meeting face-to-face for an exchange that cannot (yet) be recreated in the digital milieu.

Whether you wish to participate at SLEDcc in Tampa, Florida or in the virtual world of Second Life – please consider presenting and participating in SLEDcc 2008!

Select a Conference Strand Select a Session Format How to Submit a Proposal Resources for Attendees of your Session Dates to Remember
 * Steps to Submit a Proposal**



__**Select a Conference Strand**__
SLEDcc invites proposals that will address the following themes, or “strands” (please select one). The examples following the Strand Description are just a few ways your proposal might explore the theme. NOTE: While your project or presentation might fit within more then one Strand Theme, please be judicious and select the single, most appropriate.

Games and Simulations (Red Strand) :
as significant, particular ways to engage learners within Second Life. This Strand will showcase the array of useful and effective ways that the SLED community engages users in game and/or simulation environments.
 * In what ways are SLED designers engaging learners in games, role-plays, and simulations?
 * What are the game development issues that educators-as-designers should know in their creation of engaging SLED materials?
 * How do designers, educators, scripters, and builders collaborate most effectively to create a “killer educational game” in Second Life?

Mixed Reality Learning (Orange Strand) :
as ways to bridge the so-called “real world” and the interface of a multi-user virtual environment as powerful as Second Life. This Strand will demonstrate the variety of ways that education in SL can be powerfully connected to things happening in RL – as well as ways that other media can add value to the SLED experience.
 * What approaches to Mixed-Reality Learning work best? What are the obstacles to overcome? What are some innovative ways to bring SL into the Real World?
 * What skills in the real world can be modeled in Second Life that might transfer best? What are some difficult areas for such transfer?
 * How do educators use multiple media types to best channel and enhance value to the Second Life experience?

Theory, Research, & Practice (Yellow Strand):
as evidence-based practices to engage users of Second Life in creating intended learning outcomes, whether in formal or informal settings. Theoretical Frameworks from a variety of perspectives will be entertained in this Strand of SLEDcc – with emphasis on practical and scholarly application.
 * What does a successful Design-Based Research experiment in Second Life look like? Other qualitative or quantitative frameworks that work well (or not) in Second Life?
 * How do researchers adequately frame educational work in Second Life to gather data relevant to particular kinds of learning outcomes?
 * What meta-analyses of the literature on Multi-User Virtual Environments should every educator in Second Life know?

Differentiated Learning: International, Diverse, and Special Populations (Green Strand) :
as celebrating the many nationalities, cultures, ways of knowing, and educational efforts specific to particular kinds of learners in Second Life.
 * What are we learning in Second Life in Japan? Brazil? Europe? Australia?
 * How do we effectively teach students in Second Life who do not speak our primary language?
 * How do SLED designers create learning experiences for people of many backgrounds and skill levels?
 * What innovative approaches are emerging to engage exceptional students (e.g. learning disabilities and/or gifted education) in Second Life learning?

Projects and Events (Blue Strand) :
as a milieu for teaching and learning, SLEDcc showcases an amazing breadth of specific projects and events that educators are creating.
 * By examining a cross-section of SLED Projects, provide the audience with a “best practices” overview and assessment for engaging learners in SL.
 * Provide an in-depth look at a particular SLED Project created by your group or organization and highlight the “lessons learned”, challenges, and “next steps”.
 * What is the “magic formula” for creating an engaging, successful SLED event?

Educational Tools and Products (Purple Strand) :
with the vast array of tools and products for free or for sale in Second Life, SLEDcc can help develop capacity for the newcomer and the experienced practitioner alike to make informed choices.
 * Outline the technical specifications, design process, and creation of a functional SLED tool for the would-be designers and educational consumers in SL.
 * Showcase a compare and contrast session, looking at the variety of tools used for a particular purpose and hold a discussion with the audience.
 * Hold a workshop on a SLED tool or product of your choice – providing support and specialized integration assistance as needed.



__**Select a Session Format**__
Whether you decide to present live in Tampa or virtual in Second Life, you’ll have a chance to participate with the attendees of each – and many sessions will be taped and available for viewing / download later.

Workshop Format (Tampa or SL)
Get “face-to-face and hands-on” instruction from experts in Tampa or in Second Life! Workshops will be held in a separate room at the Tampa venue and participants will bring their own laptops. Workshops will be either 90 minute or 3 hour sessions (½ day) and have a maximum of 25 participants.
 * Pre-conference workshops will be held on September 4th. These workshops are specifically for “Newbies” to Second Life, to prepare them for the SLEDcc! Newbie Specialists, please propose something for this pre-conference day long event!
 * We recommend at least two facilitators for each workshop.
 * Facilitators need to provide all handouts and related materials for attendees.
 * Accepted workshop proposers will receive 50% of all workshop fees beyond those recouped for administrative purposes; the other 50% will go toward a fund to provide token compensation for the volunteer staff of SLEDcc.

SLED Sparks Format (Tampa or SL)
Present 20 slides in 2 minutes on a SLED topic of your choice.

Speed Mentoring Format (Tampa or SL)
Teach skills in an informal, practical fashion - by roundtable.

Paper Presentation Format (Tampa or SL)
Presentations supported by more rigorous findings.

Special Second Life Only Format Options

 * **The SLEDccademy Awards** – "The Sleddies Competition”: Select a Strand Theme and develop a SLED build or event in that category. Submissions will be open for judging by the Second Life education community who register to participate in voting. (Note: Participants need not register to attend SLEDcc in Tampa to vote on submissions.) Winners will be announced at a special ceremony at SLEDcc in Tampa. All winning entries will be verified by an Independent Review Board, verifying the popular vote assessments prior to sponsored prize packages being distributed.


 * **Poster Sessions** - Create a display of your SLED project, event, or institution for display in-world only.

Have other ideas for something creative in Second Life? Email sledcc (at) gmail (dot) com to begin a dialogue with the planning committee.



__**How to Submit a Proposal**__
Proposals should (SLED Sparks and Speed Mentoring session proposals not included):

1. Clearly state the problem or issue that your proposal will address and to which Strand Theme it relates. 2. Indicate how your work has effectively addressed that problem or issue. 3. Indicate the outcomes participants should expect from your session and examples of how you will facilitate achievement of those outcomes. 4. Describe the strategies you will use to engage participants in discussing, analyzing, synthesizing, and applying the information you will share. 5. Describe how your work might be applied to a particular or multiple sectors of education, i.e. K-12, large universities, community colleges, adult education, Second Life-specific, etc. 6. Include links to relevant Web sites or electronic copies of the materials you will share (electronic copies of materials can be provided later).

Be aware that we will provide access to Tampa and inworld SLEDcc participants to ask questions and discuss how the work might be used to help students achieve essential learning outcomes (threaded discussions). We strongly encourage all presenters to be active in the SLEDcc Group on the RezEd website at http://www.rezed.org/group/sledcc2008.

Submission Length & Format
The length and format of your proposal will be determined by the Session Format you have selected:
 * **Workshops:** Please submit a brief abstract (400-800 words), including a short statement of the key lesson attendees will take away from the presentation.
 * **SLED Sparks:** Please provide a brief paragraph extolling your 2 minute lesson.
 * **Speed Mentoring:** Please provide no more than one page explaining your speed mentoring proposal.
 * **Paper Presentation:** Please submit an extended abstract of no more than 2000 words (full papers will be due for selected proposals due by August 22 at sledcc @ gmail.com for inclusion in the SLEDcc Proceedings – further instruction to be notified by email).
 * **Inworld Poster Presentation:** Please submit a brief abstract (400-800 words), including a short statement of the key lesson attendees will take away from the presentation.
 * **The Sleddies Competition:** Please refer to the SLEDcc 2008 Website at http://sledcc.wikispaces.com/ for more information on guidelines, assessment rubrics for each strand, and procedures for the Awards.

Sending the Proposal
In order to have your proposal considered, please submit it by **June 17th, 2008** to sledcc @ gmail.com using the following guidelines:

Your proposal should be in MS Word format and submitted via email. The file name should include the name of the primary author followed by .doc extension. If you are submitting multiple proposals, please add a unique number to each filename. e.g. my_name1.doc and my_name2.doc. Include the author's name, title, contact info, and short bio (use the 1st or primary author’s name only in the filename)

If you are submitting to present in Tampa, FL, your email should use the subject line **"Tampa SLEDcc 08 "**.

If you are submitting to present in Second Life, your email should use the subject line **"Inworld SLEDcc 08"**.


 * Deadline**: All proposals to present at either the SLEDcc in Tampa or inworld must be received by **June 17th, 2008**.


 * Notification**: You will receive a message indicating receipt of your proposal when it is submitted.


 * Acceptance**: You will receive notification of the status of your proposal by Monday, **July 8, 2008.**


 * Registration Fees**: All presenters and workshop facilitators attending SLEDcc in Tampa, FL are responsible for the appropriate conference registration, fees, travel, and hotel expenses. Please be sure all presenters added to your proposal have this information and can be available to present at anytime during the SLCC in September 5 – 7 (or Sept 4, if a pre-conference workshop is proposed).



__**Resources for Attendees of Your Session**__
Conference attendees like to have resource materials from sessions they attend – whether inworld or live in Tampa. While we encourage all presenters in ANY format to post their materials to the SLEDcc wiki at http://sledcc.wikispaces.com/ we recommend, for those proposing in Tampa, approximately 75 printed handouts for conference-goers.


 * Please remember** that by submitting a proposal, you agree to register for the appropriate venue (inworld or live in Tampa) if the proposal is accepted and inform your co-facilitators about the proposals status and the need for all presenters to pay respective conference fees if presenting live in Tampa.



__**Dates to Remember**__
June 17th : SLEDcc Proposals due by email to sledcc @ gmail.com July 8th: Submitters notified of status of proposals August 1st: SLEDccademy Award entries open for voting August 22nd: Accepted Paper Presentations (Inworld and Live in Tampa, both) due by email, 5:00 p.m. SLT (Pacific Daylight Time). September 4th: Newbie Pre-Conference workshop September 5 – 7: SLEDcc!

All accepted SLEDcc proposals will be notified by **July 8th**. Presenters will be invited to add their materials to the SLEDcc wiki at http://sledcc.wikispaces.com/