Call for Proposals: Second Annual Two-Year College English Association National Conference
Transforming Our Profession for a Sustainable Future
Date and Location
March 25, 2020
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Offered in connection with CCCC 2020
The proposal system is now closed. Proposal notifications will be sent in mid-December 2019.
Conference Theme
At the first TYCA National Conference held in Pittsburgh on March 13, 2019, attendees identified key priorities for TYCA and its members at the national level. Discussion topics included faculty workload, equitable practices for contingent faculty, developmental education reforms, placement reforms, increasing dual credit high school enrollments, limited resources for supporting academically at-risk students, and factors in students’ lives that create barriers to learning and retention. For the second conference, attendees will come together to continue conversations from the previous conference and explore strategies for transforming national organizations, our campuses, and our own professional lives for a sustainable future.
Potential issues the conference might explore include (but aren’t limited to):
- How might members of our profession reimagine the work of teaching English in the first two college years to address the issues raised at the first TYCA National Conference?
- How might we transform our teaching to create inclusive learning environments that support students’ literacy development at open-admissions campuses?
- What changes to the structures and/or practices of disciplinary professional organizations might help our profession become more inclusive and meet the needs of two-year college faculty?
- What promising new areas of research might transform our profession to support the work of teacher-scholars at open-admissions institutions?
- How might programs, institutions, or professional organizations create stable and equitable working conditions for instructors who work off the tenure track?
- What strategies can help college English programs create sustainable futures in an era of austerity measures and budget cuts?
- What strategies can individual teacher-scholars use to create sustainable and rewarding professional lives for themselves?
Focus for Presentations
Presentations do not need to explicitly discuss the conference theme, but they must address issues that are relevant to English studies professionals who support diverse college students in their first two college years. Participants do not need to be affiliated with a two-year college, but must focus proposals on research and practices that are clearly relevant to TYCA members. Potential areas of exploration include (but are not limited to) first-year writing, developmental education, college reading, teaching English to speakers of other languages, literature, creative writing, writing centers and other learning assistance programs, intermediate composition, communications, linguistics, technical writing, business writing, professional development, teacher-scholar activism, community engagement, program administration and innovation, preparing to teach at a two-year college, and the role of contingent faculty.
For Questions
Contact the Conference Chair, Joanne Baird Giordano.
To Stay Informed about the Conference
Announcements, updates, and reminders will be distributed through the TYCA listerv. Information about subscribing is available through the TYCA Archive Website: https://tycaarchive.wordpress.com/listserv/
Guidelines for Proposals
Proposal Criteria
Each conference presentation should meet the following criteria:
- Focuses on teaching, writing center or learning assistance programs, program administration, or other work of two-year college English teacher-scholars;
- Provides attendees with practical strategies for teaching English in the first two college years or engaging as a professional in the discipline;
- Presents concepts and practices that are relevant to working with a wide range of diverse learners at open-admissions institutions;
- Uses research or other evidence to support recommended practices.
Presentations must not be part of an accepted session for CCCC 2020 or repeat a presentation from the TYCA 2019 National Conference. Proposal authors may, however, submit proposals based on a presentation at a recent TYCA regional conference.
Peer-Review Process
Conference presentations will be selected through a competitive, blind peer review process that draws from the expertise of TYCA members. Reviewers will come from each of the TYCA regional affiliates and will also include teacher-scholars who are engaged in the profession at the national level. See the proposal review criteria for a more detailed overview of how reviewers will evaluate proposals.
Information for Authors of Proposals
- Follow the required proposal format and provide all of the required information.
- Select an appropriate session format based on the goals of your presentation, your proposed delivery methods, and the number of presenters. (See “Session Formats.”)
- Write your proposal description for an audience of reviewers who are experienced two-year college teacher-scholars but who may be unfamiliar with your proposal topic.
- Remove any personal identifiers for blind review. This means that the names and institutional affiliations for proposed speakers should appear only in the contact information section of the proposal.
- Submit the proposal electronically through the NCTE conference proposal submission system.
- Meet the September 15 deadline.
- Notifications of acceptance will be sent by December.
Expect to register for the conference by the deadline indicated in conference invitations. Presenters must register and pay for the conference for their names to appear in the conference program.
Proposal Review Criteria for the TYCA National Conference
Session Formats
15 Minute Individual Presentation (One or Two Presenters)
A short presentation from one or two presenters about best practices or research findings. Individual presentations will be combined with one or two other presentations that focus on similar topics and/or areas of English studies. 15 minutes of each session will be reserved for questions and discussion with attendees.
60 Minute Panel Presentation (Three or More Presenters)
A session on a focused issue organized entirely by the authors of the proposal. Panel discussions should have at least three speakers who collaborate with each other to organize a cohesive session. Presenters may determine the format and delivery methods for the session based on the focus, purpose, and goals of the presentation but should leave time at the end of the session for questions or other interaction with the audience.
60 Minute Facilitated Discussion or Activity (At Least Two Facilitators)
A brief overview of an issue, followed by an interactive discussion or activity. Discussion sessions should have two or more facilitators who provide an introduction to an issue or problem, followed by an organized discussion or group activity. Most of the session should focus on interactive discussion or group work. Facilitated discussions and activities should have clear goals that attendees can accomplish within the allotted time. Sessions may include a large group discussion, small group breakout discussions or activities, or a combination of large and small group interactions.
60 Minute Workshop (At Least Two Facilitators)
A learning experience with a high level of participant interaction. Workshops should have two or more facilitators who provide attendees with hands-on activities that focus on practical strategies for teaching, taking action, doing scholarship, or engaging in other professional work. Attendees should be able to apply learning from the workshop to their own institutional contexts and leave the session with practical ideas or resources for enhancing their work as college English professionals.
Interactive Poster Presentation (One or More Presenters)
A visual presentation with a scheduled time for interaction with attendees. Posters will be displayed on bulletin boards throughout the one-day conference. Poster presenters have a speaking role on the conference program, and they will have a scheduled time to engage with attendees in conversations about their work and answer questions. Posters can focus on any aspect of English studies but are especially appropriate for sharing a teaching strategy, work in progress, an innovative idea, preliminary research results, or the application of a theoretical concept.
Required Proposal Information
Session Information for the Program
Title (10 words): Write a session title for the conference program.
Abstract (150 characters): Write a very brief summary of the session or individual presentation for the conference program.
Contact Information for Each Speaker:
Name:
Institution:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Phone:
E-mail:
Speakers who do not have an institutional affiliation may identify themselves in another way (for example, as an independent scholar or retired member of the profession).
Unique Presentation (check box): Indicate that the proposed session or individual presentation is not part of the conference program for CCCC 2020 or the 2019 TYCA National Conference. Proposals may present information previously presented at a TYCA regional conference.
- The proposed presentation is not part of an accepted session for CCCC 2020 or a repeat presentation from TYCA 2019.
Session Type (scroll down menu or check box):
- 15 minute individual presentation
- 60 minute panel presentation
- 60 minute facilitated discussion or activity
- 60 minute workshop
- Interactive poster presentation
Relevance to the Conference (50 words): Explain how the presentation addresses issues or practices that are relevant to the work of two-year college teacher-scholars.
Target Audience (20 words): Identify one or more constituent group(s) within TYCA or CCCC who would be interested in your presentation (for example, first-year writing teachers, writing center directors, writing program administrators, literature instructors, integrated reading and reading instructors, etc.)
Session Description: Write a detailed description of the session or presentation that includes the following information:
- The purpose, learning objectives, or goals of the session
- An overview of the research, evidence-based teaching strategies, and/or best practices presented in the session
- A short outline or description of what will happen during the session
- An explanation of how the presentation will actively engage attendees in discussions or other activities (not required for a 15 minute individual presentation)
Guidelines for Session Descriptions:
- Remove personal identifiers and institutional affiliations for blind review. Do not refer to presenters by name.
- For panel sessions that include individual presentations, identify separate presentations (for example, “Speaker 1” and “Speaker 2”) and provided titles for each presentation.
Word Count Limits for Session Descriptions:
- 15 minute individual presentation (500 words)
- 60 minute panel presentation (1000 words)
- 60 minute facilitated discussion or activity (1000 words)
- Workshop with a high level of participant interaction (1000 words)
- Poster presentation (500 words)
Sponsored Session (optional): Please enter the group name if the session is sponsored by a TYCA regional affiliate, a CCCC standing group or SIG, or another professional group affiliated with NCTE.