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Call for Proposals

The HERDSA 2017 Conference Committee warmly invites you to submit proposals that address the theme of Curriculum Transformation. This theme provides an opportunity to explore curriculum as a framework for student learning and experience rather than as simply an organising framework for disciplinary knowledge. It provides a platform to examine how quality sits at the centre of the process and the approaches needed to support for staff in curriculum development and innovative teaching practice.

The planning committee has endeavoured to capture the different drivers for curriculum transformation under four sub-themes. The points under each sub-theme provide guidance of possible topics for you to address but we encourage you to interpret the theme as it best suits your context. All submissions should relate to the broad theme of Curriculum Transformation and address one or more of the sub-themes:

Curriculum Transformation Drivers

  • Exploring the impact of current higher education climate both nationally and internationally on curriculum innovation and management, for example the employability agenda and professionalism of the workforce;
  • Ensuring regulatory requirements (for example, the Higher Education Standards Framework) are being met;
  • Exploring the future of curriculum transformation under government legislation and professional standards

Facilitating Curriculum Transformation

  • Ensuring workforce capacity, capability and working patterns are aligned with change and innovation;
  • Supporting staff to adjust and develop their course development, delivery and assessment practices by a flexible, fit-for-purpose Continuing Professional Development offer;
  • Continually improving practice through evaluation, including the adoption of learning analytics;
  • Building services for maximum educational advantage.

Putting it into Practice

  • Transforming current good practice into systematically applied subject and course design principles exploring:
    • what we teach,
    • how we teach,
    • how we assess learning
    • and how we support students

Students in Curriculum Transformation (Student Led Submissions preferred)

  • Embracing students as changes agents, creating opportunities for students to provide the initiative, work alongside key institution stakeholders, and to lead change.

Proposals can be submitted for presentations under one of the following five formats.

Submissions must be made using the online submission system.

Please note:

  • It is anticipated that Refereed Paper, Showcase and Points for Debate sessions will be allocated 25 minute slots (which includes a 5 minute question time).
  • Submissions that do not address the sub-themes will not be accepted.
  • Submissions are accepted on the basis that at least one presenter must register and attend the conference. Co-presenters must be registered for at least the day of their presentation.
  • Submissions should be original and comply with copyright law.
  • Abstracts and papers accepted following the review process must be resubmitted following the HERDSA Formatting Guidelines.

General Information

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW BEFORE I START MY SUBMISSION?

Abstracts can be submitted for either oral or poster presentation. Please note that some abstracts may be offered a different presentation format.

Submissions will be accepted via the online system only and is supported by Google Chrome, Firefox 22 and Safari. Submissions should be made using a word document .doc or .docx and will be automatically converted to a PDF by the software in the submission process.

You will receive an automated email once you have started the submission process detailing how you can re-enter the system in the future to update, change or submit a new abstract. If you are submitting more than one abstract you only need to create a new account once and all subsequent abstracts can be submitted by going back into the speaker portal using your access key.

Note: Your abstract will not be included in the program if you do not register and pay for your registration.

WHEN YOU'VE FINISHED THE SUBMISSION

You can view or edit your abstract by returning the Speaker Portal at any time and entering the access key provided to you at the time of submission. If you have forgotten your access key, please advise the Conference Secretariat who will advise you of the details.

Changes can be made to your abstract until the review process begins. Just return to your Conference Dashboard and select the Edit option under Abstracts. The edit option will no longer appear once reviewing has commenced.

WHEN WILL I FIND OUT MY RESULT?

The outcomes of the review process will be emailed approximately five weeks after the close of submissions. In this email you will be provided with information on how to finalise your submission.

WILL MY PAPER OR ABSTRACT BE PUBLISHED ONLINE?

It is anticipated that a couple of weeks before the conference, the final program will be published to the conference website along with hyperlinks to the papers and abstracts. The abstracts will also be available on the conference ‘App’.

Register Online
  • Key Dates
  • Call for Proposals Open 12 September 2016
  • Registration Opens 19 September 2016
  • Call for Refereed Paper Abstracts Closes 23 October 2016
  • Notification of Acceptance for Refereed Paper Abstracts 15 November 2016
  • Full Paper from Accepted Abstracts Due 6 February 2017
  • All Other Submission Types Due 6 February 2017
  • Notification of Acceptance for All Other Submission Types 3 April 2017
  • Early Bird Registration Closes 28 April 2017
  • Pre-Conference Workshops 27 June 2017
  • HERDSA 2017 Conference 28 – 30 June 2023