General Information
Deadline for Submission
Proposals must be submitted online by 4:00 pm (CST) January 20, 2009. You may submit more than one proposal.
Conference Objectives
Teach
- Discuss critical success factors and innovative practices in distance education and training.
- Examine the key components of effective applications: needs analysis, course design, teaching methods, active learning, learner support, management, policy, and evaluation.
- Share successful approaches, strategies, and techniques.
- Identify active teaching/learning methods for effective engagement, motivation, and performance outcomes.
- Discuss major issues, new developments, and trends.
Learn
- Reflect on progress made in distance education.
- Consider future possibilities for distance education.
- Increase knowledge about teaching/training at a distance.
Connect
- Facilitate networking among distance educators, practitioners, and administrators.
- Share program resources via technology (e.g., print, audio, video, multimedia, and the Internet).
Review Process
Each proposal is reviewed by at least three members of the Conference Planning Committee. Web sites may be used to provide supporting information only, not as a substitute for proposal submission.
Proposal Rating Criteria
- Relevance of the topic to the field
- Encourage conference and session attendance
- Depth of understanding of distance teaching and learning
- Methods of interaction
- Match between objectives and session content
- Supports established practice, data, or knowledge in the field
- Experience in the field
- Experience presenting or facilitating
Proposal Status
The lead presenter/contact person will receive notification in April and is responsible for forwarding any conference correspondence to co-presenters.
Conference Registration
All presenters listed in the proposal must register for the conference by June 1, 2009. Presenter discounts vary; see the Quick Reference Guide for details. Presenters are entitled to only one discount, even if they are selected to present more than one proposal.
Equipment
Presenters MUST provide their own computers. The conference will provide a standard set-up for workshops, information sessions, and course design demos. Roundtable, point/counterpoint, and author discussions are to be conducted without the use of equipment.
Presenter Resources
- Accepted Information Session presenters are required to submit a professional proceedings paper (3-5 pages single spaced) on their topic by May 1, 2009. For other presentation categories it is optional to submit a proceedings paper. All papers will be published in the 2009 Conference Proceedings and on the Conference Web site.
- All accepted presenters are asked to submit session resources (handouts, slides, etc.) by June 1, 2009 to be included with the Proceedings or by August 14, 2009 to be included in the Conference Web site Resource Library.

