Call for proposals

Call for Proposals

The International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) 2024

The proposal submission system is open. Deadline for submissions is June 21, 2023.

We are pleased to extend this invitation for proposals for the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) 2024 congress to be held in Dublin, Ireland, January 9-12, 2024.

We invite proposals from practitioners, policy-makers, academics and community members with contributions relating to educational effectiveness and improvement. In particular, we welcome proposals that connect with the theme for our 2024 Congress —Quality Professional Education for Enhanced School Effectiveness and Improvement—and sub-themes described below.

Due date for proposals:  June 21, 2023

If you would like to download the Call for Proposals information in pdf format, please click on the link below. Thank you.

ICSEI 2024 Call for Proposals

ICSEI 2024 Theme

Quality Professional Education for Enhanced School Effectiveness and Improvement

ICSEI 2024 in Dublin will explore international perspectives on the role and impact of quality professional education in the context of school effectiveness and improvement. Amongst the variables associated with school effectiveness and improvement, the role of teachers and school leaders in supporting and promoting student learning is well established. And there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the impact of research/policy/practice collaboration and partnerships on education systems around the world.

The congress theme recognises and celebrates the complementarity and synergy between initial teacher education and continuing professional development for teachers and school leaders.  High quality teaching and learning is supported in many ways, including induction of newly qualified teachers, mentoring and coaching, professional learning networks, data teams, school-university partnerships, knowledge mobilization, collaborative school improvement planning, and evidence informed policy that respects and promotes teacher professionalism. Many stakeholders are involved in providing cumulative impact through quality professional education. These include, but are not limited to, education scholars, academic and applied researchers, practicing teachers, school staff and school leaders, professional development providers, and policy makers. The congress will explore multiple perspectives and approaches to professional education and its impact on teaching and learning around the world.

Proposal Selection and Topics

ICSEI Networks

All proposals must be submitted to one of the ICSEI networks. This information will also be used in the program to allow participants to more easily identify papers and sessions by network. ICSEI consists of seven networks:

  • Crisis Response in Education Network
  • Data Use Network
  • Early Childhood Education and Care Network
  • Educational Leadership Network
  • 3P Network for Policymakers, Politicians, and Practitioners
  • Methods of Researching Educational Effectiveness and Improvement (MoREI) Network
  • The Professional Learning Networks Network

Further information about the ICSEI networks can be found at: www.icsei.net

ICSEI Congress sub-themes

In addition to the main theme, the organising committee has identified several possible sub-themes, linked in a number of cases to the ICSEI networks that help members explore critical issues in education. Congress sub-themes include:

  • Exploring the evolving research and evidence base for leadership education and capacity building
  • Leading improvement collaboratively and sustainably
  • Leveraging research and data for inquiry, insight, innovation and professional learning
  • Engaged and purposeful dialogue between politicians, policymakers, academic researchers, educators and the wider school community
  • Policy and practice learning to support teacher and school leader development
  • Ongoing system and school implications arising from the COVID-19 crisis
  • Leading schools and education systems that promote equity, inclusion, belonging, diversity, social justice, global citizenship and/ or environmental sustainability

All submitting authors must identify the theme their proposal is most closely related to.

Submission requirements

Due date for proposals:  11:59 PM June 21, 2023 Central European Time (CET)

All proposals must be submitted via Conftool at https://www.conftool.com/icsei2024/

The Call for Proposals will be open from April 12 to June 21, 2023. All persons submitting proposals will be informed as to their acceptance by August 1, 2023.

All proposals should be submitted in English. Please note that the submitted abstract will be made available to all participants should the proposal be accepted. 

All proposals will be blind refereed. They will be reviewed without the names of the authors and presenters (which will be submitted separately). Thus, the names of the organizers and presenters should not appear in the text of the proposals. 

Proposal session types

  • Individual paper presentations
  • Symposia
  • Roundtable discussions
  • Innovate sessions
  • Posters

Submission requirements for different proposal types

Individual Paper

Individual paper proposals can be submitted by an individual or small group of co-authors. Authors present abbreviated versions of their papers followed by comments/critique and participant interaction. Each 90 minute paper session will consist of 3-4 individual papers, grouped by the programme committee according to a cross-cutting research problem, theme or issue. 

Paper proposals should be a maximum of 500 words (excluding references).

Paper proposals should address the following:

  • Objectives, purpose, problem of practice, or policy focus
  • Research question(s) or focus
  • Perspective(s) or theoretical framework, or context
  • Methods, techniques, modes or approach to inquiry
  • Data Sources/evidence
  • Results, findings, learning
  • Educational importance of this research or inquiry for theory, practice, and/or policy
  • Connection to the conference theme

Symposium

A symposium provides an opportunity to examine specific research issues, problems, or topics from a variety of perspectives. They may present alternative solutions, interpretations, or contrasting points of view on a specific subject, or in relation to a common theme. Frequently interactive, a large portion of the session may be devoted to dialogue among presenters and discussant, questions and discussion among all those present, or small-group interaction.
Symposia are 90 minutes in length. They typically include 3 coordinated presentations.

Symposium proposals should be submitted as a single document that includes:

  • An introductory abstract of maximum 200 words (excluding references) that provides an overview of:
    • the overarching theme, objectives and purposes of the symposium 
    • the issue(s) or question(s) to be addressed
    • how the above will be addressed through the papers included
    • the importance for educational theory, policy, research, and/or practice
    • how the session will be organized and the approach to interaction
  • Proposals of 2-3 papers, (500 words maximum each, excluding references) that address the following:
    • Objectives, purpose, problem of practice, or policy focus
    • Research question(s) or focus of inquiry
    • Perspective(s) or theoretical framework, or context
    • Methods, techniques, modes or approach to inquiry
    • Data Sources/evidence
    • Results, findings, learning
    • Educational importance of this research or inquiry for theory, practice, and/or policy
    • Connection to the conference theme

Roundtable Discussion

Roundtable sessions offer the opportunity for individual presenters to discuss early outcomes as well as the design of research projects or research in progress. Each 90 minute roundtable session will consist of up to 3 projects, grouped by the programme committee according to a cross-cutting research problem or issue or where early career researchers, policy makers and practitioners with similar interests would benefit from exchange, discussion and collaboration.

Each presenter has ten minutes to introduce his/her project and to raise two or three open questions. Twenty minutes are intended for discussion of each project.

Roundtable proposals should be a maximum of 500 words (excluding references).

Roundtable proposals should address the following:

  • Objectives of research, practice, or policy inquiry
  • Research question(s) or focus
  • Perspective(s) or theoretical framework, or context
  • Methods, techniques, modes or approach to inquiry
  • Expected or preliminary results 
  • Educational importance of this research or inquiry for theory, practice, and/or policy
  • Connection to the conference theme

Innovate session

Innovate presentations provide an opportunity to examine innovative and creative evidence-informed policy and/or practice initiatives. Innovate sessions are intended to be interactive and actively engage participants in the exploration of the area of policy or practice.

Each 90 minute Innovate session will include 3 presentations, each of which is allocated 30 minutes. 

Innovate proposals should be a maximum of 500 words (excluding references).

Innovate proposals should address the following, as applicable:

  • Objectives or purposes of the session
  • Educational importance for theory, policy, research, and/or practice
  • The format and approach(es) that will be used in the session to engage participants in the exploration of the area of practice
  • Connection to the conference theme

Poster

Poster sessions combine the graphic display of materials with the opportunity for individualized, informal discussion of a project in research, policy and/or practice. Individual presenters set up displays in a large area with other presenters.

Posters should be set up to be visible for the duration of the conference.

Presenters will be expected to be present at designated times.

A proposal for a poster should be in the form of a maximum 500-word abstract and should include the research question or problem being investigated, overview of key ideas/concepts, methods, findings and conclusions, which will be used to judge the merit of the poster. The conference strand the poster connects with should also be indicated.

The following guidelines should be considered for preparing posters:

  • Size: The poster surface will be approximately 1 meter x 1.5 meters; recommended dimensions of poster are 0.60 m width x 0.85 m height.
  • Poster orientation: Portrait
  • The title of the presentation and the author’s name and affiliation should appear at the top of the poster.
  • All the text and illustrations should be large enough to be viewed from a distance of more than one meter. 
  • Figures and tables should be kept as simple as possible to easily communicate the main messages to viewers.

Key Dates for Submission

Submissions will be accepted from April 15, 2022 through June 15, 2020 (CET).

  • March 28, 2023 – Call for proposals
  • April 12, 2023 – Proposal submission system open
  • June 21, 2023 – Proposals submission closes (11:59 PM Central European Time (CET)
  • August 1, 2023 – Proposal submitters notified of acceptance status

Link for submitting proposals

Please submit proposals using the following link:  https://www.conftool.com/icsei2024/

Please direct any queries about proposal requirements or your ConfTool account to:  [email protected]

We look forward to your proposals.