Call for Papers

Imagining and Engineering Future CSET Education

Hotel Palacio del Rio - San Antonio, Texas

Sunday - Wednesday; October 18 - 21, 2009

Abstract Deadline: January 14, 2009
Abstract/Proposal Submission is closed

View Copy of Call for Papers in pdf format.

The 39th Annual Frontiers in Education (FIE) Conference is the major international conference about innovations and research in education in computing and engineering. FIE 2009 continues a long tradition of disseminating results in these areas. It is an ideal forum for sharing ideas, learning about developments in Computer Science, Engineering, and Technology (CSET) education, and interacting with colleagues.

What May You Submit?

Proposals for participation in the 2009 FIE Conference can be submitted in the following venues:

  1. Papers: Full papers and works-in-progress (WIP)
  2. Special Sessions
  3. Panels
  4. Workshops

Information on each of these is provided in the sections following the schedule.

In addition, FIE 2009 offers travel grants to support participation of new faculty who are presenting full papers at the conference. More information is provided in the section on New Faculty Fellows below.

Timeline

Proposals are submitted in a two-stage process. First, initial versions of the proposals (abstracts in the case of papers) must be submitted by 14 January 2009 and then they are reviewed. If you are invited to submit for the second stage of the process, then you must submit a preliminary version of the document by 23 March 2009. For the paper category, these documents are peer reviewed. If accepted, final versions of the documents as they will appear in the conference proceedings must be submitted by 25 May 2009.

Timelines Jan. 14, 2009 Feb. 18, 2009 March 23, 2009 April 24, 2009 May 25, 2009
Full papers Submit abstract (between 300 and 500 words) Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection If your abstract is accepted, a complete paper (6 page limit) is due Authors will be notified of peer review results Revised papers due
Faculty Fellows Revised papers due and fellowship packet sent to candidate
WIP If your abstract is accepted, a complete paper (2 page limit) is due. Modified Two-page (maximum) paper due
Panels
and
Special Sessions 		Submit proposal If your proposal is accepted, a paper or summary associated with your session is due Final version of paper or summary due
Workshops Submit proposal If your proposal is accepted, a workshop outline is due Final version of the workshop outline is due

Topics of Interest

  • Accreditation issues
  • Active learning
  • Assessment
  • Computer and Web based software
  • Community outreach: educating the public
  • Degree programs and curricula
  • Design experiences: senior capstone and other
  • Disciplinary introductory courses
  • Distance learning: methods, technologies, and assessment
  • Diversity: valuing, achieving, and teaching it
  • Enrollments in CSET programs
  • Entrepreneurship programs
  • Ethics: creative ways to teach and assess teaching
  • Faculty development
  • First year courses and programs
  • Gender issues in CSET education
  • Globalization: preparing faculty and students
  • Graduate curricula and programs
  • Innovative engineering and CS courses and labs
  • K-12 initiatives and partnerships
  • Laboratory experiences: on-site and at a distance
  • Learning models
  • Liberal arts courses and EC 2000
  • Lifelong learning and nontraditional students
  • Partnerships (industry, government, university, international)
  • Pedagogies
  • Service learning
  • Skills development: technical writing, presentation, teamwork
  • Software engineering
  • Student retention and persistence
  • Study abroad programs
  • Undergraduate research experiences
  • Uses of technology in the classroom
  • Other topics that address issues at the frontiers in CSET education

Paper Categories

A new feature of FIE 2009 is that papers can be submitted in one of the following three categories:

  1. Innovative Practice Category
  2. Research-to-Practice Category
  3. Research Category

For each category, authors can submit either a full paper or a work-in-progress (WIP). After the information common to all three categories, descriptions of each separate category are provided below.

  • Authors must submit an electronic abstract of no more than 500 words, via the FIE 2009 Web page (http://fie-conference.org/fie2009) by the submission deadline.
  • The abstract must contain: author's name, abstract title, author's affiliation, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address. Each abstract should be between 300 and 500 words in length.
  • One author from each paper is expected to register for and attend the conference.
  • Full papers in the innovative practice and research-to-practice categories will be limited to six pages, not including references. Works-in-progress will be limited to two pages.
  • Full papers and WIP will be peer-reviewed by at least three reviewers.
  • Abstracts for all full papers and WIPs are due by 14 January 2009.
  • Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by February 18, 2009.
  • If your abstract is accepted, papers are due for peer review by March 23, 2009.
  • Authors will be notified of peer review results by April 24, 2009.
  • Modified papers will be due by May 25, 2009.
       

Full Papers and Work in Progress Papers

1. Innovative Practice Category

Purpose
Papers in the innovative practice category share information about how a faculty member or team has developed and implemented novel practices across the breadth of topics of interest to conference participants.
Abstract
Each abstract should explicitly contain the following two sections:
Contribution:
Each abstract should state (in 2-3 sentences) the specific contribution of the paper to innovative practice. Contributions may be made in various forms, but they should answer questions such as the following: What is unique about the innovative practice to be presented? How does this innovative practice differ from and build on previous practice as documented in the literature, including previous FIE conferences? What new ideas would conference participants take away from this paper and/or presentation?
Description:
In this section, the authors would describe the setting (in the broad context of engineering education, not necessarily the particular institutional context) for the innovative practice, motivations for the innovative practice, what has been accomplished, what results have been obtained, and what remains to be done.

Abstracts should clearly present the paper's relevance to engineering education and how the work is innovative.
Paper Type:
Two types of papers are accepted in this category: (a) full papers and (b) works-in-progress. Full papers will be limited to six pages, not including references. Works-in-progress will be limited to two pages. Expectations for each type are described below.
Full Paper
The criteria for the full papers in the innovative practice category are the following:
  • What is the breadth of the audience that will be interested in the subject of the paper?
  • To what extent are the practices described in the paper innovative?
  • To what extent does the paper connect its work to prior work?
  • To what extent is the paper professionally written and presented?
Works-in-Progress
Works-in-progress (limited to 2 pages) will be peer-reviewed. Works-in-progress within the innovative practice category are expected to be truly innovative, i.e., something that very few people or no one else has attempted. In addition, works-in-progress should not have been completed by the time the manuscript is submitted.

The criteria for the works-in-progress in the innovative practice category are the following:
  • What is the breadth of the audience that will be interested in the subject of the paper?
  • To what extent are the practices described in the paper innovative, leading-edge, cutting-edge?
  • To what extent is the work described complete? Work that is completed is usually not considered appropriate for a work-in-progress (WIP)
  • To what extent is the paper professionally written and presented?

Please note that one author from each paper is expected to register for and participate in the full conference.

2. Research-to-Practice Category

Purpose
Papers in the research-to-practice category share information about how a faculty member or group of faculty members has developed and implemented new practices explicitly based on research on engineering education and/or education. Research-to-practice papers demonstrate transfer from research to practice.
Abstract
Each abstract should explicitly contain the following two sections:
Contribution:
Each abstract should state (in 2-3 sentences) the specific contribution of the paper towards illustrating how engineering education research informs engineering education practice. Contributions may be made in various forms, but they should answer such questions as: What is situation being addressed? What are the goals of the practice being implemented? What research provides the foundations for the inventive practice?
Description:
In this section, the authors would describe the setting (in the broad context of engineering education, not necessarily the particular institutional context) for the practice, motivations for the practice, research that has supported the practice, what results have been obtained, and what remains to be done.
Paper Type:
Two types of papers are accepted in this category: (a) full papers and (b) works-in-progress. Full papers will be limited to six pages, not including references. Works-in-progress will be limited to two pages. Expectations for each type are described below.
Full Paper
The criteria for the full papers in the research-to-practice category are the following:
  • What is the breadth of the audience that will be interested in the subject of the paper?
  • To what extent are the practices described in the paper innovative?
  • To what extent are the educational practices described in the paper based on research in education and/or engineering education?
  • To what extent does the paper demonstrate transfer from educational research to educational practice?
  • To what extent is the paper professionally written and presented?
Works-in-Progress
Works-in-progress within the research-to-practice category are expected to be an implementation of research that has not been fully tested, i.e., research that very few people or no one else has applied. In addition, works-in-progress should not have been completed by the time the manuscript is submitted.

The criteria for the works-in-progress in the research-to-practice category are the following:
  • What is the breadth of the audience that will be interested in the subject of the paper?
  • To what extent are the practices described in the paper an implementation of research that has not been widely tested?
  • To what extent is the work described complete?
  • To what extent is the paper professionally written and presented?

Please note that one author from each paper is expected to register for and participate in the full conference.

3. Research Category

Purpose
Papers in the research category present new, preliminary research results or research methodologies.
Abstract
Each abstract should explicitly contain the following two sections:
Contribution:
Each abstract should state (in 2-3 sentences) the specific research contribution of the paper. Contributions may be made in various forms, but they should answer questions such as the following: What are the research questions that were addressed? What results have been found? How do the results build on prior research?
Description:
In this section, the authors would describe the context for the research, motivations for the research, prior research related to this research, a brief synopsis of the methodology, what results have been obtained, and what remains to be done.
Paper Type:
Two types of papers are accepted in this category: (a) full papers and (b) works-in-progress. Works-in-progress will be limited to two pages. Expectations for each type are described below.
Full Paper
The criteria for the full papers in the research category are:
  • What is the breadth of the audience that will be interested in the subject of the paper?
  • To what extent are the research questions clearly stated?
  • To what extent is the methodology appropriate for the research questions?
  • To what extent does the paper incorporate the relevant research?
  • To what extent are the research questions and results meaningful and original
  • To what extent is the paper professionally written and presented?
Works-in-Progress
Works-in-progress within the research category are expected to be proposals for very innovative educational research. In addition, works-in-progress should not have been completed by the time the manuscript is submitted.

The criteria for the works-in-progress in the research category are the following:
  • What is the breadth of the audience that will be interested in the subject of the paper?
  • Has the research already been done or proposed?
  • To what degree have questions about purpose, potential hypotheses, and possible methodologies been addressed?
  • To what extent is the paper professionally written and presented?

Please note that one author from each paper is expected to register for and participate in the full conference.

Abstract/Proposal Submission is closed.

   

Panels

Panel sessions can provide multiple perspectives on the same issue and allow session participants to contribute to the dialogue about the issue.

Proposal Characteristics
  • Panels are scheduled as part of the technical program in parallel with traditional paper presentations.
  • Panel sessions normally consist of short presentations by several speakers followed by a discussion period with the audience.
  • Proposals for panels will be peer-reviewed by at least three reviewers.
  • Panel Sessions are 90 minutes in length.
Description
Panel sessions at FIE 2009 can provide venues for conversations about a wide range of timely issues in Computer Science, Engineering, and Technology (CSET) education. Panel sessions provide extended time explore a selected issue in depth and simultaneously provide multiple perspectives. Audiences leave superior panel sessions with new ways of thinking about pressing issues.

Contact information for the panel session organizer should be entered in the spaces provided on the submission web page. The proposal text should provide the following information.
Proposals
All proposals for panel sessions at FIE 2009 must be submitted electronically no later than 14 January 2009 through the conference submission web site: http://www.fie-conference.org/.

Contact information for the panel session organizer should be entered in the spaces provided on the submission web page. The proposal text should provide the following information.
  • Contact information (name, affiliation, phone, and email) for organizer(s) of the panel session
  • Goal(s) of the session
  • Names and institutions for each proposed panel member. Members of the panel are the people who provide different perspectives on the issue being addressed by the panel. Therefore, their names and qualifications are critical to the quality of the panel session. Panel session proposals that do not include the names of proposed panel participants will be evaluated lower in this area.
  • Description of topics/subjects/content of the session (approximately 200-300 words).
  • Brief description of proposed peer-reviewed full papers (if any) from panel members.
  • Description of the anticipated audience
  • All organizers and presenters on panels and in special sessions are expected to register for and attend the conference.
Timeline
  • Abstracts are due by January 14, 2009.
  • Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by February 18, 2009.
  • If your abstract is accepted, a brief summary is due for peer review by March 23, 2009.
  • Authors will be notified of peer review results by April 24, 2009.
  • Modified summaries will be due by May 25, 2009.

Please note that all organizers and presenters in panels and special sessions are expected to register for and participate in the full conference.

Abstract/Proposal Submission is closed.

   

Special Sessions

Special sessions offer participants opportunities to explore particular issues in greater depth in interactive settings. The special session facilitators structure the agenda and interactions. Special sessions are intended to provide presenters and participants "collaborative learning experiences at the frontiers."

Characteristics
  • Special sessions are scheduled as part of the technical program in parallel with traditional paper presentations.
  • Special sessions allow a variety of nontraditional formats and emphasize the involvement of all audience members in active learning.
  • Special sessions are nontraditional in the sense that they are not like preconference workshops. They give session leaders an opportunity to take risks and try something that may be unproven in content and/or format. Thus they provide experiences that are "at the frontiers."
  • Proposals for special sessions will be peer-reviewed by at least three reviewers.
  • Sessions are 90 minutes in length.
  • All organizers and presenters in special sessions are expected to register for and attend the conference.
Description

Special sessions at the 2009 Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) are intended to provide presenters and participants "collaborative learning experiences at the frontiers." FIE now attracts a broad spectrum of participants interested in diverse topics such as software engineering education, engineering in K-12, engineering in a global environment, electrical engineering education, diversity in engineering, and more. Special sessions can and should be designed to appeal to that broad audience, not limited to a small number of special topics. Special sessions demonstrate that collaborative learning experiences can be constructed for any topic that is appropriate for a FIE session, assist participants in creating similar learning experiences in other settings, and provide attendees with a broader range of conference options.

Special sessions should reflect the growing understanding that effective learning environments are created when session participants are actively constructing and sharing their learning. In an interactive session, the focus is on the learners and the learning that is occurring, instead of on a single presenter or a panel. Interactive sessions should attempt to model learner-centered learning environments, while matching or exceeding the depth and breadth of content exposition of a traditional paper session. Each of the interactive sessions will be considered for the Helen Plants Award, which is presented to the "most outstanding `nontraditional session' ... to encourage the use of nontraditional approaches to disseminate information" at FIE.

Special sessions may be designed to 90 minutes. Each interactive session organizer will be required to submit a session summary for inclusion in the conference proceedings.

Special sessions will be awarded to organizers through a competitive evaluation process. Proposals for special sessions that include submission of peer-reviewed publications are preferred, since archival publications in the proceedings provide a legacy for the session. In addition, one or more presenters may need to point to a peer-reviewed conference publication when requesting travel funds for the conference from their organizations. For more information, contact Dan Moore, Special Sessions Chair, at daniel.j.moore@rose-hulman.Edu or (812) 877-8110.

Proposals
All proposals for special sessions at FIE 2009 must be submitted electronically no later than 14 January 2009 through the conference submission web site: http://www.fie-conference.org/.

Contact information for the workshop organizer should be entered in the spaces provided on the submission web page. The proposal text should provide the following information.
  • Contact information (name, affiliation, phone, and email) for each anticipated facilitator or presenter in the special session
  • Goal(s) of the session
  • Description of topics/subjects/content of the session (approximately 200-300 words)
  • Session agenda (Please give details and approximate time allotted for each activity)
  • Brief description of proposed peer-reviewed full papers from session presenters
  • Description of the anticipated audience
  • Expected outcomes or future work as a result of this session (approximately 100 words)
  • Justification of why the proposed session should be considered for an special session (approximately 100 words)
A panel who are familiar with non-traditional sessions at FIE will review each proposal. Each panelist will give a score of up to 25 points, as summarized below. At the January meeting of the Program Committee, the Special Sessions Chair will present each proposal and a summary of its evaluations. The Special Sessions Chair and the General Chair will make the final decisions on which proposals will be selected.
Criteria for evaluating each proposal (maximum points noted in each category):
  • Goals [4 POINTS]: How well do the goals and session description match the vision/mission/purpose of the FIE conference? How clearly are the goals and session description articulated? How well does the session description support the goals of the session?
  • Alternative learning environments [5 POINTS]: To what degree does the proposed session create a learner-centered learning environment that will encourage participation, interaction, and exchange? To what extent might session participants consider using alternate learning environments in their own courses and departments? How well does the learning environment support the goals of the session?
  • Audience [5 POINTS]: To what degree is the anticipated audience present at FIE? To what degree does the proposed session attempt to appeal to the broad FIE audience?
  • Potential effects [5 POINTS]: What is the potential of the session to evoke further work?
  • Value [6 POINTS]: What is the potential value of the session to possible participants?
Timeline
  • Abstracts are due by January 14, 2009.
  • Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by February 18, 2009.
  • If your abstract is accepted, a two-page summary is due for peer review by March 23, 2009.
  • Authors will be notified of peer review results by April 24, 2009.
  • Modified summaries will be due by May 25, 2009.

Please note that all organizers and presenters in panels and special sessions are expected to register for and participate in the full conference.

Abstract/Proposal Submission is closed.

   

Workshops

Purpose

Workshops can provide participants with an opportunity to extend their knowledge and strengthen their skills in the area addressed by the workshop.

Characteristics
  • Three-hour workshops are scheduled for the afternoon and evening of Sunday, October 18.
  • To submit a proposal, complete the appropriate form on the FIE 2009 Web page, (http://fie-conference.org/fie2009).
  • Workshop presenters will submit an outline rather than a formal paper, for the workshop.
  • Workshop presenters must register for and attend the conference.
  • Workshop attendees must register for workshops. A fee may be charged to cover workshop materials.
  • Workshops proposals will be peer-reviewed by at least three reviewers.
Proposals

All proposals for special sessions at FIE 2009 must be submitted electronically no later than 14 January 2009 through the conference submission web site: http://www.fie-conference.org/.

Contact information for the workshop organizer should be entered in the spaces provided on the submission web page. The proposal text should provide the following information.

  • Contact information (name, affiliation, phone, and email) for each anticipated facilitator or presenter in the workshop
  • Goal(s) of the workshop
  • Description of topics/subjects/content of the workshop (approximately 200-300 words)
  • Workshop agenda (Please give details and approximate time allotted for each activity)
  • Description of the anticipated audience
Timeline
  • Abstracts are due by January 14, 2009.
  • Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by February 18, 2009.
  • If your abstract is accepted, a workshop summary is due for peer review by March 23, 2009.
  • Authors will be notified of peer review results by April 24, 2009.
  • Modified workshop outlines will be due by May 25, 2009.

Please note that workshop presenters are expected to register for and participate in the full conference.

Abstract/Proposal Submission is closed.

   

Faculty Fellows

FIE 2009 will offer a maximum of ten $1,000 travel grants to support the involvement of new faculty presenting full papers at the conference. Eligible applicants are:
  • Author must submit a full paper to apply for the award
  • Assistant professors of engineering or computer science with no more than two years of employment as a faculty member or an instructor, at the time of the abstract submission.
  • Doctoral candidates defending dissertations during the 2008-2009 academic year.
  • Fellowship packet sent to candidates after May 29. Faculty Fellows are expected to register and attend the entire conference. Check the Web site under NAE CASEE Faculty Fellows for more information.

Abstract/Proposal Submission is closed.