Abstracts

SoTL Conference 2018: Abstracts

SOTL Conference 2018 Abstract Book

Abstract submission deadline: 24 August 2018

How to submit an abstract/contribution

First you need to register as a user for this conference at https://www.conftool.net/sotl2018/. Then do the following:

  1. Log in at the above address using the access details created during the registration process.
  2. Click on Your Submissions.
  3. Choose either Research or Innovation.
  4. Complete the necessary fields.
  5. Click on Proceed and Complete submission. Then a screen will appear showing the new submission created with the details. You will also receive an e-mail confirming your submission.

General information

For the 2018 conference, Stellenbosch University staff members are invited to submit abstracts on aspects of teaching and learning in higher education, i.e. undergraduate education, postgraduate education and continuing professional development.

You may want to share your experiences of trying out something new or innovative in your teaching or assessment practice. Did it work or not? Perhaps you’ve conducted a large-scale needs analysis related to your teaching, or you’ve discovered something interesting while analysing the results of your students’ assessment. Have you explored a teaching-related aspect in collaboration with other colleagues in your department or faculty, or even across disciplinary boundaries? Have you conducted research on your teaching or assessment? Or perhaps you have some new ideas that you would like to discuss.

Come and share your passion, your news and your results with us in a presentation, a panel discussion or as a poster, so that we can all learn together and make teaching at SU the best it can be.

Writing the abstract

Have a look at Creating a research space (the CARS model), which provides an overview of steps to follow when doing educational research – this could assist you in writing your abstract. You may also contact the CTL Advisor in your faculty for assistance.

The abstract should consist of 300 words minimum and 350 words maximum. The deadline for submitting abstracts is now 24 August 2018, and we will let you know by 22 September 2018 whether your abstract has been accepted.

Streams

  • Academic literacies
  • Assessment and feedback
  • Evaluation
  • Focus on first-years
  • Graduate attributes
  • Innovative teaching
  • Interdisciplinary teaching
  • Mentoring and tutoring
  • Postgraduate teaching
  • Reflection
  • Social impact
  • Social justice in teaching and learning
  • Student success factors
  • Technology in education
  • Transforming the curriculum

Criteria for the abstract

There are two types of abstracts: Research and Innovation. The following must be included in the abstract type you select, in the order as listed below:

Research Innovation
Background, rationale, purpose Background, context, purpose
Research question(s) Particular interest/focus of presentation
Theoretical framing and literature review Description of work done
Methods Links to similar work
Implications: How the work adds to the field, relevance for other contexts, additional areas for further research Implications: Take-home messages, e.g. might be relevant or useful in another context, or opens additional areas for further exploration/research
Originality or significance of research Value to fellow practitioners
Results or conclusions from findings Conclusions

General criteria

  • The title of the presentation must be no longer than 10 words.
  • The abstract must be between 300 and 350 words.
  • The abstract must be language edited before it is submitted.
  • The abstract should contain in-text references (author date), but a reference list is not required.
  • The abstract should be understandable to a broad spectrum of readers.
  • The abstract must be submitted by 6 August 2018.

To qualify for any awards, your abstract has to meet all the criteria above.

Awards

Research:  Financial support to present at an International T&L conference*
Innovation:  Financial support to present at the HELTASA-conference*
Participants-choice:  Financial support to present at the HELTASA-conference*
*abstract must be accepted before payment takes place

  • Any presenter/group of presenters may only receive an award once in a three-year cycle.
  • Staff linked to the Division for Learning and Teaching Enhancement are not eligible for the Research or Innovation awards.
  • The award for Participants-choice can be award to any individual presenting at the SoTL conference.

Enquiries?

E-mail us at sotl@sun.ac.za.