2025 NARST Conference: Call for Pre-conference Workshops

September 5, 2024

Call for Pre-Conference Workshops for the

98th Annual NARST International Conference

Proposals due Monday, September 30

The NARST Research Committee invites the submission of Pre-Conference Workshop proposals for the upcoming 2025 Annual International Conference in Washington, DC, USA.

Pre-Conference Workshops provide opportunities for NARST colleagues and others to engage in extended academic interaction and in-depth discussions of current issues facing our field. Workshops can serve as mini-courses focusing on research methodologies, specific research milestones, or current issues.

We encourage proposals that promote the advancement of our field of science education through cutting edge research findings and methodologies. Moreover, we look for ideas that will attend to issues of equity, diversity and inclusion, and promote collaboration, reflection and/or professional growth for NARST membership. We also encourage and seek workshops that focus on the theme of the conference: In Praise of Science Teachers.

Workshop facilitators are encouraged to use the time to help participants work with resources, individuals, materials, and ideas in a more interactive and in-depth manner than is often possible in NARST session formats. The 2025 NARST Conference will be in-person only, with no virtual workshop time tied to the event. If you wish to have an online workshop, please submit a proposal for a Virtual Event. Individual NARST Board of Directors are discouraged from submitting a Pre-Conference Workshop proposal as the BOD Meeting takes place concurrently at this time.

Workshops are scheduled for 4 hours on the first day of the conference:

Sunday, March 23, 2025

8:00 AM to 12:00 PM

NARST Conference attendees are encouraged to register for the workshops in advance online. If there are fewer registrants than the specified maximum, then individuals may also register on-site. Workshops that do not have at least 20 people registered via the online registration site will only be offered if the workshop facilitators are willing to offer them with limited attendance. Otherwise, these workshops will be canceled at that time (2 weeks before the conference) and attendees will be afforded the opportunity to register for workshops with space availability, or receive a refund for any payments made.

Workshop facilitators have three choices for fees per participant: $0, $25, and $50. Fees cannot be collected for food or drink; fees can only be charged for materials expenses associated with the workshop implementation. Also, please note that during workshops, participants are not provided with breakfast or refreshments.

Application Procedure

To apply to offer a NARST 2025 Pre-Conference Workshop, please submit the following information to Stephen Witzig, Pre-Conference Workshop Subcommittee Chair, at switzig@umassd.edu, by 11:59 PM EST on Monday, September 30, 2024.

Please also copy the Chair of the Research Committee, Bryan Nichols at nicholsb@fau.edu.

Stephen Witzig will acknowledge receipt of all proposal submissions.

Proposal Format:

Title of workshop
Contact information
Requested fee per participant ($0, $25, or $50 per participant)
Recommended maximum number of participants (between 30 and 50)
Short description of relevant areas of expertise for each workshop facilitator
Workshop abstract to be listed on the registration website (no more than 250 words)
Workshop description (no more than 5 pages) including a detailed description of the proposed workshop goals, schedule and activities, including details relevant to and justification for proposed format, information on the roles of workshop participants and facilitators, and a short review of literature relevant to the workshop topic and/or format. Please also indicate what materials or artifacts, if any, participants will take away from the workshop.

Review Process:

Review of proposals and selection of workshops will be conducted through the NARST Research Committee. Committee members will review proposals based on the following criteria:

Focus: Degree to which the workshop focuses on issue(s) related to the advancement of science education knowledge and practice and/or methodology in conducting science education research.
Relation to Conference Theme: Degree to which the workshop topic is related to the conference theme In Praise of Science Teachers.
Outcomes: Degree to which the workshop design will lead to fruitful outcomes for workshop participants, which are related to the advancement of science education knowledge and practice or research methodology.
Literature Base: Degree to which the workshop content is well grounded in one or more research literatures (using citations with a clear reference list) relevant to science education in order to justify the rationale of the workshop and situate it within the broader science education landscape.
Systemic Importance: Degree to which the workshop content addresses an issue that is of systemic importance to the field of science education.
Interest: Degree to which the workshop topic is of interest to science education researchers, and a clear statement identifying who is the intended audience/community the workshop aims to engage.
Engagement: Degree to which the workshop delivery will enable all workshop participants to fully engage with the workshop foci.