Call for Theme-Based Educational Session Proposals

The Online Proposal System is Now Closed.

Registration is open--register before May 31st and save!

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Learn more about the guidelines for this year's submissions:

Under the current challenging economic conditions, it is now more important than ever for family and consumer sciences and related professionals to demonstrate their value and the critical impact they continue to have on their communities. This is the time to create partnerships for the benefit of the field and build the leadership skills of emerging professionals, as well as individuals and families. This is the time to showcase the most groundbreaking research and successful strategies in all areas of family and consumer sciences.

The 103rd Annual Conference educational objectives and an extensive list of possible topics, as well as other helpful information, are provided below.

Definition of a Theme-Based Educational Session
Educational Objectives
Sample Proposal Topics
Primary Areas of Content
Proposal Guidelines
Selection Criteria
Checklist
Proposals Accepted Online Only
Audio Visual Form
Frequently Asked Questions

DEFINITION OF A THEME-BASED EDUCATIONAL SESSION

Fits the conference theme.
Is 60 minutes, instructive, and non-commercial.*
Submitted by an individual presenter, or a team/group composed of AAFCS members and/or nonmembers.
Selected through a blind review process.

*Commercial information distribution and related presentations are limited to the Expo and exhibitor learning labs. Organizations and companies interested in participating in the conference should call 1-800-424-8080 or email connect@aafcs.org.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
Participants in the AAFCS 103rd Annual Conference will be able to:

Cultivate leadership skills applicable to professional practice in family and consumer sciences, the workplace, and the community.
Examine principles of transformative leadership for family and consumer sciences programs, public policy, curriculum, and multigenerational platforms.
Strengthen linkages between AAFCS communities and professionals with a shared vision for empowering individuals, families, and communities.
Create methods to establish goals for, strengthen partnerships with, and support the expansion of ongoing and emerging family and consumer sciences programs.
Effectively share the positive outcomes of family and consumer sciences programs with community leaders, stakeholders, and the media.
Apply FCS research findings that result in improvements to individual and family well-being.
Develop leadership competencies to organize, launch, inspire, and manage groups effectively.
Identify leadership skills for moving AAFCS members, communities, and affiliates from resolutions to reality.
Evaluate leadership skills utilized by family and consumer sciences professionals.

PROPOSAL TOPICS TO CONSIDER
AAFCS invited all of its Communities to submit sample proposal topics, which resulted in the list below. Use the sample topics as a guide when creating your proposal(s). You are also welcome to submit proposals on other topics that fit the conference theme, Connecting Professionals: Leadership in Action.

Successful Leadership in Addressing Community Issues
Strategies for Winning Collaborations
Saying More with Less: Winning Minimalism
Leadership Development for Tomorrow’s Families
Transformational Leadership: Collaborating, Recharging, and Energizing Initiatives
Maintaining Maximum Pace: Best Practices in Leading Actions
Victory Lane for Under-resourced Learners
Conserving Fuel: Tactics and Motivation for Increasing Productivity
Planning the Last Lap: Leadership Options in Retirement
Pit Row for Leadership Development through Community Partnerships
Connecting Professionals through Collaborations, Coalitions, Networks, and Organizations
Collaboration with Panache: Engagement, Ethics, & Etiquette
Consortiums, Seminars, Symposiums: Satisfying and Unifying Shareholders
Negotiation Techniques to Get Sponsors On-board
Leadership Strategies in Addressing Critical FCS Issues
Utilizing Strong Leadership Skills to Empower Families
Leadership Skills to Empower FCS Professionals
Providing Leadership and Support for FCS Professionals and Programs
Leadership and Partnerships with Corporations
Panel Sharing Success Stories of Leadership in Action
After Retirement, Then What?: Avenues of Involvement
Interior Innovations: Leading Strategies in Fashion and Design
Changing Lanes: Moving from Corporate to Freelance
The Checkered Flag: Creating Actionable Objectives
Taking the Fear out of Fearsome Financial Investments
Empty? Nutrient Dense and Healthful Refueling Concepts
Avoiding Crash and Burn: Nutritious Meal Management for Busy Individuals and Families
Taking the Reins for Aging Parents and Loved Ones

PRIMARY AREAS OF CONTENT

Apparel, Design & Textiles
Business & Entrepreneurship
Changing Societal Demographics
Educational Technology/Social Media
Elementary, Secondary & Adult Education
Energy Resources
Environmental Issues/Quality of Living
Family Economics & Resource Management
Family Relations & Human Development
Food Safety
Health & Wellness
Healthy Aging
International/Global Perspective
Leadership/Capacity Building
Multicultural Programming
Nutrition
Food Management
Partnerships & Collaboration
Poverty, Unemployment & Food Insecurity
Public Policy/Community Advocacy
Teacher Education

THEME-BASED EDUCATIONAL SESSION PROPOSAL GUIDELINES
A panel of experts from FCS subject areas will conduct a blind review of all non-commercial theme-based educational sessions* and the Annual Conference Program Advisory Committee will make the final program selection. Both AAFCS members and nonmembers are invited to submit proposals.

To improve your chances of acceptance:

Submit your proposal online. Proposals were only accepted through the online proposal submission system.
Be sure the proposal content fits the conference theme and demonstrates its integrative nature.
Collaborate with presenters and panelists from outside organizations.
Use the selection criteria in the next section as a guide to writing a successful proposal.

Please note: Proposal submitters must be able to present on ANY day of the conference, since the schedule is subject to change.

SELECTION CRITERIA FOR THEME-BASED EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS
Each proposal will be evaluated based upon the following criteria:

Proposal relevant to conference theme (20 points)
Presents current research, trends, or new initiatives of FCS (15 points)
Topic has broad spectrum of interest for FCS professionals (10 points)
Concepts are practical and useful for implementation (10 points)
Evidence of validity of content (10 points)
Knowledge of subject area (10 points)
Proposal is creative/visionary (5 points)
Proposal has an integrative focus (5 points)
Instructional design allows for participant interaction (5 points)
Clear learning objectives (5 points)
Logical organization of proposal (5 points)

Each proposal will receive one additional point if the submitter (must also present) is an AAFCS member or holds a CFCS, CFCS-HDFS, CFCS-HNFS, or CPFFE professional certification (two points if both). For assistance with writing learning objectives, please refer to Bloom's Taxonomy of Thinking Skills. (http://www.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy.htm).

PROPOSAL CHECKLIST
Before you begin submitting your proposal(s) online, be sure you have the following information:

Presenter(s)*

Order of presenters (if multiple presenters)
Name
Contact information
Membership status and membership number, if applicable
Credential(s) in family and consumer sciences and other relevant credentials or degrees
Years of professional experience

*information not provided to jurors

Session(s)

Title (max. 150 characters)
Description (max. 500 characters)
Length of time
Anticipated number of attendees
AV and room set-up needs
Primary area of content
Learning objectives
Learning Format Utilized
Outline

PROPOSALS ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY
AAFCS uses an online proposal management and processing system for submission of all sessions and events. The proposal submission system closed on October 17th, 2011, at 11:59pm. If you were not able to submit your educational session this year, please consider submitting for Putting Research into Practice (formerly Research to Practice Rounds). More information can be found here.

AUDIO VISUAL INFORMATION

The Audio Visual Rental Form can be found here. In order to rent from the AV company, please fill out this form and mail it to Greg Alexander, 350 W. Maryland St., Indianapolis, IN 46255. You may also email it to Greg at peter.alexander@whitelodging.com.

Remember, registration opens in mid-January!