2024 Annual Meeting: Holmes Preconference

The 2024 AACTE Annual Meeting will take place on February 16 – 18, in Aurora/Denver, Colorado. The Holmes Preconference will be held on Thursday, February 15 and Friday, February 16. Proposals are now being accepted for the Holmes Preconference. This is an excellent opportunity to present your research to your peers and obtain feedback in an open and supportive environment. Proposals are encouraged to contribute to the AACTE conference theme:  Ascending New Heights:  Propelling the Profession Into the Future. Holmes Program participants may submit more than one proposal.

Please review the session descriptions below and submit your proposal before the submission deadline on Sunday, October 29, 2023, at 11:59pm PST. Proposals should not exceed 500 words excluding references.

Session Descriptions:

Roundtable – 30 minutes: This is a relaxed session format for master’s and doctoral (PhD, EdD) students who have started to formulate their research but are seeking feedback. Presenters will provide a brief overview of their research interest, a concise description of their proposed study or research line, followed by a discussion with session participants. Participants can bring a short presentation or 1-page handouts to support their session. During the discussion, presenters can pose questions, seek advice, or discuss alternate approaches to their study design.

Job Panel – 20 minutes: This session is open only to doctoral candidates or graduates who have completed their dissertation. Presenters will have approximately 15 minutes to discuss their dissertation (theoretical framework, method, results, significance) and future research/teaching/service agenda in front of a panel of faculty members. After their presentation, they will have 5 minutes to answer questions from the audience and panel, as well as receive feedback from the panel.

3 Minute Thesis – 3 minutes: This session is open to master and doctoral students and provides an opportunity to propose their research. Individuals will have 3 minutes and may use 1 static PowerPoint slide and their voice (no props, no costumes) during the presentation. This session will provide individuals an opportunity to practice an elevator speech about their line of research.

Poster Session – 60 minutes: This session is open to master and doctoral students. Participants selected will display and present their research in poster format.  Participants will also have an opportunity to engage with conference attendees. Presenters should be prepared to summarize, expand on elements, and answer questions about their research.

Dissertation Funding Competition (DFC): This competition is open to doctoral candidates only. The purpose of the DFC is to support candidates’ dissertation research-related expenses. Selected candidates will present their anticipated dissertation at the “pre-data collection”  stage (i.e., not completed). Their presentation will be evaluated using a rubric that will be shared with the presenters and judges. Candidates seeking to compete in the DFC will also need to submit a letter confirming doctoral candidacy/proposal defense prior to pre-conference from their department/university affiliate to qualify.

Evaluation Criteria

All submissions will be evaluated for acceptance using the following evaluation criteria:

1. Timely submission: Only submissions received by 11:59pm PST on Sunday, October 29, 2023, will be considered for acceptance.

1. Research background/literature described clearly and concisely: Description of research is understandable by a universal  audience and free of subject specific jargon.
2. Purpose of research and research questions: Proposal has a clear research purpose statement and research question (this will be variable for roundtable sessions)
3. Methodology: Description of research methodology is clear and detailed so that the reviewer can understand the research process. No jargon.
4. Goals clearly stated: Goals are clearly stated in a way that is easy to follow and provides adequate detail.
5. Innovation of study, results and/or methodology: A brief description of the novelty or significance of the methods and/or results is provided.
6. Spelling, grammar, punctuation: Proposal is free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

All questions should be submitted to Kimberly Lawson, Holmes Research coordinator, at holmesresearchcommittee@gmail.com.