Abstract Submission Requirements

Abstract Portal Call for Abstracts Evaluation Rubrics

The Need to Know

Entries that do not adhere to all submission guidelines will be disqualified and will not be reviewed. To assure an anonymous review, submissions (abstracts, appendix, files, and file names) must NOT include author(s) name(s), institutional affiliation(s), course number(s), or other forms of identification in the image or file names (including photographs, curriculum vitae, or assignments in the appendix). Entries that do not adhere to this guideline will be disqualified.

All submissions must be made using the online submission portal, which will provide further instructions regarding contact information, how to submit an abstract and other relevant information. Only abstracts submitted through the online process will be accepted for review.

Duplicate submissions to multiple presentation formats (e.g., the same abstract submitted to the poster and presentation category; the same abstract submitted to the Creative Scholarship and SOTL category, etc.), another conference or venue (including IDEC regional conference), and abstracts that have been published or presented previously are not allowed and will not be accepted for review.

Abstract submissions must include —

Scholarship category

Creative Scholarship, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL), Scholarship of Design Research (SODR), Scholarship of Design Practice (SODP), Teaching and Learning (TL) in the Round, Workshop, Spark Session.

In addition to the general submission form, *Creative Scholarship entry requirements are listed below.

Format

Presentation, Poster, Panel, TL, Workshop, Spark Session

Content Area(s)

Check multiple boxes (The content areas will be used to schedule the presentations)

  • People and Culture
  • Globalism & Multiculturalism (including Study Abroad)
  • History & Theory
  • Human-Centered Design 
  • Ecological & Environmental Stewardship
  • Technology
  • Atmospheric Conditions
  • Open Content Area (please specify)

Title of abstract

Maximum 75 characters, including spaces.

Abstract

  • Ensure the abstract follows the requirements for the intended category and format. 
  • Maximum 5000 characters, including spaces, including in-text citations and headings. Online submission does not support footnotes or endnotes.
  • Please follow the guidance/submission requirements above for workshop submission.

References

  • Must include one reference for all SOTL, SODR, and SODP submissions. May submit up to five. 
  • Authors may utilize APA, MLA, Chicago Style, or any nationally recognized format that best represents the author’s style of scholarship.

Appendix

An appendix is required for the following submission categories and formats:

  • Creative Scholarship
  • Teaching and Learning in the Round
  • Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL)
  • Scholarship of Design Research (SODR)
  • Scholarship of Design Practice (SODP)
  • All poster submissions, regardless of category

Submissions in any of the categories or formats listed above must include an appendix. Submissions without the required appendix will be disqualified and will not be reviewed. An appendix is not required for Panel, Workshop, or Spark Session submissions. Workshop submissions should follow the specific requirements listed in the Workshop Call. If a submission category or format does not require an appendix, authors may still choose to include one.

Appendix Format

To ensure inclusion in the 2027 proceedings, appendices must follow the format below:

  • Submit as a single PDF file
  • Maximum length: 5 pages
  • Maximum file size: 10 MB
  • Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches
  • Orientation: Portrait
  • Margins: 1 inch / 2.54 cm
  • No headers or footers
  • Use a standard font such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman

To support accessibility and publication in the conference proceedings, all images, figures, tables, charts, and other visual materials included in the appendix should include clear descriptive captions and alt text. Captions and alt text should briefly describe the visual content, purpose, and relevance to the submission. For more information, please see www.section508.gov/create/alternative-text/ 

The appendix may include appropriate supplemental materials such as project outlines, project statements, examples of student work or outcomes, images, tables, charts, diagrams, or other supporting documentation relevant to the submission. All supplemental materials must be included within the 5-page limit.

Additional Requirement for Creative Scholarship

Creative Scholarship appendices must include 5–10 images of the work within the 5-page maximum. Single or multiple images per page are acceptable. Descriptive text or captions are strongly encouraged to provide clarity.

Please ensure all images and text are scaled appropriately for viewing at 8.5 x 11 inches in the published proceedings.

For larger media files, such as movies, animations, or films, authors should include a link to an accessible cloud storage location in the submission form. To maintain blind review, the cloud storage link, folder name, file name, and any visible account information should not include author names or institutional identifiers.

If an alternate submission format is needed, authors must contact the Creative Scholarship Coordinator at least two weeks before the submission deadline.

  • Please name the appendix using an abbreviated title of the abstract (e.g., titleofabstractsyllabus.pdf or titleofabstractproject.pdf). No identifying information (author name, school name, author photo, any included photographs/images, course name and number, etc.) is allowed in the appendix. Any submission with an appendix that includes identifying information will not be reviewed.

Additional Information

The following information is required for all submission categories and formats but is not included in the anonymous review process.

Authors

Use the online submission form to list author(s) and institution(s) in order. All panels, presentation, and poster primary authors and co-authors must be listed to facilitate accuracy in scheduling presentations.

Checkbox

The submission portal will ask the author to verify the following before submitting an abstract for review:

  • My submitted abstract and appendices (if included) have no identifying information.
  •  I have only submitted my abstract to one presentation format.
  •  I have not submitted my abstract to another conference or venue, nor has my abstract been published or presented previously.
  • Does your abstract promote health, safety, and welfare? If yes, please check the box. 

Fees

Submission(s) requiring payment can be made online through the submission portal. Only payment by credit card is permitted. Submission fees are non-refundable. Rates are as follows:

  • IDEC members: a maximum of 2 submissions across any presentation format or category as first author are free to IDEC members. Members must supply a membership number.
  • Non-members or additional submissions for IDEC members: $25.00 for each submission.
  • Non-member Students: $15.00 for each submission

Schedule of Presentation

The content areas will be used to schedule the presentations. Additionally, every effort will be made to avoid conflict in presentation times when the conference schedule is created. The inclusion of co-author/co-presenter and panelist names is necessary at the time of submission, even if their attendance has not yet been confirmed. Once the schedule is set, changes are not possible due to the pairing of paper topics and the many demands of conference scheduling. We appreciate your understanding.

Conference Proceedings

All submissions accepted and presented at the conference will be published in the Conference Proceedings, which will be published in the summer after the conference. The abstract and appendix submitted for the review process will be published in the proceedings following the conference. If the appendix requirements noted above are not followed, a submission will not be included in the proceedings. There will be no opportunity for additional edits. Those who do not present at the conference will not be included in the conference proceedings.

Questions

For technical questions or help resolving submission issues, contact info@idec.org.

SOTL, SODR, and SODP Questions

For SOTL, SODR, SODP, and Spark Sessions questions, please contact the conference Abstract Review Coordinator and the Scholarship Collaborative Coordinator. 

IDEC Scholarship Collaborative Coordinator

Rana Abudayyeh, Associate Professor
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
rabudayy@utk.edu

IDEC Abstract Review Coordinator

Kendra Locklear Ordia, Assistant Professor
University of North Carolina Charlotte
kordia@charlotte.edu

Creative Scholarship Questions

For Creative Scholarship questions, please contact the Creative Scholarship Coordinator and copy the conference Abstract Review Coordinator and the Scholarship Collaborative Coordinator.

IDEC Creative Scholarship Coordinator

Jennifer Meakins, Assistant Professor
University of Kentucky
j.meakins@uky.edu

IDEC Scholarship Collaborative Coordinator

Rana Abudayyeh, Associate Professor
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
rabudayy@utk.edu 

IDEC Abstract Review Coordinator

Kendra Locklear Ordia, Assistant Professor
University of North Carolina Charlotte
kordia@charlotte.edu

Teaching and Learning in the Round Questions

For Teaching and Learning in the Round questions, please contact the Teaching Collaborative Coordinator.

IDEC Coordinator of Teaching Collaborative

Collette Cosminski, Assistant Professor
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
collette.cosminski@louisiana.edu

Workshop Questions

For Workshop questions, please contact the Director of Scholarship.

IDEC Director of Scholarship

Dr. Sarah Alfaro, Associate Professor
Ball State University
smangnealfar@bsu.edu

Abstract Portal Call for Abstracts Evaluation Rubrics

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