Call for Abstracts

DEADLINE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2024

Update: In light of the hurricane activity in the southeastern half of the U.S., and the safety and well-being of our IDEC members and institutions in the affected areas, we would like to extend our concern and support. The abstract submission portal for the 2025 Annual Meeting will remain open until October 1 for anyone affected by the hurricane. Please note that this extension applies only to those under hurricane warnings and experiencing power outages. If you have anyone questions, please contact us at info@idec.org.

Submit Your Abstract View Submission Requirements View Submission Rubrics

The Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) invites educators and practitioners from around the globe to submit abstracts that explore and celebrate all facets of interior design, its teaching, and scholarship, including history, theory, practice, pedagogy, interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as diversity, equity & inclusion, social & environmental stewardship, or other topic/s of current and/or continuing relevance. Authors are invited to submit creative and/or scholarly abstracts that engage various modes of inquiry. However, all submissions are expected to contain original scholarship or ideas not previously presented at scholarly venues, including regional and previous IDEC conferences. Abstracts are blind-reviewed by qualified reviewers who score submissions to determine presentations for the IDEC 2025 Annual Conference to be held in Chicago, IL on March 16 – 19, 2025.

Deadlines and Schedule

September 25, 2024	Abstract submission deadline. Submission process must be completed no later than 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time.
November 20, 2024	Authors notified of abstract acceptance/rejection with reviewer scores/comments.
December 11, 2024	Deadline for authors to confirm intent to present.
January 15, 2025	Schedule of Presentations provided to authors.
January 24, 2025	Early Bird Conference Registration ends.
March 16-19, 2025	IDEC 2025 Annual Conference held in Chicago, Illinois

Scholarship Categories

All abstracts submitted for review must be identified by one of the categories outlined below:

Creative Scholarship: 1)Design as Concept, or 2) Design as Tangible Built Form
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL)
Scholarship of Design Research (SODR)
Scholarship of Design Practice (SODP)

Creative Scholarship (CS)

Design as Concept

This category explores the entire spectrum of unbuilt design. Submissions should include 2D and/or 3D visual explorations of design ideas, which may speculate on various theories, research, concepts, or frameworks. Submissions should clarify their relationship to interior design or interiority and include research positioning the work in a larger context of creative works and/or theories by others. Entries are encouraged to include materials that effectively communicate the connection between the proposed project and the ideas, notions, or concepts explored. The representational components of the entry may include diagrams, illustrations, collages, models, drawings, etc., but should not include a fully executed/constructed tangible built form at full scale.

Design as Tangible Built Form

This category explores the entire spectrum of built objects and completed installations or temporary interiors. This category seeks completed works of furniture, lighting, textile design, product design, sculpture, installation, performance, temporary interiors, and/or interactive design in scaled format. Submissions should discuss a larger design idea or notion and clarify their relationship to the interior or interiority. Submissions should include research or theoretical positioning of the work in a larger context of creative works by others. Entries are encouraged to include plan/sectional information as appropriate to works of the interior, architecture, furniture, and/or product design. Works must be fully completed before the time of submission and may be produced in any media. Works of executed permanent interior and architectural design as a case study may be best aligned for submission in the Scholarship of Design Practice category.

Any *Creative Scholarship submission of any format must include an appendix. Without an appendix, the submission will be disqualified and not reviewed. (Please refer to submission requirements below for appendix requirements).

SOTL, SODR, and SODP SCHOLARSHIP

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL)

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) abstracts emphasize relevant teaching, projects, curriculum, or pedagogy in interior design. SOTL abstracts should identify the topic or question, project intent, curriculum development or pedagogy, and present the process of development or instructional methods, as well as student outcomes, work, or learning, and provide resulting insight for teaching and learning. It is expected that the scholarship presented will have reached preliminary conclusions and/or implications that can be shared with the audience. Work should be complete at the time of submission and this should be reflected in the abstract. The scholarship that is in process or preliminary in nature should be submitted as a poster. Any SOTL submission must include an appendix. Without an appendix, the submission will be disqualified and not reviewed. (Please refer to submission requirements below for appendix requirements).

Scholarship of Design Research (SODR)

Scholarship of Design Research (SODR) abstracts explore theoretical, historical, or practical aspects of the interior design discipline in both practice and education. Scholarship of Design Research abstracts should define the question or problem explored, place the question in context, present the method of investigation, approach, or position, as well as highlight the argument or conclusions of the investigation, and identify an essential contribution to the discipline of interior design. Any SODR submission must include an appendix. Without an appendix, the submission will be disqualified and not reviewed. (Please refer to submission requirements below for appendix requirements).

Scholarship of Design Practice (SODP)

Scholarship of Design Practice (SODP) abstracts delve into the dynamic interplay between theory and practice within the field of interior design. This platform welcomes both educators and practitioners to submit case studies or firm-based research that encapsulate the driving forces, context, and objectives of their design projects or material research and development. Emphasizing the significance of these endeavors, the abstracts should aim to summarize the most pertinent issues, challenges, or dilemmas encountered throughout the process. It should share the paths explored, offer relevant frameworks, data, analysis, insights, and findings, and propose knowledge that can be applied in various contexts. Any SODP submission must include an appendix. Without an appendix, the submission will be disqualified and not reviewed. (Please refer to submission requirements below for appendix requirements).

FORMATS for Creative Scholarship, SOTL, SODR, and SODP

All abstracts submitted for review must align with one of the formats described below.

Each presentation format has unique characteristics that support particular types of information or processes. It is encouraged that these characteristics be considered when preparing abstracts for review.

Please Note: Creative Scholarship, may only be submitted within the Presentation or Poster formats.

Presentations

Presentations provide an opportunity for formal presentation of scholarly work. This format is best suited for the scholarship that has reached conclusions and/or implications that can be shared and that can elicit questions and comments. Presentations are 30 minutes in length, including time for discussion. When preparing a presentation please plan for and leave time for the Q and A session. See rubrics for evaluation criteria. Presentations that are not recommended for acceptance may be considered for acceptance in the poster category.

Panels

Panels encourage open discussion and opinions. Up to two moderators may submit the abstract proposal and invite up to five additional participants. No panelist names should appear in the abstract though their names should be listed as co-presenters at the time of submission (this facilitates conflict-free scheduling). The topic proposed in the abstract should be one that would benefit from diverse opinions and open discussion. Panel presentations are 60 minutes in length, including time for presentation and discussion. See rubrics for evaluation criteria. No appendix is required for any category with a “panel” submission.

Posters

Posters utilize a graphic format intended to foster one-on-one dialogue between the presenter and conference attendees. This category is optimal for a scholarship that is preliminary, ongoing, or will benefit from informal presentation and discussion. Abstracts submitted in this category must include a description of/or information concerning the graphic presentation being proposed (medium, format, etc.). The poster must be 36” H X 42” W. Posters will be presented in an open forum at a designated time(s) during the conference. At least one presenter must be present during the designated time slot. Therefore, only one poster submission per person will be accepted. See rubrics for evaluation criteria. Any abstract submitted in the poster category (SOTL, SODR, SODP, or Creative Scholarship) must have an appendix.

Graduate Student Submissions

Graduate students are encouraged to submit within the poster category. However, graduate students may submit individually or participate with a sponsoring faculty member in any of the above formats. Graduate students will identify their status on the online submission form.

Note: Each non-member student submitting as the lead author must upload documentation to prove status as a current student. Documentation can be either 1) an unofficial transcript for the current semester or 2) a signed letter by a faculty member on the school’s letterhead verifying the student’s status.

Other Submission Categories

Teaching and Learning (TL) In The Round

Presenters are encouraged to submit projects, assignments, or other planned learning activities that have been developed and facilitated by an Interior Design educator, with the intent to advance creativity and effectiveness in the teaching and learning of Interior Design. Abstract descriptions of an innovative teaching method or practice should clearly define how it applies to interior design education and describe how the presenter will engage attendees.

The accepted proposals will showcase innovative teaching methods and include examples of student work. Presentations are expected to be highly interactive between the presenter and participants. A combination of digital and hard copy media is encouraged. Presenters should anticipate that participants will be attending the presentations with the intent of using the assignment/project in one of their courses and should organize the presentation to make this adoption process as easy as possible. Appendices are required for all Teaching and Learning in the Round abstract submissions. Any TL submission must include an appendix, Without an appendix the submission will be disqualified and not reviewed. (Please refer to submission requirements below for appendix requirements).

Presentation Format: Each TL in the Round session is one hour long. The three presenters will present/repeat their innovative teaching method three different (3) times for 20 minutes each time during the 1-hour session allowing attendees to participate in all three of the presentations. Presentations are in a round table format, hence TL in the Round. Presenters are to use their personal laptops and plan accordingly. No projectors or screens will be available and power outlets may be limited.

Note: To assure a blind review, please take careful attention that submissions (abstract, 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.

Workshop

Workshops are interactive sessions intended to provide participants with skills, knowledge, and experiences that extend beyond the conference. These sessions focus on exploring specific topics collaboratively or offering educational tutorials on a particular theme. IDEC invites you to propose a workshop for Chicago’s 2025 Annual IDEC Conference. Workshops can be proposed by either individuals or teams, with one person designated as the lead organizer. The duration of workshops can vary, ranging from full-day (8-hour) and half-day (4-hour) sessions to 90-minute concurrent sessions. They can incorporate various formats, such as presentations, working sessions, or tours, to engage the intended audience effectively. While Interior Design Educators are the primary audience for the Annual Meeting, we encourage proposals that might attract part-time faculty, practitioners, and students across the discipline. Your workshop should aim to offer an open platform for discussing cutting-edge topics and methodologies and exploring their potential applications in the future of the interior design discipline. The IDEC board members will review the proposals for acceptance.

Submission Requirements for Workshop:

Title (75 characters maximum)
Abstract (800 characters maximum): A summary defining the purpose, goals, outcomes, and intended audience for this workshop. Please note: This will be used for workshop promotion and the conference program.
Description (2000 characters maximum): Outline the workshop format or means of engaging the audience, the topics covered, the intended audience, and the outcomes that audience members will take away. Submitters must indicate if the proposal is a full-day (8 hours), half-day (4 hours), or session (90 minutes) in this section.
Budget: Specify the registration costs for members, non-members, and students attending this workshop. Additionally, outline expenses for facilitation resources (e.g., large-format paper, markers) and detail the required space and technology (be specific about the technological needs, for example- AV needs, devices, wifi, etc.). Indicate how much IDEC staff member time will be needed.
References: All submissions require references in APA or MLA format, with a maximum of 5 references.