Digital Learning Summit 2025 – Call for Proposals Closed
Dates: Tuesday, February 11 and Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Theme: Choosing Agility: Adapting to a New Era of Innovation in Digital Learning
The Division of Digital Learning at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is excited to invite proposals for the third Digital Learning Summit, where innovators will gather to explore the latest trends and technologies shaping the future of digital learning. This year’s theme, Choosing Agility: Adapting to a New Era of Innovation in Digital Learning, focuses on how to be agile when adapting to innovations and new technologies that are transforming the higher education landscape. We invite proposals from faculty, librarians, instructional designers, administrators, digital learning staff, students, and others in the digital learning community. Presentations will be virtual, using the conference platform Cvent.
Institutions are invited to host collaborative Idea Exchanges at their campuses using provided facilitator resources, such as interactive activities and discussion prompts. Details will be shared at a later date.
Session Topics
We invite session proposals related to the following topics:
AI in Action: Day-to-Day Applications – This topic explores the integration of AI into everyday institutional practices. Sessions will focus on the practical applications of AI in daily teaching, learning, student success, and administrative processes.
Adapting to Innovation: Cultivating an Agility Mindset –Examine strategic approaches to building an agile institutional culture. This topic addresses strategies for fostering an “agility mindset” across learning communities and practices that encourage exploration and adaptive responses. Sessions will focus on strategic leadership, policy development, and managing change in educational institutions in the age of AI.
Learner-Centered Innovation – Explore how learner-centered innovations drive student success and engagement. This topic highlights strategies, tools, and methodologies that place the student at the center of digital experiences, leveraging innovation to improve outcomes.
Emerging Innovations Beyond AI – This topic will feature panel discussions and sessions showcasing cutting-edge technologies outside of AI. It will explore how innovations such as virtual reality, holograms, simulations, and others are being used in educational settings, offering new dimensions of learning and engagement.
Session Formats
- Interactive Workshop (80 minutes): Hands-on, immersive sessions designed to offer practical, interactive experiences. Workshops should focus on skill-building, deep dives into technology tools, or collaborative problem-solving activities. Presenters will also provide facilitator resources for the institutional Idea Exchanges.
- Interactive Lecture (50 minutes): Includes presentations or panel discussions that engage the audience in dialogue and reflection. Sessions should introduce key ideas or innovations in digital learning, followed by a Q&A or interactive elements that allow participants to engage with the content.
- General Presentation (50 minutes): Presenters showcase their innovative digital learning ideas, programs, and practices in this format.
- Lightning Talks (10-15 minutes): Short, focused presentations highlighting specific institutional activities, program successes, research findings, or case studies. Showcase sessions offer a platform for institutions to share innovative practices or insights in a concise format.
- Other (50 minutes): Have an idea that does not fit those session types? We are excited to hear about unique and innovative formats that push the boundaries of traditional conference presentations.
Submission Guidelines:
All proposals must include the following information.
Presenter Information:
- Name(s)
- Institution(s)
- Contact Information
- Profile picture
- A brief bio for each presenter
- Include up to four co-presenters
Session Title: Catchy and descriptive, approximately 10 – 20 words
Abstract: Maximum 1500 characters, summarizing your proposal.
Session Topic:
- AI in Action: Day-to-Day Applications
- Adapting to Innovation: Cultivating an Agility Mindset
- Learner-Centered Innovation
- Emerging Innovations beyond AI
Session Format:
- Interactive Workshop (80 minutes)
- Interactive Lecture (50 minutes)
- Lightning Talks (10-15 minutes)
- General Presentation (50 minutes)
- Other (will require a description of the proposed session format, proposals can be for sessions lasting 50 minutes)
Learning Objectives: Up to three objectives. These are the goals for the session. Consider what you want the audience to know or take away from the session. For example, “After the presentation, the attendees will be able to describe three emerging technologies and possible applications in their courses.”
Review Criteria:
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following:
- Relevance to the Summit Theme
- Clarity and Structure
- Session Engagement and Interactivity
- Contribution to Advancing Digital Learning
Key Dates:
Proposal Submission Deadline: November 22, 2024, 11:59 p.m. CT
Anticipated Notification of Acceptance: Early December 2024
Conference Dates: February 11 and 12, 2025