NACCTEP'S Leading the Way in Community College Teacher Education Programs is the premier conference for everyone who is involved with or supportive of community college teacher education or early childhood programs. Faculty, deans, presidents, chancellors, students, educational organizations, and educational partners should plan to attend. One of the most powerful ways of learning involves interacting with others dedicated to a common cause. This unique conference provides an excellent opportunity for you to showcase your programs, network with colleagues, share knowledge and experiences, and shape the future by exploring a magnificent collection of diversified learning opportunities.

Join the most energetic community colleges professionals at Leading the Way as they come together to share ideas about how community colleges are taking the lead in preparing tomorrow's teachers. NACCTEP invites you to showcase your college's innovative partnership, practice, program, or policy that supports the conference theme.

NACCTEP is encouraging proposals focused on recruiting and supporting diverse teacher education students; teaching with technology; alternative teacher preparation programs at community colleges; increasing mathematics and science teachers; assessment and accreditation issues, developing meaningful field placement partnerships; enhancing the credentialing of early childhood professionals; and supplementing budget shortfalls.

Proposal Strands

Partnerships - Showcase the innovative and new ways that your community college or program is working with others to develop strong teacher education or early childhood programs. Partnership proposals highlight such things as increasing recruitment opportunities for students; articulation efforts with high schools or public and private universities, including persistence strategies that support program retention and completion; or collaborations with entities committed to strengthening quality teacher education programs, including documenting student success. Entities may include businesses, other educational institutions, state departments of education, K-12 schools, early childhood centers, or organizations.

Practice - Highlight your teacher education or early childhood program(s) that demonstrate quality recruitment and preparation of teacher education students in the community college. Proposals may include such things as recruitment strategies increasing the diversity of prospective teachers; contextual learning across all content areas including instructional strategies and techniques for nurturing student interest and engagement; program evaluation; data collection; successful implementation of standards; quality curriculum; student support services; field experience programs; developing critical-thinking skills; or any unique approach eliminating a stumbling block(s) to success.

Programs - Provide examples of quality teacher education or early childhood programs that have evidence of success. Model programs will include community college teacher preparation programs; effective interdisciplinary initiatives that include math or science; post baccalaureate programs; community college certification programs; paraprofessional programs; early childhood programs; alternative certification; distance learning; interactive computer-aided instruction; learning communities; community college baccalaureate programs; special education programs; professional development programs; and initiatives that address the moral and ethical dimensions of teaching.

Policy - Characterize the innovative way(s) your community college is working toward influencing professional standards; certification/licensure issues; advocacy; No Child Left Behind; legal issues; state policies; program evaluations; policy issues impacting quality teacher education; accountability mandates; or other innovations designed to strengthen the education of current or future PreK-20 teachers. To increase the policy strand, these proposals will be given a higher priority by the proposal committee.

How to Submit a Session Proposal

Breakout presentations may include one or more speakers in a small, classroom setting. Sessions are 60 minutes in length and highlight successful and innovative programs or practices by colleges or consortiums. Breakout sessions are scheduled for Saturday, March 3, 2012. All presenters are required to register and pay the conference fee.

Proposals must include the following items:

1. A summary of the presentation for the conference program. Booklet requirements are: 50 word maximum, written in a 3rd person narrative. NACCTEP reserves the right to edit content for space and consistency.

2. A 500 word maximum description of proposed presentation being considered by the program committee. As you develop your proposal, please keep the following items in mind:

• How is your proposal innovative or creative?
• Does your proposal address a current issue?
• Did you include key details to make the concept of your proposal clear?
• Is your proposal related to the conference strands: partnerships, practice, programs, or policy?
• Does the proposal clearly incorporate the conference theme?
• Are components of NACCTEP’s Mission & Goals incorporated into the proposal?
• Does your session include hands-on learning or teaching?
• How will the attendees be engaged during this session?

3. A brief description of presentation format, including intended audience.

4. Implementation date.

5. A complete description of AV equipment requested for your presentation. Can presentation be modified if equipment is not available? Pricing information for AV equipment per session:

• LCD Projector and Screen: $145
• Screen only: $50
• Internet: No charge for presenters (No Wireless)
• Fees for AV equipment not listed will be determined as needed.

6. Whether or not you have presented at a past NACCTEP national conference.

7. Please consider ways to actively engage your audience so all attendees continue to value this important conference.

All proposals must be received on or before Tuesday, October 18, 2011.

Proposal Acceptance Letter Notification

Acceptance letters will be sent via email in early November 2011. Upon receipt of this email, presenters must register for the NACCTEP national conference; all presenters must be paid conference registrants. At that time, presenters will be invoiced for AV equipment. All AV invoices must be paid by January 23, 2012.

Please contact Pam Asti at 480.731.8760 or pam.asti@domail.maricopa.edu with any questions regarding the proposal process.