Teaching Exchange Symposium 2025: Call for Proposals

Building a Thriving Teaching Practice

March 19, 2025 | In-Person | 8 am - 3:30 pm
March 26, 2025 | Online | 8 am - 3:30 pm

Are you passionate about creating meaningful learning experiences for your students? Join us for our inaugural Teaching Exchange Symposium, where we'll explore practices that energize and inspire learning. This unique gathering brings together educators from across disciplines to share strategies, spark new ideas, and build a community of practice centered on teaching excellence.

Our theme, "Cultivating Purpose, Nurturing Growth: Building a Thriving Teaching Practice," focuses on humanistic approaches and practices across all disciplines that center the people engaged in the learning process and foster the holistic development of instructors, students, and instructional support specialists. In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, we need approaches that balance innovation with sustainability, technology with human connection, and academic rigor with well-being.  Through this symposium, we'll explore practical ways to create learning environments where everyone can thrive.

Key Dates

• Proposal Deadline: January 19, 2025, by midnight (MST).
• Notification: Week of February 3, 2025
• In-Person Event: March 19, 2025, 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM, SUMC
• Virtual Event: March 26, 2025, 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM, Zoom

Who Can Submit?

We welcome proposals from University of Arizona faculty, staff, and students across all disciplines. 

Program Tracks

We are seeking sessions that may address one or more of the following topics:

• Curriculum and Course Design: Approaches to creating engaging, balanced coursework that considers students' well-being and relevance beyond the classroom
• Assessment Practices: Creative methods for designing flexible assignments that honor student autonomy and equitably promote success.
• Technology & AI Integration: Human-centered practices that incorporate digital resources across learning environments, prioritizing connection and accessibility.
• Professional Growth & Well-being: Cultivating a thriving teaching practice and personal well-being through skills-building, peer support, and self-care practices.

Session Types (60 minutes each)

Take & Go Workshops

Perfect for sharing concrete teaching techniques and practices. You'll guide participants through activities and help them develop implementation plans for their own classrooms. Ideal for sharing takeaways from completed or ongoing research projects.

• Hands-on learning of specific teaching strategies
• Example: 15-minute intro, 40-minute practice, 5-minute reflection
• Participants leave with ready-to-use action plans

Inspiration Station Showcases

Share your success story and help others adapt it to their context. These sessions bridge theory and practice by walking participants through a real-world example and facilitating thoughtful discussion about implementation in different settings.

• Case studies of successful teaching practices
• Example: 30-minute presentation and Q&A, 20-minute application planning, 10-minute reflection
• Focus on practical adaptation of ideas

Discovery Discussions

Designed for collaborative exploration of innovative practices, grand challenges, and research opportunities. As a facilitator team (2-4 experts), you'll guide an interactive discussion that draws on diverse perspectives and encourages participants to think critically about evolving approaches to teaching and learning.

• Expert-led conversations about evolving teaching practices
• Multiple perspectives on innovative approaches
• Emphasis on collective exploration and critical thinking

Choose Your Modality

The symposium offers two distinct participation options:

In-Person Sessions (March 19)

• Location: Student Union Memorial Center (SUMC), University of Arizona
• Sessions held in breakout rooms adjacent to the Grand Ballroom
• Room setup includes:
  • Tables arranged for groups of 6-8 participants
  • Large projection screen for digital presentations
  • Additional room details will be provided to selected facilitators

Virtual Sessions (March 26)

• Platform: Zoom
• Full technical support provided
• Interactive features available for engaging virtual participants

Flexibility Options

• When submitting, you'll indicate your preferred modality
• You may also note if you're willing to adapt your session for the alternative format
• Selected presenters will receive detailed setup and support information closer to the event

Note: Room configurations and technical specifications will be confirmed with selected presenters. We're committed to supporting you in creating an engaging experience in either format.

Selection Criteria

Each proposal will be reviewed by at least two members of our selection committee using a standardized rubric. Successful proposals demonstrate clear outcomes, practical applications, and thoughtful session design.

Your proposal will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Relevance & Impact

• Addresses current challenges in teaching and learning
• Demonstrates potential impact across different disciplines
• Aligns with symposium theme of "Cultivating Purpose, Nurturing Growth"

Innovation & Evidence-Based Practice

• Offers fresh insights or creative approaches
• Draws from the scholarship of teaching and learning, which includes interdisciplinary methods and approaches, reflections and participatory practices, and cultural ways of knowing
• Incorporates evidence of effectiveness

Session Alignment & Engagement

• All components are aligned to clear, achievable learning outcomes
• Includes specific plans for participant involvement and interaction
• Provides concrete takeaways and application ideas for participants

Accessibility & Inclusivity

• Considers diverse learning preferences and needs
• Offers multiple ways to engage with content and each other (Universal Design for Learning)
• Provides clear scaffolding for participant learning