Call for Workshop Proposals: Learning and Thinking That Make a Difference Conference

Do you use Project Zero ideas and frameworks in your classroom, school, or organization? 

Are you excited about supporting the work and learning of colleagues? 

Propose an interactive workshop for this PZ-PGH conference! 

Background

Project Zero (PZ), an educational research center at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is designing a one-day conference for Pre-K – 12 educators  that will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. The conference is organized by Northgate School District and will be held at the MuseumLab in Pittsburgh. The conference will feature a keynote address by a Project Zero researcher as well as small interactive workshops designed and facilitated by educators with experience using and adapting PZ research and frameworks in their classrooms, schools, and organizations. Through whole group sessions and interactive workshops, participating educators will learn tools and strategies for engaging diverse groups of students in compelling and powerful learning experiences that will help to prepare students for success in an increasingly  complex world. 

Invitation from Project Zero to Submit Workshops Proposals

We are delighted to  invite you to submit a proposal for an interactive workshop. Successful workshop proposals will give participants hands-on experience with  one or more Project Zero frameworks, concepts, tools, or techniques.. Workshop proposals will include the opportunity for participants to see/ hear( briefly) what you have learned as you have used the featured frameworks, concepts, and/or tools and will focus primarily on giving  participants the chance to practice with those frameworks, concepts, and/or tools. 

Further guidelines and the link to the proposal form are included at the end of this overview.  

Proposal Review Process 

Once you submit your proposal, Project Zero and Northgate School District will work together to review the proposals and make selections for the conference. Members of the Project Zero Learning and Outreach team, led by Tina Blythe, may reach out to offer suggestions to strengthen the proposed workshop design. 

Process Timeline

• Friday, February 16: Form and proposals for interactive workshops due. 
• Friday, February 23: Decisions about proposal selection will be communicated
• Friday, March 1: Workshop facilitators confirm their acceptance of the role. 

Guidelines for Proposals

As you prepare your proposal, please keep in mind the following guidelines: 

Workshop Content and Format

• Workshops must be interactive, with multiple opportunities (in small groups and/or individually) for participants to discuss experiences, practice using tools, reflect on questions, make or create objects, get feedback, etc. These are NOT lectures or paper presentations.
• Workshops should directly connect to one or more of the Project Zero frameworks and explicitly illustrate how Project Zero research, tools, and ideas have been put into practice.  Workshop leaders are expected to briefly share their process and experiences of translating Project Zero ideas into their geographic, educational, and cultural context and the impact that these ideas have had on their own work as educators. Participants should leave with new strategies and ideas that they can apply in their own contexts. 

Workshop Logistics

• Each workshop is 1 hour and 45 minutes long.
• Facilitators should be willing to offer their workshop once or twice, depending on the conference needs.
• Most workshops will have 15-25 participants. Facilitators should prepare materials for up to 25 participants per workshop. If you can work with more than 25 participants in your workshop, please indicate this in the appropriate space in your proposal submission. 

Workshop Facilitators

• Priority will be given to workshops proposed by local or regional educators.
• Each workshop can be led by up to two facilitators. 
• Workshop facilitators will be invited to participate in a virtual, 90 minute faculty meeting 1 – 2 weeks prior to the conference. The faculty meeting will give workshop facilitators a chance to learn about one another’s workshops and to share ideas about facilitating  workshops effectively. The Project Zero keynote speaker will also attend the meeting to share a preview of the talk they will be giving at the beginning of conference in order to highlight some important themes that workshop facilitators may choose to reference in their own workshops during the day.  
• There is no compensation for workshop facilitators; however, facilitators may attend other sessions at the conference when not facilitating.
• Workshop facilitators are responsible for their own transportation and lodging costs.

Workshop Proposal Submission ProcessPlease submit your proposal by completing the following two steps: (1) Complete this form (made with Airtable software, like Google forms), so we’ll have your basic information, (2) complete this  workshop proposal form. The deadline for submitting a workshop proposal is Friday, February 16, 2024.