This page was copied directly from the FabLearn 2019 website. Please read thoroughly and update where necessary!
Call for Submissions
FabLearn 2019 invites submissions for its eighth annual conference, to be held on March 9-10, 2019 at Teachers College, Columbia University.
The conference theme in 2019 is: “What role does Maker Education play in a world with growing social and environmental challenges?” Even though submissions do not have to be connected to the conference theme, we are particularly interested in papers addressing how the maker movement can respond to and help address social and environmental challenges that threaten to cause global chaos.
FabLearn is a venue for educators, policy-makers, students, designers, researchers, students, and makers to present, discuss, and learn about digital fabrication in education, the maker culture, and hands-on, constructionist learning. We are seeking submissions for:
- Research Papers (full and short papers)
- Demos (projects, curricula, software, or hardware)
- Workshops (demonstrating fabrication tools, skills, and techniques to conference attendees)
- Student Showcase (for elementary to high-school students to show their projects or share rich learning experiences)
- Educator Submissions (for educators to share best practices & curricula, experiences, and visions)
Accepted full and short papers appear in the Proceedings of FabLearn 2019, which will be published and indexed in the ACM Digital Library. All other accepted submissions will be citable and will be made available and archived on the conference website.
Deadlines
All submissions are due by December 15, 2018, by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time). Decisions will be sent in mid-January.
Submissions website
We use the EasyChair conference submission system: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=fablearn2019
All research papers, demo, and educator submissions must be submitted without author identification. Failure to exclude author identification from the submission may disqualify the submission from consideration. References may include citations from the author(s) if applicable.
Workshop and student showcase submissions may include author idenfitication.
Types of Submissions
RESEARCH PAPERS: FULL
For researchers to present current and future projects in the realm of digital fabrication, hands-on science and engineering, and making in educational settings. Acceptance will be based on full paper contributions that report original work that has not been previously published. The paper must identify and cite published work relevant to the paper topic. It should explain how the work builds on previous contributions and should indicate where and why novel approaches have been adopted. Papers should stress the importance of the submission to the digital fabrication/makers/hands-on learning communities.
While adherence to the conference theme is not mandatory, it is highly recommended.
Submission/presentation guidelines:
- Presentation: Oral presentation during the Research Panel
- Page limit: 8 pages
- Format: Within the 2017 ACM Master Article Template, use the ACM_SigChi format (www.acm.org/publications/proceedings-template)
- Submissions must be submitted without author identification
- Submissions via EasyChair by December 15, 2018, by 11:59 pm (EST)
RESEARCH PAPERS: SHORT
For researchers to present current and future projects in the realm of digital fabrication, hands-on science and engineering, and making in educational settings. Acceptance will be based on submissions that report original work that has not been previously published. Authors are encouraged to demonstrate work in progress and late-breaking research results that show the latest innovative ideas. We invite presentation of ongoing work and preliminary results, by experienced academics as well as young researchers and designers. Short papers are not expected to include as through a literature review as full papers, but should include some details on methods and analysis as well as initial results Papers should stress the importance of the submission to the digital fabrication/makers/hands-on learning communities. At the conference, authors of accepted short papers will participate in a ‘madness’ session, giving a very quick overview of their work. This will be followed by a poster session where they will have the opportunity to speak with attendees about their work.
While adherence to the conference theme is not mandatory, it is highly recommended.
Submission/presentation guidelines:
- Presentation: Structured poster sessions with short (1-3 min) presentation + poster time with facilitated question & answer session. (5-10 posters per grouping)
- Page limit: 4 pages
- Format: Within the 2017 ACM Master Article Template, use the ACM_SigChi format (www.acm.org/publications/proceedings-template)
- Submissions must be submitted without author identification
- Submissions via EasyChair by December 15, 2018, by 11:59 pm (EST)
DEMOS
For developers, entrepreneurs, and educators to showcase new digital fabrication tools, hands-on learning platforms, construction kits applicable to education, and student projects. At the conference, authors of demos will participate in a ‘madness’ session, giving a very quick overview of their work. This will be followed by the demo session where they will have the opportunity to demonstrate their product or project. Your submission should contain a detailed description of the product or project being demonstrated, an explanation of its importance to the digital fabrication/makers/hands-on learning communities, and any power or space needs.
While adherence to the conference theme is not mandatory, it is recommended.
Submission/presentation guidelines:
- Presentation: Poster and demo table during the demo/poster session
- Page limit: 4 pages. You may include pictures and links for one or two videos as well
- Format: Use the FabLearn Demo Submission Template (Google Doc: https://bit.ly/FL2019-DemoTemplate). Remember to submit in PDF format (you may need to reduce the file size of the PDF to submit to EasyChair)
- Submissions must be submitted without author identification (leave the author and bio sections of the template unfilled, where possible do not include obvious identifying information within the submission body); if your paper is accepted, we will ask you to reupload with this information added
- Submissions via EasyChair by December 15, 2018, by 11:59 pm (EST)
WORKSHOPS
For educators and designers to lead a workshop for conference attendees demonstrating digital fabrication and/or hands-on learning activities, hardware, software, or non-digital techniques, used in classrooms, museums, and any other type of learning space. Workshops will be 100 minutes long.
While adherence to the conference theme is not mandatory, it is highly recommended: if applicable, please include an explanation of how your submission fits in with the conference theme.
Submission/presentation guidelines:
- Presentation: 100-minute workshop during the weekend conference on March 9 or 10.
- Word limit: 1000 words and 4 pictures. You may include links to videos as well.
- Format: Use the FabLearn Workshop Submission Template (Google Doc: https://bit.ly/FL2019-WorkshopTemplate). Remember to submit in PDF format (you may need to reduce the file size of the PDF to submit to EasyChair)
- Content: Every workshop submission should include: (1) Title and abstract; (2) short bios of the instructors; (3) description of the scope of the workshop, expected level of experience of participants, main topics covered, and outcomes; (4) explanation of the importance of your submission to the digital fabrication/makers/hands-on learning communities; (5) maximum number of participants and technology/space/material/logistics needs
- Submissions via EasyChair by December 15, 2018, by 11:59 pm (EST)
STUDENT SHOWCASE
For elementary to high-school students willing to showcase a project, technology, idea, or share a reflection on their fabrication space. We are also seeking incomplete projects, things that went wrong, and experiences that could be valuable lessons for other students and the maker community.
Proposals should describe a completed (or not completed) project that could be brought to the conference and exhibited during the demo session or discussed by the student in a small panel format. Submissions may include a critique, project documentation, and/or stories about the student’s experience in a fabrication space. If you are an educator and you have some great work in your class, please encourage your students to submit!
Submission guidelines:
- Page limit: 2 pages, with as many pictures and explanations as needed. Links to videos are also OK.
- Format: Use the FabLearn Student Submission Template (Google Doc: https://bit.ly/FL2019-StudentTemplate). Remember to submit in PDF format (you may need to reduce the file size of the PDF to submit to EasyChair).
- Submissions via EasyChair by December 15, 2018, by 11:59 pm (EST)
EDUCATOR SUBMISSIONS
Teachers, administrators, and program facilitators: we are looking forward to reflections on your experiences with maker-centered learning in classrooms, museums, and other learning spaces. Please include a description of the formal or informal educational experience, an explanation of its importance to the maker-centered/hands-on/digital fabrication learning communities, and thoughts about what can be learned more generally from your experience and its value for other educators. This category is not meant to be an “academic” paper, but rather a structured report of best practices and interesting experiences.
While adherence to the conference theme is not mandatory, it is highly recommended: if applicable, please include an explanation of how your submission fits in with the conference theme.
Submission guidelines:
- Page limit: 4 pages
- Format: Use the FabLearn Educator Submission Template (Google Doc: https://bit.ly/FL2019-EducatorTemplate). Remember to submit in PDF format (you may need to reduce the file size of the PDF to submit to EasyChair)
- Submissions must be submitted without author identification (leave the author and bio sections of the template unfilled, where possible do not include obvious identifying information within the submission body); if your paper is accepted, we will ask you to reupload with this information added
- Submissions via EasyChair by December 15, 2018, by 11:59 pm (EST)
Presentation descriptions – Educators will participate in one of the following:
- Panel – 5-minute presentations by each of 3-5 panelists followed by a discussion and Q&A for all panelists. Panels will be formed by the FabLearn Education Chairs.
- Round Table – 10-minute presentations by 1-2 educators followed by intimate discussion.
- Ignite Talks – A series of 5-minute high-energy presentations with 20 slides each.