IPDA Scotland hosts webinar on conference abstracts
June 24, 2020
This webinar took place on 16th June 2020. This Blogpost was written by IPDA Scotland Committee Member Linda Bell.
I’ve been a member of IPDA for a couple of years, drawn to it by its mission to promote learning networks and disseminate research by, for and about teachers’ professional learning, and by the quality of its journals. I was delighted when the Scottish branch rose from the ashes recently and am excited at the prospect of the contribution it can make to this vital aspect of teachers’ practice – something for which I have a real passion.
In common, I suspect, with many school-based practitioners who dip their toes into the waters of academia (I’m a part-time EdD student), I have harboured secret hopes that at some point, if I could work up enough confidence, I might be able to break out of my own wee research bubble and share my work at a conference. However, I had little idea of how to go about it and no clue as to which conferences might provide a “safe” platform for a novice researcher.
As luck would have it, the first IPDA Scotland webinar took as its theme the preparation of abstracts for the IPDA International conference. The event was sold out – proof, if it were needed, that a significant number of people are keen to try their hands at presenting their work to colleagues. Hosted by Dr Aileen Kennedy, the webinar participants included IPDA members from the Scottish, Welsh, Indian and English branches as well as non-members; there was clearly a wide range of conference experience in the virtual room and a keenness not only to learn about the process of preparing abstracts, but to inform and encourage more widely.
In her introduction, Aileen spoke warmly about the friendliness of IPDA conferences, an aspect that was referred to frequently by other colleagues throughout the session. This is not to say that the conferences lack rigour; on the contrary, they are noteworthy for an ethos that provides both challenge and support for participants.
Aileen provided a practical overview of the process of preparing an abstract, starting with identifying a focus that might arise from current study, attendance at another conference, or a burning issue; as a previous presenter put it: “You have to be annoyed about something!” Next, the aim would be to tie one’s focus to the conference theme and strands, as well as the wider discussion around professional learning – all of which are looked for by the abstract reviewers. Would-be presenters should also consider the type of submission they wish to make; for example, would a paper presentation suit them best, or would a less formal round-table discussion work better?
When Aileen invited webinar attendees to share their experiences of IPDA conference attendance, even more positive common themes emerged; we heard of the potential for testing ideas and the ways in which presenters had been enabled to move their thinking forward as a result of the feedback they had received. All agreed that it had been a highly rewarding process.
The webinar concluded with an offer from Aileen to facilitate paired peer-reviewing of abstracts for those of us who might feel emboldened to take this next step. It was an event that successfully combined pragmatism with inspiration and confidence-building, moving something that had seemed rather intimidating and out-of-reach to just about “do-able”!
Join in the conversation
Join in with the conversation @ScotlandIpda and follow the #IPDAabstracts.
