Call for Papers

Racing Toward Innovation in Engineering Education

The Saratoga Hotel and Conference Center - Saratoga Springs, New York

Wednesday - Saturday, October 22 - 25, 2008

Abstract Deadline: January 14, 2008

View Copy of Call for Papers in pdf format.

The 38th Annual Frontiers in Education (FIE) Conference is a major international conference devoted to improvements in computer science, engineering, and technology (CSET) education. FIE 2008 continues a long tradition of disseminating educational research results and innovative practices in CSET education. It is an ideal forum for sharing ideas, learning about developments in CSET education, and interacting with colleagues.

Globalization calls for engineers and other professionals who are innovative. Engineering education must meet this challenge innovatively with new pedagogies; new approaches that improve student learning of technical and cultural skills; integrative approaches to problem solving; study-abroad; curricular reform; and partnerships among academia, industry, government, and K-12 educators.

Recent FIE conferences have addressed the impact of global hiring and the educational changes needed for students to master the essential technical, cultural, and learning skills required of graduates entering the global workplace. This year, in Saratoga Springs, a city that fosters innovation and creativity while maintaining a sense of history, the FIE conference planners are especially interested in continuing the dialog about globalization with contributions that address models of innovation in CSET education while preserving the best practices of the past.

What May You Submit?

We welcome abstracts for peer-reviewed full papers and for work-in-progress reports (WIPs). We also invite proposals for panels, special sessions, and workshops. Five formats are described in detail below. FIE 2008 is proud to continue the tradition of supporting new faculty through competitive fellowships. New Faculty Fellows are expected to author or co-author a full paper.

Topics of Interest

• Accreditation issues
• Active learning
• Assessment
• Computer and Web based software
• Community outreach: educating the public
• Degree programs and curricula
• Design experiences: senior capstone and other
• Disciplinary introductory courses
• Distance learning: methods, technologies, and assessment
• Diversity: valuing, achieving, and teaching it
• Enrollments in CSET programs
• Entrepreneurship programs
• Ethics: creative ways to teach and assess teaching
• Faculty development
• First year courses and programs
• Gender issues in CSET education
• Globalization: preparing faculty and students
• Graduate curricula and programs
• Innovative engineering and CS courses and labs
• K-12 initiatives and partnerships
• Laboratory experiences: on-site and at a distance
• Learning models
• Liberal arts courses and EC 2000
• Lifelong learning and nontraditional students
• Partnerships (industry, government, university, international)
• Pedagogies
• Service learning
• Skills development: technical writing, presentation, teamwork
• Software engineering
• Student retention and persistence
• Study abroad programs
• Undergraduate research experiences
• Uses of technology in the classroom
• Other topics that address issues at the frontiers in CSET education

Full Papers

1) A project or study for which a full paper will be submitted.

• Authors must submit an electronic abstract of no more than 300 words, via the FIE 2007 Web page (http://fie.engrng.pitt.edu/fie2008) by the submission deadline.
• The abstract must contain: author's name, abstract title, author's affiliation, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address.
• One author from each paper is expected to register for and attend the conference.
• Abstracts should clearly present the relevance of the paper for engineering education, how the work is innovative, and how the work connects to the conference theme.
• Full papers (6 pages) will be peer-reviewed by at least three reviewers.
• Abstracts are due by January 14, 2008.
• Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by February 18, 2008.
• If your abstract is accepted, a complete paper is due for peer review by March 24, 2008.
• Authors will be notified of peer review results by April 21, 2008.
• Modified papers will be due by May 23, 2008.

Please note that one author from each paper is expected to register for and participate in the full conference.

Abstract/Proposal Submission is closed

Work in Progress Papers

2) A work-in-progress (WIP) for which a two-page (maximum) paper will be submitted.

• A WIP describes preliminary developments of an ongoing project that involves state-of-the-art implementation, creative pilot programs, or nontraditional concepts.
• A two-page (maximum) paper will be submitted for a WIP.
• WIP papers are expected to include importance to the community, current project status, expected outcomes, projected status by the conference date, preliminary results, and an evaluation plan.
• WIP's will be peer-reviewed by at least three reviewers.
• Authors must submit an electronic abstract of no more than 300 words, via the FIE 2008 Web page (http://fie.engrng.pitt.edu/fie2008) by the submission deadline.
• The title of a WIP abstract must indicate that it is a Work in Progress (for example, "Work in Progress: A Study of Capstone Design"). The abstract must contain: author's name, abstract title, author's affiliation, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address.
• One author from each paper is expected to register for and attend the conference.
• Abstracts are due by January 14, 2008.
• Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by February 18, 2008.
• If your abstract is accepted, a two-page paper is due for peer review by March 24, 2008.
• Authors will be notified of peer review results by April 21, 2008.
• Modified two-page papers will be due by May 23, 2008.

Please note that one author from each paper is expected to register for and participate in the full conference.

Abstract/Proposal Submission is closed

Panels and Special Sessions

• Panels and special sessions are scheduled as part of the technical program in parallel with traditional paper presentations.
• Panel sessions normally consist of short presentations by several speakers followed by a discussion period with the audience.
• Special sessions allow a variety of nontraditional formats and emphasize the involvement of all audience members in active learning.
• Special sessions are nontraditional in the sense that they are not like preconference workshops. They give session leaders an opportunity to take risks and try something that may be unproven in content and/or format. Thus they provide experiences that are "at the frontiers."
• Click here for a more detailed description of Special Sessions and the process by which proposals will be reviewed
• Panels and special sessions will be peer-reviewed by at least three reviewers.
• Sessions are 90 minutes in length.
• To submit a proposal, complete the appropriate form on the FIE 2008 Web page, (http://fie.engrng.pitt.edu/fie2008).
• All organizers and presenters on panels and in special sessions are expected to register for and attend the conference.
• Abstracts are due by January 14, 2008.
• Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by February 18, 2008.
• If your abstract is accepted, a two-page summary is due for peer review by March 24, 2008.
• Authors will be notified of peer review results by April 21, 2008.
• Modified summaries will be due by May 23, 2008.

Please note that all organizers and presenters in panels and special sessions are expected to register for and participate in the full conference.

Abstract/Proposal Submission is closed

Workshops

• Three-hour workshops are scheduled for the afternoon and evening of Wednesday, October 22.
• To submit a proposal, complete the appropriate form on the FIE 2008 Web page, (http://fie.engrng.pitt.edu/fie2008).
• Workshop presenters will submit an outline rather than a formal paper, for the workshop.
• Workshop presenters are expected to register for and attend the conference.
• Workshop attendees must register for workshops. A fee may be charged to cover workshop materials.
• Workshops will be peer-reviewed by at least three reviewers.
• Abstracts are due by January 14, 2008.
• Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by February 18, 2008.
• If your abstract is accepted, a workshop summary is due for peer review by March 24, 2008.
• Authors will be notified of peer review results by April 21, 2008.
• Modified workshop outlines will be due by May 23, 2008.

Please note that workshop presenters are expected to register for and participate in the full conference.

Abstract/Proposal Submission is closed

Faculty Fellows

• Assistant professors of engineering or computer science with no more than two years of employment as a faculty member or an instructor, at the time of the abstract submission.
• Doctoral candidates defending dissertations during the 2008-2009 academic year.
• Fellowship packet sent to candidates after May 29. Faculty Fellows are expected to register and attend the entire conference. Check the Web site under NAE CASEE Faculty Fellows for more information.

Abstract/Proposal Submission is closed