SCUTREA Conference 2019: Call for Abstracts

This was probably the first government report anywhere about adult education to be based on serious empirical research. It shaped the field in Britain, and is recognised as a landmark across the world. In Britain, the centenary is providing an opportunity for new thinking about "the provision for, and possibilities of" adult education - looking at the century ahead. 

 

This conference is an opportunity for adult educators and scholars to join a global reflection on what the field has achieved across the world over the past century, on where we are now, and on how adult education should be "reconstructed" for the century ahead. Nottingham is an excellent location for such a conversation. It is, of course, renowned for Robin Hood, a source of popular education for 800 years - a metaphor for social welfare, taking from the rich of the city to give to the poor. It was in Nottingham that, in 1798, Samuel Fox and William Singleton set up what is widely regarded as the first Adult School. 

 

The University of Nottingham's roots can be found in university extension courses for adults. As William Gladstonem the dominant British statesman of his age - four times Prime Minister - proclaimed when laying the University's foundation stone: "every human being" should make education "a lifelong process". It reacted quickly to the 1919 Ministry of Reconstruction Report - becoming the first British university to set up a department of adult education. In 1923 it became the first university in the world to establish a Chair in Adult Education. The historic nature and international influence of the Mninistry of Reconstruction Report provides an opportunity to reflect on what adult education has achieved, and on what it is contributing today. At the core of the 1919 Report was the view that a broad, liberal, adult education was essential to citizenship in a democracy. Today, a common narrative suggests that 21st century "lifelong learning" - focussing on skills and the labour market - has lost the wider moral compass of 20th century adult education, not only in Britain but across Europe and the world. Is this critique valid? If so, what has been lost - or gained? What should adult education involve in the 21st century? Is "reconstruction" - a metaphor drawn from the Ministry's name - what is needed? Can we learn from 20th century experience? Or do we need to break entirely away from obsolete models and thinking? 

 

We invite proposals for papers and symposia that focus on theory, research, practice and policy in adult education and lifelong learning. We particularly encourage proposals that do so within the approaches and traditions advocated by the 1919 Report, or engage critically with its legacies. Proposals should be research-based. They may examine any aspect of adult education. "Adult education" embraces other field descriptors (lifelong learning, transformational learning, HRD, etc.). Papers, proposals, projects, case studies and stories which address the following themes are welcome: 

 

â–ª Adult education, the state, politics and government

â–ª Equality, equity and adult education

â–ª The development and history of adult education

â–ª International movements and the flow of ideas and policies in adult education

â–ª Adult political education

â–ª Co-operation and adult education

â–ª Free universities

â–ª Transformational and life changing learning and progression

â–ª Creativity, innovation and adult education

â–ª Adult education, families and communities

â–ª Formal and informal learning

â–ª Community learning and engagement

â–ª Widening participation

â–ª Second chance education, including, e.g., older learners, ex-offenders, refugees/ recent migrants, marginalised communities

â–ª Education and young adults

â–ª Overcoming the challenges of mental health and learning difficulties

â–ª Lifelong learning, social mobility and social inclusion

â–ª Skills, employment and adult education

â–ª The 1919 Report: its nature and impact

 

Proposals are invited for papers, symposia, posters and roundtable presentations on questions related to the conference theme or one of the strands. These should in the first instance take the form of an abstract for a presentation in one of the following formats:

 

â–ª Individual papers: Abstract of between 500 and 600 words

â–ª Symposia: Overview (200 words) and abstract for each paper (max. 500 words each)

â–ª Roundtables: Overview (200 words) and abstract for each participant (max. 500 words each)

â–ª Posters: Abstract of 500 words

 

The deadline for the submission of abstracts is 5pm on Friday 18th January 2019. All proposals should be submitted as Word documents to scutrea2019@nottingham.ac.uk

 

Papers should locate the research they discuss within the adult education literature and explain its significance for adult education. Selection of papers for inclusion in the conference programme will be based on quality of abstracts assessed through a process of peer review. Abstracts should adhere to the following guidelines: 

 

â–ª Abstracts should identify whether it is of a paper, symposium, roundtable or poster.

â–ª Abstracts should include title, author(s) and institutional affiliation(s) on a separate sheet.

â–ª Each abstract should: include a summary of the topic and a clear link to one of the key themes; be well-grounded in the literature; and identify whether it is a conceptual or empirical contribution. Full references need not be included in abstracts.

 

Papers: papers should be 3,500 words (max.), including references etc. The editors reserve the right to edit any paper which exceeds this limit and if it significantly exceeds this limit to return the paper to the author within a strict timescale. The time allowed for presentation of individual papers at the conference will be 45 minutes. Presenters are expected to allow at least 20 minutes for discussion. 

 

Symposia: papers should be 7,000 words maximum. This includes any reference etc. The editors reserve the right to edit any paper which exceeds this limit and if it significantly exceeds this limit to return the paper to the author(s) within a strict timescale. Symposia should be linked to one of the key themes or conceptualise the links between thees and this should be clearly identified in the proposal. A chair and discussant should be identified. The time allowed for presentation of symposia is 90 minutes. Presenters are expected to allow at least 30 minutes for discussion. 

 

Roundtables: The roundtable is a more informal context for the discussion of research or theoretical issues. It is useful for youndtable presenters to indicate the questions the 3 author(s) would like to discuss. An outline paper of approx. 1,000 words is required for the conference proceedings. The time allowed for roundtables is one hour. 

 

Posters: An abstract of 500 words is required for the conference proceedings. All proof-reading is the contributing author's responsibility and must be done prior to submission. The editors reserve the right not to include any paper which, in their opinion, will reduce the quality of the conference or the proceedings. 

 

N.B. Papers and other contributions accepted for publication in the conference proceedings will be made available to delegates in digital  format and on the conference website. SCUTREA has a tradition of including in th conference proceedings only those papers that are presented at the conference. 

 

Timetable: 

 

Proposers will be notified of the decision on their proposal in mid-February 2019. Papers should be submitted once the abstract has been accepted. 

 

Papers to be included in the conference proceedings should be submitted by 5pm on 14th May 2019.

 

SCUTREA practice is for abstracts rather than papers to be peer reviewed. However, on request, we occasionally agree to papers being peer reviewed. Deadline for submission of these is 5pm on Friday 12th April 2019.

 

SCUTREA Conference Bursaries

 

For the 2019 SCUTREA conference, threee bursaries are available to doctoral students studying in the UK who are on low incomes, not employed full time in HE and/or who do not have insitutional support. Bursaries will also be given to students outside the UK if they or their institutions are members of SCUTREA. Applications from Masters' students who do not have institutional support, and adult education practitioners/ activists/ researchers will also be considered. Applicants must address the themes of conference and demonstrably contribute to the field of adult education research. For further information and eligibility criteria please see the SCUTREA website.

 

International bursaries 

 

As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting researchers internationally, SCUTREA is offering two international bursaries at the SCUTREA Conference. (Deadline for applications: 18th January 2019.) Complimentary conference registration will be provided for successful applicants. Bursaries should be used towards the cost of economy travel to and from the ocnference, accommodation and subsistence. 

 

Criteria: 

 

Applicants must come from countries classified by the World Bank as low-income or lower-middle-income and based in the qualifying country. 

Applicants must not previously have received bursary funding from SCUTREA

Applicants must provide reasonable details of the amount of their claim. 

 

Other Information

Payments will be made only upon submission of receipts, and not in advance of attendance at the conference. 

SCUTREA cannot provide any assistance with visas or travel arrangements

 

The decision of the SCUTREA council is final. Applications, which must not exceed the stipulated 400-word statement requested n the application form, will be acknowledged. If you do not receive an acknowledgement you should assume your application been unsuccessful. Conference Paper Awards SCUTREA offers three awards for 2019 conference papers:

 

Tilda Gaskell Award for the Best Student Paper. The prize is a certificate and the return of the conference fees (but not travel costs). It is named after Tilda who was an adult educator who was a regular attendee and won a SCUTREA award s a student. 

 

Ian Martin Award for the paper that makes the most significant contribution to social justice. The prize is a certificate and £100 cheque. It is named after, and judged by, Ian Martin, Hon. Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh.

 

David Jones Award is for the best paper with a creative arts and/or international/ comparative perspective. This reflects the research interests of the late David Jones, former Secretary and Chair of SCUTREA abd Lecturer at the University of Nottingham. 

 

When submitting your paper please indicate if you wish to be considered for one of these awards. (SCUTREA officers have discretion to make the award to a paper that has been included in the conference without the author(s) indicating that they wish their paper to be considered.)