The ICLS 2020 Doctoral Consortium, designed to support the development of doctoral students working in the area of learning sciences, provides an opportunity for participants to share their dissertation research with their peers and a panel of mentors. Participants will engage in conversations and activities designed to help them consider approaches and consequences of their research and ways to position their work in and outside of the field. Our aim is to help doctoral participants to articulate the “how,” the “for what,” the “for whom,” and the “with whom” of their research (Philip, Bang, & Jackson, 2018). To benefit from the Doctoral Consortium, applicants should be advanced graduate students and be at a stage in their dissertation research where the other participants and mentors may be of help in framing their research and writing activities.

Objectives and design

The Doctoral Consortium will offer an inclusive and supportive space for cultivating an international community of emerging scholars to:

• Reflect on their dissertation research and to identify challenges and issues for discussion and inquiry;
• Discuss theoretical, methodological, relational, and practical issues of central importance to the learning sciences;
• Consider potential career pathways (including non-academic pathways) and ways to share their research to increase broader engagement with and impact of our work; and
• Develop professional relationships with other doctoral students, mentors, and organizers.

Doctoral Consortium activities will run for a day and a half before the full conference. Every effort will be made to partner doctoral student participants with experienced mentors who have shared, relevant interests and forms of expertise. The Doctoral Consortium leaders will organize a variety of ways to engage doctoral students and mentors to work together on research, analysis, writing, and career planning. The design of the workshop will be responsive to students’ needs and questions.

Who Should Apply?

The 2020 Doctoral Consortium is designed to support Ph.D. students who have completed their dissertation proposal (or equivalent), and be at a stage in their work where the consortium participants may be of help in shaping the design, analysis, and/or writing. We suggest that graduate students who are early in their program apply to the consortium in future years and that those who have completed their dissertation apply to the Early Career Workshop. Depending on availability of funds, there may be support to offset some of the cost of accommodation and registration, as well as travel stipends. Applicants who have queries about eligibility or other questions should send email to: icls.2020.dc@gmail.com

How to Apply

Participants for the Doctoral Consortium will be selected on the basis of the potential of their dissertation project to refine and/or expand learning sciences theory and methods, including deepening the consequentiality for a broader range of stakeholders and communities. The Doctoral Consortium organizers will review the applications.

Each proposal should contain the following within one document in the following order, and be submitted through the conference system.

• A cover sheet with your name, title of your research project/ dissertation, your advisor’s name (or thesis chair’s name, as appropriate), your advisor’s e-mail, your institution, your personal webpage, your e-mail address, and your mailing address.
• A 1-page personal statement that includes: (a) a little about yourself; (b) current status of your research and studies; (c) why you want to participate in the DC; (d) what specific issues or challenges with your research you would like to explore further. You do not necessarily need these as headings, as long as the issues are addressed.
• A 2-page summary of your research including tables, figures and references using a format that reflects the ICLS general submission (please follow the template for a 2-page poster submission). The summary should include the following: (a) Abstract; (b) Goals of the research; (c) Background of the project; (d) Methodology; (e) Preliminary or expected findings; (f) expected contributions. You do not necessarily need these as headings, as long as the issues are addressed. Submissions should be written in English and follow the current version of the ISLS author guidelines (there is also a Microsoft Word template). If accepted, you will be asked to revise your paper upon feedback from the reviewers before it can appear in the conference proceedings.

In addition, submitted through e-mail separately:

• A letter of recommendation from your advisor that addresses the potential of your dissertation project to refine and/or expand learning sciences theory and methods, including deepening the consequentiality for a broader range of stakeholders and communities.

Please submit the cover page, 1-page personal statement, and the 2-page summary as a single file in DOCX format named as follows: “Firstname_Lastname_DCproposal”. The application should be submitted through the ICLS 2020 Conference System at https://icls2020.exordo.com/

Submissions will be accepted from December 1 through December 15, 2019 (11:59 PM PST).

Please have your advisor submit the letter of recommendation directly to icsl.2020.dc@gmail.com

Important Dates for the Doctoral Consortium Workshop

December 15, 2019 – Deadline for submitting applications (application through the ICLS 2020 Conference System and letter of recommendation from your advisor to icls.2020.dc@gmail.com)

February 15, 2020 – Notification of acceptance

March 15, 2020 – Submission of the final 2-page summary for publication in conference proceedings

June 19 & 20, 2020 – Doctoral Consortium (pre-conference)

Co-chairs

Britte Haugan Cheng, Menlo Education Research
A. Susan Jurow, University of Colorado, Boulder