Call for Proposals
The call for proposals will open in early spring.
Trust is the invisible thread that connects students and educators. It enables students to take intellectual risks, be honest about what they do not yet understand, and engage deeply in the learning process. It allows instructors to teach authentically, experiment, and respond with empathy and transparency. In higher education, trust transforms classrooms from sites of performance into communities of learning.
This year’s Innovations in Pedagogy Summit invites proposals that explore the role of trust in creating conditions where students and instructors can both thrive.
We welcome proposals from across UVA and other institutions for two session types: interactive sessions and short presentations. Proposals should highlight concrete innovations that foster learning environments where all students can succeed—innovations that improve learning, deepen engagement, strengthen belonging, and/or renew instructors’ joy in teaching.
Educational innovations need not be disruptive to make a difference. Small, sustained changes matter. We particularly encourage proposals that model creative, reflective, or relational approaches to teaching and learning.
As you develop your proposal, you might consider:
- How do you define or conceptualize trust in the context of teaching and learning?
- How does trust show up—or fail to show up—in your students’ learning experiences or your own teaching?
- What strategies, course designs, or pedagogical choices have you used to build or restore trust?
- How has trust influenced student motivation, belonging, or openness to feedback?
- In what ways has building trust supported your own well-being, satisfaction, or sense of professional agency?
- What risks or vulnerabilities are involved in teaching for trust—for instructors or for students?
Proposals will be peer-reviewed on the following criteria: alignment between session objectives and design; relevance to the audience and theme; clarity of takeaways or strategies; and inclusion of appropriate activities for interactive sessions.
Interactive Sessions
These 60-minute interactive sessions give participants an opportunity to do hands-on work, reflection, and/or practice around a topic or question. They can include brief presentations by the facilitators, but the main goal of the session should be the active engagement of participants through structured activities. Collaboratively facilitated sessions that include a team of faculty, students (undergraduate and/or graduate), staff, and/or community partners are especially encouraged.
PROPOSAL COMPONENTS
- Presenter information (lead and up to 4 additional presenters): First Name, Last Name, Department, Institutional Affiliation, and Email
- Title (15 words)
- Abstract (100 words): a brief summary that will be included in the Summit program
- Detailed session proposal (400 words, excluding references): a detailed proposal that contains the session objectives and general overview, relevance to the Summit theme, and a suggested takeaway that participants will be able to implement after attending the session
- Descriptive session outline (300 words): a detailed outline of the session structure, an explicit plan for participant engagement, and approaches you plan to use to ensure accessibility
Short Presentations
These 15-minute presentations give presenters an opportunity to share concrete and adaptable teaching ideas or the results of their engagement in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Presentations on teaching ideas and strategies should not simply be a "show and tell" of the presenter’s experience but should frame the strategies in a wider pedagogical context and should be explicit about how participants might adopt or adapt the ideas. Presentations on SoTL should disseminate the findings of the presenter’s original SoTL research and discuss how this research can benefit other instructors. Three short presentations will be paired in a single session block, with time for questions at the end of each presentation.
PROPOSAL COMPONENTS
- Presenter information (lead and up to 1 additional presenter): First Name, Last Name, Department, Institutional Affiliation, and Email
- Title (15 words)
- Abstract (100 words): a brief summary that will be included in the Summit program
- Detailed presentation proposal (500 words, excluding references): a detailed proposal that contains the presentation objectives and general structure, description of the presentation topic, and practical takeaway(s) that participants will be able to implement after the presentation
Proposal Submission
Prospective presenters can expect to receive a decision regarding their proposal in early April. Email cte-summit@virginia.edu with questions.
View the schedule-at-a-glance.
Learn more about our 2026 speaker Dr. Isis Artze-Vega.
Links to previous Summit programs.