Are you pioneering collaborative environmental education in your place? Are you moving environmental education into new places and spaces? Are you sowing seeds and growing environmental education awareness into new frontiers?

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS  – deadline 14 September 2017

The NZ Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE) want to hear from you! Whether you are a teacher, a student, a not for profit, an expert, a visionary, a connector, a social enterprise, a marae, a business or an organization ready to make change, NZAEE’s, ‘An Ecosystem for Environmental Education’ conference is the space to share, inspire and motivate positive change for people, our environment and the future.

Educators, practitioners and supporters of environmental education are invited to submit abstracts of short presentations, short workshops, long workshops, or another format to be considered for the 2018 conference.

The closing date for abstract submission is 8pm on September 14th 2017, with no exceptions. 

New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE) 

8th Biennial Conference: An Ecosystem for Environmental Education 

Wednesday 18 – Friday 20 April 2018 

Wellington Girls College, Wellington, New Zealand 

THEMES 

It has never been a more exciting & challenging time to be an environmental educator in New Zealand and around the world. Join us as we examine the challenges and celebrate progress and successes in the Wellington region, nationally and beyond, through a diverse and fascinating array of presentations, workshops, field trips and networking opportunities.

This conference will be exploring two core streams that support our ‘Ecosystem for Environmental Education’ theme. The Ecosystem for Environmental Education represents the vast and interconnected network of individuals and organisations without whom our successes wouldn’t be possible. Throughout this conference, we’ll be exploring our own ecosystem and the ways we can nurture it to ensure its health for decades to come.

• Celebrating and Strengthening Collaboration This stream will celebrate current collaborations – identifying key aspects that make them successful and exploring tools and participatory design that will improve collaboration between partners and the wider community. 
•  Expanding Environmental Education This stream will explore and celebrate the contributions made by individuals and organisations that are not traditionally aligned with school-based education. This may include tertiary education providers, businesses, NGO’s, and private individuals. 

GENERAL INFORMATION Your submitted abstract will be considered by the Conference Committee. You will be advised whether your submitted abstract has been selected or declined, by October 5th 2017.

Presentations – 30min 

These could either be reports of research or discussions on a particular topic. You will be expected to prepare a 20 minute presentation to be followed by 5 minutes’ of discussion.

Short Workshops – 60min 

These are 60 minute sessions wherein participants engage in discussion and debate on a particular topic, led by the submitter. We recommend that all workshops aim for an action-based outcome as a result of the discussion.

Long Workshops – 90min 

These are 90 minute sessions wherein participants engage in discussion and debate on a particular topic, led by the submitter. We recommend that all workshops aim for an action-based outcome as a result of the discussion.

Other Format 

We acknowledge and celebrate the fact that there are modes of delivery that may not fit within the previous three formats. The Conference Committee will consider abstract submissions for these alternative formats, though these still need to be 30, 60, or 90 minutes in length.

SUBMISSION REGULATIONS 

1) Abstracts that don’t meet the regulations may be rejected. Abstracts will be reproduced in conference materials exactly as submitted, so please check your abstract carefully before submission. Abstracts must signal original work. Case reports may be acceptable although the onus is on the author to demonstrate the significance of the report.

2) A condition of submission is that, if accepted, the abstracts will be published in the conference materials.

THE FORMAT OF THE ABSTRACT 

Your abstract must be written in English or Maori and must be no longer than 250 words of text (excluding title, authors and institutions or affiliations, and references). Abbreviations may be used but they must be spelt out in full at the first mention, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Your abstract must contain the following:

1. Title 

· Written in upper case and bold

2. Author(s)/Presenter(s) 

· Written in sentence case

· Show initials and then last name only

· Titles, degrees and awards should not be included

· The name(s) of the presenter(s) should be indicated by an asterisk

3. Institution/Affiliation, City, Country of all Authors/Presenters 

· Written in sentence case and italics

· ‘Country’ applies only to authors/presenters from outside New Zealand.

4. Body of the Abstract 

It should be written in sentence case and include the following:

Presentations – Research 

The following headings should be included and responded to:

Background: The study’s objectives (unless given in the title).

Methods: A brief statement of the methods used, if pertinent.

Results: A summary of the findings. It is not satisfactory to state, “results will be discussed” or “data will be presented”.

Conclusions: Conclusions reached and their significance, if the study itself has advanced to this stage.

Presentations – Discussion: 

The following headings should be included and responded to:

Introduction: Explain why this topic is important to the conference theme

Content: Present information on the topic related to concepts of environmental and sustainability education.

Perspectives: Illustrate the various perspectives that people hold on this topic

Summary: Indicate how this paper can help the audience consider changing course for a sustainable world

Workshop

The following headings should be included and responded to:

Background: The purpose or rationale for the workshop.

Activities: Explaining what active interactions will occur between the presenter and the participants, and between participants. These will occupy much more than 20 minutes of the session (see ‘General Information’ above).

Benefits: Explaining how participants and the presenter will each benefit by taking part in this workshop.

Other Format 

Issue: A description of the situation or context that the submission. 

Mode of delivery: Specifying the style in which the information or issue is addressed.

Data and content: Specifying what data or information will be presented relevant to the issue chosen. Conclusions: Explaining what position(s) the submission will adopt or advocate concerning the issue being explored.

SUBMISSION INFORMATION 

1. All abstracts must be submitted using the abstract format provided above.

2. Please provide one document for each abstract submitted.

3. Please use Times New Roman font in size 10 point, single spaced with left justified margins.

THE SUBMISSION PROCESS 

1. Please email your abstract to Thom.Adams@vuw.ac.nz with the below subject line. [NZAEE 2017 Abstract Submission] [Your Name] [Abstract Title]

Confirmation should be received within 24 hours of submission. If you do not receive confirmation please contact Thom Adams, email: Thom.Adams@vuw.ac.nz

ACCOMPANYING INFORMATION 

1. Details of the presenting author(s):

Last name, first name, department, institution, address, telephone, email

2. Your preferred presentation format: 

Presentation, short workshop, long workshop, other format (please specify) 

3. For papers, the programme theme you wish to present to:

1. Expanding Environmental Education

2. Celebrating and Strengthening Collaboration

Standard audiovisual equipment will be available: PC-based Laptop with wifi access, data projector with sound, DVD player, lectern and microphone. Please note that OHP and slide projectors will not be provided.

All presenters, other than those specifically sponsored, or those advised by the Conference Convenor as being registration fee exempt, are required to register for the conference, for at least the day of their presentation.

For further information contact:

Thom Adams
Email: Thom.Adams@vuw.ac.nz
Phone Number: 04 463 4768