Present at the NERDS Conference
Deadline to Submit for NERDS: Thursday, March 6, 2025
Join your colleagues to collaborate, connect, and reflect at the 2nd Annual Neoteric Educational Research and Development Symposium – NERDS! A symposium by and for EFSC faculty, NERDS will begin with a face-to-face slate of peer-led presentations, posters, and discussions with opportunities for online poster sessions the following week.
NERDS event date is Friday, April 4, 2025.
Sponsored by the Professional Development Council, review this page for all the current details, plus themes and how to submit your abstract — including approved MCC/FDIP points awarded for those facilitating a presentation or attending as an event participant!
The reviews are in: NERDS is a hit with college faculty.
Last year’s inaugural event was a one-week online poster conference with eight sessions and 15 participants across several disciplines. Here are just some of the comments:
"I thought all the facilitators did just a GREAT JOB with their videos and their varying subject-areas. I loved the back-and-forth of the discussion boards, and I loved the energy of hearing faculty say 'I didn't know about that' — so cool!"
"I surprisingly enjoyed the experience more than anticipated. It was very informative. More importantly, the information is useful and I'm able to enhance my classroom strategies!"
"I really enjoyed learning how our high-flying educators (in house) demonstrate stellar and dynamic ideas in the classroom."
NERDS Themes, Presentation Options & Schedule
THEMES for the April 2025 event
- AI — What are you doing with Artificial Intelligence? What has AI done for/to you?
- Student engagement online through Regular Substantive Interaction (RSI). How does it work in your classroom?
- Reflections and Lessons from Online Course Development training (OCDD/OCDD+). What concepts or techniques have you put into your own practice?
- Online Course Tools: Whether face-to-face, hybrid or online, how do you use online tools to improve your classes?
- Universal Course Design: Do you have tips to share that improve accessibility for students?
FACE-to-FAce Event OPTIONS and MCC/FDIP Points
- Do you want to focus on a single tool, technique, or problem? Consider giving a three-minute micro-lecture during the face-to-face event. (Think of it as a bit like academic speed-dating!) - MCC/FDIP: ¼ point
- Would you prefer to dive a little deeper? Consider giving a 45-minute presentation during the face-to-face event. - MCC/FDIP: 1 point
- Is your preference an asynchronous online session? Consider facilitating an online poster session that will take place in a Canvas shell the week after the on-campus event.
- Are you interested in presenting in multiple formats? The micro-lecture would be a great way to advertise your 45-minute presentation and/or online poster session.
- All facilitators will be asked to provide supplemental material and references, along with their presentation file(s) for posting on Canvas.
- Participants: register for sessions A & B and are there when attendance is taken will receive MCC/FDIP: ¼ point
Online Poster Conference OPTIONS and MCC/FDIP Points
- Facilitators: Will create a 5 to 7-minute video, post supplemental material, and facilitate at least one discussion board that they will monitor during the week to which their presentation is assigned - MCC/FDIP: 1 point
- Participants: Watch at least 5 presentations and post substantive comments to the associated discussion boards (modeled after the Monday Mentor program) - MCC/FDIP: ¼ point
How to Submit Your Abstract
Anyone who teaches at EFSC is eligible to present. Submit your abstract in a WORD document via email to nerds@easternflorida.edu by Thursday, March 6, 2025. Applicants will receive suggested revisions and feedback following that, with more symposium details and presenter logistics provided via email.
All abstract submissions must include the following in your Word document:
- Your name
- Discipline in which you teach
- Presentation style choice: 45-minute session; Three-minute microlecture; Online poster session the following week (List multiple choices if you want)
- Title of the presentation or poster
- A description of the activity, practice, or technique and the teaching modality employed (face-to-face, blended, or online)
- Takeaways viewers of the session or poster should expect
Remember, submit abstracts by March 6, 2025 to: nerds@easternflorida.edu
NERDS EVent Schedule
The on-campus symposium date is Friday, April 4, 2025 with a Meet and Greet starting at 8:30 AM. It will include two 45-minute sessions of concurrent presentations, separated by a coffee break and a 45-minute session of the three-minute micro-lectures, and will wrap up by 1 PM with a luncheon and closing session sponsored by United Faculty of Florida.
For questions, contact Katina Gothard, PDC Chair at gothardk@easternflorida.edu