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Alpine Diversity: Adapted to the Peaks -- July 31-August 5, 2004
-- Snowbird Resort -- Salt Lake City -- Utah--
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Forum Discussion Session Submission Form
Call for Education Forum Sessions
BOTANY 2004 represents the annual meeting of four professional societies, including the American Bryological and Lichenological Society (ABLS), the American Fern Society (AFS), the American Society of Plant Taxonomists (ASPT), and the Botanical Society of America (BSA). The conference will be held in Snowbird, Utah from July 31 to August 5, 2004, and the theme for BOTANY 2004 will be “Alpine Diversity: Adapted to the Peaks.”
In addition to the regular program, which will run from Sunday through Wednesday (August 1-5), BOTANY 2004 will include an expanded format. The third annual FORUM focusing on botanical education and outreach will be held on Saturday, July 31, and it will be linked to the annual scientific meeting on Sunday, August 1, via workshops and field trips.
This Call is for the topical sessions to be presented at the FORUM on Saturday. There are separate Calls for Workshops, as well as for Abstracts and for Discussion Sessions at the annual scientific meeting.
Forum Overview
.....Teaching students about plant biology is as critical to the future of the field as is research and must take its proper place as an equally laudatory endeavor for botanists. Equally vital are activities that communicate the excitement of plant biology to students and teachers involved in K-12 education and to the general public...
This passage from the Botany for the Next Millennium Report (BSA, 1995) emphasizes the important role of education and outreach, at all levels. However, there continues to be a reduction in the number of Botany courses taught at the undergraduate level, many Botany Departments and programs have been eliminated nationwide, and the National Research Council no longer recognizes Botany as a valid graduate education program. Despite this, the global significance of plants continues to grow. It is therefore vital that botanists and their professional societies work to ensure that plants are represented in the undergraduate and graduate curriculum, as well as in science outreach initiatives. This was the impetus for the decision to expand the program of the annual BOTANY conference.
The 2002 and 2003 BOTANY conferences in Madison, Wisconsin and Mobile, Alabama included the first two education/outreach FORUMS. Summaries of the programs and abstracts are available online at the following web sites: (http://www.2002.botanyconference.org/) and (http://www.2003.botanyconference.org/).
The main FORUM program occurs on Saturday, July 31, with a Keynote Address
and a range of concurrent 45-minute sessions. Although some informational sessions
will be included, the program will primarily include interactive panel and
roundtable discussions as well as breakout groups focusing on a range of topics.
Sunday’s offerings (August 1) will include hands-on workshops. Two-hour,
half-day, and full-day workshops will be organized so that attendees can participate
in more than one workshop, and/or participate in field trips, also being planned
for Sunday. The Call for Workshops has already been posted on the conference
web site (see below).
The principal focus of the FORUM will be undergraduate education and related
outreach; however, K-12 teachers are also encouraged to participate. In addition
to hands-on workshops focusing on undergraduate topics, several workshops,
and perhaps field trips, will be specifically targeted for K-12 teachers.
Members of all participating societies and non-members alike are invited and encouraged to attend the FORUM, as well as further participate by organizing Sessions and Workshops.
Saturday Sessions
TOPICAL ‘THREADS’ – Individual sessions will be grouped within topical themes, or ‘threads.’ The six general threads are listed below, and each is followed by example session titles. Further examples of session titles from the past two years are also available online (see web sites listed above). Organizers will be able to submit their own session titles as well as select the most appropriate thread for their session.
1) Emphasizing Botany across the Curriculum – Sessions on what is the vital content to cover, and what’s at the cutting edge within disciplinary areas (e.g., systematics, development, etc.), “How to promote plants if you are the only botany faculty member in a department,” “Developing interdisciplinary courses/curricula,” “Educating pre-service teachers about plants”
2) Designing Investigative Laboratories – Sessions on ‘model,’ or best-practice, labs (e.g., “Using Wisconsin Fast Plants to study plant development,” “Using instructional technology to examine photosynthesis”)
3) Engaging Undergraduates in Research – “What are the challenges of mentoring undergraduate research students,” “Publishing with undergraduates in peer-reviewed journals, “Using your courses to feed your research program”
4) Developing Effective Teaching and Mentoring Skills – “How to become a teacher-scholar,” “How to review manuscripts and grant proposals,” “Tips on balancing your academic time,” “Graduate student training programs: The do’s and don’ts”
5) Supporting Effective Teaching and Learning – Sessions on funding (e.g., information about grant sources, tips on writing proposals and grant management); “Managing a university greenhouse or herbarium,” “Tips for Chairs and Deans,” “How to best prep an Introductory Lab,” “How to assess the effectiveness of an advanced course”
6) Reaching Out beyond the Ivory Towers – “Linking up with botanical gardens and arboreta,” “Linking up with teachers,” “Linking up with the media,” “Designing and implementing workshops for teachers,” Sessions on best-practice initiatives (e.g., individual and departmental)
SESSION TYPES – Four types of sessions will be included in the FORUM program, and these are listed below. Organizers will be able to select the most appropriate type of session for their topic.
1) Informational Session – A presentation by one to three speakers in which specific information is conveyed. Informational sessions should leave a minimum of 20 minutes for questions and answers.
2) Breakout Session – An introduction by one to three facilitators followed by time for in-depth discussion or an organized activity that engages the audience. Two thirds of the time period should be devoted to discussion and interaction. A breakout session often culminates in a commitment: group recommendations or personal agendas for future implementation.
3) Panel Session – Two to four panel members including a moderator, each of which may give a brief introduction, followed by discussion among them and with the audience. Half of the time period should involve audience participation.
4) Roundtable Session – A roundtable is a freewheeling discussion, usually with multiple viewpoints. The discussion is facilitated by a moderator, but there are no formal speakers. The moderator sets the stage for the discussion by providing one or two provocative questions. Virtually the entire session is interactive.
Submission of Session Topics Deadline: April 1, 2004
Submission site open
February 2004
Session proposals should include the following: 1) a title, 2) name(s) and
contact information for all organizers and presenters, 3) a brief summary of
the Session that includes relevant background and significance of the topic,
and 4) selection of the most appropriate thread and session type.
Submission of session proposals should be conducted online at the BOTANY 2004
web site: www.2004.botanyconference.org.
Copies of the proposals will be sent electronically to the sender and the FORUM
Planning Committee.
The deadline for receiving session proposals is April 1, 2004.
The number of 45-minute sessions that will be able to be accepted will be contingent
upon the size and scope of the overall program. Because session submissions
may overlap and space will be limited, proposals for Sessions will be evaluated
by the FORUM Planning Committee, which includes representatives from all societies
participating in BOTANY 2004. Session organizers will then be notified in May
2004 about their sessions.
Questions about the FORUM should be directed to members of the Planning Committee
(see web site) and/or to the BSA Program Director: Jeffrey M. Osborn, Division
of Science, Truman State University, 100 E. Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221.
Tele: (660) 785-4017, Fax: (660) 785-4045, E-mail: josborn@truman.edu.
A Registration Brochure for BOTANY 2004 will be mailed to members of participating
societies in spring 2004, and it will be available online at the conference
web site.
For your Convenience:
- Call for Forum Sessions as a Word doc.
- Call for Forum Sessions as a pdf
- Forum
Discussion Session Submission Form
Questions about the Forum program should be directed to:
BSA Meetings Manager:
Johanne Stogran
Botanical Society of America Meetings Office
2813 Blossom Ave
Columbus, OH 43231
Tele: (614) 899-9356
Fax: (614) 895-7866
E-mail: johanne@botany.org