UKICER 2024

The UK and Ireland Computing Education Research (UKICER) conference, of the UK Chapter of the ACM Special Interest Group in Computing Science Education (SIGCSE), is emerging as one of the leading forums for researchers and practitioners to meet and share advances in computing science education.

We are a diverse and inclusive community bringing together researchers, academics, industry practitioners and teachers from across the UK and Ireland as well as from the rest of Europe and the wider world.

The conference takes place in-person on Thursday 5th of September 2024 and Friday 6th of September 2024 in Manchester, UK.

Announcements

  • An EasyChair installation for UKICER 2024 is setup, and linked throughout this page, but is not yet ready to accept submissions. It will open when the configuration and licensing is completed. You may prepare submissions in the meantime.
    20th December 2023

  • The Call for Participation (CfP) The Call for Participation has now been formally announced for the United Kingdom and Ireland (UKICER) 2024 conference.
    Tuesday the 12th of December 2023.

  • Important dates. Submission, review process and events dates are now published. Make sure to add them to your calendar.
    Tuesday the 12th of December 2023.

  • Conference proceedings. The conference proceedings for the 2023 United Kingdom and Ireland Computing Education Research (UKICER) Conference are available via the ACM Digital Library.
    Tuesday the 26th of September 2023.

Call for Participation

The United Kingdom and Ireland Computing Education Research (UKICER) conference from the UK ACM Special Interest Group in Computing Science Education Chapter is seeking high quality contributions to research relevant to computing science education.

Contributions are sought in a variety of categories with emphasis on high-quality and rigorous work. Researchers have the opportunity to disseminate their work as a full paper, workshop or poster.

The following contributions are sought from the community:

  • Papers. Six-page research or tool design papers for presentation at the conference and publication in the proceedings.

  • DC Applications. Two-page application to participate in the Doctoral Consortium (DC) at the conference, including single-page abstract for publication in the conference proceedings.

  • WiP Applications. Two-page application to participate in the Works-in-Progress (WiP) at the conference, including single-page abstract for publication in the conference proceedings.

  • Research in Practice Project Activities (RIPPA). Two-page proposals for RIPPA activity at conference.

  • Workshop proposals. Two-page workshop proposal for workshops to be delivered to attendees at the conference.

  • Posters. Single-page poster abstract for publication in conference proceedings and poster for presentation at the conference.

Submission for all the afordmentioned contributions should be made via EasyChair. Authors should consult the detail submission format instructions and guidelines prior to submitting contributions for consideration.

Any questions about submissions should be emailed to the Programme Chairs.

Papers

We invite submissions of research papers on the topic of computing science education. Themes of interest include:

  • Computing science education pedagogy
  • Assessing and providing feedback on computing assignments
  • Issues of inclusivity and diversity
  • Tools to aid computing science education
  • Computing science education issues particularly relevant to a British and/or Irish context
All submissions related to computing science education are welcome, at any stage of formal education (or outside formal education).

Papers should describe a rigorously executed piece of work, include a motivating research question and discussion of prior related work. We welcome:

  • Research papers describing a research experiment in a school, university or informal educational setting. The experiment should be rigorously conducted – if this is the case, null results will still be considered for publication.

  • Tool design papers which carefully document design constraints, user considerations, relevant pedagogical concerns, and justify the design decisions taken in a way that would be useful to other designers, and include details of user testing or other initial measures of effectiveness.

All submitted papers should have a research component. Papers focused purely on practice-related topics such as implementation of new curricula or new course designs may be better suited to our sister Computing Education Practice conference.

Papers that authors would like to be considered for presentation at the conference and publication in proceedings must be be submitted via EasyChair. Authors should consult the detail submission format instructions and guidelines for papers prior to submission.

Doctoral Consortium

The United Kingdom and Ireland Computing Education Research (UKICER) conference Doctoral Consortium (DC) provides an opportunity for doctoral students to engage with peers and work with researchers to reflect on the wider computing education research landscape and expand it through connection and collaboration.

Works-in-Progress (WiP) Workshop

The WiP is a small, intimate venue, a ‘grown-up doctoral consortium’ for academics. The aspiration is to bring together individuals to act as critical friends to discuss and nurture ideas and projects that are in progress. The ‘works’ from participants vary in terms of type, from research papers to projects, and progress, from embryonic to near-completion.

Workshops

We invite proposals for running 1-2 hour workshops. The workshops should be relevant to British and Irish educators (in a university or school setting) and/or computing science education researchers. Example workshops may be on the use of research techniques (e.g. qualitative methods), grant writing, pedagogical techniques (e.g. peer instruction), tools (e.g. programming environments, assessment tools), or any other topic which may be relevant to conference attendees.

Workshop organisers will be given an opportunity to advertise their workshop via a one-minute lightning talk earlier in the conference.

Workshop proposal that leaders would like to be considered for delivery at the conference must be be submitted via EasyChair. Authors should consult the detail submission format instructions and guidelines for workshop proposals prior to submission.

Posters

We invite posters for presentation and discussion at the conference. The posters should be relevant to British and Irish educators (in a university or school setting) and/or computing science education researchers. Example posters could include initial ideas, experimental designs, pedagogical techniques or early proposals to address open challenges in computing science education research.

Poster abstracts that presenters would like to be considered for presentation at the conference must be be submitted via EasyChair. Authors should consult the detail submission format instructions and guidelines for poster abstracts prior to submission.

Research in Practice Project Activities (RIPPAs)

Research in Practice Project Activities (RIPPAs) are a new form of collaborative, community-forming activity for Computing Science education research and practice at the United Kingdom and Ireland Computing Education Research (UKICER) conference.

The aim is to bring practitioners and researchers together in computing science education to form networks, exchanges ideas, form collaborations and put research into practice, incorporate research into practice or improving practice.

RIPPAs span several months and participants are expected to commit to participating in a small number of workshops as well as conducting some activity in their context, such as incorporating research into practice, collecting data and/or conducting research.

Participation and Commitment

The specific participation and commitment requirements depends on the RIPPA, but broadly RIPPAS required participants to:

  • Join information hour. Prospective rippers should join one of several information hours to find out about the specific RIPPA and what it involves. Ask questions and meet others interested in the activity.

  • Attend start-up workshop. The workshop will introduce the RIPPA, methodologies and approaches utilised as well as provide an opportunity for participants to get to know each other and learn about what is happening across the community.

  • Perform activity. Rippers are expected to perform some activity as part of the project. This activity could be to conduct research in their own context, incorporate research into their own practice or improve their practice. Rippers would then share their contributes back to the group remotely.

  • Attend interim workshop. The workshop will give participants an opportunity to share their contributions as well as analyse results and discuss any insights from the activity. The group will then begin to form it into a complete outcome and decide next steps.

  • Capstone workshop. The final workshop to pull together together any remaining work involved in the activity and form into an artefact that can be disseminated among the community through the optimal channel, such as the Computing Education Practice (CEP) or United Kingdom and Ireland Computing Education Research (UKICER) conference.

  • Relax and unwind at a wrap-up dinner. Wrap-up meal and opportunity to reflect on the experience and plan future collaborations with other rippers.

Outcomes

The focus of RIPPAs is the participants and the expectation is that rippers will achieve the following from participating in a RIPPA:

  • Strengthened knowledge and skills in research and practice. Dependent on the specific RIPPA, the expectation is that participants will strengthen their knowledge and skills. This could be awareness emerging teaching practice and how to investigate it, appropriate methodologies for computing education research (CER) and/or deepened appreciation of the state of the art in CER.

  • Strengthened and expanded network of collaborators. Form connections with academics, scholars and researchers from across the computing science education community with similar interests and challenges. Valuable not only for conducting future research investigations but also to gain insight into innovative practice in other institutions as well as creating bonds with other academics to discuss on-going sector challenges and how to solve them.

  • Publication. The expectation is that outcomes of RIPPAs will be high-quality, multi-institutional studies that are authentic and steeped in data from contexts spanning many different from many perspectives. Participants will be authors on such high-quality contributions that are difficult to devise and coordinate for most sole academics.

RIPPA proposals that presenters would like to be considered for delivery at the conference and beyond must be be submitted via EasyChair. Authors should consult the detail submission format instructions and guidelines for RIPPA prior to submission.

Authors

Authors should familiarise themselves with submission requirements, review process and publication guidance.

  • Submission. The submission requirements include guidance on the format of paper, workshop and poster submissions.

Submission

Research papers, DC Applications, WiP applications, RIPPA proposals, workshop proposals, poster abstracts must be made through EasyChair.

There is an option on the submission form to indicate whether the submission is a research paper, workshop proposal or poster abstract. There is seperate format guidnace for each submission type.

All submission must confirm to the relevant ACM proceeding template.

Research paper format

Submissions must conform to the ACM proceeding template (double-column format). The page limit is six pages, excluding references. The references may occupy a seventh page if the paper reaches the six-page limit.

Authors must make an electronic submission in the form of a PDF file via EasyChair. Authors will need to create an EasyChair account, if they do not have one, and complete a submission form. The submission form requires authors to detail the submission type, title, abstract as well as contact information.

Submissions from authors must be anonymised to support the review process. The initial submission for review must be anonymised, authors must remove all references to them, including affiliations and any identifying information within the body of the submission.

Note that reviewers will assume they are reviewing completed works, as they will eventually appear in the conference proceedings. Do not submit incomplete drafts.

Workshop proposal format

Workshop proposals should be submitted in ACM double-column conference proceedings format. The page limit is two pages, including references. Workshop proposal must be submitted in an anonymised form for review. Workshop proposals should include: details of the workshop’s content, practical requirements (e.g. group discussion tables, computer room, etc) whether or not this workshop has been run before, and intended take-away knowledge for participants. Authors must make an electronic submission in the form of a PDF file via EasyChair.

The authors of accepted workshop proposals will be invited to deliver the workshop at the conference. Organisers that have any questions or need additional information, can contact the Workshops Chair on workshops@ukicer.com.

Workshop proposals are not included in the conference proceedings but are made available on the conference website.

Poster abstract format

Poster abstracts should be submitted in ACM double-column conference proceedings format. The page limit is one page, including references. Poster abstracts must be submitted in an anonymised form for review. Authors must make an electronic submission in the form of a PDF file via EasyChair.

Posters should describe the early or proposed work and contribution of it. Research Posters 101 provides a good starting point for considering the content and overall design of a strong research poster.

The authors of accepted poster abstracts will be invited to present a poster at the conference. Proposers that have any questions or need additional information, can contact the Posters Chair on posters@ukicer.com.

Doctoral Consortium Application format

Doctoral Consortium candidates must prepare and submit a two-page application via EasyChair. The application must comprise of one-page abstract submitted in ACM double-column conference proceedings format and a one-page appendix that contains applicant information.

The one-page abstract, that is published in the conference proceedings, must contain:

  • Brief abstract (approximately 50 words) that provides sufficient insight into your work.
  • Two or three references to influential background or related work.
  • Early or established research goals or questions.
  • Current or expected contributions of the work.
  • Current or expected methodology to delivery contributions.

The one-page appendix, this is not published, must contain:

  • Research description of your current work, including:
    • motivation,
    • research progress, and
    • engagement with prior research activities and events.
  • Statement of nomination from your doctoral supervisor or supervisor team, detailing:
    • year of study,
    • expected timeline of completion,
    • confirmation that student is able to attend in-person at conference,
    • area of computing education research focus or interest, and
    • expectations for the doctoral consortium.

Publication

The official publication date of the conference proceedings is when they become available online. Contributors should be aware of this publication date when considering other artefacts associated with published work, e.g. patent filings.

  • Previous proceedings. The proceedings for the previous conferences are accessible on the ACM Digital Library.

  • Author registration. At least one author of accepted submissions is required to register and present the submission at the conference.

The proceedings from the conference last year are available on the ACM Digital Library

Any questions about submissions should be emailed to the Programme Chairs.

Important Dates

There are several important dates for the United Kingdom and Ireland Computing Education Research conference.

Paper submissions

Milestone Date and Time (anywhere on Earth, UTC-12)
Call for Participation 12th December 2023
Abstracts
(250 words)

24th May 2024

Full papers

31st May 2024

Notification of paper acceptance

27th June 2024

Final camera ready paper submission

25th July 2024

Workshop proposals, Poster abstracts, RIPPA and Doctoral Consortium applications

Milestone Date and Time (AoE, UTC-12)
Call for Participation 12th December 2023
Workshop Proposal

24th May 2024

RIPPA

24th May 2024

Doctoral Consortium application

24th May 2024

Works-in-Progress (WiP)

24th May 2024

Notification of WiP acceptance

27th June 2024

Notification of workshop acceptance

27th June 2024

Notification of RIPPA acceptance

27th June 2024

Notification of Doctoral Consortium participation

27th June 2024

Posters abstract submissions

5th July 2024

Notification of poster acceptance

19th July 2024

Final camera ready workshop proposal submission

25th July 2024

Final camera ready RIPPA submission

25th July 2024

Final camera ready Doctoral Consortium one-page abstract

25th July 2024

Final camera ready poster submission

25th July 2024

Review process

Milestone Date and Time
Review process commences

24th May 2024

Paper bidding commences

24th May 2024

Paper bidding completes

29th May 2024

Allocation

1st June 2024

Reviews due

13th June 2024

Discussion commences

14th June 2024

Discussion completes

20th June 2024

Notification of paper acceptance

27th June 2024

Conference Schedule

Milestone Date and Time
UKICER Conference Thursday 5th September–Friday 6th September 2024

Committees

General Chair

Programme Chairs

Rest of programme committee to be appointed forthwith

Local Organising Committee

Supporters

UK and Ireland Special Interest Group in Computing Science Education ACM Chapter Logo

Organisation

University of Manchester