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.

  • 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.

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

  • 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.

  • Works-in-Progress (WiP) workshop. One–two page application via EasyChair with accepted participants required to submit a white paper (2 to 4 pages) three weeks prior to the conference. Neither document to be published in the conference proceedings.

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, Troy Astarte (t.k.astarte@swansea.ac.uk) and Faron Moller (f.g.moller@swansea.ac.uk).

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.

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.

Accepted RIPPA proposals are included in the proceedings and accepted RIPPAs are expected to provide an update on the progress of the RIPPA in subsequent years as to track progress as well as share any problems or lessons learned. The progress (e.g. paper submitted or accepted at given event) on previous RIPPAs will be reported in future conference proceedings.

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.

Aims

The UKICER DC has the following aims:

  1. To allow new researchers to attend the conference, understand the UK CSEd landscape, and be introduced to the UKICER community.

  2. To help build a cohort group of PhD researchers who will then have a network of colleagues across the UK.

  3. To influence the growth of the conference, and the UKICER community, through researchers who see UKICER as a “home” conference.

Participation and Commitment

Successful candidates are required to participate in a workshop on the first day of the conference and an activity session on the second day of the conference. Candidates may also be expected to participate in supplementary activities both before and after the Doctoral Consortium.

Time and Location

The DC comprises a workshop on the first day of the conference and a lightning presentation on the second day of the conference. The workshop is led by Professor Quintin Cutts and Dr Neil Brown.

The DC is all in-person, there is no hybrid or blended option. Candidates must confirm they are able to attend the conference and activities in-person.

Eligibility

Applications are welcome from doctoral students at any stage of study and from any discipline as long as:

  • They are engaged in computing science education research (including, but not limited to: software engineering, cognitive psychology, programming languages and educational science).

  • They have not graduated prior to the DC.

  • They are registered with an institution in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Outcome

Attendance and participation in the DC is published in the conference proceedings. The following information will be published:

  • Abstract
    • 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.

Application

Doctoral Consortium applications must be submitted via EasyChair. Candidates should consult the detail submission format instructions and guidelines for the Doctoral Consortium prior to submission. Successful candidates are required to register for the conference, engage in the DC and attend in-person.

Works in Progress (WiP) workshop

The Work in Progress (WiP) workshop is a specialised event for UKICER conference attendees who are established researchers in computing education research, or hold terminal degrees (such as PhDs). The aim of the workshop is to provide a community context in which attendees give and receive friendly and constructive feedback on their work. WiP is not appropriate for PhD students, who should consider the UKICER Doctoral Consortium.

A WiP workshop is an excellent opportunity to discuss and develop ongoing work. WiP submissions are concrete, anchored in a specific topic, and may be centred on various elements of work, including (but not limited to):

  • A rejected paper
  • A kernel of an idea
  • A grant proposal
  • A research project
  • A study design
  • An analysis approach

If accepted, attendees prepare a short primer on their work (4 page maximum) circulated three weeks in advance, this supports effective discussion. Depending on the number of participants we expect to spend 30 - 45 minutes discussing the work of each attendee.

The timeline for the WiP Workshop is presented with the other conference dates.

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Applying for the WiP Workshop

To apply to participate in the WiP workshop, please submit a 1- or 2-page overview of the project you’ll present to the group. Also, include a brief description of previous research and areas of expertise you are able to offer the group. While no specific format is required, your submission should include:

  • Your affiliation and title
  • Project title and description (1–3 paragraphs)
  • Stage of the project when WiP will occur (conceptual, new, on-going, near complete)
  • Type of feedback sought (ideally, what would you most like from WiP participants? Research questions, design, critique, related works?)
  • Your research experience (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods; study design; human subjects research; K-12, undergraduate, graduate, or professional contexts)
  • Submit your application via EasyChair.

Accepted participants must prepare and submit a white paper (2–4 pages) to serve as a primer for all workshop participants. White papers are not published in the conference proceedings.