2024 Conference Information

We look forward to gathering for our 2024 annual meeting in Denver, Colorado, and hope you will join us.

 

Call for Proposals

31st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Teaching and Curriculum

October 3-5, 2024

Denver, CO

Proposals should be submitted electronically at aatchome.org

Location

Downtown Denver Embassy Suites

1420 Stout Street
Denver, CO 80202​

Conference hotel rate information and reservation link coming soon.

Finding Joy in the Turmoil: Embracing and Enjoying the Struggle

The AATC 2024 Annual Conference seeks to embrace the Joy in teaching and curriculum. Amid the 2024 election cycle, we will come together to embrace the power and potential of being joyful. Transgressing boundaries, scholarship that acknowledges and embraces the search for pathways of recognition, love, and shared affect within heterogeneous hazards, obstacles, and opportunities requires a Joyful Rampage. 

Joy in education centers on creating an environment where students feel valued, engaged, and excited about their learning experiences. By focusing on the emotional and intellectual needs of students, educators can contribute to a more joyful and meaningful educational journey.  The concept of joy in education emphasizes creating a positive, engaging, and fulfilling learning environment that promotes not only academic achievement but also emotional well-being, intrinsic motivation, and a love for learning. Joy in education recognizes that when students experience joy and satisfaction in their learning journey, they are more likely to be active, curious, and successful learners.

The intersection of Joy and Education often highlights the politics that animates teaching and curriculum.  In the highly complex ecology that is P-20 schooling, the realm of ideas and beliefs and values have materiality and are embedded in specific practices and institutional systems.  When schools develop, or are leveraged, as the “reach mechanism” of hegemony, the institution tasked with changing the whole landscape of popular beliefs and commonsense, joy is marginalized. Teaching and curriculum become joyless.

Joy is an important aspect of the broader conversations around representation, equity, and social justice. Joy reminds us that while acknowledging challenges is essential, it’s equally important to celebrate the diverse and rich experiences that contribute to the well-being and happiness of individuals and communities within education.

Themes

  • Community Connection: Building and nurturing supportive and vibrant communities like AATC fosters a sense of belonging and unity, contributing to joy.
  • Curriculum and Representation: The content and materials used in education can have political implications for joy. A curriculum that reflects diverse perspectives and histories can help students find joy in seeing their identities and experiences represented.
  • Equity and Access: Access to quality education, resources, and opportunities significantly affects students’ ability to experience joy in learning. Educational inequities can result from political decisions related to funding, policy, and resource allocation. Addressing these inequities is crucial to ensure that all students can find joy in their education.
  • Educational Reform: Political discussions about educational reform often touch on topics like curriculum changes, teaching methods, and accountability. These reforms can influence the ways in which joy is integrated into the educational experience.
  • Education for Social Change: Some educators and scholars view education as a means to create positive social change. Engaging students in discussions about social justice, environmental sustainability, and human rights can lead to a sense of purpose and, consequently, joy.
  • Gratitude: Cultivating a practice of gratitude can shift focus away from challenges and towards the positive aspects of teaching and curriculum making.
  • Liberation: Finding joy in acts of resistance, advocacy, and efforts toward social change showcases the strength and determination of the teaching and curriculum community.
  • Resilience: Developing resilience helps you navigate challenges with a positive attitude. Resilience involves adapting to adversity, learning from setbacks, and finding ways to move forward.
  • Triumph: Highlighting stories of triumph over challenges and adversity showcases the strength and resilience within the teaching and curriculum community.

Keynote Speakers

  • Stephen Fain Keynote Address:  Dr. Christine Sleeter, Professor Emerita, College of Education, California State University – Monterey Bay

Dr. Sleeter has been honored for her work as the recipient of the American Educational Research Association Social Justice Award, the Division K Teaching and Teacher Education Legacy Award, the CSU Monterey Bay President’s Medal, the Chapman University Paulo Freire Education Project Social Justice Award, the American Educational Research Association Special Interest Group Multicultural and Multiethnic Education Lifetime Achievement Award, and the National Association for Multicultural Education Exceptional Service Award. She is a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association, and a Member of the National Academy of Education.

For more information visit: https://www.christinesleeter.org/

  • Marcella Kysilka Lecture: Jason Goulah: Professor and Director of the Institute for Daisaku Ikeda Studies in Education, DePaul University

Dr. Goulah’s research interests include transformative language learning; Ikeda/Soka studies in education; and language, culture, identity, and socioecological literacies. His scholarship has appeared in multiple edited volumes and scholarly journals. His books include Daisaku Ikeda, Language and Education, which received the 2015 Critics Choice Book Award from the American Educational Studies Association. He also co-edited, with Isabel Nunez, Hope and Joy in Education: Engaging Daisaku Ikeda Across Curriculum and Context, which won a 2022 Society of Professors of Education: Outstanding Book Award.

For more information visit: https://www.ikedacenter.org/

We are accepting proposals until April 3, 2024 via the submission portal. All will be peer-reviewed.

Paper Presentation: A formal paper reporting ongoing or completed research and invites questions and discussion. Electronic or paper copies of the paper should be distributed and should not have been previously presented. 10-15 minutes for the presentation plus 15-20 minutes for discussion.

Ideas and Issues Session: A presentation of novel questions to explored with audience engagement. 30 minutes or more as the program schedule permits. 

Panel/Symposium: A group of speakers discussing varied points of view on a specified issue of interest to the AATC membership. 60 minutes for presentations and audience participation.

Poster Session: A visual representation and an informal presentation on a current educational issue or study. This year’s “Posters and Pastries” will include lively interaction with audience members.

A limited number of graduate students scholarships are available. To apply click here.

We look forward to a welcoming and productive conference!

Paul Parkison, Ed.D., AATC President University of North Florida

Caroline Conner, PhD, AATC Program Co-Chair Kennesaw State University

Cristy Sellers, PhD, AATC Program Co-Chair Pacific University

COVID-19

We are committed to following the latest guidance from the CDC regarding the pandemic. We look forward to safely seeing you in person. Updates or changes in pandemic safety protocols will be shared via the conference listserv, the AATC website, and our social media channels. Questions? Please contact Program Chairs Caroline Conner and Cristy Sellers at aatcconference@gmail.com