Calls for Proposals

Call for Proposals: 2026 CEIE Summer Conference

Date: August 27, 2026

Time: 8:30am - 4:00pm

Location: CKB G08

Overview:

The Center for Educational Innovation and Excellence (CEIE) is excited to announce the call for proposals for the second annual CEIE Summer Conference, ”Teaching for Engagement: Driving Student Motivation and Success.” We invite university staff, faculty, instructors, and TAs to submit proposals that showcase innovative engagement strategies, emphasizing how students behave, feel, and think about their role in the classroom through thoughtful instructional design. Overall, this conference is dedicated to exploring and enhancing student engagement in the classroom and across modes of instruction.

Themes & Topics:

Proposals should focus on student engagement and may cover areas such as, but not limited to:

• Design and implementation of engaging student-centered activities, lessons, or courses 
• Assessment strategies to promote engagement
• Data-driven learning analytics to understand student engagement
• Case studies and evaluations of student engagement initiatives
• Removing barriers to engagement (e.g., generational differences, accessibility and inclusivity, UDL, international student pedagogy)
• Strategies for enhancing student engagement in the Age of AI
• Engagement strategies in various course modes and spaces: in-person, online synchronous, and online asynchronous, hybrid, fixed seating, flexible classroom, etc 
• Construct and underpinnings of student engagement: 
  • Behavioral (e.g., participation, effort, persistence, attention)
  • Emotional (e.g., affective reactions in the classroom: interest, anxiety, boredom, agency)
  • Cognitive (e.g., investment, mindsets, metacognition, cognitive strategies)

All breakout sessions will be 45 minutes in length.

Submission Guidelines:

• Session Title: Approximately 75 characters
• Abstract Requirements: Abstracts should be no more than 250 words, and clearly describe your engagement strategy or topic (e.g., Motivation (the "why"), Pedagogy (the "how"), Environment (the "where"), and Assessment (the "criteria")), the impact on education, and the evidence of effectiveness
•  (This will be posted in the program along with the title).
• Session Types: All sessions must be designed to be interactive, engaging, and require audience participation. Types include workshops, interactive panels, and demonstrations.
• Engagement Strategy: Each proposal must include a detailed plan for engaging participants, ensuring that attendees are active contributors rather than passive listeners for at least 50% of your time with them.
• Formatting: Proposals should be submitted through the provided Google Form.
• Deadline: Proposals must be submitted by June 5, 2026 at 11:59pm.

Review Process:

Proposals will be evaluated by the CEIE staff and Advisory Board, and assessed based on their relevance to the conference theme by targeting engagement strategies, topics, pedagogies, environments, or assessment approaches, as well as evaluated on the innovativeness, effectiveness, and overall potential for impact on educational practices and student success.

Special Considerations:

We highly encourage submissions that include students as co-presenters or significant contributors. Special consideration will be given to these proposals, as they provide valuable perspectives and demonstrate the direct impact of engagement strategies as well as providing additional professional experiences for students and accomplishments for their own resumes.

CEIE Champions League

The CEIE offers an annual award structure for engagement each academic year. Presenters in particular will receive gifts at the end of each spring semester, and automatically be entered in a raffle for an iPad or similar grand prize. The winner of the 2025 Champions Award will be announced at the upcoming CEIE End-of-Year Reception on May 6th

Interested? The more times you present, the more entries you will receive! Submitting a proposal to present at the annual summer conference is the first opportunity to participate!

Extra Resources on Student Engagement and Instructional Design: 

To support the proposal process, the CEIE has compiled a list of literature on Student Engagement: 

Al Yakin, A., & Seraj, P. M. I. (2023). Impact of metaverse technology on student engagement and academic performance: the mediating role of learning motivation. International Journal of Computations, Information and Manufacturing (IJCIM), 3(1), 10-18. https://doi.org/10.54489/ijcim.v3i1.234. 

Analyzing data from 251 students in Dubai, this study finds that immersive metaverse technologies significantly boost academic performance and engagement by enhancing intrinsic motivation. The authors conclude that these virtual experiences are most effective when integrated with traditional pedagogical strategies.

Agbong, J. B. G., & Agbong-Coates, I. J. G. (2024). Instructors’ presence and communication strategies on student engagement in asynchronous online classes. International Journal of Educational Management and Development Studies, 5(2), 206-232. https://doi.org/10.53378/353071 

This study investigates asynchronous online learning and finds that strong instructor presence and clear communication strategies directly improve student engagement. The findings highlight that instructional support and technology self-efficacy are critical mediators for reducing student isolation and optimizing success.

Asher, M. W., Hartman, J. D., Blaser, M., Eichler, J. F., & Carvalho, P. F. (2025). The promise of mastery-based testing for promoting student engagement, self-regulated learning, and performance in gateway STEM courses. Computers & Education, 237, 105387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2025.105387 

Evaluating foundational STEM courses, this research demonstrates that mastery-based testing (MBT) promotes engagement and self-regulated learning by allowing students multiple attempts to prove proficiency. The study concludes that this approach reduces achievement gaps and fosters a growth mindset by focusing on mastery rather than high-stakes testing.

Gari, M. R. N., Walia, G. S., & Radermacher, A. D. (2018, June). Gamification in computer science education: A systematic literature review. In 2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--30554 

This systematic literature review finds that while gamification elements like leaderboards and badges generally improve motivation in computer science education, long-term empirical evidence of their impact on specific learning outcomes remains limited. The authors call for more structured evaluation frameworks to definitively measure the efficacy of gamified learning.

Gibson, A. M., & Slate, J. R. (2010). Student engagement at two-year institutions: Age and generational status differences. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 34(5), 371-385. https://doi.org/10.1080/10668920802466384 

Using data from over 40,000 community college students, this study reveals that non-traditional and first-generation learners often demonstrate higher levels of engagement in purposeful educational activities than traditional students. The authors argue that institutions must move beyond "one-size-fits-all" models to better support these diverse demographic profiles.

Hasinoff, A. A., Bolyard, W., DeBay, D., Dunlap, J. C., Mosier, A. C., & Pugliano, E. (2024). “Success was actually having learned:” University student perceptions of ungrading. Teaching and Learning Inquiry, 12, 1-22.  https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.5 

This qualitative study finds that "ungrading" shifts university students' focus from earning points to achieving deep, meaningful learning and mastery of content. While students initially face uncertainty, the practice ultimately reduces academic stress and increases their sense of agency.

Hu, J., & Xiao, W. (2025). What are the influencing factors of online learning engagement? A systematic literature review. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1542652.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1542652 

Synthesizing 55 empirical studies, this review identifies that online engagement is driven by a combination of internal learner traits and external factors like instructor support and task design. The authors recommend promoting self-directed learning and interactive environments to improve overall educational outcomes.

Lin, L., & Barber, K. A. (2022). Tapping into the potential of student engagement with Universal Design for Learning in pedagogical courses. Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning, 14(2), 114-129. https://doi.org/10.14305/jn.19440413.2022.14.2.04  

This article explores how the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework enhances engagement for preservice teachers in online and blended environments through inclusive instructional strategies. The authors conclude that UDL improves current student outcomes while preparing future educators to create accessible classrooms.

O'Neill, G., & Short, A. (2025). Relevant, practical and connected to the real world: what higher education students say engages them in the curriculum. Irish Educational Studies, 44(1), 23-40. https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2023.2221663 

Analyzing data from 93,000 students, this study finds that learners are most engaged when the curriculum offers direct, practical connections to real-world careers and hands-on projects. The findings emphasize that higher education must bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and professional application to maintain student interest.

Sahito, Z. H., Khoso, F. J., & Phulpoto, J. (2025). The effectiveness of active learning strategies in enhancing student engagement and academic performance. Journal of Social Sciences Review, 5(1), 110-127. https://doi.org/10.62843/jssr.v5i1.471 

This quantitative study evaluates the effectiveness of active learning strategies like Problem-Based Learning and flipped classrooms, finding a significant increase in student engagement and attendance. The most substantial performance gains were observed in computer science and mathematics courses.

Sajja, R., Sermet, Y., Cwiertny, D., & Demir, I. (2025). Integrating AI and learning analytics for data-driven pedagogical decisions and personalized interventions in education. Technology, knowledge and learning, 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-025-09897-9 

This study introduces an AI-powered learning analytics tool that uses Large Language Models to monitor real-time student engagement markers like stress and curiosity. While the tool enables highly personalized interventions, the authors emphasize the need for careful management of data privacy and AI reliability.

Veiga, F., Reeve, J., Veiga, C. M., Wong, Z. Y., Martínez, I., de Carvalho, N. A., & Pereira, A. (2026). Higher education student engagement in learning activities: Clarifying concepts and introducing a short-scale. PloS one, 21(2), e0340391. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0340391 

Researchers developed and validated a 12-item "short-scale" (HESELA-SS) to clarify and measure four dimensions of student engagement, including the proactive "agentic" dimension. The study concludes that this streamlined tool offers a practical and psychometrically robust way for educators to monitor and improve student involvement.

Wang, J., Ren, J., Liu, W., Rong, Z., Shi, Z., Zhao, Y., ... & Gao, S. (2026). The GAI Partner Effect: A Comparative Study of Interaction Types on Students’ Learning Engagement and Academic Performance in Science Education. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 1-17.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-026-10311-x 

This experimental study uses brain imaging to compare human-student and AI-student interactions, finding that Generative AI boosts cognitive engagement while human teachers remain superior for emotional and social engagement. The findings highlight the "GAI partner effect" in shifting cognitive load while underscoring the necessity of teacher-student neural synchrony for social-emotional growth.

Wong, Z. Y., Liem, G. A. D., Chan, M., & Datu, J. A. D. (2024). Student engagement and its association with academic achievement and subjective well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of educational psychology, 116(1), 48.  https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/edu0000833  

This meta-analysis of hundreds of studies confirms that multidimensional student engagement is a robust predictor of both academic achievement and subjective well-being. The authors conclude that fostering engagement is a dual-purpose strategy that supports both the psychological health and the academic success of students.

Zepke, N., & Leach, L. (2010). Improving student engagement: Ten proposals for action. Active learning in higher education, 11(3), 167-177. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787410379680 

Synthesizing 93 studies, this article presents ten actionable proposals for improving student engagement through motivation, institutional support, and active citizenship. The authors argue that engagement is a shared responsibility requiring high-quality teaching and welcoming institutional cultures to support diverse learners.