The annual Lifelong Learning Conference, hosted through Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Education Studies, is accepting proposals through March 17 and will be held June 28 in SFA’s Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center.
This collaborative platform encourages educators to share innovative teaching practices and emerging research in a variety of presentation styles emphasizing this year’s theme of “Inspire! Create! Collaborate!”
“The conference will be a collaborative platform for local educators and SFA alumni to immerse themselves in an engaging learning community that shares innovative teaching practices and emerging research,” said Alyssa Landreneaux, conference committee chair and assessment coordinator in the Department of Education Studies. “This conference seeks to inspire and empower educators and communities to embrace lifelong learning as an integral part of their professional journey and thrive in a rapidly changing world.”
The three broad topics of “Inspire! Create! Collaborate!” allow for creativity in style and content. Conference organizers welcome submissions from a variety of viewpoints, including those of educators, practitioners and educational leaders.
“Our goal is to foster an interactive community that showcases innovative approaches, best practices and research discoveries in education with an emphasis on successful teaching techniques tailored to diverse learners,” said Carrie Wright, conference committee member and Project Raíces director, a grant-funded bilingual education program administered by James I. Perkins College of Education faculty members.
SFA faculty members are encouraged to submit proposals in addition to area educators and SFA alumni. Conference organizers hope the event will offer innovative and engaging sessions that address concerns teachers have across their experience and content areas, specifically calling for presentations related to the Texas Education Agency’s continuing professional education.
The Lifelong Learning Conference is a reimagining of an SFA conference in 2012 named the Lifelong Learner Conference, which was developed by faculty and staff from SFA’s former Department of Elementary Education. Today, the Department of Education Studies houses degree programs to prepare teachers across grades pre-K through 12, as well as all-level special education and deaf and hard of hearing specializations.
“Education is a dynamic field, and staying abreast of relevant research and open to innovation is critical,” said Dr. Nicole Letchworth, conference committee member and assistant professor in the Department of Education Studies. “In today’s classrooms, effective teaching involves more than just delivering information from a textbook to a classroom of students — it requires that teachers are constantly seeking to improve. New teaching methodologies, technological advancements and evolving student needs demand a willingness for all educators to adapt. This conference aims to allow educators to learn about the latest trends, tools and strategies that can transform their classrooms into vibrant learning hubs.”
For more information on the conference, including proposal submission details, visit gosfa.com/lifelong-learning-conference.
ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.
By Parastoo Nikravesh, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University
