How to Write a Good Session Proposal

By Lynne Herr

Tips to Write a Good Session Proposal

Now Recruiting . . .YOU!

NETA loves featuring educators who are doing great work with tech tools at our fall and spring conferences!  Now is a great time to think about what you could share with colleagues! To help you get started, here are some tips for a successful session proposal  – 

Take time to reflect on current tools, instructional strategies or innovative processes you’re using.  You might start by considering these prompts:  

• What instructional tool or strategy has been especially successful in your classroom?  
• What learning or classroom management challenges have you successfully addressed by using a tech-supported process or tool? 
• How did you use a common tech tool in a new way to better engage students?  
• What process did you create to share what you’ve learned with colleagues?  
• How are you best connecting with parents and community members? 
• What have you done to make content more relevant for your students through social media or use of tech tools? 

Once you’ve narrowed your ideas down to 1 or 2, talk to colleagues to get some feedback.  Are they excited to learn more about that topic? Do they have suggestions to help you refine your ideas or group them in a way to better share your message?  Incorporate their feedback then get started writing the proposal! 

• Choose a specific  topic

1. 1. 1. Vague:  Google Docs 
      2. Specific:  HyperDocs for math choice boards 

• Target a specific audience

1. 1. 1. Vague:  classroom teachers
      2. Specific:  upper elementary teachers

• If you are presenting on a popular tech tool (G Suite tools, Seesaw, etc.), decide how to make your session unique.

1. 1. 1. Vague:  HyperDocs with G Suite
      2. Specific:  HyperDoc Stations for Voice and Choice in Elementary Classrooms

• Use your description to detail the specific content of your session 

1. 1. Vague:  In this session, I’ll share how Google Docs was used in our elementary classroom last year for student projects.  I will share samples of student work and share challenges and successes in our use of Docs with Chromebooks.
   2. Specific:  Our 3rd graders knocked our socks off with their use of HyperDocs for math stations in our 1:1 Chromebook classrooms.  Learn how we balanced Chromebook work with paper/pencil to improve engagement. See how choice boards helped us differentiate and document student learning.
2. Go back to your peers for their feedback.  The most mentioned evaluation feedback we get from sessions at the NETA conference is that the Title and Description did not match the session content.  So ask:  
   1. What do you expect from a session with this title?  
   2. Does this title match the description of my session?  
   3. What would you expect to take away from this session?  
3. Submit your session in advance of the deadline!  Session submissions opened in May for the Nebraska Fall Ed Tech Conference and will close July 1st.  

Don’t wait until the last minute.  We’ve found that when people rush through the application process they may miss important fields or even forget to click the submit button!  You’re doing great work and we want to showcase it!