Submissions

Call for Submissions is Now Closed.

FabLearn is a venue for educators, policy-makers, students, designers, researchers, students, and makers to present, discuss, and learn about digital fabrication and computer science in education, maker culture, and hands-on, constructionist learning. We are seeking submissions for:

  • Academic Research Papers (full and short papers sharing academic research, submission window closed)
  • Educator Submissions (for educators to share research, best practices, curricula, experiences, and visions, submission window closed)
  • Student Showcase (for elementary to high-school students to show their projects or share rich learning experiences,submission window closed)
  • Demos (projects, curricula, constructed artifacts, technologies, software, or hardware, submission window closed)
  • Workshops (demonstrating pedagogies, activities, fabrication tools, skills, and techniques to conference attendees, submission window closed)

Accepted full and short papers appear in the Proceedings of FabLearn 2020, which will be published and indexed in the ACM Digital Library. All other accepted submissions will be citable and will be made available and archived on the conference website.

All submissions must be written in English.

Deadlines

Academic Research Papers, Educator Submissions, Demos and Workshops: submission window closed.

Student showcase submission window closed.

 

Submissions website

We use the EasyChair conference submission system: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=fablearn2020.

Do I need to anonymize my submission?

All academic research papers, educator submissions, and demos must be submitted without author identification. Failure to exclude author identification from the submission will disqualify the submission from consideration. References may include citations from the author(s) if applicable.

Workshop and student showcase submissions may include author identification.

 

Types of Submissions

ACADEMIC RESEARCH PAPERS: FULL

For researchers to present current and future projects in the realm of digital fabrication, hands-on science and engineering, making, and computer science in educational settings. Acceptance will be based on full paper contributions that report original work that has not been previously published. The paper must identify and cite published work relevant to the paper topic. It should explain how the work builds on previous contributions and should indicate where and why novel approaches have been adopted. Papers should stress the importance of the submission to the digital fabrication/makers/hands-on/CS learning communities.

While adherence to the conference theme is not mandatory, it is recommended.

Submission/presentation guidelines:

  • Presentation: Oral presentation during the Research Panels
  • Accepted papers will be included in the indexed, archival-level FabLearn 2020 ACM Proceedings
  • Page limit: 8 pages including references
  • Language: English
  • Format: Use the ACM Master Article Template (https://www.acm.org/publications/taps/word-template-workflow)
  • Submissions must be submitted without author identification
  • Submissions via EasyChair: submission window closed.

 

ACADEMIC RESEARCH PAPERS: SHORT

For researchers to present current and future projects in the realm of digital fabrication, hands-on science and engineering, making, and computer science in educational settings. Acceptance will be based on submissions that report original work that has not been previously published. Authors are encouraged to demonstrate work in progress and late-breaking research results that show the latest innovative ideas. We invite presentation of ongoing work and preliminary results, by experienced academics as well as young researchers and designers. Short papers are not expected to include as thorough a literature review as full papers, but should include some details on methods and analysis as well as initial results. Papers should stress the importance of the submission to the digital fabrication/makers/hands-on/CS learning communities. At the conference, authors of accepted short papers will participate in a “madness” session, giving a very quick overview of their work. This will be followed by a poster session where they will have the opportunity to speak with attendees about their work.

While adherence to the conference theme is not mandatory, it is recommended.

Submission/presentation guidelines:

  • Presentation: 1 min “Madness” presentation followed by a poster session.
  • Accepted papers will be included in the FabLearn 2020 ACM Proceedings
  • Page limit: 4 pages including references
  • Language: English
  • Format: Use the ACM Master Article Template (https://www.acm.org/publications/taps/word-template-workflow)
  • Submissions must be submitted without author identification
  • Submissions via EasyChair: submission window closed.

EDUCATOR SUBMISSIONS

Teachers, administrators, and program facilitators: we are looking forward to reflections on your experiences with maker-centered and constructionist learning in classrooms, museums, and other learning spaces. Please include a description of the formal or informal educational experience, an explanation of its importance to the maker-centered/hands-on/digital fabrication/CS learning communities, and thoughts about what can be learned more generally from your experience and its value for other educators. This category is not meant to be an “academic” paper, but rather a structured report of best practices (or worst practices that should not be repeated!), interesting experiences, and visions for constructionist learning.

While adherence to the conference theme is not mandatory, it is recommended.

Submission guidelines:

  • Page limit: 4 pages
  • Format: Use the FabLearn Educator Submission Template (Google Doc: https://bit.ly/FL2019-EducatorTemplate). Remember to submit in PDF format (you may need to reduce the file size of the PDF to submit to EasyChair)
  • Submissions must be submitted without author identification (leave the author and bio sections of the template unfilled, where possible do not include obvious identifying information within the submission body); if your paper is accepted, we will ask you to reupload with this information added
  • Language: English
  • Submissions via EasyChair: submission window closed.

Presentation descriptions – Educators will participate in one of the following:

  • Panel – 5-minute presentations by each of 3-5 panelists followed by a discussion and Q&A for all panelists. Panels will be formed and chaired by the FabLearn Education Chairs.
  • Round Table – 8-minute presentations by 2-3 educators followed by intimate discussion.
  • Ignite Talks – A series of 5-minute high-energy presentations.

 

DEMOS

For developers, entrepreneurs, educators, and students to showcase new digital fabrication tools, hands-on learning platforms, construction kits applicable to education, student projects, and interesting constructed artifacts. At the conference, authors of demos will participate in a “madness” session, giving a very quick overview of their work. This will be followed by the demo session where they will have the opportunity to demonstrate their product or project. Your submission should contain a detailed description of the product or project being demonstrated, an explanation of its importance to the digital fabrication/makers/hands-on learning communities, and any power or space needs.

While adherence to the conference theme is not mandatory, it is recommended.

Submission/presentation guidelines:

  • Presentation: 1 min “Madness” presentation followed by a demo table/poster session.
  • Presentation: Poster and demo table during the demo/poster session
  • Page limit: 4 pages including references. You may include pictures and links for one or two videos as well
  • Format: Use the FabLearn Demo Submission Template (Google Doc: https://bit.ly/FL2019-DemoTemplate). Remember to submit in PDF format (you may need to reduce the file size of the PDF to submit to EasyChair)
  • Submissions must be submitted without author identification (leave the author and bio sections of the template unfilled, where possible do not include obvious identifying information within the submission body); if your paper is accepted, we will ask you to upload a new copy of your paper with this information added
  • Submissions via EasyChair: submission window closed. 

 

WORKSHOPS

For educators and designers to lead a workshop for conference attendees demonstrating digital fabrication and/or hands-on learning activities, hardware, software, or non-digital techniques, used in classrooms, museums, and any other type of learning space. Workshops will be 100 minutes long.

While adherence to the conference theme is not mandatory, it is highly recommended: if applicable, please include an explanation of how your submission fits in with the conference theme.

Submission/presentation guidelines:

  • Presentation: 100-minute workshop during the weekend conference on April 4 or 5.
  • Word limit: 1000 words and 4 pictures. You may include links to videos as well.
  • Format: Use the FabLearn Workshop Submission Template (Google Doc: https://bit.ly/FL2019-WorkshopTemplate). Remember to submit in PDF format (you may need to reduce the file size of the PDF to submit to EasyChair)
  • Content: Every workshop submission should include: (1) Title and abstract; (2) short bios of the instructors; (3) description of the scope of the workshop, expected level of experience of participants, main topics covered, and outcomes; (4) explanation of the importance of your submission to the digital fabrication/makers/hands-on/CS learning communities; (5) maximum number of participants and technology/space/material/logistics needs
  • Workshops will be selected considering a combination of factors, including: originality, experience of teaching team, quality of the submission (level of detail, clarity).
  • We encourage workshops submissions to try new combinations of techniques, ideas, and materials.
  • Submissions via EasyChair: submission window closed. 

 

YOUNG MAKER SHOWCASE

For elementary to high-school students willing to showcase a project, technology, idea, or share a reflection on their fabrication space. We are also seeking incomplete projects, things that went wrong, and experiences that could be valuable lessons for other students and the maker community.

Proposals should describe a completed (or not completed) project that could be brought to the conference and exhibited during the student showcase session or discussed by the student in a small panel format. Submissions may include a critique, project documentation, and/or stories about the student’s experience in a fabrication space. If you are an educator and you have some great work in your class, please encourage your students to submit!

Submission guidelines:

  • Presentation: Submissions will be accepted to either the Young Maker panel or a Young Maker poster session. Young Maker panel participants will share a 5 min presentation and participate in a Q&A session led by the Young Maker Committee Chair. Young Maker poster participants will share a 1 min “Madness” presentation followed by a poster session showcasing his/her/their work.
  • Page limit: 2 pages, with as many pictures and explanations as needed. You may include links to videos as well.
  • Format: Use the FabLearn Student Submission Template (Google Doc: https://bit.ly/FL2019-StudentTemplate). Remember to submit in PDF format (you may need to reduce the file size of the PDF to submit to EasyChair).
  • Submission window closed.