2012 NCTM Annual Meeting and Exposition
April 25-28, 2012
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Technology and Mathematics: Get Connected!

If you are selected to make a presentation, you will be required to follow the guidelines provided in these FAQs.  

General Information 

When and where will the 2-12 NCTM Annual Meeting and Exposition be held?

The 2012 NCTM Annual Meeting and Exposition will take place April 25-28, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

When and wehre will the presentations be given?

Presentations will be given at the Philadelphia Convention Center and the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.

Proposal Information
Who will attend?

Our audiences are comprised of educators ranging in level from pre-kindergarten through college, plus supervisors, administrators and, college students interested in a career in mathematics education.

Who is eligible to present?

We accept proposals from educators who would like to share teaching ideas and practices by presenting at the Annual Meeting. Hundreds of experienced educators, administrators and research professionals give presentations every year at NCTM conferences.

How many proposals may I submit?

NCTM allows only one submission per lead speaker. You may be a co-speaker on other proposals but you may only submit one proposal as a lead speaker.

Are there presiders for my presentation?

Presiders introduce only major speakers identified by the Program Committee. If you wish to have someone assist with your presentation, you may find someone to do so, but the guest’s name will not be included in the program book.

Presentation Content and Format
What topics of mathematics can I choose from when writing my proposal?

The topics of mathematics that may be presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting and Exposition are:

• Algebra, Algebraic Thinking, Patterns, Functions
• Assessment, High-Stakes Testing, Instructional Strategies, Classroom and Large-Scale Assessment, Formal and Informal Questioning, Policy Decisions, Program Evaluation
• Calculus, Discrete Mathematics, Precalculus, Symbolic Logic, Sets or Set Theory, Graph Theory
• Communication, Connections, Representation, History, Literature, Mathematics Applications, Integrated Mathematics, Modeling
• Data Analysis and Probability
• Equity, Diversity, Alternative Schools, Funding, Multilingual, Special Needs, Gifted, Community Relations, State and Federal Legislation, Outreach and Advocacy, Accountability
• Geometry, Constructing and Transforming Perspectives Measurement Systems and Processes, Attributes, Techniques, Tools, Formulas
• Number, Number Sense, Operations, Computation, Estimation, Decimals Fractions
• Problem Solving, Reasoning, Proof, Critical Thinking
• Professional Development, Coaching, Mentoring, Learning Communities, Lesson Study, Induction Programs
• Technology, Computer Software, Calculators, Web Tools & Resources (Focus of the Year)

What presentation formats are offered?

Session (60 minutes)

Rooms are set theatre style and vary in size.

Research Session (60 minutes)

Rooms are set theatre style and vary in size. Research sessions emphasize the connection between research and practice. Research Sessions provide participants with mathematical concepts, activities, and/or teaching strategies that have proved successful in the classroom.

Gallery Workshop (90 minutes)

Rooms are set with round tables for hands-on work and additional gallery seating around the perimeter of the room and vary in size. The attendees seated at tables will perform hands-on activities while the gallery participants will receive the print material and observe the workshop in a fashion similar to a classroom observer.

What are grade bands?

The primary grade band is the grade band in which the proposal will be submitted and reviewed. The grade band audience will appear in the program book. The following are the grade band audience options: 

• PreK-2 – Pre-school and Prekindergarten through grade 2 topics
• Grades 3-5 – grades 3 through 5 topics Grades 6-8 – grades 6 through 8 topics 
• Grades 9-12 – grades 9 through 12 topics
• Higher Education – university and college level issues and topics including both two-year and four-year institutions
• Preservice and Inservice – content and techniques for providers of pre-service teacher education and professional development for practicing teachers, supervisors, specialists, coaches and mathematics educators. 
• General Interest – applicable to multiple grades and audiences. If General Interest is the grade band chosen, General Interest will be the only grade band listed in the program book. 

Speakers may choose up to two (2) grade band audiences to appear in the program book, including the primary grade band to which the proposal was submitted. If General Interest is chosen a second audience will not be listed. If more than two grade bands are selected, or the gradeband audience differes from the submission queue, NCTM reserves the right to edit the grade band audience selection.

Proposal Submission
How do I submit a proposal?

An electronic proposal form is found at our Web site: http://www.nctm.org/speak. You may complete and submit your proposal online using this form. Once completed you will receive a confirmation email, please keep this email for your records. If no email confirmation is received please contact annl-program@nctm.org.

When is the submission deadline?

The deadline for receipt of proposals is midnight, Eastern Time on May 1, 2011. If you submit your proposal after this deadline it will not be considered for the Annual Meeting.

Are there any restrictions in submitting a proposal?

Restrictions due to NCTM policy include the following:

• Proposal information cannot be changed once the proposal form has been submitted for review.
• Co-speakers cannot be added or changed once the proposal form has been submitted for review.
• There is a limit of two (2) co-speakers per proposal.
• Selling or promoting products is not allowed in NCTM presentations. You may describe how materials, etc. are used in classrooms but your presentation focus cannot be on selling the product. If you wish to promote or sell a product at the Annual Meeting, please contact our sales and marketing team at salses@nctm.org.
• If any project or commercially available product is the main focus of your presentation, the project or product name must appear in the title.
• Please observe copyright and trademark rules. If you plan to use copyrighted or trademarked resources or songs, you must obtain appropriate permissions prior to submitting your proposal.

What should I consider when writing my title and description?

• Most attendees decide whether to attend a presentation by looking at the title and description in the Program Book.
• A description that is engaging and tells briefly and specifically what you plan to do during your presentation is most helpful to the Program Committee and the conference attendees.
• There is a limit to the amount of information you may provide on your proposal form.
• The title is limited to ten words.
• The description is limited to 350 characters, including spaces.
• The objectives are limited to 500 characters, including spaces.
• You will be prompted to submit to a primary grade band (submission queue). This choice will ensure that your proposal is routed to the appropriate Program Committee members for review.
• The Program Book listing includes the title, description, presentation format, grade-level audience, name, and professional affiliation of each speaker, and day, time, and location.
• Do not use acronyms or all CAPS in your name, affiliations, address, title or description. 
• NCTM reserves the right to edit presentation titles and descriptions.

How do I include additional information with my Research Proposal?
To include additional information with your Research Session proposal, you may email your additional information to conf-research@nctm.org. Emails containing more than 250 words will not be considered. Do not include attachments; attachments will not be considered. Only Research Session proposals may email additional information.

Proposal Rating
What criteria are used when rating proposals?

All proposals are subjected to a rigorous peer review process conducted by a committee of volunteers. When the Program Committee reviews your proposal, they will consider the following:
Title and description

• Do the title and description describe the nature of the presentation?
• Does the presentation offer new and interesting ideas to challenge the participants, including national hot topics of interest?
• Are the title and description detailed enough so that conference attendees can tell what they will learn from the presentation?
• Are the title and description connected to mathematics education content and/or pedagogical knowledge?
• Are the title and description clearly stated and easy to understand?

Objectives

• Are the objectives clearly stated and easy to understand?
• What will the attendees be doing during the presentation?
• What will the attendees learn that will affect their practice? 
• Are the objectives participant focused? 
• Are the objectives specific to this presentation?

Appropriateness of grade band and topic 

• Considering the objectives, title, and description; are the stated objectives appropriate for the grade level and content area chosen?

Appropriateness of presentation type 

• For gallery workshops, will attendees engage in hands-on activities? Is the presentation interactive and are the activities clearly described?
• Is the presentation type chosen based on what will happen during the presentation, not the amount of time allotted? (Sixty minutes for Sessions, 90 minutes for Gallery Workshops) 
• Does the selected topic directly apply to the content of the session/gallery workshop? 
• Is the selected grade band(s) the audience that will directly benefit from the session/gallery workshop?

Focus on math

• Are the linkages to student growth and significant mathematics obvious? 
• What tangible math will be showcased in this presentation? 
• Connection to mathematical content and pedagogical knowledge 
• Is the presentation content up-to-date? 
• Will stated objectives build participants connection to mathematical and pedagogical knowledge?

Commercial presentations 

• Is the proposed presentation centered around the content and pedagogy related to the product or a promotional demonstration of the product? 
• Would this presentation be better suited for an exhibitor workshop?

Prior speaking experience

• Is the prior speaking experience listed relevant to the content of the proposal? 
• Does the speaker have experience at the state (large groups), regional, or national level? 
• Include recent speaking experiences that are relevant for the proposal type, topic, and grade band selected.
   
• Include speaking experiences with audiences similar to the conference attendance of the NCTM Annual Meeting.

The Program Committee will read the entire proposal to check the completeness of the information provided and will focus on your description and goals to review your presentation content.

What additional criteria are used when rating research proposals?
 

Audio/Visual Equipment 
How do I request audio/visual equipment?

Audio/visual equipment is requested as you complete the speaker proposal form. Any additional equipment or equipment requested after the proposal is submitted will be at the speaker’s expense. Select ONLY the items that are essential for your presentation.

What audio/visual equipment is available?

NCTM provides only the audio/visual equipment listed on the proposal form. In striving to be as comprehensive as possible, we created audio visual “packages” to best accommodate the majority of our speakers. Only one A/V package may be chosen. Presentation rooms will be pre-set set with one lavaliere microphone for your use during the presentation. If you do not require sound for a Power Point presentation, you will not need to request audio support on the proposal form. If you are requesting an LCD projector please note that you will be responsible for providing a laptop to connect to it. If you will be using a MAC, please bring your adaptor. Available packages are:

• No Equipment (no equipment needed and none provided)
• One LCD projector (PC) with one screen 
• One LCD projector (MAC) with one screen 
• One overhead projector with one screen 
• One overhead and one LCD (PC) with one screen 
• One overhead and one LCD (MAC) with one screen 
• Interactive Whiteboard

Due to the limited number of available Interactive Whiteboards, if you request a board, please give a brief description of how you plan to utilize the board. The Program Committee will review your request and approve or deny your proposal based, in part, upon your explanation of how you plan to use the board.

There will be no Internet connections for speakers in session or gallery workshop rooms.
 

What if my presentation requires additional audio/viusal equipment?

Speakers who require alternative a/v equipment are responsible for ordering and paying for the additional equipment. Information for ordering additional equipment will be provided to speakers three months prior to the conference start date.

Proposal Acceptance 
 

Are all proposals accepted?

No. All proposals are peer reviewed based on specific criteria and our volunteers strive to ensure a balance of topics in order to offer a comprehensive experience for all attendees. We receive many more proposals than we can schedule on the program and therefore we cannot accept every good proposal due to space limitations.

When will I know if my proposal is accepted?
In September 2011 you will be notified by email whether or not your proposal has been accepted. If you have not received an email notification by the end of September please check your spam filters and then contact annl-program@nctm.org to verify the status of your proposal.

What do I do if I receive notice that my presentation was accepted?

• Read the acceptance notification carefully and register by the September 2011 deadline.  
• Please take this final opportunity to review your proposal for typographical errors. Check the facts. If you have co-speakers, are they listed accurately? No additional co-speakers may be added at this time but affiliation and contact information may be updated in the database.
• Meet the deadline. If the acceptance steps are not completed by the September 2010 deadline, your presentation will not be included on the program for the NCTM Annual Meeting.

What if I need special accommodations for my presentation time?
Before submitting a proposal please be sure you are able to give your presentation at any time during the conference. We will make every effort to accommodate scheduling requests made for religious considerations if they are communicated in advance on the speaker proposal form. No considerations will be accepted after the proposal submission deadline, May 1, 2011.

What if I have to withdraw my proposal?
Contact either Program Chair Galdis Kersaint gkersaint@nctm.org or the Annual Meeting unit at annl-program@nctm.org immediately.

What happens if my contact information has changed?
You may access the personal information on your proposal at http://nctm.confex.com/nctm/demo/cfp.cgi to make changes or notify us of changes at
annl-program@nctm.org. It is your responsibility to keep your contact information up to date; your presentation may be rejected if we are unable to contact you.

Registration and Expenses 

What are the speaker and co-speaker registration fees?
The Lead Speaker is entitled to a reduced speaker registration fee. Lead Speaker registration fees are due to NCTM by the September 2011 deadline stated on the speaker registration form. If this deadline is not met, the presentation may be replaced. Registration fees for Lead Speakers and Co-speakers are not refundable. The Lead Speaker registration fee will be approximately $210. Registration must be completed prior to the September 2011 deadline. The Co-speaker registration fee will be approximately $270, due by early 2011.

Are my expenses covered?
NCTM does not pay an honorarium, travel, nor subsistence expenses for the Annual Meeting. Travel and housing information can be found on our Web site at www.nctm.org/annual. Check back regularly for updates.
 

 
Am I reimbursed for my handouts?

Gallery workshop speakers are reimbursed for a maximum of $2.00 per participant based on the total capacity of your assigned room. An expense form is available on the Speaker Home Page for gallery workshop speakers only. Session presenters and research session presenters are not eligible for reimbursement.
 

Additional questions? Please contact:
NCTM Annual Meeting Associate
1906 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191
Phone: 703/620-9840, extension 2103
Fax: 703/295-0956
Email: annl-program@nctm.org