AERA Division C GSC Learning and Instruction

Should you submit to a SIG, a committee, or a division? 

When you submit a paper or session submission, you can only submit it to a single division, SIG, or committee. Any submission that goes to multiple entities will be removed from consideration for all of those entities. So it’s definitely in your best interest to determine the best fit for your submission!

The main guiding question for determining where to submit revolves around your audience: Who are you trying to reach with this submission? What is your intended audience? If you are hoping to target a specific group of likeminded scholars, then a SIG might be the best fit. However, Division C has many different sub-sections that can offer a focused “home” for your submission, while still reaching the broader Division C audience. The subsections of Division C: Learning and Instruction include:

Section 1: Learning and Instruction in a Discipline, Domain, or Subject Matter

Section 1a: Literacy

Section 1b: Humanities, Social Sciences, Fine Arts

Section 1c: Mathematics

Section 1d: Science

Section 1e: Engineering and Computer Science

Section 2: Cognitive, Social, and Motivational Processes

Section 2a: Cognitive and Motivational Processes

Section 2b: Learning and Motivation in Social and Cultural Contexts

Section 3: Designed Environments

Section 3a: Learning Environments

Section 3b: Technology-Based Environments

For a bit of guidance on what to submit to each of these sections of Division C, you can refer to the AERA 2015 Annual Meeting Call for Submissions, which states:

If your submission focuses on learning or instruction in a specific content area (e.g., literacy, history, fine arts, mathematics, science), then you should submit it to one of the subject-area-specific subsections (i.e., Section 1) rather than to one of the more cross-cutting sections (i.e., Sections 2 or 3). If your submission focuses on cognitive, social, or motivational processes with an emphasis on processes within individuals, then you should submit it to Section 2a. If your submission focuses on cognitive, social, and/ or motivational processes within a group (e.g., classroom) or cultural setting, you should submit it to Section 2b. If your submission focuses on designed learning environments with an emphasis on the nature and/or effects of the environment on learning and instruction, then you should submit to Section 3a. If your submission focuses on designed environments with an emphasis on the specific role or use of technology in learning or instruction, then you should submit it to Section 3b. Submissions that emphasize assessment as it relates to measurement and school evaluation issues, as well as submissions on teacher education, teacher effectiveness, curriculum design, and research methodology, should be submitted to other AERA divisions or SIGs. Section Chairs may redirect a submission to another section if the subject matter is deemed more appropriate elsewhere.  [Emphasis added here]

Choosing where to submit your session is only one of the many decisions you need to make during the submission process, but it is one of the most important! It will determine who reviews your submission, as well as what session a paper submission is placed in. For a list of all of the SIGs, committees, and divisions (as well as their subsections and brief descriptions of each), refer to the AERA 2015 Annual Meeting Call for Submissions.