AACE Book Call: Research-to-Practice Anthology 2023

Invitation for Short Chapters in a Peer-Reviewed,
Rapid Publication, Open Access Book titled:

What PreK-12 Teachers Should Know about Educational Technology in 2023:
A Research-to-Practice Anthology

Edited by Richard E. Ferdig, Richard Hartshorne, Emily Baumgartner, Regina Kaplan-Rakowski, and Chrystalla Mouza

Submissions Due: April 15, 2023

Download the Call as PDF

IMPORTANT INFORMATION/DATES:

  • Manuscript submission: April 15, 2023
    • Submit to: http://publish.aace.org or click the button >
    • Choose “AACEBOOKS (Special) 1:1 – Research-to-Practice Anthology 2023”
    • Inquiries email: Dr. Rick Ferdig ([email protected])
    • Authors must follow the required format in this Call for Chapters
  • Reviews returned/Decisions made: Approximately May 1, 2023
  • Final Chapters Due: May 15, 2023
  • Publication: Approximately June 2023

 AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESEARCH TO IMPACT PRACTICE

Research does not influence practice as much as researchers—and probably practitioners—would like. This is a continual problem for education writ large (e.g., Greenwood & Abbot, 2001; Rycroft-Smith, 2022) and for educational technology advocates more specifically (e.g., Norman, 2010; Weston & Bain, 2015).

There have been countless attempts to fix this problem, such as journal special requirements, journals with practitioner sections, and even journals dedicated to practice.  There have also been clearinghouses and other technological efforts aimed at addressing the research-practice gap (e.g., Finelli et al., 2014; McGann et al., 2020).  While all of these projects and strategies deserve attention for their efforts, more work needs to be done by educational technology scholars to help practitioners translate research into learning outcomes.

The purpose of this open access eBook is to publish concise, educational technology chapters written specifically for and directly to K-12 educators. Such a book will give researchers a chance to impact practice by translating their research into observable actions.

Drawing off of the open access, short-form, and rapid publication success of previous Assn. for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) eBooks (e.g., Ferdig et al., 2020), this publication will feature short chapters of no more than 2000 words (plus abstract, references, tables, figures, and appendices).  Chapters must follow APA 7th edition and must adhere to the format listed below.  Chapters that combine faculty, preservice teachers, and/or K-12 school faculty and administrators as authors are particularly welcome.

TOPICS

  • Topics could include a research study that has direct implications for practice. For instance, “Researcher A” completed a study on using ChatGPT with 4th grade students. They want to briefly translate the findings. More importantly, they want to specifically spend time highlighting how teachers could get their students to safely and effectively use ChatGPT.
  • Topics could also include a collection of studies. For instance, “Researcher B” has spent the last five years exploring empirical research on computational thinking. They do not want to report on a specific study, but rather broadly discuss overall findings from their collection of studies. They would then use their corpus of research to create an observable list of practical implications for changing practice as it relates to computational thinking.
  • Topics do not have to be one sole article or a corpus of work from one researcher. “Researcher C” for instance, is interested in middle school math tools. They might do a short literature review and then translate that to broad research findings and resulting practical implications. “Researcher C” in this case may be drawing on their own research, the research of others, or a combination of both.
  • Topics can be technological, pedagogical, or content-based, but technology must play a role in the delivery. For instance, “Researcher D” could decide between drones (technological), tools to support accessibility and engagement in online learning (pedagogical), or mathematics education through 360 video (content).
  • Cutting-edge topics that teachers are currently seeing and responding to are particularly welcome(e.g., AI, machine learning, extended reality, data analytics, personalized learning and instruction, the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, gamification, biometrics, blockchain).

REQUIRED FORMAT/STRUCTURE FOR CHAPTERS (2000 words max.)

  • Abstract (150-250 words) – In concise, practitioner language, state the main point of the chapter. For instance, what is the topic and what are the practical recommendations are you making for the reader?
  • Introduction/Context (~250 words) – Describe, using layperson terms, the broader context for the problem or opportunity you are addressing. If, for instance, you are discussing research on AI, explain how and why this technology has become relevant for education.
  • Research Review (~250 words) – Describe, using layperson terms, what the research tells us about the particular topic. This could be the results of a specific study or a collection of studies. Do not write to other researchers; write for a teacher audience. Use reliable references to support your claims, so readers can follow up if they want to.
  • Implications (~1000-1500 words) – This is the main part of the chapter. Describe, using layperson terms, specific, measurable, and action-based steps resulting from the research. You may want to include what they need to know to begin (e.g., teacher-accessible literature they should read). You may also want to include links to specific software or even materials you have created to support their efforts. As you are writing this piece, pretend that someone has just listened to your talk and wants to replicate what you did in their classroom.  What would they do/how would they apply what you learned?Please note: The goal of this book is to make it easy for teachers to apply educational technology research to classroom instruction. Please consider the use of appendices or shared links (e.g., Google Drive) within this section to any materials (e.g., videos, instructions, student examples, etc.) that would more easily facilitate that application.
  • References/Appendices – References and appendices do not count towards your overall word count. Please include enough references to provide backing for your statements and additional reading opportunities. However, please do not overuse references so that it impedes readability. Appendices with implementation materials are also welcome.

REFERENCES

 

Ferdig, R. E., Baumgartner, E., Hartshorne, R., Kaplan-Rakowski, R., & Mouza, C. (Eds.). (2020). Teaching, technology, and teacher education during the COVID-19 pandemic: Stories from the field. Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education.

 

Finelli, C. J., Daly, S. R., & Richardson, K. M. (2014). Bridging the research‐to‐practice gap: Designing an institutional change plan using local evidence. Journal of Engineering Education, 103(2), 331–361.

 

Greenwood, C. R., & Abbott, M. (2001). The research to practice gap in special education. Teacher Education and Special Education, 24(4), 276–289.

 

Larivière, V., Gingras, Y., & Archambault, É. (2009). The decline in the concentration of citations, 1900–2007.Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 60(4), 858–862.

 

McGann, M., Ryan, M., McMahon, J., & Hall, T. (2020). T-REX: The teachers’ research exchange. Overcoming the research-practice gap in education. TechTrends, 64, 470–483.

 

Norman, D. A. (2010). The research-practice gap: The need for translational developers. Interactions, 17(4), 9–12.

 

Rycroft‐Smith, L. (2022). Knowledge brokering to bridge the research‐practice gap in education: Where are we now? Review of Education, 10(1), e3341.

 

Weston, M. E., & Bain, A. (2015). Bridging the research‐to‐practice gap in education: A software‐mediated approach for improving classroom instruction. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(3), 608–618.