A Research Forum is a format of group presentation undertaken by a group of at least five researchers. The goal of a Research Forum is to provide PME members with a comprehensive overview on the state of the art on a topic where substantial research has been undertaken in the last 5-10 years and that is of ongoing interest for the PME members. The researchers are expected to be experts with respect to the research topic and offer coherently structured activities during 2 slots of 90 minutes each, as well as a comprehensive contribution (30 pages) to the conference proceedings.
A Research Forum is not supposed to be a collection of individual research presentations (see Colloquium format), but instead is meant to convey an overview of research, highlighting contemporary academic debates and perspectives in the field. In contrast to the Working Group format for evolving research topics, Research Forums are considered to mark significant advances with respect to established research topics.
A Research Forum:
- Focuses on a topic which is of substantial interest within the work of PME
- Has a coherent structure that enables to attain a comprehensive overview of the topic
- Contrasts and integrates different research approaches through the consideration of multiple perspectives
- Includes structural opportunities for academic debate in interaction with the audience
- Provides the participants with the opportunity to prepare for participation through the provision of reading materials prior to the activity
- Is developed by at least five researchers who are experts with respect to the research topic
- Covers 2 slots of 90 minutes each
- Is represented in a comprehensive and coherent 30-page contribution in the conference proceedings.
Submission and Reviewing Process
Research Forums are highest-quality contributions to PME conferences and, as such, they are subject to a review process. In order to allow the researchers to adequately prepare the Research Forum, the deadline for proposals is December 1st in the year preceding the conference (exact deadlines may differ, please refer to the conference first call for exact dates).
A proposal should not exceed 5 pages, including references.
The International Programme Committee (IPC) pre-reviews the proposals. If necessary, the IPC provides feedback to the coordinators with the opportunity to revise the proposal until January 15. During the First IPC meeting (February), the IPC decides on the acceptance of the Research Forums.
If accepted, the final contribution for the conference proceedings (30 pages) must be handed in by May 1st.
Proposals must include:
- Topic, title, and focus of the Research Forum;
- Names of all researchers contributing as presenting authors (minimum of 5);
- Name of the coordinator (corresponding researcher);
- An outline of the theoretical background of the research topic;
- A detailed description of the proposed layout of the Research Forum, including thematic structuring, time structuring for 2 slots of 90 minutes each, as well as descriptions of the planned presentations and audience interactions;
- Prior reading suggestions for attendants and details on accessibility (if needed, organizers may use the PME communication infrastructure at https://www.igpme.org/); and
- Information on the planned structure of the contribution in the conference proceedings.
Presentation and Proceedings
Two 90-minute slots will be devoted to each Research Forum. The conference chairs are asked to schedule the slots subsequent whenever possible, although this cannot be guaranteed.
Please note the following requirements related to the presentation format at the
conference:
- The coordinator(s) as well as all the persons listed as presenting authors of a Research Forum need to be registered conference participants and need to participate to the research forum in person.
- If a coordinator or a presenting author of a Research Forum has to cancel last minute – for whatever reasons – their presentation needs to either be presented locally by (i) co-authors of the Research Forum , (ii) co-authors of the presented research that are registered participants of the conference, or (iii) cancelled. That is, for coordinators and presenting authors of a Research Forum there is no option for digital participation.
- If the coordinators of the Research Forum plan to include additional persons digitally in the Research Forum, which are not listed as co-authors of Research Forum, this can be done either in a hybrid mode or via a prerecorded video under the following conditions:
- The digital participation is less than five minutes per person (i.e., a person giving a short reaction or input).
- The digital participation is announced up front in the submission of the research forum together with an indication why physical attendance is not possible and why no other (physically present) person could take this part.
- If a hybrid participation is planned, a prerecorded video is necessary as a backup in case of technical issues.
The decision regarding digital participation will be made by the IPC
The proposal and conference proceeding contribution should follow the PME formatting guidelines and must be in accordance with the PME publication ethics. The final contribution for the conference proceedings should not exceed 30 pages including references. For accepted papers to be included in the proceedings, all coordinators and presenting authors to the Research Forum have to make a full registration by mid-May (exact deadlines may differ, please refer to the conference first call for exact dates).