Principles and Aims

Workshops provide a distinct opportunity at our conferences in that they are typically more interactive and have the potential to shape and steer the community in the long term.

Workshops provide an opportunity for members of the community to gather and collaborate on specific aspects of computing education research or practice. If managed effectively, they offer a space to incubate and develop ideas.

The following principles and aims should be considered by both organisers and workshop organisers when proposing a workshop for one of our conferences:

  • Focused
    Workshops should present an opportunity for conference delegates to focus on a particular area of interest or set of ideas. They afford attendees the opportunity to spend focused time on a specific aspect of computing education research or practice.

  • Community
    Workshops are a valuable instrument in community forming and building, as they provide a specific space for those with similar interests in terms of knowledge and passion to gather and discuss a topic.

  • Incubation
    Workshops can steer and shape a community over the long term by introducing and nurturing novel ideas and concepts to conference attendees.

Chair Responsibilities

TWO Workshop Chairs are required to manage and oversee workshops. The Workshop Chair role is a good opportunity for an established academic due to the skills required. The role blends responsibilities of both a Programme and General Chair.

Workshop Chairs are likely to receive more proposals than they are able to accept, and as such will reject more than they can accept. Workshop Chairs need to reflect on each proposal and assess them in terms of benefit to the community.

Workshop Chairs need to anticipate what topics may be of interest on both a short-term and long-term horizon. For the short-term horizon, the Workshop Chair will want to consider the immediate concerns of the community and how a workshop may address such concerns. This could involve learning a new technique or tackling an emerging problem. For the long-term horizon, the Workshop Chair will want to anticipate where the community is heading and what topics may have an interesting long-term trajectory.

Workshops are typically programmed alongside other conference events, such as the Doctoral Consortium, Works-in-Progress (WiP) workshop, and Research in Practice Project Activities (RIPPA). Consequently, while it is important for the Workshop Chairs to consider these venues when favouring specific proposals, the Chairs also have to ensure a viable number of attendees for given workshop proposals.

If a workshop proposal is too similar to another, attendees may not be sure which event to attend, which can lead to the splintering of a nascent community. If a proposal is too esoteric or irrelevant, it may not attract any attendees. If too many workshop proposals are accepted, it could lead to a dilution of attendees across workshops. Consequently, Workshop Chairs need to consider proposals carefully.

Review and Confirm the Call for Participation (CfP)

The CfP for workshops is standardised and provided by the Programme and General Chairs. Workshop Chairs must review and confirm the CfP with the Programme and General Chairs. If updates are necessary, these should be discussed collaboratively with the Programme and General Chairs.

Review and Confirm the Timeline

Programme Chairs will propose a timeline for workshops, including the review timeline. Workshop Chairs must review these dates and the timeline carefully and raise any concerns before the timeline is published as part of the CfP.

Confirm Review Process

Workshop proposals are not archived as part of the conference proceedings and are typically only published on the conference website. Workshop Chairs review and consider workshop proposals.

Manage and Execute the Review Process

Workshop Chairs are responsible for the overall Workshop Review Process (WRP). The expectation is that all workshop proposals will be considered only by the Workshop Chairs. The Workshop Chairs will be constrained in terms of the number of proposals they can accept, based on guidance from the Programme and General Chairs.

The expectation is that Workshop Chairs are limited to about two or three workshops for any of the conferences. The Workshop Chairs are likely to select proposals that are (1) in scope of the conference, (2) relevant to the community, and (3) engaging and supportive of community building.

The review process for the workshop is the most compressed of all the review processes for both conferences.

The majority of workshop proposals will not be accepted to the conference. The Workshop Chairs need to communicate to the proposers the reasons for non-acceptance, which will support the authors in refining their workshop proposal.

The Workshop Chairs should ensure they have a clear idea of the apparatus and resources required for the proposed workshop prior to considering proposals. They should also ensure that any proposed workshop is within the scope of the conference and reflects its general approach. For example, accepting a workshop that requires or supports hybrid attendance when the overall conference does not would be unacceptable, as this would pressure other workshops or events to do the same.

Workshop Chairs may want to recommend alternative venues or formats that the proposers may consider. They may also indicate if the proposal may be suitable for acceptance in subsequent years, programme permitting.

For accepted workshop proposals, Workshop Chairs will want to confirm that all required apparatus indicated in the initial proposal is available and accessible to the workshop organisers. They should provide organisers with all necessary information and important contact points.

Workshop organisers will need this information as soon as possible so they can communicate and promote their workshop. This is important for the conference overall, as it can potentially expand the community and bring more attendees. Consequently, it is valuable for Workshop Chairs to connect organisers with any communication officers involved in the conference.

In Advance of the Conference

The Workshop Chairs should liaise with workshop organisers to ascertain and confirm the specific apparatus and resources required. This must be communicated effectively to attendees. For example, if attendees are expected to use a laptop, this must be communicated, and constraints such as power, Internet access, and health and safety (e.g., wires) must be considered. This may include challenges such as whether adapters are provided to connect to projectors or if visitor accounts are needed for Internet access.

Workshop Chairs should ensure they have a clear understanding of workshop timings and request insight into how the workshop will operate. They should advise organisers if there are concerns about the feasibility of the workshop within the proposed timeframe.

The Workshop Chair should confirm with the General Chairs that:

  • Sufficient and clear signage has been produced for all workshops.
  • Accessibility has been considered for each location, including travel between workshop and main conference locations (e.g., the main hall).
  • Timings are sufficient for attendees to travel between venues.
  • Toilets are accessible and near the workshop location.
  • Conference registration can be completed before and after workshops.
  • Permission for any photography or videography is confirmed in advance with each attendee and clearly communicated on the day.
  • Fire exits and safe exit and escape plans are in place.

Addressing these points aims to ensure a positive and seamless experience for workshop attendees. A poorly organised workshop, especially before the main conference, can negatively affect attendees’ experience and cause unnecessary anxiety regarding events such as the keynote or registration.

On the Day of the Conference

Support the workshop organisers with clear communication of fire exit and safe exit plans. Inform workshop organisers that this must be communicated to attendees at the start of the workshop.

Confirm with each organiser that they have access to all required resources and are aware of the building layout, including fire exits, toilets, and the route to main conference locations. Confirm the workshop end time with the organisers.

Visit each workshop after it has commenced to ensure fire safety plans have been communicated. Ensure attendees are comfortable and address any reasonable requests. Inform organisers you will return 30 minutes and again 5 minutes before the end of the workshop.

Visit 30 minutes before the end of each workshop to advise that it must end soon. Visit 5 minutes before the end to give final notice. Visit at the end of the workshop to advise attendees that if they do not leave now, they may not have sufficient time for a comfort break before returning to the main conference.

After the Conference

Gather feedback, thank reviewers and presenters, and provide a brief report to the organising committee if required.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many people can attend a workshop?

There is no limit other than space constraints at the workshop location. Only registered conference attendees are permitted to attend workshops.Here is your refined “Posters” text with improved grammar, spelling, and clarity—without changing the structure: