RESPECT Conference

Conference for Research on Equitable and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology

Call for Contributions

RESPECT 2024: Call for Paper Submissions
Research on Equity and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology
http://respect2024.starscomputingcorps.org/  
Atlanta, Georgia, USA      May 16–17, 2024 

Equity-focused CS Education Research:
The reciprocal influences of research and policy

Important Dates:

  • January 28, 2024: Abstracts due in EasyChair
  • February 3, 2024, 11:59 PM AoE: Papers due in EasyChair
  • March 11, 2024: Notification to authors
  • April 18, 2024: Camera Ready submissions due 
  • May 16–17, 2024: RESPECT 2024 Conference

INTRODUCTION

The Conference on Research in Equity and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology (RESPECT) conference is the premier venue for research on equity, inclusion, and justice in computing and computing education. The theme for RESPECT 2024: Equity-focused CS Education Research: The reciprocal influences of research and policy. In yet another election year, we are taking the opportunity to focus RESPECT 2024 on interrogating the many ways research and policy inform one another. At RESPECT 2024 we will discuss ways to move our work out of the shadows and back into the spotlight. Some of the questions we will tackle are:

  • What role can researchers play in the development of policy?
  • How can we continue to fight for justice when policy dictates otherwise?
  • How can we more effectively engage with our legislators who need our help?

Since research in this area is inherently interdisciplinary, the conference invites contributions from sociology, learning sciences, cognitive and/or social psychology, feminist theory, gender studies, educational leadership and policy, human-computer interaction, as well as computer science education and related disciplines. Additionally, recognizing the important role that educators, students, and other community members play as partners in equity-focused efforts, RESPECT 2024 welcomes the participation of those who have not traditionally identified as “researchers” to present, including teachers, students, advocates, and policy-makers.

We invite submissions to RESPECT 2024 in four submission tracks: Research papers, Experience Reports, Perspectives on Equity, and Perspectives on Policy papers.

  • Research Papers: Research papers are completed works or works in progress that describe empirical studies of broadening participation research and are expected to be original work. Broadening participation research is inherently interdisciplinary; as such related literature and theory may be drawn from computer science education, education, learning sciences, cognitive or social psychology, social sciences, and other related disciplines. (Full paper: 8 pages; Works in progress: 4 pages).
  • Experience Reports: Experience reports are completed works or works in progress that describe an educational or outreach approach, curricula, program, or initiative that focused on and impacted at least one underrepresented population in computing. Experience reports differ from research in that they usually lack a theoretical framework, research design methodology, and/or analysis to support the evaluation of the impact of the experiences reported.  All submissions in this track should provide a rich reflection on what worked, what didn’t, and possible explanations as to why in enough detail to allow others to adopt the approach/curricula/program/initiative. (Full paper: 8 pages; Works in progress: 4 pages).
  • Perspectives on Equity: Perspectives on Equity should communicate new ideas, reflections, or provocations within and beyond our current discourse on equity-based computing and computing education. These works should provide a constructive, critical take on equity in computing education research and practice and spark engagement and conversation within the RESPECT community. Perspectives on Equity differ from research papers and experience reports in that they are not expected to report results. However, they must be grounded in theoretical literature and sufficient references to support the perspective presented must be included. Acceptance will be based on the degree to which the reviewers find the perspective to be convincing, well-supported in the literature, and coherent. (4 pages maximum)
  • Perspectives on Policy (new): Perspectives on Policy present a concise summary of a timely, relevant issue or an evergreen issue to computing equity. Perspectives on Policy should include (1) background on the particular issue, (2) a concise summary of relevant research, and (3) one or more policy recommendations based on the evidence and/or discussions of how current federal, state, or local policy influences computing equity work. Perspectives on Policy differ from the other RESPECT tracks in that they serve as a vehicle for providing evidence-based policy advice to help readers make informed decisions. (4 pages maximum)

Please review the specific track submission instructions below to find the best fit for your work and to ensure your submission meets track expectations.

Submissions are made through EasyChair: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=respect2024
(Please note that abstracts are due on Jan 28, 2024 – one week before full papers.)

RESEARCH PAPERS

Track Chairs:

Earl Huff (University of Texas, Austin)
Stacey Sexton (Sagefox Consulting)
respect2024-research@easychair.org

Research papers can be either completed works or works in progress (up to 8 pages for full papers or 4 pages of works in progress). Both types of submissions should describe empirical studies of broadening participation research and are expected to be original work. Broadening participation research is inherently interdisciplinary; as such related literature and theory may be drawn from computer science education, education, learning sciences, cognitive or social psychology, social sciences, and other related disciplines. 

Submission Structure

Your paper should include the following parts, in the order listed:

  • Title
  • Author(s) and Affiliation(s): Full names, institution, and email addresses
  • Abstract: 75-100 words that briefly state the purpose/equity issue(s) being addressed, process, and key takeaways. It should provide a connection to the conference theme. 
  • Keywords 
  • Introduction
  • Theoretical framework 
  • Research Goals/Questions/Hypotheses (aligned to Theoretical Framework)
  • Positionality statement 
  • Research design/methods
  • Data collection/analysis
  • Results/Findings
  • Discussion
    • For completed works: Conclusions, limitations, assumptions,  recommendations for future research,  implications for practice, and connections to the reciprocal influences of research and policy.
    • For works in progress: Assumptions, limitations and future directions,  implications for practice, and connections to the reciprocal influences of research and policy.
  • References 
  • Acknowledgment
    • If the submission contains acknowledgments, they should be placed immediately after the conclusion but before the list of references. This should be anonymized until acceptance. 

Review Process

  • Research paper submissions will undergo an identity-hidden peer-review process. Please fully anonymize your submission(s).
  • All submissions submitted to the Research Paper track will be evaluated based on authentic inclusion of the above criteria, rigor, as well as alignment with the conference’s commitment to equity and engagement of communities. Please note, that the above criteria should not be interpreted as a checklist.
  • All submissions, regardless of the type, will be reviewed for the track they are submitted to and will not be moved between tracks.  Please ensure that you submit to the correct track.
  • Example of Theoretical Framework and Positionality Statement:

Page Length Requirements

Submissions for the Research Paper track must not exceed eight pages in length, excluding references.

EXPERIENCE REPORTS

Track Chairs:

Sharin Jacob (University of California, Irvine)
Todd Lash (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign)
respect2024-experience@easychair.org

Experience reports are completed works or works in progress (up to 8 pages for full papers or 4 pages of works in progress) that describe an educational or outreach approach, curricula, program, or initiative that focused on and impacted at least one underrepresented population in computing. Experience reports differ from research in that they usually lack a theoretical framework, research design methodology, and/or analysis to support the evaluation of the impact of the experiences reported.  All submissions in this track should provide a rich reflection on what worked, what didn’t, and possible explanations as to why in enough detail to allow others to adopt the approach/curricula/program/initiative.

Submission Structure

  • Title
  • Author(s) and Affiliation(s): Full names, institution, and email addresses
  • Abstract: 75-100 words that briefly state the purpose/equity issue(s) being addressed, process, and key takeaways. It should provide a connection to the conference theme. 
  • Keywords 
  • Introduction
  • Description of Practice: Including context, audience, goals, and outcomes
  • Positionality statement 
  • Limitations and assumptions
  • Implications and next steps
    • For completed works: Implications, next steps, recommendations for research, practice, and policy.
    • For works in progress: Future directions, professional development needs, and implications for policy. 
  • References 
  • Acknowledgment
    • If the submission contains acknowledgments, they should be placed immediately after the conclusion but before the list of references. This should be anonymized until acceptance. 

Review Process

  • Experience report submissions will undergo an identity-hidden peer-review process. Please fully anonymize your submission(s).
  • All submissions submitted to the Experience Reports track will be evaluated based on authentic inclusion of the above criteria, rigor, as well as alignment with the conference’s commitment to equity and engagement of communities. Please note, that the above criteria should not be interpreted as a checklist.
  • All submissions, regardless of the type, will be reviewed for the track they are submitted to and will not be moved between tracks.  Please ensure that you submit to the correct track.

Page Length Requirements

Submissions for the Experience Reports track must not exceed eight pages in length, excluding references.

PERSPECTIVES ON EQUITY

Track Chairs:

Felesia Stukes (Johnson C. Smith University)
Monique Ross (The Ohio State University)
respect2024-equity@easychair.org

Perspectives on Equity (up to 4 pages) should communicate new ideas, reflections, or provocations within and beyond our current discourse on equity-based computing and computing education. These works should provide a constructive, critical take on equity in computing education research and practice and spark engagement and conversation within the RESPECT community. Perspectives on Equity differ from research papers and experience reports in that they are not expected to report results. However, they must be grounded in theoretical literature and sufficient references to support the perspective presented must be included. Acceptance will be based on the degree to which the reviewers find the perspective to be convincing, well-supported in the literature, and coherent.

Submission Structure

  • Title
  • Author(s) and Affiliation(s): Full names, institution, and email addresses
  • Abstract: 75-100 words that briefly state the purpose/equity issue(s) being addressed, process, and key takeaways. It should provide a connection to the conference theme. 
  • Keywords
  • Introduction
  • Body: Lessons learned, critical opinions, implications for theory, reflections, etc.
  • Positionality statement 
  • Implications for the RESPECT community, including the reciprocal influences of research and policy.
  • References 
  • Acknowledgment
    • If the submission contains acknowledgments, they should be placed immediately after the conclusion but before the list of references. This should be anonymized until acceptance. 

Review Process

  • Perspectives on Equity will undergo an identity-hidden peer-review process. Please fully anonymize your submission(s).
  • All submissions submitted to the Perspectives on Equity track will be evaluated based on authentic inclusion of the above criteria, rigor, as well as alignment with the conference’s commitment to equity and engagement of communities. Please note, that the above criteria should not be interpreted as a checklist.
  • All submissions, regardless of the type, will be reviewed for the track they are submitted to and will not be moved between tracks.  Please ensure that you submit to the correct track.

Page Length Requirements

Submissions for the Perspectives on Equity track must not exceed four pages in length, excluding references.

PERSPECTIVES ON POLICY (new) 

Track Chairs:

Kimberly King-Jupiter (Alabama State University)
Janice Mak (Arizona State University)
respect2024-policy@easychair.org

Perspectives on Policy (up to 4 pages) should present a concise summary of a timely, relevant issue or an evergreen issue to computing equity. Perspectives on Policy should include (1) background on the particular issue, (2) a concise summary of relevant research, and (3) one or more policy recommendations based on the evidence and/or discussions of how current federal, state, or local policy influences computing equity work. Perspectives on Policy differ from the other RESPECT tracks in that they serve as a vehicle for providing evidence-based policy advice to help readers make informed decisions.

Submission Structure

  • Title
  • Author(s) and Affiliation(s): Full names, institution, and email addresses
  • Abstract: 75-100 words that briefly state the policy issue(s) being addressed, impacts and/or implications on computing equity education, and It should provide a connection to the conference theme. 
  • Keywords
  • Introduction
  • Body: Description of the policy landscape related to computing equity including the implications of policy on computing equity and/or approaches to inform policy through computing equity work, and recommendations for policy-related work. 
  • Positionality statement 
  • Implications for the RESPECT community 
  • References 
  • Acknowledgment
    • If the submission contains acknowledgments, they should be placed immediately after the conclusion but before the list of references. This should be anonymized until acceptance. 

Review Process

  • Perspectives on Policy will undergo an identity-hidden peer-review process. Please fully anonymize your submission(s).
  • All submissions submitted to the Perspectives on Policy track will be evaluated based on authentic inclusion of the above criteria, rigor, as well as alignment with the conference’s commitment to equity and engagement of communities. Please note, that the above criteria should not be interpreted as a checklist.
  • All submissions, regardless of the type, will be reviewed for the track they are submitted to and will not be moved between tracks.  Please ensure that you submit to the correct track.

Page Length Requirements

Submissions for the Perspectives on Policy track must not exceed four pages in length, excluding references.

Writing Tips 

Formatting

Submissions must be formatted using the ACM two-column format and uploaded to EasyChair as a PDF file. You are required to use one of the templates below in order to format your RESPECT submission for inclusion in the proceedings, which is submitted for publication in the ACM Digital Library.

MS Word Authors: Please use the interim Word template provided by ACM.

LaTeX Authors:

  • Overleaf provides a suitable two-column sig conference proceedings template.
  • Other LaTeX users may alternatively use the ACM Primary template, adding the “sigconf” format option in the documentclassto obtain the 2-column format. (ACM has recently changed the ACM template and we have not yet had a chance to verify that the new version works correctly.)
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