Conference Format
When it comes to food and agriculture education that is experiential, interdisciplinary, and systems-based, the SAEA conference strives to walk the talk. The SAEA champions innovative educational approaches for sustainable agriculture through the development, application, and research of teaching and learning practices. The goal of the conference is to connect educators, teachers, students, apprentices, staff, and administrators who focus on teaching and learning at the adult level.
The format of the three-day conference is designed with specific learning outcomes in mind, and utilizes multiple approaches to learning styles and competency development.
Day 1: “Reflection and Setting the Tone.” Day 1 is designed to engage participants in reflection on their personal and professional work in education and prepare conference goers for active engagement in the multiday conference. Learning activities are highly interactive and dialogically-based, where participants propose and vet agenda items for the conference. We use facilitated real-time, participant directed activities, such as World Café and Open Space Technology to engage topics and issues in sustainable food system education that are of immediate priority to participants.
Day 2: “Getting Technical.” Day 2 utilizes a range of pre-prepared presentations, followed by field trips to regional instructional facilities and successful case studies of post-secondary programming addressing the theme of “The Ecology of the Food System.”
Day 3: “Skills-Based Workshops and Group Project Work.” Day 3 emphasizes taking what we have learned to the next level by organizing and getting into action with our colleagues! Workshops will be oriented towards practical knowledge and skill development with the goal of operationalizing key conference themes into our programming. Additionally, conference facilities are made available to support project teams that can use the space and time together to develop multi-partner projects, etc. To reserve group project work space and time, please contact: [log in to unmask]
Presentation Proposal Submissions
We welcome your ideas for panels, workshops, discussions, papers and more at this year’s national conference. Anyone is welcome to submit a proposal. We hope to have representation from a cross-section of scholars, activists, researchers, practitioners and food system leaders of all kinds.
Applications are due on April 17 at 5 pm PST. You will be notified on whether your submission has been accepted for the conference by May 27.
