T HE U NIVERSITY OF B RITISH C OLUMBIA
Call for Papers
AERC 2000
“The Right Questions: Researching in a New
Century”
The 41st Annual
Adult Education Research Conference
The University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC Canada
June 2-4, 2000
(Pre-conferences: June 1)
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For the first time in North America, five international research groups will assemble to report on and
discuss the most recent research in adult education. This conference is patterned after two successful
events held in Great Britain, the first in 1988 at Leeds University and the second in 1997 at Birkbeck
College, University of London. Whether or not you now belong to one of these groups, consider
submitting a proposal if you have research to report or a research-related issue you wish to discuss
with colleagues from around the world. Plan now to attend this important event.
Cooperating research groups:
Adult Education Research Conference (AERC)
Adult Learning Australia–Research Network (ALA–RN)
Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education (CASAE)
European Society for Research in the Education of Adults (ESREA)
Standing Conference on University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults (SCUTREA)
Deadline for receiving proposals is September 30, 1999
www.educ.ubc.ca/edst/aerc
Theme and Types of Proposals
The theme of the conference is “The Right
Quest/ions: Research/ing in a New Century.”
Although there is nothing magical about the year
2000, it affords adult educators an opportunity to
reflect on why and how we conduct research and
what contributions we can make to a better world.
Proposals are invited for papers, research roundtables and symposia on any aspect of adult education. Proposals that address the theme are
encouraged but relationship to the theme is not a
criterion for acceptance.
Paper proposals. Papers are reports of completed
research and will be published in the conference
proceedings. There are three categories for papers:
(a) empirical research, (b) model or theory development, and (c) theorizing from the literature.
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Submit ONE COPY of a typed cover sheet
which includes the paper title, the name,
address, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail
address of each author, and a signed warrant
statement.
Submit FIVE COPIES of a typed two-page
abstract, not to exceed 1,200 words, which must
include, at the top of the first page, the paper
title and a statement as to whether the research
is completed or the anticipated date of
completion. Any paper proposal extending
beyond two pages will be excluded.
Research roundtable proposals. Research
roundtables provide an opportunity to informally
discuss completed research, research in progress,
and research issues with a small group of conference participants. A two-page summary of each
research roundtable will be published in the
conference proceedings.
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Submit ONE COPY of a typed cover sheet
which includes the roundtable title, the name,
address, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail
address of each presenter, and a signed warrant
statement.
Submit FIVE COPIES of a typed one-page
abstract, not to exceed 600 words, which must
include, at the top of the page, the roundtable
title.
Symposium proposals. A symposium presents
diverse or conflicting perspectives on a compelling
topic or issue that is or should be of concern to adult
education researchers.


Submit ONE COPY of a typed cover sheet
which includes the name, address, phone and
fax numbers, and e-mail address of the
organizer and each presenter, and a signed
warrant statement.
Submit FIVE COPIES of a one-page abstract,
not to exceed 600 words. An additional halfpage abstract (maximum 300 words) from each
presenter should provide details to the onepage symposium abstract. Submit five copies of
all abstracts with the symposium title at the top
of the first page.
Formatting and Submitting Proposals
Allow 1” (2.5 cm) margins and use at least 10 pt.
type. It is appropriate to provide citations in the
text, although given space limitations, it is not
necessary to include a reference list. Please, no
author names or institutional affiliations in the
abstracts.
Only one proposal per author may be submitted
for review. All proposals must be received by
September 30, 1999. Neither faxed nor e-mailed
proposals will be accepted. Paper and roundtable
proposals should be sent to the receiver of the most
appropriate cooperating research group (see
addresses on the last page). All symposium
proposals should be sent to the AERC receiver,
Edward W. Taylor.
Warrant Statement for All Proposals
“I [we] warrant that if my [our] paper [or roundtable or symposium] proposal is accepted, I [we]
will submit a formally written summary for
inclusion in the conference proceedings. I [we]
agree that the summary will be typed, singlespaced, and ____ pages long [six pages for papers,
two pages for roundtables, eight pages for
symposia].
I [we] understand that if this summary is not
submitted by March 1, 2000, my [our] presentation
will not be included as part of AERC 2000.”
(Signature)___________________________________
Session Format and Selection Criteria
I. Papers
The time allotted for each session is 50 minutes.
Audience participation, as a principle of adult
education, is stressed. Approximately 100 papers
will be presented at the conference.

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Identify your paper as (a) empirical, (b) model
or theory development, or (c) theorizing from
the literature.
Abstracts should be typed as noted in the above
instructions.
(a) The empirical research paper should adequately
describe:
 Purpose of study: What does it contribute?
 Perspective or theoretical framework, including
relevant literature.
 Research design (including rationale for choice
of methodology, research questions, modes of
data collection and analysis).
 Findings and conclusions.
 Implications for adult education theory and
practice.
(b) Papers intended to develop a model or theory
should address:
 What practical or theoretical void will this
model or theory fill with respect to adult
education?
 What are your bases for proposing this model
or theory (experience, literature, your own
empirical research, etc.)?
 What are the elements of the model or theory
and relationships among its elements?
 What is its relationship to existing theory?
(c) Theorizing from the literature
These can be either explorations based on literature
(reviews and/or critiques) or applications from one
field to another which give us new insights about
adult education. The following should be
addressed in the abstract:
 What is the purpose of this exploration or
application?
 What fields of study, disciplinary perspectives,
or bodies of literature are being analyzed?
 What are the implications for the development
of adult education theory and practice?
If your paper is selected for presentation, you will
be responsible for submitting a formally written
six-page (single-spaced, typed) paper for inclusion
in the conference proceedings. Such papers must be
received by March 1, 2000. Papers received after
this date will not be included in the conference.
Authors whose papers are accepted will be notified
of the specifications for preparing and submitting
papers.
II. Research roundtables
The time allotted for each session is 50 minutes.
Approximately 30 roundtables will be presented at
the conference. Several roundtable discussions will
take place concurrently in the same room with each
presenter assigned to a different table.
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
Roundtables are opportunities to discuss
research and research issues informally with
interested conference participants.
Abstracts should be typed as noted in the above
instructions and should describe the purpose of
the session, explain why it is important,
provide any background information needed
for the discussion and pose the questions or
issues that will be addressed.
Roundtable proposals will be judged based on the
importance of the research or issues they address
and their potential to generate lively discussion
and debate at the conference.
If your roundtable proposal is accepted, you will be
responsible for submitting a formally written twopage (single-spaced, typed) summary for inclusion
in the conference proceedings. This summary must
be received by March 1, 2000. Summaries received
after this date will not be included in the conference.
III. Symposia
A symposium is intended to provide an opportunity for examination of specific problems or
topics from a variety of perspectives. This purpose
is best served when individuals with diverse or
conflicting views interact on a topic of sufficient
scope and importance. A symposium should not be
merely a presentation of a related set of papers.
Each symposium will last 90 minutes. Audience
participation is encouraged. Approximately 6
symposia will be presented at the conference.
It is the responsibility of organizers of symposia to
identify topics and presenters. Organizers must
have the consent of all participants before submitting the proposal. Organizers not wishing to
chair the session must indicate a chairperson.
Should unforeseen circumstances prevent a
participant from attending, it is the responsibility
of the organizer to: (1) find a suitable replacement;
and (2) notify the AERC proposal receiver, all other
participants, and discussants involved in the
session to enable them to have prior access to
abstracts of each presentation, so they may formulate their remarks in the context of what the others
plan to say. Organizers are urged to encourage
such an exchange of information.
Only the organizer will be notified of the acceptance of a symposium, and is responsible for
notifying other participants. Symposia should
address the following:
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What is the controversial issue or topic being
addressed? Why should adult educators care
about this matter?
What are the competing perspectives (including
related bodies of literature) from which this
issue will be addressed?
On what basis does each panelist hold his/her
perspective (experience, literature, one’s own
empirical research)?
What action plan or policy implications are
likely to emerge from this examination?
If the symposium abstract is selected, the organizer
is responsible for submitting a formally written
eight-page (single-spaced, typed) paper for inclusion
in the conference proceedings. Such papers must be
received by March 1, 2000, or the symposium will
not be included in the conference.
Cooperating Research Groups
AERC (The Americas and others not listed below)
Edward W. Taylor, Associate Professor
PennState Capital College
School of Behavioral Sciences and Education
W153 Olmsted Building
777 W. Harrisburg Pike
Middletown, PA 17057 USA
E-mail: ed_taylor@cloud.seattleantioch.edu
ALA–RN (Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asian and
Pacific nations)
Associate Professor Griff Foley
Adult Education Program
Faculty of Education
Haymarket Campus
University of Technology, Sydney
PO Box 123, Broadway NSW 2007 AUSTRALIA
Phone: (612) 9514 3908
E-mail: Griff.Foley@uts.edu.au
CASAE (Canada)
Tom Nesbit, Director
Centre for Labour Studies
Simon Fraser University
Continuing Studies
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6 CANADA
Phone: (604) 291-4177
E-mail: tnesbit@sfu.ca
ESREA (All European countries)
Professor Richard Taylor, Director
Continuing Education Development
School of Continuing Education
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT UNITED KINGDOM
Phone: (+44) 113 233 3180
E-mail: aedrkst@leeds.ac.uk
SCUTREA (Great Britain)
Miriam Zukas, Chair
School of Continuing Education
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT UNITED KINGDOM
Phone: (+44) 113 233 3242
E-mail: m.zukas@leeds.ac.uk
For questions about local arrangements or to add your
name to the mailing list to receive registration materials,
please contact:
Thomas J. Sork
Department of Educational Studies
University of British Columbia
2125 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 CANADA
Phone: (604) 822-5702
E-mail: tom.sork@ubc.ca
For more information, visit the AERC web site:
www.educ.ubc.ca/edst/aerc