Going Off(Shore): A Learning Symposium
Saturday, April 9, 2016 | 10:00a.m. - 2:30p.m.
SAIC, LeRoy Neiman Center, Sharp Building, 1st Floor

What is this symposium?
This half-day program is designed to bring together students, educators, and scholars across Chicago to share their personal research prompts in reimagining curriculum and learning. Curriculum, etymologized as "a running, course, career" can be perceived beyond traditional formats as mutable and fluid forms of coming to know. This symposium invites all to reconsider models of learning, propose alternatives, and share their discoveries. Off(Shore) plays with the idea of departing from stable ground; it is about shoring up explorations in the uncharted and having conversations around possible realities. It aspires to provide an open and supportive space for individuals to test out ideas and receive feedback from a variety of people.

What is the theme?
This year’s program draws inspiration from Floating Museum Project, an installation initiated by artists Faheem Majeed and Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spoffard in collaboration with architect Andrew Schachman. The forthcoming Floating Museum is designed to challenge traditional ideas of museums and blend creative place-making, activism, and exhibition design. Off(Shore) animates possible conversations occurring within the pedagogical initiatives of the Floating Museum. Learning is seen in this symposium either as a research theme or as performed by the participants engaging in a dialogic format.

What we are looking for...
Off(Shore) is interested in inviting conversations around emerging currents in education, as experienced in cultural sites and public spaces. It speaks to issues that include intersections of sociology, education, cultural production, and political economy; the struggle over knowledge and other contemporary curriculum issues. If you are carrying out ongoing work or research, we would love for you to share a conversational prompt about it.

Who should submit a 'conversation prompt'?
Any graduate student, inquisitive educator, community activist, or cultural worker, whose work within education poses questions about learning, curriculum, and knowledge is encouraged to submit a prompt. A conversation prompt can be of many formats, for example a paper presentation, performative act, or a visual proposal.

Why 'conversation prompts'?
Instead of the usual conference format of only formalized readings of finished research papers, this program is designed as a place to present professional work that is still coming into form, in order to create a place to discuss, question, expand, stretch, and explore.

When is the extended deadline for submissions?
Monday, March 21, 2016

How complicated is the proposal?
It could not be easier!  Just fill in the form below and you will be contacted if your proposal has been selected!

What happens if my 'conversation prompt' is selected?
We will email you with further details on the process of sharing out your conversational prompt during the symposium. You will have at least a dedicated presentation time of at least 5-10 minutes before it transits into a mini group dialogue about your conversation prompt.

What if I have more materials to share?
If you have additional documents, images, or materials that you feel will help support our understanding of your conversation prompt, please feel free to email goingoffshore2016@gmail.com.