Call for Session Proposals
37th Annual Visitor Studies Association Conference
Virtual • July 15-17, 2025

Effective Advocacy through Visitor Studies

Visitor studies and evaluation have the potential to drive change and support informed decision-making. Grasping and utilizing this influence is essential for museums, zoos, aquariums, and other educational spaces to take actions that benefit and uplift the communities we serve. At this year's virtual conference, the Visitor Studies Association aims to invigorate discussions on the impact and significance of visitor research and evaluation. We hope these conversations will inspire attendees and the broader VSA community to recognize the individual and collective power we possess to influence decisions and advocate for change.

In examining the building of our practice and its role, we are considering the following questions:

• What expertise is necessary to be an effective evaluator and advocate for change?
• How can our community of practice collaborate to build further rigor in our advocacy?
• What are examples of how visitor studies are used by stakeholders/leadership?
• How can members of the communities we serve have shared authority in our work?
• What new routes can transform research and evaluation into actionable outcomes?
• How can we better communicate the power and function of visitor studies to our colleagues and collaborators?

This conference will foster opportunities to highlight examples of evaluation and research leading to decision-making and change, incorporating the voices of community members, as well as team members at all levels of organizations. The Visitors Studies Association recognizes that influencing change can be slow or unrealized and we hope for robust discourse on overcoming challenges and empowering organizations to take steps towards action.

In considering submitting a Session Proposal, the Conference Planning Committee would be excited to receive proposals that:

• Explore implementation of visitor advocacy in decision making
• Include voices from roles across organizations
• Explore ways of sharing or collaborations in which the visitor studies community has come together to support or inform a project or initiative
• Describe instances in which a researcher’s or evaluator’s personal identity, lived experiences, or perspectives contributed to or informed their methods or approaches.
• Illustrate data-informed decision making exemplars that may represent future directions for the field.
• Focus on core skills and methodologies in our work.

Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be rated on the following criteria:

• The proposal provides a clear picture of what to expect during the session, including how presenters will elicit dialogue with the audience about project relevance and implications.
• The proposal articulates how it is aligned (directly or indirectly) with this year’s theme.
• The proposed learning objectives are realistic and achievable.
• The proposal should represent diverse perspectives.
• The proposal demonstrates presenters’ knowledge of and experience with the topic, including relevant methodologies, sources of evidence, and/or literature.
• The proposal highlights specific findings and conclusions and their relevance to the visitor studies/informal learning field.
• All presenters should be confirmed by date of submission.

Timeline

Session submissions are open - Submit your proposal here

January 31st, 2025 11:59 pm PST: Deadline for Submission

February 2025: Sessions undergo peer review

February-March 2025: Program Committee finalizes decisions and arranges program schedule. If there are any special presenter circumstances that would impact scheduling, presenters should list them in the submission form.

March 2025: Notifications sent to applicants

Questions? If you have questions or require additional information, please e-mail the VSA Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Session Proposal Guidelines:
We encourage the inclusion of substantial audience discussion within sessions. We are especially looking for ways to involve participants through thought-provoking, reflective conversations related to key ideas and issues raised during your session.

All proposals must include the following:

1. Session Lead: The session lead is the principal contact person for communications between VSA and presenters and is responsible for sharing logistical information with co-presenters. Please be sure to list the individual who will serve in this organizing role in the “Session Lead” field.
2. Confirmed Presenters: Presenters should represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives and can come both from the museum world or outside it. Proposals with confirmed presenters will be rated more highly. Please note: In order to encourage diverse perspectives, VSA has instituted a participation limit for individual presenters. Individuals may only appear on 2 session proposals total. If an individual is listed as a session chair or presenter on more than 2 proposals, none of the proposals will be considered until that individual has withdrawn his/her name from the appropriate number of proposals. Posters do not count toward the two session limit.
3. Title of your session: 12 word maximum.
4. Program Description: Please provide a high level description of your session for inclusion in the Preliminary and Final Programs (50 word maximum). This description may be edited by the Program Chairs for clarity.
5. Session Track: To facilitate participants’ conference planning, a number of conference tracks have been created for the conference. For your session please indicate if you feel it would align most with one of the conference tracks below.
   1. Skills - Methods or theory catering towards providing insightful practice for folks in early career, as well as nuanced methodological innovation that can be valuable for established practitioners
   2. Theme Exploration - Sessions that hone especially close to this year’s conference theme
   3. Theory - What does it mean to be an evaluator? Discussion of trends, meaning making and nuances in the field of research and evaluation. 
   4. Data - Focused explorations of quantitative or qualitative data analysis with emphasis on reporting and information sharing.
6. Session format: Your session should acknowledge and build upon the participants’ own knowledge and experiences. They should be able to clearly connect with your material and apply it to their own situations. Most conference sessions should be designed so that participants are actively engaged rather than passively receiving information. You must indicate one preferred format from the list below for your proposal.

The session format options are: A) hosted presentation B) panel presentation, C) individual paper presentation, D) facilitated discussion. More details on each of these options are below:

1. Hosted Presentation
   
   • A single presenter or group-led presentation detailing or examining a specific methodology, instrument, or process. Generally, this will educate attendees on integrating similar steps into their work.
   • Maximum of 4 presenters, including session chair
   • 60-minute recommended session length

While this may include traditional presentations, we encourage presenters to consider alternative techniques that incorporate greater audience engagement, discussion, and interaction on the topic. Presenters should reserve sufficient time for audience discussion and Q&A within the session. Presenters should describe the format in the “Session Plan” section.

2. Panel Presentation
   • A moderated discussion that serves as an opportunity for multiple presenters to examine a specific issue, topic, or theme from a variety of perspectives
   • Maximum of 4 presenters, including session chair
   • 60-minute recommended session length

We encourage presenters to consider alternative techniques that incorporate greater audience engagement, discussion, and interaction on the topic. Presenters should reserve sufficient time for audience discussion and Q&A within the session. Presenters should describe the format in the “Session Plan” section.

3. Individual Paper Presentation
   • An opportunity to present on a single topic, project, or study
   • Individual presenter or 2 presenters from the same institution or project team
   • 30-minute recommended session length

Generally, this will include a presentation of completed, or mostly completed work, including findings, lessons learned, and next steps. Presenters will be responsible for facilitating audience discussion, and should reserve sufficient time for Q&A within the session. Presenters do not need to complete the “Session Plan” portion of the proposal.

4. Facilitated Discussion
   • Informal group discussion with participants around key topic or area of interest in the field, lead by single presenter or group
   • Maximum of 3 presenters, including session chair
   • May include a brief introductory presentation to set up the topic to be discussed, but the majority of session should be devoted to dialogue among attendees
   • 45-minute recommended session length

Presenters should describe how they will frame the topic, facilitate discussion, and wrap up the conversation in the “Session Plan” section. In this plan, presenters should also explain how they will adapt their discussion for varying audience sizes (e.g., small break out groups, pair and share, polls, etc.).

Note: Poster presentations will be invited through a separate solicitation in March, 2025.

7. Intended Audience: Indicate via checkboxes which audience(s) will benefit most from this session. Consider level of material, job focus, etc. You may make up to three selections.
   • Experienced evaluators and researchers
   • Novice evaluators and researchers
   • Emerging museum professionals
   • Visitor-facing practitioners (e.g., educators, visitor experience staff, etc.)
   • Experience designers (e.g., exhibit designers, program developers, etc.)
   • Museum administrators
   • Another audience (please describe)
8. Learning Outcomes: What will participants know or be able to do as a result of attending your session? You should have two or three learning outcomes, each a separate thought. At least one should relate to VSA’s learning competencies, as described here:  Evaluator Competencies
9. Proposal Narrative: Provide a summary of the content of your presentation. Please include how your session relates to this year’s theme.

Word Limit (excluding references):

• 300 words for an Individual Paper or Facilitated Discussion.
• Narrative should not exceed 750 words for Hosted Presentation or Panel Presentation.

Please observe these word limits out of respect to our volunteer reviewers.

10. Session Plan (for Hosted Presentation, Panel Presentation, and Facilitated Discussion Formats): Describe what will happen during your session. Be sure to include your strategies for audience involvement and interaction, as well as a breakdown of how you intend to use the time allotted. Detail any plans to incorporate resources or other technologies, as well as how you expect attendees to participate.

Any specific needs or requests should be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Submission Agreement:
In order to submit your proposal, you will need to read and agree to the following five statements:

1. I understand that as the session chair, it is my responsibility to secure session presenters and to disseminate all logistical and other information to session presenters.
2. I agree that neither I nor my participating session presenters will use the session as a platform to promote products or services of any kind.
3. I understand that presenters do not receive complimentary registrations, honoraria, or paid expenses to speak at the VSA Conference.
4. I understand it is my responsibility to register myself for the conference and to inform all presenters that they too are solely responsible for registering themselves for the conference by the Early Bird Registration deadline.
5. I agree that all presenters for this session will be fully informed that they must be available to present any day of the general conference programming (July 15-17, 2025) and that they will not be permitted to participate in more than two proposals.

I confirm that I have read and agree with the five statements listed and that I am responsible for sharing this information with all presenters for this session.

Proposal Submission Process:

• Prepare your proposal using the above as a guide
• Visit this link to submit proposal(s).
• Submission deadline: January 31, 2025 11:59 pm PST
• Address questions to the VSA Conference Planning Team via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Proposal Review Process:

• Program Chairs may return or reject proposals without review if the proposals do not address all required information, include presenters listed on more than two proposals, or exceeding the word limits specified above
• Peer-review of proposals will not include presenter identification
• Reviewers will evaluate each proposal they receive according to the criteria listed above

For more information about VSA, including updates related to the 2025 conference, please visit our website: https://visitorstudies.org/conference 

Submit your Session Proposal Here