MEGA Presenter Application
Pre-application information:
Thank you for your interest in participating in the Alabama State Department of Education’s 2023 MEGA Conference. This year’s conference is a week-long, in-person event, which provides attendees with opportunities to engage in meaningful discussions, participate in in-depth training sessions, and learn from leading experts across the education spectrum.
Conference Information
Date: July 17-21, 2023
Location: Mobile Convention Center
1 S Water St., Mobile AL 36602
General Guidelines
Please read the following guidelines carefully before submitting a session application:
- The deadline for session submissions is March 10, 2023
- You are submitting the application as the main presenter and will serve as the key contact for your session.
- If your session is approved, your registration fee and the fee of up to two co-presenters will be waived. All additional co-presenters will need to register and pay the conference registration fee and will not be listed in the conference schedule. Each presenter/co-presenter must provide a unique email address for registration. Please use an email address that you check frequently and have access to throughout the year.
- Please be sure to spell/grammar check all aspects of your application prior to submitting. Applications (especially session descriptions) not written in a professional manner will be returned for edits or not approved.
- This application to present is NOT a contract of services. Please check the appropriate choice under “consulting fee” on the application if consulting fees and/or travel and per diem are expected. Consulting fees for qualifying presenters are based on the presenter’s credentials. Please note that employees of public schools or universities may not receive consulting fees but may be reimbursed for travel expenses not paid for by their employer.
- Notification of session acceptance/denial will be emailed to the email address you provide in your profile. If you have not received a notification email by March 24, 2023, please send an email to MEGA@alsde.edu to check on the status of your application.
- It is recommended that you reserve your hotel room as early as possible, as they book up quickly. Hotel information can be found at https://mega.secure-platform.com/2023. If your session is not approved, you will be informed in plenty of time to cancel your reservation, if desired.
Session Requirements
The MEGA Conference Committee is inviting presentations which are research-based, innovative, interactive, and engaging. In keeping with Alabama’s Strategic Plan: Alabama Achieves: A New Plan for a New Decade, all presentations must address one of the following strategic priorities:
- Academic Growth and Achievement - We will increase student outcomes in all academic areas with a focus on reading and mathematics. By providing high-quality academic standards, professional development, data analysis tools, and other resources, we will support our local schools and school systems to powerfully impact the lives of young people every day.
- College, Career, and Workforce Ready - We will engage, challenge, and support every student in relevant, impactful instruction that equips him or with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully enter college, career, or the workforce. Utilizing cutting edge research, professional development, and partnerships, we will make sure that students have expanded options and opportunities in every corner of the state.
- Safe and Supportive Learning Environments - We will work with our local school systems and their communities to provide safe environments that support the physical, mental, emotional, social, and cognitive development of all students in every school. We are committed to whole-child wellness and realize that we must embrace the need to provide optimal learning conditions to every community in the state.
- Highly Effective Educators - We will ensure our schools are staffed with highly effective educators who are equipped with the content knowledge and teaching skills to address the needs of all learners in every school. At this onset of this decade, we face an unprecedented educator workforce shortage. We recognize the importance of working with our traditional models located within in-state educator preparation programs at institutes of higher education as we also seek out new alternative approaches to teacher recruitment, education, and development. We also know ongoing, high-quality, embedded professional development, and instructional coaching are additional keys to growing teacher and principal effectiveness.
Please note that each approved session will have a virtual page associated with it through the online website and app. Presenters are expected to provide attendees with resources via this session page. Resources may include, but are not limited to presentation slides, handouts, and resource links. Once sessions are scheduled and set up in the virtual platform, you will receive an email with instructions on how to upload resources to your session page(s). Printed handouts, if needed, are the responsibility of the presenter and will not be provided by the ALSDE.