MEGA Presenter Application
Pre-application information:
Thank you for your interest in participating in the Alabama State Department of Education’s MEGA Conference 2024. This year’s conference is a week-long, in-person event that 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 8-12, 2024
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 15, 2024.
- The main/primary presenter should be the person who submits the session application as they are the ONLY person who can make changes to the application or upload the required presentation slides and materials associated with the presentation.
- The primary presenter and the first two co-presenters listed do NOT need to register or pay for the conference—this will be done for you. All additional co-presenters after the first two listed will need to register and pay for the conference registration. Each primary 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.
- Please make sure that your session title is properly capitalized, and that the session description accurately describes in detail what your session is about.
- Please make sure that ALL portions of the application (including presenter and co-presenter biographies) are fully and accurately filled out prior to submitting your application. You will be able to leave and come back to the application to make changes prior to submitting the application, however, once it has been submitted, changes may not be made to the application. Applications submitted without all portions of the application completed will be rejected!
- 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 if not covered by their employer.
- Notification of session acceptance/denial will be emailed to the email address of the primary presenter. If you have not received a notification email by March 28, 2024, 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-alabama.com. Room blocks will open the first week in January. If your session is not approved, you will be informed in plenty of time to cancel your reservation, if desired.
Session Requirements
The MEGA 2024 Session Review Committee is inviting presentations that 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 them 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 the 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 session will have a virtual page associated with it through the online website and app. Presenters will be required to upload their presentations to this platform prior to the start of the conference and may provide attendees with additional resources via this session page. Additional resources may include but are not limited to 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 your presentation and additional resources on this platform. Printed handouts, if needed, are the responsibility of the presenter and will not be provided by the ALSDE.