Overview

The SIGCSE Technical Symposium is a forum for educators and researchers to share new results and insights around developing, implementing, or evaluating computing programs, curricula, and courses. With the 51st SIGCSE Technical Symposium, we are laying the ground work for the next 50 years of computing education. We welcome submissions on the topics of broadening participation and diversity, K-12 and novice learners, improved and scalable pedagogies, leveraging data and analytics to improve learning, peer learning and instruction, novel outreach, events and engagement strategies, involving students in solving social and global challenges, advanced CS topics, and education research – including qualitative and quantitative, instruments, null, and negative results. SIGCSE Technical Symposium encourages many ways to share ideas, including papers, panels, special sessions, workshops, the ACM SRC, Birds of a Feather (BoFs), Demos, Lightning Talks, Nifty Assignments, Posters, and Pre­symposium & Affiliated Events. We invite colleagues from around the world to contribute to, review for, and attend SIGCSE 2020.

AUTHORS TAKE NOTE: The official publication date is the date the proceedings are made available in the ACM Digital Library. This date may be up to two weeks prior to the first day of the conference. The official publication dates affects the deadline for any patent filings related to published work.

Papers

Papers describe an educational research project, classroom experience, teaching technique, curricular initiative, or pedagogical tool. All papers should explicitly state their motivating questions, relate to relevant literature, and contain an analysis of the effectiveness of the interventions, including limitations. Initial submissions must be anonymous. Note that an ABSTRACT SUBMISSION is required for all papers and it is due a week before the full paper is due.

    CS Education Research papers should adhere to rigorous standards, describing research questions, methods, results, and limitations. These normally focus on topics relevant to computing education with emphasis on educational goals and knowledge units/topics relevant to computing education; methods or techniques in computing education; evaluation of pedagogical approaches; and studies of the many populations engaged in computing education, including (but not limited to) students, instructors, and issues of gender, diversity, and underrepresentation.
    Experience Reports and Tools papers should carefully describe a computer science education intervention, its context, and provide a rich reflection on what did or didn’t work, and why. This track accepts experience reports, teaching techniques, and pedagogical tools. All papers in this track should provide enough detail for adoption by others.
    Curricula Initiative papers discuss new and revised curricula, programs, degrees and also include position papers. Papers about curricula, programs and degrees should describe the motivating context before the new initiative was undertaken, what it took to put the initiative into place, the impact, and suggestions for others wishing to adopt it. Position papers should engender fruitful academic discussion through a defensible opinion about a CS education topic, substantiated with evidence.

Papers may contain up to 6 pages + 1 page for references. Accepted papers will be included in the proceedings. Authors of accepted papers will have a presentation of 25 minutes at the conference.

Panels

Panels present multiple perspectives on a specific topic. Panel proposals include a topic description, panelists, affiliations, panelist position statements, and a plan for audience participation.

Panel proposals are 2 pages maximum and accepted panels will be included in the proceedings. Panels will be provided a session of 75 minutes at the conference.

Special Sessions

Special Sessions are your opportunity to design a unique 75­-minute session in a standard conference space, but distinct from papers, panels, posters, or BoFs.

Special session proposals are 2 pages maximum and accepted special sessions will be included in the proceedings. Special sessions will be provided a session of 75 minutes at the conference.

Workshops

Workshops engage participants in learning new techniques and technologies designed to foster education, scholarship, and collaboration. Proposals must include an abstract, advertisement, intended audience and size, and specify power/A/V/equipment/space needs. Workshops do not conflict with the technical sessions.

Workshop proposals are 3 pages maximum. Accepted workshops will have their abstracts included in the proceedings. Workshops will be provided a session of 3 hours.

ACM Student Research Competition

Undergraduate and graduate student ACM members are invited to submit individual research contributions from any of the topic areas covered by SIGCSE to the ACM Student Research Competition.

SRC proposals are 2 pages maximum. Accepted SRC abstracts will be included in the proceedings. SRC posters are presented during a 3.25-hour poster session that overlaps a break. Authors of selected posters will be invited to give a 10-minute presentation during an SRC session.

Birds of a Feather

BoFs provide an environment for colleagues with similar interests to meet for informal discussions. A/V equipment will not be provided for BoFs.

BoF proposals are 1 page maximum. Accepted BoF abstracts will be included in the proceedings. BoFs will be provided a session of 45 minutes.

Demos

Demos showcase the relevance, potential, and innovation of a tool and allow time for discussion with its creator in the exhibition hall. Proposals include an abstract and specify power/A/V/space needs.

Demos proposals are 2 pages maximum. Accepted demo abstracts will be included in the proceedings. Demos will be provided a session of 45 minutes (during breaks).

Lightning Talks

Lightning Talks describe works in progress, new and untested ideas, or opportunities for collaborative work. Talks are an excellent way to spark discussions and get feedback on an idea.

Lightning Talks proposals are 1 page, 500 words max.. Accepted lightning talk abstracts will be included in the proceedings. Lightning Talks will be provided a presentation of 5 minutes.

Nifty Assignments

Nifty Assignments promote and share successful assignment ideas with enough materials available for others to adopt and adapt for their use. Proposals must include a short writeup describing the assignment, target population, strength and weaknesses, and what computing concept it teaches.

See the Nifty site for instructions on making up your submission: Relevant materials in a zip

Accepted Nifty abstracts will be included in the proceedings as part of the Nifty paper. For details about a Nifty submission, see How Should the Proposal be Formatted.

Posters

Posters describe CS education materials or research, particularly works in progress. Posters enable one­on­one discussion with conference attendees. Prepared handouts are encouraged.

Posters proposals are 2 pages maximum. Accepted poster extended abstracts of 1–page will be included in the proceedings. Posters will be provided a session of 2 hours (poster session).

Pre-Symposium & Affiliated Events

Affiliated organizations are invited to submit proposals for Pre-Symposium or Affiliated Events, including: target audience, # participants, duration, topic, schedule, power/A/V/space needs, and organizers. Event organizers are expected to cover the cost of the room, food, and/or A/V through attendance registration fees or event organizer budgets. Cost information will be available on the conference website. Early submission is encouraged. Events will be considered on a rolling basis until either the due date (Friday, August 23, 2019) or we run out of space.