Kaleidoscope is an annual two-day conference hosted by research students at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge.

Kaleidoscope 2024

MULTIVERSES OF LEARNING: Fresh Perspectives in our Ever-Changing World.

21st Annual Kaleidoscope Conference at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge

In-person: 30 May & In-person and Online: 31 May 2024

Schedule

Conference agenda and schedule (PDF) will be shared soon.

Day 1 - 30 May 2024: In-person

• 10.00 – 10.15 Registration
• 10.15 – 11.40
• 13.30 – 14.00 Lunch Break
• 14.00 – 15.30 Keynote Speaker
• 15.30 – 16.00 Closing Remarks

Join us at the networking reception after Kaleidoscope 2024 to meet fellow researchers, ask questions, and explore potential collaborations. You'll also have the chance to connect with education and interdisciplinary researchers to contribute to a diverse and uniquely situated community of peers and colleagues. Together we encourage you to think together and to learn from each other, to evaluate and to (re)imagine what it means to be resilient and sustainable.

Day 2 - 31 May 2024: In-person & Online

• 10.00 – 10.15 Registration
• 10.15 – 11.40
• 13.30 – 14.00 Lunch Break
• 14.00 – 15.30 Keynote Speaker
• 15.30 – 16.00 Closing Remarks

Conference Overview

In the face of a changing world, education needs to evolve to meet the demands of the future generations. Kaleidoscope provides a platform for a comprehensive examination of research methodologies, including indigenous perspectives, challenging participants to rethink educational approaches. Embracing unconventional learning environments, we recognize the critical role of nature and community within the educational process. Insightful discussions on policy-making will form a significant aspect of our conference, emphasizing the need for sustainable and impactful reforms. We advocate for a diverse and inclusive educational landscape that caters to varied identities and backgrounds.

Acknowledging the pivotal role of educators in shaping learning experiences wherever they take place, the conference highlights teacher leadership, organizational dynamics, and entrepreneurial approaches. Global dimensions of education are also explored, addressing the challenges and opportunities in international development and access.

Come along as we navigate the multiverses of learning, bringing together different perspectives to inspire, challenge, and transform education in our multifaceted society.

We invite you to join us on May 30th and 31st for the 21st Annual Kaleidoscope Conference at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. This conference will take place in-person with the option for virtual presentations on the morning of May 31st only.

Theme

This year’s theme, "Multiverses of Learning: Fresh Perspectives in our Ever-Changing World", is an invitation to explore the multifaceted and ongoing experiences currently shaping the future of education. In this rapidly evolving landscape, our conference unfolds a tapestry of sub-themes reflecting diverse perspectives on learning.

Attendees will have the chance to explore the transformative impact of technology in education, discover influential narratives shaping educational experiences, and expand creativity and imaginations in discussing revolutionary pedagogic practices. We are excited to reach new horizons in understanding learning minds and challenge traditional teaching methods, fostering innovation and creativity inside and outside the classroom at Kaleidoscope 2024.

Call for abstracts

We welcome all forms of submissions representing inter-, multi- and trans-disciplinary projects, empirical and non-empirical, finished and unfinished. For the first time at the Kaleidoscope conference, practice-based and creative abstracts will also be considered, as outlined below. We look forward to learning from your theoretical and methodological advances, as well as your original contributions to practice and/or pedagogy.

To better guide the flow of our thinking and conversations, we hope to host discussions on the following sub-themes:

• Digital Frontiers: Education and Technology
• Envisioning Alternate Worlds: Learning through Stories
• Rethinking Research: Mixed Methods, Indigenous Methodologies and Beyond
• Learning Outside the Classroom: Nature, Home, and Community-Based Spaces
• Sustainable Reform: Education Policy and Analysis
• Education for All: Identities and Inclusivity
• Understanding Minds: Discoveries on Growth and Learning
• Reinventing Pedagogies: Specialised and Interdisciplinary Classroom Practices
• Inspiring Educators: Teacher Leadership, Organisations and Entrepreneurship
• Bridging Borders: International Development and Access

Please submit an abstract of maximum 250 words by the 10th of March 2024. Choose a sub-theme to submit your abstract to. You can choose one of the following formats for your contribution:

15-minute presentation

This can be a general overview of your work or can focus in detail on one or two aspects of it. If the latter, you could address one or two of the following: results and conclusions, methodological processes or innovations, contributions to your field, theoretical developments and original theories, or pedagogical/practice advances – depending on the type of your work and what stage you are at.

Such a presentation should develop an argument or a central thread that is elaborated throughout the presentation. Avoid jargon: communicate key ideas so that they are understandable to someone who does not know your field. Focus on the big ideas and the contribution your work makes, rather than on details. You could use the conclusion to draw questions/directions for future research and/or practice.

The presentation should have an introduction and conclusion and be linked to the conference theme or one of the sub-themes. You can choose to use a slideshow or not. Where appropriate, presentations will be organised in panels.

5-minute presentation

This can be a short overview of your work or can focus in more detail on one aspect of it. It could also be a provocation for the audience and does not need to present a fully developed argument. The key is keeping the presentation brief and clear: focus on key ideas rather than details. Avoid jargon: use language and visual illustrations that are accessible to participants of any background, including those who may not be familiar with your field. The presentation should be linked to the conference theme or one of the sub-themes. You can choose to use a slideshow or not. Where appropriate, presentations will be organised in panels.

Poster

Posters will be displayed in a gallery. They should be easily read as images rather than as text documents but maintain an academic standard. They should represent a brief, visual summary of your work or a part of your work. Feel free to include images, graphics, diagrams etc. Your poster should be linked to the conference theme or one of the sub-themes.

Practice-based/ Creative Session

This can be a practice-based and/or arts-based submission from researchers and/or practitioners (i.e. schoolteachers, workshop facilitators, experiential educators, etc.) who would like to present innovative ideas such as teaching methods, toolkits, or creative workshops. Submissions should be based on existing theories and/or evidence in the field but can make use of creative formats such as theatre, dance, or visual arts as justified by methodological consistency. You will be allocated a time slot between 15-30 minutes based on your presentation needs. These spaces are envisaged as being highly interactive. The presentation should be linked to the conference theme or one of the sub-themes.

Submission form

Please complete the following Submission Form

Deadline for abstract submission

10th March 2024

Conference Venue

• 30 May 2024 | Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge
• 31 May 2024 | Online (Morning Session) & Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge (Afternoon Session)

Registration

Registration open | 11 March 2024

Register for Kaleidoscope 2024 - Link will be available soon

Get in Touch

Email: kaleidoscope@educ.cam.ac.uk
Twitter: @CambridgeKScope
Facebook: @KaleidoscopeConference2024
Instagram: @KaleidoscopeCon
Website: www.educ.cam.ac.uk/events/conferences/kaleidoscope2024/