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Instructions on How to Submit a Speaking Proposal

Thank you for your interest in submitting a proposal to present at The eLearning Guild’s DevLearn 2017 Conference & Expo. Please read the information below before you complete the submission form. If you are not contacted by the end of May, your session will be placed on the standby list and be considered as a substitute session.

The deadline for submissions has passed, however you may still submit a proposal to be considered as a substitute session for any slots that may open up on the program.

Submit A Speaking Proposal

FAQs About Speaking at DevLearn

What are the event dates?

The conference will be held Wednesday, October 25 through Friday, October 27, 2017.
Pre-conference workshops will be held on Monday and Tuesday, October 23 and 24, 2017.
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When are speaking proposals due?

Proposals are due by Friday, March 10, 2017.

The deadline for submissions has passed, however you may still submit a proposal to be considered as a substitute session for any slots that may open up on the program.

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Where is the event located?

The Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
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What is DevLearn all about?

DevLearn is, by far, North America’s top eLearning event. This event is designed for eLearning professionals interested in exploring the leading edge of the emerging technologies our industry will put to work for learning. DevLearn provides a comprehensive program of learning opportunities to meet the needs of learning professionals who are involved in the management, design, development, implementation, and delivery of organizational learning. If you want to know what’s coming next in the world of learning, what the leaders in the field are thinking and doing, and how new technologies impact management, strategy development, and learning development, then you need to be at DevLearn.
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What is the target audience for this event?

The target audience for DevLearn sessions includes executives, managers, and practitioners in corporate, government, and academic settings who are actively focused on the tools, technologies, strategies, and techniques that can be put to work for learning.

DevLearn provides learning opportunities for anyone involved in the development of eLearning, regardless of:

  • Job title
  • The task they perform on the development team
  • Whether they work in a corporate, government, nonprofit, or academic setting
  • The content or type of learning they are designing, developing, and/or managing
  • The scope of responsibilities—whether as a specialist or a generalist
  • The extent of responsibilities—whether as an individual contributor, departmental manager, a divisional director, or a corporate executive

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What types and durations of sessions are offered at this event?

  • Optional one-day pre-conference workshops will be held on Monday, October 23 and Tuesday, October 24.
  • Concurrent sessions will be held Wednesday, October 25 through Friday, October 27. Session run times are either 45 or 60 minutes.
  • Both workshops and concurrent sessions may be offered as hands-on BYOL sessions (Bring Your Own Laptop®). For more details on the BYOL format, click here.

Selected speakers will be assigned a slot by the Guild staff. If you have any scheduling conflicts, please note that on your submission form.

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What is the program focus of the event?

Sessions should address the needs of learning professionals experienced with technology-based solutions. We are particularly interested in sessions in which you share the solution your organization crafted and implemented to solve a pressing learning/business challenge.

Your session is more likely to be selected if your content is focused, in-depth, and offers practical solutions, ideas, strategies, and/or techniques. We are also very interested in sessions that show how cutting-edge ideas and technologies can be used in creative ways to enhance learning experiences.

We are looking for a variety of topics that cover the full spectrum of factors that impact learning and performance including, but not limited to:

  • Instructional Design
  • Case Studies
  • Mobile Solutions
  • Video-based Learning
  • Social Media and Social Learning
  • Curation
  • Virtual Reality
  • Augmented Reality
  • Serious games and Gamification
  • Simulations
  • Authoring Tools
  • Personalized Learning
  • Infrastructure and Systems
  • Micro Learning
  • Development Techniques
  • Visual, Interface, or Experience Design
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What is BYOL (Bring Your Own Laptop®)?

  • BYOL stands for Bring Your Own Laptop®. Participants of BYOL sessions are expected to bring their laptops with the software being discussed already installed.
  • These sessions are hands-on and give participants an opportunity to actually work along with the presenter.
  • BYOL sessions may be either full-day workshops or 60-minute concurrent sessions.
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Who is eligible to present at DevLearn?

  • As a community-based organization, we welcome any and all proposals.
  • Vendors of eLearning products and services will be considered; however, NO marketing or self-promotion is allowed. Sessions must be educational and informational in content. While not required, proposals that feature a case study with a client are strongly preferred.
  • If you are interested in exhibiting at this event and want to find out about promotional opportunities, contact sales@elearningguild.com.

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Is there compensation for speakers?

  • One free full-conference registration is provided per session. This free registration is given to the main presenter listed on the submission form. This registration cannot be shared or split.*
  • The first co-presenter (if applicable) will be able to register for the conference at a substantially discounted rate (no other discounts apply). This discount cannot be shared or split. Co-presenters must pay the discounted rate by a specified due date in order to present.* For any additional co-presenters, normal conference registration fees and discounts will apply.
  • All presenters must be listed when you submit your proposal. Additional presenters cannot be added to your session without approval of Guild staff.
  • Presenters who are selected to conduct more than one session are given one free registration in total.
  • Full-day workshop presenters may have their travel and hotel costs covered. They may also receive a fee based on workshop attendance.

*Your registration provides access to all conference sessions. Both free and discounted registrations, as outlined above, include conference materials, access to the conference backchannel, lunches, receptions, and networking activities. Presenters must pay for participation in any additional optional activities, such as co-located events, pre-conference workshops, and/or post-conference events.

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What is required of me as a speaker from a technical standpoint?

  • Speakers must provide their own laptop or tablet and any software required to run their presentation. If you require internet access, your device must be able to connect to Wi-Fi; hardwire connections are not available.
  • Standard AV provided includes computer projector, screen, speakers for the computer, and wireless access. Other AV equipment requested will be approved case-by-case.

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If selected as a speaker, what information and materials will I be required to submit?

  • A photo for use on the event website and other event materials. Photos must be formatted to be a minimum of 300 DPI, 5”x7” and in TIFF, JPG, or PNG formats.
  • An AV form that lists any technical requirements for your session(s).
  • Guild staff edits all session descriptions for length, clarity, and style. When session descriptions are posted, you will be asked to review the description for accuracy.
  • Session materials that will be posted for event participants before, during, and after the event. (Concurrent sessions only; workshop materials will not be posted on the resource site.)

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What resources are available to help me write a strong proposal?

Among the best resources for learning how to write a strong proposal are the session descriptions from past DevLearn conferences; these descriptions are essentially edited versions of the content from the session proposal form. They can be a great place to look for inspiration for what content to include in your proposal and how to approach your angle on a topic.

In addition, we’ve created a document outlining an example of a strong proposal, as well as a few examples of proposals that would need a bit more work to be selected. You can download that PDF here.

It can also be helpful to work on a draft of your proposal offline. This allows you to take time with your answers as well as leverage spell check. You can download a Word document with the proposal questions here.
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How do I submit a proposal?

  • Use the online CFP form and complete all areas of the form. Completing a submission takes approximately 10 minutes.
  • You may submit more than one proposal. You must submit a separate form for each session proposed.
  • You may want to create a draft of your proposal offline before entering it into the online CFP form. If you would like to do so, you can find a copy of the proposal form in Word format here.
  • If you need to exit the form without submitting, be sure to use the “save and continue later” function found at the top of the proposal form.
  • If your browser or computer crashes while you’re in the process of filling out this form, you can contact the programming team at programs@elearningguild.com to get access to your partially completed survey.

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I have additional questions. Who can I reach out to?

If you have any questions about the form, these instructions, or the event, or if you are unsure about whether or not your topic is appropriate for this event, please contact our programming team at programs@elearningguild.com.

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