Call for Presentations: Reflecting on the Past, Shaping the Future

We invite adult educators to submit their presentation proposals around the theme of   Reflecting on the Past, Shaping the Future with relevance to adult literacy, numeracy and digital literacy. Presentations should focus on stimulating thought and discussion around relevant issues and practices within various contexts.

We aim to:

• Learn from where we’ve come from: Reflect on past approaches, policies, and practices in adult literacy and numeracy, examining what has worked, what hasn’t, and why.
• Reimagine practice for changing learners and contexts: Explore how adult literacy and numeracy teaching can evolve in response to social, cultural, digital, and workforce changes.
• Innovate with purpose: Highlight emerging, flexible, and research-informed approaches that build on past knowledge while responding to current and future learner needs.
• Embed adult learning principles across time: Exemplify adult learning principles by connecting lived experience, prior knowledge, and reflective practice with forward-focused teaching strategies.

Presentation modes

VALBEC has five presentation options and welcomes submissions from adult literacy teaching practitioners, policy makers, managers, researchers, and other interested individuals and organisations.

The Conference Committee may adjust the session length and/or format to fit the program. All sessions will be presented in person (no online option).

1. Practical workshops (30 minutes)

These workshops are hands-on sessions that support participants’ professional learning. They focus on practical skills and knowledge that build capability and help practitioners work in different settings. Workshops might explore teaching and learning challenges, introduce new curriculum or approaches, or showcase effective programs. Workshops can be delivered by a team; anyone with a substantive role in the workshop should be listed as a presenter.

2. Panel presentations (30 minutes)

Panels will be chosen for topics that encourage discussion and may shape future work. The panel Chair must submit the panel title; the names and affiliations of the Chair and all panel members; and a 200-word abstract. The Chair is expected to attend for the full session to introduce the topic, keep to time, and lead discussion after the panel.

3. Practice tasters (30 minutes)

Tasters can be poster-style sessions, displays, models or artefacts, or a 30-minute talk that shares a proven approach. Submissions should outline the approach, the education/training challenge it responds to, and the work that informed its development. Practice Tasters may include resources or materials, community engagement, policy work, or research methods. Tasters can be delivered by a team; anyone with a substantive role in the session should be listed as a presenter.

4. Individual papers and presentations (30 minutes, including time for discussion)

Individual papers may have more than one author. If so, list all contributing authors in the presentation details. Papers will be reviewed against the 2025 Conference themes, originality, contribution to the field, clarity of the conceptual/methodological/theoretical work, and use of relevant sources (scholarly and/or policy). Selected papers may be offered the opportunity to publish in FinePrint.

5. Posters

A poster is an easy way to share your work at the conference without running a workshop or giving a talk. If you have a good idea, resource, lesson, or program to share, a poster is a great option. For example, you could share what works when teaching First Nations learners, learners in the SEE program, adult literacy or numeracy classes, learners who are learning English, or early school leavers. You can also share research, trauma-informed practice, real-world materials, and other ideas that support adult learners.

The poster presentation: Your poster is a one-page display with key points and visuals. You create it, print it on A3 paper, and bring it to the conference to put up on the wall. You can also bring one extra page (A4 or smaller) with your short bio and a brief note explaining your poster.

Critical dates

• Proposals to be submitted by COB April 17, 2026.
• Presenters will be notified by April 24, 2026, of their inclusion in the conference program.

Further information

Debbie Soccio, Conference Administration Organiser

Email: valbecprojectmanager@gmail.com

Phone: 0409 941 007

Proposals open Monday 16 March, 2026.

Submit Your Proposal Online Here