Call for papers for the 1st “The next generation and the pandemic” Conference, 7-8 July 2022

Keynote Speaker: Elizabeth Rider

Abstract Due Date: 8 June 2022

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This conference brings together academics and practitioners from a wide variety of fields, for a collaborative, multidisciplinary exploration of how the pandemic has been represented, depicted and understood. Abstracts are peer-reviewed.  Themes and issues for the conference include, but are not limited to:

 

Stream A          Supporting children and teens in the pandemic

The pandemic has drawn resources and attention away from those that are intended to keep children and teens safe, and support them in facing various health-related social and psychological challenges. We welcome papers on any aspect of the care of children and teens, in areas such as preventative support, parenting interventions, foster care and adoption, provisions for addictions and substance abuse, autism, domestic abuse and neglect, and homelessness among the young. Papers might also address how we communicate to young people about these issues, given the conditions of the pandemic. We also welcome papers about issues in how young people have handled the pandemic, such as consumption of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, partying, raves and other breaches of lockdown regulations, psychological responses to home schooling, regular vaccinations, mental health, screen time, sleep issues, nightmares, anxiety, behavioural issues such as regression and aggression, and self-harming among many.

 

Stream B          Education during the pandemic

We welcome papers exploring the complexities of teaching and learning during a time of pandemic. Papers could address administration, policy and decision-making and its difficulties at all levels of government and within institutions and communities; ensuring institutional safety and its challenges and difficulties, as well as options tried and results and insights achieved; changes to schooling at all levels, and their effects on teachers, pupils and other groups of people involved, as well as how administrators, teachers and students are handling changes from week to week and month to month; measurable impacts of these  on teaching, learning, testing, and graduation; efforts to serve student populations with particular challenges and disadvantages; how teachers are handling traditional inequities and teaching content such as Black Lives Matter during the pandemic, how parents have handled lockdown measures, and what the issues are with parents as teachers from teachers’ own point of view, as well as the challenges of teaching children about the virus, in areas such as masking and social distancing. We welcome experience narratives, case studies, and situation reports from teachers, parents, school board officials and members, and others working in and with education. For more information on experience narratives and other options, please click here.

 

Stream C          Supporting families

The pandemic has thrown up difficulties at work and at home. We welcome papers exploring the family impacts of working from home, not commuting, and not seeing family members for long periods of time, as well as parenting, juggling new responsibilities, managing relationships and breakups, family and social isolation and the use of social media to stay connected, impacts of sheltering on elder family members and on community, cultural and sporting activities, unexpected financial difficulties, mental and physical health issues including anxiety, depression and sleep disorders, the challenges of marking major family milestones such as weddings and birthdays, food and housing insecurities, the difficulties of being a working parent during a pandemic, childcare problems, support for students, and providing care for family members who are at risk of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Again, we welcome experience narratives, case studies, and situation reports from teachers, parents, and others working with families.  For more information on experience narratives and other options, please click here.

 

Stream D          Data analytics and the pandemic

In order to explore these issues, we are soliciting research cooperation from academics and researchers, medical and nursing practitioners, teachers and school administrators and others. These papers use data from structured interview questions, and evaluate this data with sentiment analysis software. Conference participants interested in cooperating with this effort will publish papers in a journal special issue with HEDRA advisory board members.  If you are interested in this, please click here.

 

The conference welcomes abstracts from academics and researchers working in linguistics, medicine and healthcare, social work and psychology, public health and education, as well as in interdisciplinary and inter-professional fields, and others. We also welcome experience narratives, case studies, and situation reports from members of the public, people working in any related field, and specialists. You can find more information on this here. Participants will be able to watch a plenary session, and participate in a live-stream round table, and a conference round table discussion.

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