Supporting Early career researchers in geography education

Supporting Early career researchers in geography education

Workshop CGE Conference Rennes, France July 13

 When researching geography education, researchers face a variety of challenges. Some are general, and some are subject (geography) specific. Other challenges are associated with interdisciplinary research when researchers specialising in the primary discipline must engage constructively in theories, evidence, and advances of others. This is especially challenging for early career researchers (ECR). They have to invest more time and resources to master the relevant theories and methodologies while engaging with the broader research literature. However, there are not only challenges related to theories and methods, but also with networking in the community, publishing the research, funding etc.

The Commission on Geography Education is aware of these obstacles to becoming a successful and respected researcher. Therefore, the Steering Committee sees the support of the ECR as one of its priorities. A series of workshops will be organised on the occasion of CGE annual conferences with the 2022 Conference in Rennes as a starting event.

 The ECR workshop consists of two parts and is organised in a hybrid way allowing in-person and online participation. The participation of the conference participants is included in the conference fee. ECRs not attending the conference can join online for a special price (see the registration for the conference conditions).

 Wednesday, July 13; 9:45–12:40

 Early career researchers: Networking and challenges in researching geography education - 9:45–10:45

Chair: Martin Hanus, Chew-Hung Chang

The initial part of the workshop will focus on the networking of early career researchers based on the topics and methodologies of their research. Peer discussion will be stimulated in this “professional network”. Subsequently, a space will be provided to identify challenges that ECRs in geography education face and discuss how CGE could support them. A focus group discussion and other engaging methods will be employed to achieve the goal. Participants will share their ideas, discuss possible solutions, and, in addition, will have a unique chance to discuss and direct the “Supporting ECR in Geography Education CGE Programme” for the following years.

The subsequent result of the activities will be the expanded networking of ECR.

Getting published the research in geography education - 11:05 –12:30

Chair: Martin Hanus

Lecturers: Gillian Kidman, Chew-Hung Chang, Di Wilmot

The second part of the workshop will be dedicated to the publication strategies and how to publish the ECRs’ research. Specifically, the time will be spent discussing the publication strategies in general and then presenting the specific requirements of publishing a chapter in the Commission’s (Springer) book series or a paper in the journal International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education (IRGEE), the CGE flagship journal. Additionally, participants will become familiar with the process of reviewing papers and strategies for dealing with reviewers’ comments successfully and other relevant topics.

The workshop will be led in an interactive way to develop participants’ publication skills.