Deadline is extended to 11:59 p.m. EST, Friday, June 22, 2026. Submissions will not be accepted after the deadline.

The International Assembly (IA) is an associated group of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). We provide a forum for discussion of the international, global, and transnational dimensions of social studies education. Membership is open to all members of NCSS who are interested in research, scholarship, and pedagogical methods to support and advocate for social studies education within the Global Village.

Invitation

The International Assembly invites you to submit a proposal to participate in our 90-minute roundtable and paper presentation sessions at our 2026 Annual Meeting. Proposals for the International Assembly should be aligned with the organization’s focus on international, global, and transnational education. Proposals should also connect with the theme for this year’s NCSS conference, “Social Studies 365”.

During the discussion-focused roundtable presentations, participants will be allotted 20 minutes to present their papers followed by 30 minutes of facilitator-led discussion. In the formal paper sessions, participants will be allotted 15 minutes to present their papers followed by comments by a discussant and audience discussion.

For roundtable sessions, we welcome four types of proposals

1. Practice-oriented presentations
2. Recently completed research
3. Research-in-progress
4. Lesson plan or instructional sequence

For individual paper session submissions, we welcome two types of proposals:

1. Practice-oriented presentations
2. Recently completed research

While any NCSS member may submit a proposal to present, prior to the IA conference all presenters must be IA members and have paid the conference registration. An presenter or co-presenter may submit a maximum of two proposals. At the time of submission, presenters will select their preference for roundtable or paper session format.

Proposal and Lesson Plan Format

Proposals should have a narrative of 800-1,000 words (excluding title and references), along with an abstract of up to 100 words. Proposals exceeding the word limits will not be considered.

All proposals will go through double-blind review. Do not include the names or affiliations of presenters and presenters in the proposal submission document. The Program Chair reserves the right to disqualify submissions in which presenters’ identifying information is revealed.

Criteria for review of the round table and paper presentations include alignment with the mission of the International Assembly and alignment with the NCSS annual conference theme. In addition to the conference theme, reviewers will consider the strength and clarity of the proposal’s purpose/rationale, theoretical framework, design/method, conclusions, contribution to the fields of global, international, and transnational education.

Criteria for review of the lesson plan include originality, relevant conference them connection, research-based pedagogical practices, meaningful formative and summative assessments, and clear overview and alliance with this basic lesson plan format:

• Title of Lesson
• Overview on Content Focus on International Social Studies (A brief summary)
• Overall Objectives (Must include stem, “Students will be able to…”
• Content Resources (Includes primary and/or secondary sources, handouts, readings
• Outline of Lesson (Procedures in step-by-step outline)
• Assessment(s)
• References

Innovative Research Award & Publication Opportunity High quality submissions, as determined by peer reviewers, of “recently completed research” or “research in progress”, as individual papers or roundtables, will be reviewed for the “Innovative Research Award” to be presented at the business meeting of the IA conference. The winner(s) of this award will be encouraged to submit their full papers for review and possible publication in the Journal of International Social Studies. Proposals must be submitted before the deadline to be considered for this award.

Reviewers and Facilitators

To maintain the high quality of the IA conference and to sustain our IA community, we invite you to sign up as a proposal reviewer, discussant, and roundtable facilitator. Proposal reviewers will be assigned to review approximately 10 proposals. For the paper sessions, discussants will keep presentations on time, offer commentary and critique, and facilitate audience discussion. During the roundtable session, the discussion facilitator will keep presentations on time and encourage the roundtable participants to participate in discussion. You can sign up to serve in these capacities when you submit your proposal by June 22, 2026.

Further Information Regarding Proposal Acceptance

To avoid any misunderstandings, your electronic submission acknowledges the following statement of intent:

I certify that any named presenters or participants and I have agreed to take part in this program if this proposal is accepted. Outside of acknowledging this proposal represents the authentic and creative work of the presenter(s) or participant(s) listed, it will be my responsibility to notify any co-presenter regarding the status of the proposal as well as the date, time, and location of the presentation, if accepted.

I understand that if my proposal is accepted, I must be a current member of NCSS and the International Assembly to be included in the program and present.

Deadline is extended to 11:59 p.m. EST, Friday, June 22, 2026. Submissions will not be accepted after the deadline.

If you have questions, please contact the International Assembly Program Chair at [email protected]

Brad Maguth, PhD Social Studies Education The University of Akron Vice President/Program Chair (2025-2027) International Assembly of the National Council for the Social Studies [email protected]