Are We on the Same Page? Exploring Faculty-Student Goal Alignment in Conference Participation
Location
Morgan
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
The purpose of this project is to examine alignment between faculty’s goals for attending conferences, students’ goals for attending conferences, and faculty goals for bringing students to conferences. It reflects the ongoing scholarly conversations conducted at the following conferences: Georgia Undergraduate Research, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium, and College of Science and Mathematics Symposium.
Data was collected through interactive prompts and displayed on the poster under the corresponding prompt, which invited participants to share their experiences and thoughts about conference attendance. This process captured authentic participants' input and created collaboration. Researchers compiled responses and used an open coding system to identify themes.
Implications of this project show that students and faculty should spend time prior to conferences to ensure that both students' and faculty goals are aligned. Findings reinforce the value of collaborative goal-setting and communication, which could enhance the effectiveness of conference participation by students and faculty.
Keywords
Conferences, Faculty, Undergraduate Students
Professional Bio
Dr. Heidi A. Eisenreich, an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Georgia Southern University, specializes in mathematics education for preservice K-8 teachers. Her teaching approach emphasizes collaborative learning, solving problems in multiple ways, and mathematical discourse to foster a deep conceptual understanding of mathematical concepts.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Eisenreich, Heidi; Detling, Alexis; Flanders-Jones, Tiffany; Horton, Kaylin; and Pacheco, Susana, "Are We on the Same Page? Exploring Faculty-Student Goal Alignment in Conference Participation" (2026). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 45.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2026/2026/45
Are We on the Same Page? Exploring Faculty-Student Goal Alignment in Conference Participation
Morgan
The purpose of this project is to examine alignment between faculty’s goals for attending conferences, students’ goals for attending conferences, and faculty goals for bringing students to conferences. It reflects the ongoing scholarly conversations conducted at the following conferences: Georgia Undergraduate Research, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium, and College of Science and Mathematics Symposium.
Data was collected through interactive prompts and displayed on the poster under the corresponding prompt, which invited participants to share their experiences and thoughts about conference attendance. This process captured authentic participants' input and created collaboration. Researchers compiled responses and used an open coding system to identify themes.
Implications of this project show that students and faculty should spend time prior to conferences to ensure that both students' and faculty goals are aligned. Findings reinforce the value of collaborative goal-setting and communication, which could enhance the effectiveness of conference participation by students and faculty.
