Call for Proposals

Proposal Templates and Submission Information

All papers should be formatted using one of the proposal formatting templates available below (in English, Spanish or French). Only properly formatted papers will be reviewed. Please ensure your proposal is anonymous for review while leaving appropriate space for names in the final paper.

The templates are also available on the All-Academic Page, which is accessible via the following submission link. The templates are located on the left-hand side of the login screen.

Submit Proposals

male student walking across BYU campus
We invite proposals for research reports, brief research reports, Posters, working groups, and research colloquia.

The proposal submission deadline is February 16, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST

Proposals can be submitted in English, Spanish, or French, and they should conform to the following page limits, including figures and tables, but excluding references:

  • Research report: 8-page limit, 10-line abstract
  • Brief research report: 4-page limit, 10-line abstract
  • Poster: 1-page limit, no abstract
  • Working group: 2-page limit, 15-line abstract
  • Research colloquia: 2-page limit, 15-line abstract

Call for Proposals

The North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA) promotes interdisciplinary research in the psychology of mathematics education to further a deeper understanding of the teaching and learning of mathematics. All scholarship related to the field of mathematics education is welcome.

Research Reports

Research reports are intended to deliver complete research of the highest caliber. The papers can be empirical or theoretical and should discuss the following items (as applicable; in the case of a theoretical or conceptual paper, these can be different):

  • objectives or purposes of the study (including research questions)
  • perspective(s) or theoretical framework
  • methods or modes of inquiry (including participants, contexts, data collection, analysis, etc.)
  • results
  • discussion and conclusions

Authors of research reports should submit a paper of eight pages maximum (including figures, tables, and a 10-line abstract, but excluding references), which will be included in the conference proceedings. Authors are reminded to please use the provided templates to ensure correct formatting in the published proceedings.

Brief Research Reports

Brief research reports are intended to describe research that is in process or of a preliminary nature, such as preliminary results from a larger research study or initial findings from a study that has not been completely analyzed. Brief research reports should address the same items as research reports, as appropriate:

  • objectives or purposes of the study (including research questions)
  • perspective(s) or theoretical framework
  • methods or modes of inquiry (including participants, contexts, data collection, analysis, etc.)
  • results
  • discussion and conclusions

Authors of brief research reports should submit a paper of four pages maximum (including figures, tables, and a 10-line abstract, but excluding references), which will be included in the conference proceedings. Authors are reminded to please use the provided templates to ensure correct formatting in the published proceedings.

Posters

Poster sessions are designed to encourage the exchange of ideas. A poster presentation is a visual display depicting a research project, developed software, curricular innovation, educational program, or another item of interest to members of PME-NA. Posters should include the following, as appropriate:

  • objectives and purposes of the study, project, or innovation (such as research questions)
  • perspective(s) or theoretical framework
  • methods or modes of inquiry or design (such as participants, contexts, data collection, analysis, etc.)
  • a summary of results and their implications

Authors of posters should submit a one-page summary of their poster (including figures and tables with no abstract and excluding references), which will be included in the conference proceedings. Authors are reminded to please use the provided templates to ensure correct formatting in the published proceedings.

Working Groups

A working group focuses on an emerging or new research topic of substantial interest within the PME-NA community. Working groups are subject to review to ensure they fit the goals of PME-NA as an organization, and they must meet the following requirements:

  • has a clear goal and a strategy to reach this goal in collaboration with the participants
  • includes structural opportunities for participants to contribute to reaching the goal
  • involves only a minimum of planned presentations to stimulate the specific collaboration or exchange
  • is provided by at least two researchers who are actively working on the research topic
  • covers three slots of 90 minutes each
  • is represented via a two-page proposal in the conference proceedings (with additional pages for references)

Note: As of 2020, the PME-NA Steering Committee voted to reduce the number of pages for working group proposals to two pages only. A subcommittee of the Steering Committee will evaluate proposals to ensure a diversity of ideas is shared. As of 2021, the PME-NA Steering Committee voted to require returning working groups to submit a report that discusses what transpired within their working group during the three days of the previous conference and the theoretical underpinnings of their work. This report may also include a description of the work that the group has planned for the year between conferences. The report must be submitted with the proposal for the current conference through All-Academic. The proposal for 2026 will not be considered without the report, which will be published in the proceedings of the 2026 conference.

Proposals must include the following (two pages maximum):

  • the topic, title, goal, and strategy to reach the goal of the working group
  • the names of all researchers contributing (a minimum of two)
  • the name of the coordinator (corresponding researcher)
  • an outline of the theoretical background of the research topic
  • an explicit statement of how the participants are expected to collaborate or exchange in the working group
  • an explicit statement of whether the working group is a new initiative or a follow-up on previous PME-NA activities, as well as an indication of tentative follow-up activities at future PME-NA conferences (such as further working groups or colloquia)
  • a detailed description of the proposed organization of the working group, including thematic structuring, time structuring for three slots of 90 minutes each, and planned presentations and participants’ exchange/collaboration activities
  • a description of no more than 100 words for the conference program. This description is not part of the two-page proposal, so please insert it after the reference section.

Reports must include the following (eight pages maximum):

  • history of the working group
  • progress made both during and in between conferences
  • actions taken to include participants
  • questions to address in the future

Working groups who have been meeting for multiple years, and who are able to share what they have been working on, are invited to submit a proposal for a research colloquium instead.

Research Colloquia

A research colloquium focuses on a research topic of substantial interest within the PME-NA community that has been developed during multiple previous PME-NA (or PME) working groups. Research colloquia are subject to review in order to ensure they fit the goals of PME-NA as an organization, and they must meet the following requirements:

  • involves longer planned presentations to share what has been done in previous meetings within the group
  • is provided by at least two researchers who are actively working on the research topic
  • includes time at the end of each session for participants to share their thoughts and ideas or ask questions about the work that has been created (the organizers are encouraged to share areas that would allow for some exchange of ideas, but this is not the focus of the colloquia)
  • covers three slots of 90 minutes each, and is represented via a two-page proposal in the conference proceedings (with additional pages for references)

Note: As of 2020, the PME-NA Steering Committee introduced this new session type, and they limited the proposal length to two pages. A subcommittee of the Steering Committee will evaluate proposals to ensure a diversity of ideas is shared. As of 2021, the PME-NA Steering Committee voted to require returning colloquia to submit a report that discusses what transpired within the colloquia for the three days in the previous conference, and the theoretical underpinnings of their work. This report may also include the work that the group has planned for the year between conferences. The report must be submitted with the proposal for the current conference through All-Academic. The proposal for 2026 will not be considered without the report, which will be published in the proceedings of the current conference.

Proposals must include the following:

  • the topic and title
  • the names of all researchers contributing (minimum of two)
  • the name of the coordinator (corresponding researcher)
  • an outline of the theoretical background of the research topic
  • an explicit statement of the history of the working group
  • an explicit statement of areas that will be open for discussion with participants to allow for an exchange of ideas
  • a detailed description of the proposed organization of the colloquia, including thematic structuring, time structuring for three slots of 90 minutes each, and descriptions of planned presentations and participants’ exchange/collaboration activities
  • a description of no more than 100 words for the conference program. This description is not part of the two-page proposal, so please insert it after the reference section.

Reports must include the following (eight pages maximum):

  • history of the working group or research colloquium
  • progress made both during and in between conferences
  • questions to address in the future

Submission Guidelines

Please follow these submission guidelines carefully:

  • Proposals may be written in English, Spanish, or French. Proposals submitted in Spanish or French need to include a title and an abstract in English as well.
  • The final manuscripts (to be submitted by May 31, 2026) of accepted papers, posters and working groups need to be in English but can be published in two languages (English and Spanish or English and French) in the proceedings.
  • Authors of accepted proposals in Spanish or French are responsible for translating them into English and submitting English versions before the final paper deadline of May 31, 2026.
  • Proposals should be anonymized. Please remove all identifying information, such as names of author(s), author institution(s), funding sources, and author references.
  • All submissions should be in .docx format, not PDF or any other word processing format.
  • The most important part of proposal preparation is to use the .docx templates provided here:
    • English Proposal Template
    • Spanish/French Proposal Template
  • When working with the templates, authors should always use the built-in styles as defined in the .docx templates.
  • Authors must choose a single strand for their proposal submission (see below). If none of the strands seem to fit the work, authors must choose the strand that most closely fits. We welcome all scholarship related to mathematics education.
  • Keywords should be selected from those listed at Strands and Keywords. Although authors must select a single strand, they can select multiple keywords for the proposal.

Submit Proposals

Submission Limits

Please follow these guidelines carefully:

  • An individual may serve as the primary presenting author for only one research report.
  • An individual may be a coauthor on multiple research report proposals; however, the (co) author who electronically submits a proposal is committing to present the work at the conference and can do so for only one research report proposal. This person must also register for the conference by the speaker-registration deadline for an accepted proposal to remain in the program.
  • An individual may serve as the primary presenting author for no more than two posters.
  • Currently, there is no limitation on the number of brief research reports a person can submit as the primary presenting author.
  • Thus, an individual may submit one or more brief research reports and up to two poster proposals in addition to one research report proposal.

Proposal Review Criteria

Research Reports and Brief Research Reports

For research reports and brief research reports, the following categories are scored on a 1–5 scale:

  • choice of problem or theoretical foci
  • theoretical framework
  • mode of inquiry (empirical proposals only)
  • rigor of analysis or argument
  • interpretation or implications
  • addressing the theme
  • quality of writing

Reviewers will also have opportunities to provide written comments to the authors and to the strand leaders, who will compile the reviews and forward recommendations to the local organizing committee.
 
Before submitting their report proposals, authors should consider the following questions:

  • Is it clear what issue the proposal addresses?
  • Is the issue the proposal addresses an important one? Does the research build on and move an area of mathematics education forward?
  • Is the study or argument framed by theory?
  • Does the study or argument employ a theoretical framework? Does the theoretical framework contribute to a deeper understanding of the question the study addresses?
  • Is the methodology clearly explained? Does the study employ a methodology appropriate for the question it investigates? Does the methodology contribute to answering the question(s) posed by the study?
  • Does the proposal make meaningful connections to the conference theme? Are the connections to the theme apparent throughout the proposal?
  • Does the proposal conform to the formatting style for the conference?
  • Does the proposal display high-quality writing and communicate ideas effectively?

For an empirical proposal, please consider the following questions:

  • Does the proposal present data and analyses thereof?
  • Does it do so in a way that is rigorous?
  • Are the analyses supported by the data and methodology?

For a theoretical proposal, please consider the following questions:

  • Does the proposal offer a penetrating analysis of the issues?
  • Does it make a careful and clear argument for its theoretical contributions?

For an empirical proposal, please consider the following questions:

  • Are the claims, conclusions, or suggestions made based on the study’s data?
  • Are the implications of the work made explicit?
  • Does the work contribute to a better understanding of the issue(s) addressed?

For a theoretical proposal, please consider the following questions:

  • Does the proposal extend our understanding of the issues?
  • Does the proposal sharpen our understanding of distinctions that had not been made before or that were made weakly?
  • Does the work have implications for practice at any level of mathematics (e.g., classroom teaching, research, policy)?
Posters

For posters, the following categories are scored on a 1–5 scale:

  • choice of problem or question
  • response to issue
  • quality of writing

Note: Since poster proposals are only one page in length, questions about a study’s theoretical framework, mode of inquiry, rigor of analysis, and interpretation are collapsed into this category about the response to the issue communicated in the single-page proposal.

Before submitting their poster proposals, authors should consider the following questions:

  • Is it clear what issue the proposal addresses?
  • Is the issue the proposal addresses an important one, and is it of interest to members of PME-NA?
  • Does the proposal present a response to the issue it raises?
  • Does the approach taken to respond to this issue seem sound?
  • Would a poster describing the work be likely to benefit those who would see it?
  • Does the proposal conform to the formatting style for the conference?
  • Does the proposal display high-quality writing, and does it communicate ideas effectively?
Working Groups and Research Colloquiums

For working groups and research colloquiums, the local organizing committee will review all proposals collectively to determine a set that they feel will best serve the PME-NA community (e.g., address a diverse range of topics, avoid similar working groups that will directly compete for participation). For groups that have met previously, the proposal will not be considered without the report from the 2025 conference.

The paper and abstract for a working group must include a description (100-word maximum) for the conference program and may address the following:

  • a brief history of the working group (e.g., number of times the group has met, what has been accomplished), or if this is a new working group, the history of the topic and rationale for starting a new working group
  • the issues in the psychology of mathematics education that will be the focus of the work
  • the plan for active engagement of participants in productive reflection on the issues
  • anticipated follow-up activities
  • for groups that have met previously, the way(s) in which this paper builds on and extends the group’s previous work

Strands and Keywords

Below is the list of strands for this year’s conference. Authors must select a single strand for their submission, but they may select multiple keywords.

PME-NA 2026 List of Strands
  • Curriculum, Assessment, and Related Topics: This strand is for proposals that focus on curriculum analysis, development, implementation, or assessment and evaluation.
  • Equity and Justice: This strand is for proposals that focus on marginalization, systems of oppression, or other similar issues related to mathematics education at any level or in any context.
  • Professional Development and In-Service Teacher Education: This strand is for proposals that focus on in-service (practicing) teacher learning and professional development.
  • Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching: This strand is for proposals that focus on teachers’ (or teacher educators’) mathematics knowledge in relation to teaching.
  • Mathematical Processes and Practices: This strand is for proposals that focus on topics related to mathematical processes or practices such as, but not limited to, problem-solving, reasoning, proof, modeling, and so forth.
  • Policy, Instructional Leadership, and Teacher Educators: This strand is for proposals that focus on policy, reform, or instructional leadership, including proposals that focus on teacher leaders, coaches, or teacher educators as the subjects of research.
  • Pre-Service Teacher Education: This strand is for proposals that focus on the development of prospective teachers and their knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes.
  • Student Learning and Related Factors: This strand is for proposals that focus on students’ experiences and the influence of various factors (e.g., beliefs, identity, culture) on mathematical learning.
  • Teaching Practice and Classroom Activity: This strand is for proposals that focus on analyzing the nature of classroom instruction and activity of students and teachers (e.g., discourse, culturally relevant pedagogy).
  • Technology and Learning Environment Design: This strand is for proposals that focus on technology as curricular or assessment tools, the design of technology-based learning environments, and the use and development of technology or digital tools for, and in, teaching and learning.
  • Early Algebra, Algebraic Thinking, and Function: This strand is for proposals that focus on the teaching and learning of early algebra, algebra, and function.
  • Geometry and Measurement: This strand is for proposals that focus on the teaching and learning of geometry, measurement, and spatial reasoning.
  • Number Concepts and Proportional Reasoning: This strand is for proposals that focus on the teaching and learning of number concepts and proportional reasoning.
  • Pre-Calculus, Calculus, and Higher Math: This strand is for proposals that focus on the teaching and learning of precalculus, calculus, or higher levels of mathematics.
  • Statistics, Probability, and Data Science: This strand is for proposals that focus on the teaching and learning of statistics, probability, and data science.
PME-NA 2026 List of Keywords
  • Advanced Mathematical Thinking
  • Affect, Emotion, Beliefs, and Attitudes
  • Algebra and Algebraic Thinking
  • Assessment
  • Calculus
  • Classroom Discourse
  • Cognition
  • Communication
  • Community-Based Praxis
  • Computational Thinking
  • Computing and Coding
  • Culture and Asset-Based Pedagogies
  • Curriculum
  • Data Analysis and Statistics
  • Design Experiments
  • Doctoral Education
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Elementary School Education
  • Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity
  • Ethnomathematics
  • First Nations and Indigenous Cultures
  • Gender
  • Geometry and Spatial Reasoning
  • High School Education
  • Identity and Agency
  • Informal Education
  • Instructional Activities and Practices
  • Instructional Leadership
  • Instructional Vision
  • Integrated STEM / STEAM
  • Learning Theory
  • Learning Trajectories and Progressions
  • LGBTQIA+
  • Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching
  • Mathematical Representations
  • Measurement
  • Metacognition
  • Middle School Education
  • Modeling
  • Number Concepts and Operations
  • Online and Distance Education
  • Policy
  • Precalculus
  • Preservice Teacher Education
  • Probability
  • Problem-Based Learning
  • Problem-Solving
  • Professional Development
  • Rational Numbers
  • Rational Numbers and Proportional Reasoning
  • Reasoning and Proof
  • Research Methods
  • Social Justice
  • Special Education
  • Standards
  • Students with Disabilities
  • Sustainability
  • Systemic Change
  • Teacher Beliefs
  • Teacher Educators
  • Teacher Knowledge
  • Teacher Noticing
  • Technology
  • Undergraduate Education