'You join a new community'
More than 5,000 academics will converge on campus next spring for the 82nd Congress of l’Association francophone pour le savoir (Acfas). From May 12 to 16, 2014, Concordia is hosting the largest multidisciplinary gathering of knowledge and research in the French-speaking world.
The university’s community is playing a key role in finalizing the program. Faculty and graduate students are also being invited to participate in general session papers and colloquia, and to otherwise showcase their research.
What can they expect from the experience? David Waddington, an associate professor in the Department of Education, has participated in the last two Acfas congresses.
What research did you bring to Acfas?
Two years ago, I was part of a colloquium where I presented my research on consumer education and John Dewey, an American philosopher, psychologist and educational reformer.
Last year, I focused on my work pertaining to video games and citizenship. In it, I investigated whether or not playing a nuclear-war simulation changed player attitudes to nuclear weapons, and promoted critical reflection.
In both cases the response was great. The academics at the congress asked a lot of insightful questions. It even resulted in an interview with Le Devoir, which was a nice bonus.
What was the experience like, in general?
Acfas is a little smaller than most conferences I normally attend, but there is an advantage to that. In my case, it helped me meet people in my field that I might not have been able to connect with at a larger event.
I’ve also remarked that the event is very thoughtfully organized. They evaluate every session, and are always looking at how to improve. I went to a fair number of other colloquia and found that they were all worth attending.
Has participating in Acfas helped your career?
It helped me make connections with francophone academics in Quebec, which is important. There is a divide between academics from English and French Canada, and participating in Acfas is an excellent way to bridge this gap.
All types of opportunities emerge when you join a new community. It allowed me to form new partnerships and learn about what academics in French-speaking institutions are up to. It’s a chance to get invited to participate in new and exciting projects.
Do you have any tips for faculty or students at Concordia who are interested in participating?
This is a French-speaking conference, so you have to be prepared. If French isn’t your first language, you should take extra measures to ensure that what you present meets academic quality standards.
My level of comprehension is solid, but my writing skills are only okay, so I worked with francophone colleagues and students in my department to ensure that my visual materials in French were up to par. They were happy to help me because they were pleased that I was participating in the congress. It required some extra preparation, but it was very much worth it in the end!