Submission Guidelines

Additional Opportunities for Abstract Distribution

Various Montessori organisations worldwide are collecting research abstracts to further establish connections with the larger community of researchers. By being part of the International Montessori Congress you are also eligible for additional inclusion in libraries and print publications.

Acceptance of an abstract for further distribution is not dependent on whether the researcher is able to be in attendance at the Montessori International Congress but is based on the appropriateness and quality of the research abstract.

We hope that you will take advantage of this great opportunity for increased visibility!

Research Poster Requirements

The maximum dimensions of your poster are 90 cm x 120 cm (portrait orientation).

In order to fit the poster board, your poster should not exceed the recommended size. Prepare your material beforehand so that it will fit neatly into the space available and can be easily attached to the board. Thin cardboard is more suitable than paper. The Congress organizers will provide suitable fixing materials, and on-site assistance will be available to help you display your poster.

Your final poster should include the following sections:

1. Background/Literature Review
2. Research Questions
3. Research Methods, including discussion of validity consideration
   
   1. Qualitative research
      
      1. Searching for discrepant evidence and negative cases
      2. Triangulation
      3. Feedback
      4. Member checks
      5. “Rich” data
      6. Quasi-statistics
      7. Comparison
         
         For more information, see: Maxwell, J. (2005). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach, 2^nd Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
         
         
   2. Quantitative research
      
      1. How might you be wrong? (Internal Validity)
      2. Do findings apply outside this study? (External Validity)
      3. Are you measuring what you purport to measure? (Construct Reliability)
      4. Are your results repeatable? (Reliability)
      5. Have you dealt with issues of researcher bias? (Objectivity)
          
         For more information, see: McMillan, J. and Schumacher, S. (2009). Research in education: Evidence based inquiry, 7^th Ed. Boston: Prentice Hall, Inc.
         
4. Findings
5. Discussion (implications for Montessori practice, limitations and next steps including future research)
6. References
7. Have discussion guides, survey instruments, observation forms, sample field notes, etc. available if not part of poster itself.

Guidelines for Ethical Montessori Research

The following guidelines are intended to provide an ethical framework for individuals pursuing Montessori related research. The guidelines are aligned with the American Montessori Society’s statement of ethics and are drawn from research guidelines of the following organizations: the Society for Research in Child Development, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and the American Psychological Association. Researchers working with an Institutional Review Board must adhere to their institution’s requirements.

Principle I - Commitment to the Participants
In fulfillment of ethical obligations to participants, Montessori researchers:

• Shall do no harm in the course of their research. This includes both physical and psychological harm. If at any time participants express they have been harmed or researchers observe that harm has occurred or is imminent, the research process should be stopped immediately and resume only if and when the possibility of harm has been eliminated. In such cases researchers should confer with institutional review boards, professionals in the field, and other appropriate sources in order to mitigate the impact of harm and to preclude subsequent harm.
• Shall conduct research only with informed consent when appropriate. For participants who are minors, both participant assent and parent/legal guardian consent should be obtained. Assent forms should be presented in terms appropriate for the age of the participants. Informed consent requires that research participants be informed of all the features of the research that may affect their willingness to participate. This information should include the profession and institutional affiliation of the investigator. In the case of minors their parent/legal guardian should be informed in this same manner.
• Shall afford the opportunity to decline participation or to terminate participation at any time. Not only should the right of the responsible adults and students to refuse consent be respected, but also they should be informed that they may refuse to participate without incurring any penalty.
• Shall obtain institutional consent when research will take place in a school setting. Depending on the nature of the research this may include consent of classroom staff, support personnel, and the head of school/principal. When required by the institution, school board or institutional review board consent should be sought as well.
• Shall specify the amount of time required of participants in advance and shall schedule research activities in a manner that respects the sanctity of the Montessori work cycle and minimizes classroom disruption.