Joint SIG 3 & SIG 20 Conference 2026

25 August to 27 August 2026

University of Turku, Finland

This special version of our bi-annual meetings aims to bring together researchers from around the world who are interested in conceptual learning, inquiry learning, and related fields. At this meeting, we invite researchers focusing on topics related to conceptual change processes, inquiry-based learning environments, and their interaction. We hope bringing together researchers from both SIGs will place an emphasis on the potential of these two fields for supporting meaningful learning. Thus, our conference theme is: Bridging Conceptual Change and Inquiry: Pathways to meaningful learning. Regardless of the conference theme, submissions of other topics related to these fields are welcome!

Theme

Tuomiokirkko ja akatemiatalo kesa 2023

Bridging Conceptual Change and Inquiry: Pathways to meaningful learning

This special version of our bi-annual meetings aims to bring together researchers from around the world who are interested in conceptual learning, inquiry learning, and related fields. At this meeting, we invite researchers focusing on topics related to conceptual change processes, inquiry-based learning environments, and their interaction. We hope bringing together researchers from both SIGs will place an emphasis on the potential of these two fields for supporting meaningful learning. Thus, our conference theme is: Bridging Conceptual Change and Inquiry: Pathways to meaningful learning. Regardless of the conference theme, submissions of other topics related to these fields are welcome!

Keynotes

Clark Chinn (Rutgers University)

Carla van Boxtel (University of Amsterdam)

Peter Edelsbrunner (Ludwig-Maximillians-Universität-Munchen)

Venue

UTU logo
University of Turku, Finland

Submit

Submissions will open soon (1 Feb 2026)

Submission Types

  • Individual Paper (empirical, theoretical)
    20-min presentation followed by a 10-min discussion
  • Symposium
    3–4 thematically related presentations (15 min each) and a discussant (10 min) from at least two different countries
  • Interactive Session (e.g., Roundtable, ICT Demonstration, Panel Discussion)
    90-min sessions, the structure defined by the organizers
  • Poster
    90-min session (poster size: DIN A0)
  • Presentation in Junior Research Feedback Session
    15-min presentation plus 15-min feedback by experienced researchers. Presentations can include PhD projects, project plans, work in progress

Required Submission Information

Regardless of the submission type, we ask you to provide an abstract (100–250 words) for inclusion in the abstract booklet and an extended summary (600–1000 words, including references) for the reviewing process. Please also choose four keywords from a drop-down menu. If you need to include graphs or complex tables, you may upload them as attachments.

Organizers of a symposium should submit an abstract and extended summary for each paper, and a general abstract for the symposium as a whole (max 250 words). Please select “new symposium” when starting the submission process.

Please note that authors can be presenting authors for at most two presentations.

When submitting, you will be asked whether you would be willing to participate in the review process as a reviewer of up to four submissions. We highly appreciate your support of the review process.

Review criteria for all types of submissions

For empirical research, the extended abstract should include a clear statement of the research questions motivated by a brief review of the relevant literature, a description of the research methodology, a summary of the main research findings, and a conclusion pointing out the significance of the research findings with possible implications for theory and practice.

For theoretical research, the extended abstract should include a clear statement of the theoretical problem motivated by a brief review of the relevant literature, an account of the theoretical proposal being made clarifying the novel contribution of this particular study, and a conclusion that addresses implications of this work for further theory development and/or implications for practice.

Review criteria

  • Relevance to the domain of conceptual change or learning with digital media
  • Theoretical framework, conceptual rationale or pragmatic grounding
  • Research method and design (research questions, context, participants, data sources, sampling, procedure)
  • Overall quality and scientific originality

Submit Here

Programme

Timetable

Preliminary Programme (subject to change)

Important Dates

  • Submissions Open

  • Submission Deadline

  • Notification of Acceptance

  • Early Bird Deadline (required for presenters)

  • JURE Summer School

  • Conference Begins

Organising Committee

Local Committee
Jake McMullen, University of Turku, Co-chair (SIG 03)

Koen Veermans, University of Turku, Co-chair (SIG 20)

Tommi Kokkonen, University of Turku

Marjaana Purtinen, University of Turku

Jo Van Hoof, University of Turku

SIG 03 Team
Natassa Kyriakopoulou, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Ilona Södervik, University of Helsinki, Finland

Katarina Gvozdic, University of Geneva, Switzerland

Madalin Marian Deliu, University of Salamanca, Spain

SIG 20 Team
Tomi Jaakola, Tampere University, Finland

Salome Flegr, Dresden University of Technology, Germany

Yoana Omarchevska, University of Potsdam, Germany

Marvin Fendt, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany

Register