ICSPHS 2026

Critical Perspectives on Global Education and Psychological Development

Date:

January 15th, 2026 (UTC-5)

Organizer:

Sam Houston State University

Symposium Chair:

Prof. Enrique Mallen
Professor in Sam Houston State University

Personal Bio:

Dr. Enrique Mallen obtained his Ph.D at Cornell University. He regularly teaches courses on language, art and culture. He is Director of the Online Picasso Project. He has published extensively on language, art and literature. Among his most recent publications are the books Pablo Picasso: Fluctuant Identities (1900-1906) (2024), Eduardo Espina: Poesía del Deslenguaje (2024), Pablo Picasso: A Period of Transformation (1906–1916) (2023), Pablo Picasso and Dora Maar: A Period of Conflict (1936–1946) (2021) and Pablo Picasso: The Aphrodite Period (1924–1936) (2020).

Call for Papers

Background:

An effective global integrated pedagogical approach requires good and rigorous design that successfully relates not only to material, but also to cross-cutting skills and cross-cultural understanding. Research shows that an integrated approach can promote deeper learning by teaching students both intrapersonal and interpersonal skills in addition to material knowledge. Interpersonal competencies involve teamwork, collaboration, and leadership; while Intrapersonal competencies include intellectual openness, work ethic, and conscientiousness. Cognitive competencies include mental processes and methods, knowledge, and creativity. An integrated approach includes activities such as reading materials, taking notes and reports, as well as having small group discussions, and cooperative, practical inquiry exercises. It has been established that this results in much higher learning, and an increase in their interpersonal metacognitive skills and positive attitudes toward learning, while also advancing their intrapersonal oral communication and discourse skills.

Goal / Rationale:

As part of an effective global integrated approach, we examine cross-cultural understanding through cross-cutting communication channels. One possible example is to examine how different cultural groups perceive and respond to life events (birth, death, etc.) by various digital media. First, by looking into cultural similarities and differences, we encourage development in the following three areas: (a) knowledge of shared values, diverse cultural viewpoints, and group distinctions; (b) intrapersonal: interest in cultural diversity; and (c) interpersonal: empathy. One of the main goals is to understand the limitations of simply using abstract generalizations to represent a complete culture or nation as there is always a lot of diversity within each culture. Moving away from such simple generalizations would further encourage students’ interest in different cultures, cultural differences, and other people's lifestyles thus enhancing their Intrapersonal competencies. Second, by encouraging students to present and share their discoveries about individuals handle death in different cultures, we promote Interpersonal competencies. Finally, by looking at how life events are dealt with in different media in diverse cultures we also promote understanding through cross-cutting skills.

Scope and Information for Participants:

According to research, growing a diversity of abilities is critical for both academic topic learning and outcomes such as character development, identity, motivation, and values education. Social, emotional, and cognitive abilities should be explicitly taught based on evidence that they can be learned. The following knowledge and skills will be developed: (1) Students will compare and contrast various approaches to specific facts of life (for example, birth, death, etc.) in different digital media. (2) Students will share their findings with their peers and explain how they do so. (3) Students will read papers prepared by their peers outlining how they handle these specific facts of life. A well-structured pedagogical approach must follow a clear route that provides students with the necessary requirements to absorb new concepts and connect them to concepts they already understand. To accomplish our goal, we may be mapping backward from competencies to knowledge, abilities, and dispositions, and then from those learning outcomes to smaller pedagogical units with partial learning outcomes. This would steadily and gradually improve learning results. These smaller educational units can then be linked to form sequences that progress both vertically and horizontally—that is, coherently within and between levels. Coding each step allows instructors to identify what specific competencies it is intended to develop. After the instructional approach has been defined, one may "audit" it, looking at each step for opportunities to adjust to the necessary knowledge, abilities, and attitudes one has in mind.

Topics

The main topics of this symposium are listed below.

Psychology
  • Behavioral and Decision Psychology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience and AI
  • Cross-Cultural and Global Psychology
  • Developmental and Lifespan Psychology
  • Educational and Learning Sciences
  • Industrial-Organizational and Workplace Psychology
  • Social Psychology and Media Influence
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
  • Environmental and Climate Psychology
  • Neuropsychology and Brain-Behavior Relationships
Pedagogy
  • Digital Pedagogy and E-Learning
  • Sports Pedagogy and Physical Literacy
  • Inclusive Education and Social Learning
  • Trauma-Informed Teaching
  • Gamification in Education
  • EdTech and Artificial Intelligence in Learning
  • Mindfulness in Education
  • STEM and STEAM Education
  • Culturally Responsive Teaching
  • Collaborative Learning Strategies
  • Experiential and Cooperative Pedagogy
  • Differentiated Learning Approaches
  • Assessment for Learning
  • Multisensory and Physical Education
Culture & Sociology
  • Digital Sociology
  • Migration and Globalization
  • AI and Society
  • Sociology of Technology
  • Social Media Impact
  • Post-Colonial Sociology
  • Sociology of Mental Health
  • Inequality and Social Justice
  • Sociology of Climate Change
  • Gender Studies in Sociology
  • Core Fields (e.g., Theoretical Sociology, Historical Sociology)
  • Specialized Areas (e.g., Urban Sociology, Criminology, Rural Sociology)

Meanwhile, submissions aligned with the overall conference theme are also welcome.

Sports Sciences
  • Exercise Physiology and Performance Optimization
  • Sports Nutrition and Metabolism
  • Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation
  • Strength and Conditioning Techniques
  • Ethics in Sports and Fair Play
  • Human Kinetics and Motor Skills
  • Sports Sociology and Cultural Identity
  • Gender Studies in Sports
  • Inclusion and Accessibility in Sports
  • Mental Health in Competitive Sports
  • Sports Policy and Governance
  • Sports Psychology and Motivation
Architecture & Urban Planning
  • AI in Urban Analysis
  • Smart Cities and IoT Integration
  • Sustainable Urban Design
  • Environmental Justice in Planning
  • Parametric and Algorithmic Architecture
  • 3D Printing in Construction
  • Circular Economy in Architecture
  • AI-Driven Infrastructure Design
  • Zero-Carbon Architecture
  • Socially Inclusive Urban Design
  • Core Planning (Strategic, Land-Use, Master Planning)
  • Sector-Specific Architecture (Residential, Industrial, Green Design)
Laws
  • Cyber Law and Digital Privacy
  • AI Ethics and Intellectual Property
  • Environmental Law and Climate Policy
  • Human Rights and Social Justice
  • Labor Law and Gig Economy
  • Consumer Protection and Data Security
  • Criminal Law and Digital Crime
  • Property Law and Blockchain Applications
  • Public Health Law and Policy
  • Media Law and Freedom of Information

Submission

All submitted papers should report original and unpublished work, experimental or theoretical, and are not under consideration for publications elsewhere. All papers should be no less than 4 pages in length and must strictly follow the format of the symposium template. All papers are subject to reviews and edits. Prospective authors are kindly invited to submit full text papers that includes title, abstract, introduction, tables/figures and references. Other styles of papers are not accepted. Please submit your papers in both .doc/.docx AND .pdf formats as attachments via email to sympo_huntsville@icsphs.org by the given deadline. It is unnecessary to submit an abstract in advance.

Paper Template

Dates & Fees

Submission Deadline January 8, 2026
Symposium Date January 15, 2026
Notification of Acceptance 7-20 workdays
Registration Fee USD 450 (cover 6 pages)
Additional Page USD 40/extra page

Publication

Accepted papers of the symposium will be published in Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media (Print ISSN 2753-7048), and will be submitted to Conference Proceedings Citation Index (CPCI), Crossref, CNKI, Portico, Google Scholar and other databases for indexing. The situation may be affected by factors among databases like processing time, workflow, policy, etc.

Publication info

Title: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Press: EWA Publishing, United Kingdom
ISSN: 2753-7048/2753-7056 (electronic)

This symposium is organized by ICSPHS 2026 and it will independently proceed the submission and publication process

Venue:

Sam Houston State University, 1905 University Ave, Huntsville, TX, USA

Visa:


U.S. Visas (state.gov)

In order to ensure the information is correct and up to date, there may be changes which we are not aware of. And different countries have different rules for the visa application. It is always a good idea to check the latest regulations in your country. This page just gives some general information of the visa application.

US Visa Information

The B-1/B-2 visitor visa is for people traveling to the United States temporarily for business (B-1) or for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2). Generally, the B-1 visa is for travelers consulting with business associates; attending scientific, educational, professional, or business

conventions/conferences; settling an estate; or negotiating contracts. The B-2 visa is for travel that is recreational in nature, including tourism; visits with friends or relatives; medical treatment; and activities of a fraternal, social, or service nature. Often, the B-1 and B-2 visas are combined and issued as one visa: the B-1/B-2.

  • Application Items

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    • A Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) Form. Visit the DS-160 web page for more information about the DS-160.
    • A passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions). If more than one person is included in your passport, each person desiring a visa must submit an application.
    • One (1) 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) photograph taken within the last six months.
    • If a visa is issued, there may be an additional visa issuance reciprocity fee, depending on your nationality.

    In addition to these items, you must present an interview appointment letter confirming that you booked an appointment through this service. You may also bring whatever supporting documents you believe support the information provided to the consular officer.

  • Supporting Documents
    • Invitation letter from business or school.
    • Detailed CV or resume including a list of publications.
    • Complete itinerary, including all meetings, conferences, and visits; include names, addresses, and telephone numbers of your hosts.
    • For other materials, please refer to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website.
  • NOTICE:

    Should your application be denied, the organizing committee cannot change the decision of visa officer, nor will ICSPHS engage in discussion or correspondence with the visa application center on behalf of the applicant. The registration fee CANNOT be refunded when the VISA application of individual being denied.