1. Dr. Phil Hubbard

Dr. Phil Hubbard is Senior Lecturer Emeritus at the Stanford University Language Center, where he served as Director of English for Foreign Students 2003-2020. In the past four decades in CALL he has published in the areas of evaluation, development, theory, research methodology, listening, teacher education, and learner training. He served on the team that developed the TESOL Technology Standards (2008, 2011) and is Associate Editor of the journals Computer Assisted Language Learning and Language Learning & Technology. His most recent book, An Invitation to CALL: Foundations of Computer-Assisted Language Learning, is available for free at www.apacall.org.

【Speech Title】

Emerging technologies and language learning: Mining the past to transform the future

【Abstract】

The theme of this year’s ChinaCALL Conference, emerging technologies, will naturally be the focus of many exciting presentations. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, conversational robots, virtual worlds, virtual reality, augmented reality, automated assessment, and so on are full of promise and seem poised to revolutionize language teaching and learning over the next decade. Yet they have elements–mediational elements--that link them more closely to technologies of former days than might be expected. I first introduce some underlying concepts relating to the mediational properties of technology for language learning and teaching. I then discuss how language researchers, developers, and teachers can use what we have learned in CALL research and practice from the past to help them more effectively face the challenge of creating and refining effective language learning applications, activities, and tasks using these emerging technologies. I conclude with suggestions and examples from recent studies showing how this goal might be accomplished.

2. Prof. Wang Quan

Dr. Wang Quan is a professor and vice president of Xidian University. He is currently director of Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Human-Computer Interaction & Wearable Computing, and director of the Embedded System Committee of China Computer Academy. He also holds such key positions as deputy secretary general of the Teaching Informatization and Teaching Method Innovation Guidance Committee of the Ministry of Education, member of the Software Engineering Teaching Guidance Committee, and vice president of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Education Branch of China Higher Education Association. Dr. Wang is an expert of China national Commission for UNESCO and a panel member for the compilation of the Long-term Development Plan of Education Informatization (2021-3035) and the 14th Five-year Plan of Education Informatization of the Ministry of Education.

【Speech Title】

Information Technology Empowering the High Quality Development of Talent Cultivation

【Abstract】

The report starts with the current situation of talent cultivation and the demand of high-quality development. It presents some ideas of how to improve talent cultivation capability by using information technology (such as big data and artificial intelligence) to bring about classroom revolution and reform of teaching evaluation. The practice and results of high-quality talent cultivation of Xidian University are also covered in this report.

3. Prof. Thang Siew Ming

Dr. Thang Siew Ming is a Professor at HELP University, Kuala Lumpur. She is also an Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Her areas of interest are CALL, Learner Autonomy, Motivation, and Eye-tracking research. She is President of PacCALL and Co-chair of GLoCALL series of conferences. She has published extensively and is on the editorial boards of numerous well-known CALL and Language Education journals. Her recent publications are available in highly reputable journals such as the CALL, TAPER, Language & Education, EAR, AJET, IRRODL, IJPL, 3L and GEMA.

【Speech Title】

Eye-tracking research on young children: What can we learn from it?

【Abstract】

There have been many studies on how children develop literacy skills, but not many of these studies attempt to investigate the cognitive process behind the development of these skills. Children who have not yet received formal instruction in reading are known as prereaders. Investigations into the cognitive processes of prereaders are difficult to carry out, as it is not possible to get them to express their thoughts in think-aloud protocol or participate in interviews. The presentation will share eye-tracking research which explore prereaders’ responses when exposed to reading materials under various conditions, such as looking at a picture and listening to a matching narration, looking at a picture and listening to a non-matching narration, given a picture without narration and also given a text with a matching narration only. Their story-telling performance was also investigated and match with their eye-tracking data. Studies undertaken in Western contexts will be compared with the studies undertaken in the Malaysian context to see the influence of culture as well as language proficiency on prereaders’ eye movements and story-telling performance. Theories will be used to derive a better understanding of the cognitive processes that go on in their minds when exposed to the different conditions.

4. Prof. Li Zuowen

Li Zuowen, Professor and PhD supervisor, is the director of the Key Laboratory of artificial intelligence and human languages, Beijing Foreign Studies University. He concurrently serves as a member of foreign language teaching steering committee under Ministry of Education, President of China Textlinguistics Research Association, President of the audio-visual Translation and Communication Committee under China Radio and television Federation, and executive member of foreign language research branch under China Higher Education Association. He has published more than 50 academic papers in journals such as Journal of Foreign Languages, Foreign Languages in China, Technology Enhanced Foreign Language Education. His research interests include discourse linguistics, computational linguistics, language teaching, etc.

【Speech Title】

Disciplinary Knowledge Graph and Intelligent Language Teaching

【Abstract】

In recent years, artificial intelligence, big data, 5G, virtual reality and other technologies have penetrated into various fields of education, and have had a far-reaching impact on the traditional teaching content, mode and evaluation. The development trend of education from digitalization to intellectualization is increasingly obvious. Artificial intelligence has developed from computational intelligence and perceptual intelligence to cognitive intelligence, which is embodied in the fact that machines can understand data, understand language and then understand the real world, in the fact that machines can interpret data, explain processes and then explain phenomena, and in a series of human unique cognitive abilities such as reasoning and planning. As a semantic network, subject knowledge graph can not only enhance the interpretability and reasoning of artificial intelligence, but also provide technical means for domain knowledge modelling, the core and basic problem in personalized adaptive learning system. It is the key to build an intelligent education system. Therefore, the development of subject knowledge graph has become an important research topic for the development of intelligent education.

5. Dr. Mirjam Hauck

Dr. Mirjam Hauck is Associate Head for Internationalisation, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the School of Languages and Applied Linguistics at the Open University/UK and a Senior Fellow of the UK’s Higher Education Academy. She has written numerous articles and book chapters on the use of technologies for the learning and teaching of languages and cultures, in virtual exchange contexts in particular. Her work covers aspects such as learner and teacher autonomy, intercultural communicative competence, and critical digital literacy. She presents regularly at conferences, seminars, and workshops worldwide.
She is the President of the European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL), serves as Associate Editor of the CALL Journal and is a member of the editorial board of ReCALL and LLT.

【Speech Title】

Critical CALL, Critical Virtual Exchange, and Critical Global Citizenship Education

【Abstract】

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are responsible for preparing young people for the 21st century labour market in a globally interconnected world by helping them develop their international and intercultural skills including foreign languages. One way of assuming this responsibility is through internationalisation at home (IaH) (Beelen & Jones, 2015) as only a minority of (language) students are, in fact, able to study abroad. Virtual exchange (VE) – also known as telecollaboration - is increasingly seen as “the” solution to IaH (O’Dowd and Beelen (2021). VE is a research-informed practice consisting of sustained, technology-enabled, people-to-people education programmes in all subject areas in which constructive communication and interaction occurs between students who are geographically separated and/or from different cultural backgrounds, with the support of educators. It combines the deep impact of intercultural dialogue with the broad reach of digital technology (EVOLVE, 2019). Yet, it cannot be assumed that IaH and VE are inherently inclusive. On the contrary, they are as prone to suffer from Western hegemonies as any other form of online or blended education (Helm, 2020), the dominance of English being one example.

Hence, my starting points are critical CALL and critical VE, each conceptualised as a vehicle for public engagement, and socio-political change. A vehicle which can address social justice and inclusion at institutional level, and for individuals for instance by improving students’ access to employment through purposeful (language) learning experiences which are
  • specifically target marginalised and underrepresented student populations
  • encourage development and critical reflection on international, linguacultural, and digital skills
  • promote multilingualism and translanguaging approaches.

My stance is aligned with critical Global Citizen Education (GCE) as framed by Andreotti (2006) which has notions of power, voice, and difference at its core, and - similar to critical CALL and critical VE - involves the systematic development of critical engagement, reflexivity, and re-learning. My contribution will be mix of theoretical framing and practical examples of language-focused instantiations of VEs that speak to a critical CALL, critical VE and critical GCE agenda.

6. Dr. Jeong-Bae Son

Jeong-Bae Son, Ph.D., teaches Applied Linguistics and TESOL courses and supervises doctoral students at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia. His areas of specialisation are computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and language teacher development. He has published extensively in the field of CALL and conducted seminars and workshops around the world. He is the President of the Asia-Pacific Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (APACALL) and Editor of the APACALL Book Series. Details of his research can be found on his website at https://drjbson.com.

【Speech Title】

Teacher Development through Exploration, Communication, Collaboration and Reflection

【Abstract】

Language teachers need to develop their competence in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and technology-enhanced language teaching (TELT). This talk explores language teacher development in technology integration based on Son’s (2018) Exploration-Communication-Collaboration-Reflection (ECCR) model. It also looks at technology standards and teacher development frameworks with a focus on Son’s digital language teacher development framework (DLTDF), which guides teachers what they can do and how they can engage with ECCR in digital environments where digital devices are used for learning and teaching. In addition, it discusses language teachers’ engagement with professional development with data from two studies, which investigated how in-service language teachers explore, communicate, collaborate and reflect for TELT. The results of the two studies indicate that those teachers in the studies were engaged with various ECCR activities with different interests and competencies in their contexts. It is important to keep addressing the questions of how teachers can integrate technology effectively and how they can improve their knowledge and skills for TELT in continuously changing educational environments.

7. Dr. Lai Chun

Dr. Lai Chun is an associate professor at the Faculty of Education, the University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on technology and language education, examining the use of technology among teachers and learners to enhance language teaching and learning. She has researched various aspects of this research issue, and has published more than 80 internationally referred journal papers and book chapters on this topic.

【Speech Title】

Positioning Language Teaching in the World of Emerging Technologies

【Abstract】

Technology is pervasive and constantly updating. With more and more technologies getting entrenched and new technologies being introduced in language education, how we as language teachers should position language teaching in the world of emerging technologies? In this session, we will explore the promises some emerging technologies bring to language teaching and learning inside and outside the classroom. We will also discuss how language teachers can coordinate the learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom to reap the benefits emerging technologies bring to language education.