Welcome
These workshops have always been in-person, but this year we are trying them as online only to provide a broader reach to our community. They will be run in two streams - Technology in Teaching and Professional Development.
Registration is now open. Click 'Registration' on the left side menu.
All sessions will be recorded and made available to attendees for 3 months from the time they are uploaded.
Technology in Teaching (TnT)
The current and future reality for language teachers is technology in and surrounding our community of practice. Now, this can be seen negatively or positively. Teachers, learners, and by extension all those connected to the language education field face the challenge of selecting appropriate tools and learning how to use them. The aim of these TnT Workshops is to help participants in attendance navigate their way through the exciting array of educational technologies available, select those that are appropriate for their context, and learn how to effectively make use of them in their educational environments. The TnT workshop leaders, are experts with the techniques and technologies they will demonstrate, will offer guidance on using specific technologies, and share ways to best integrate the technologies with language teaching and education practices.
TnT Plenary
Clare Kaneko
Title: Smart Materials, Smart Classrooms: Creating Language Learning Materials with AI
Abstract: As artificial intelligence transforms education, language teachers have unrealized opportunities to enhance their classrooms with tailored, high-quality materials. This workshop-style presentation will demonstrate two practical approaches for integrating AI and accessible IT tools into language teaching: creating engaging listening activities using AI and free video software, and developing personalized texts suited to your learners' unique needs. I will guide participants through clear, step-by-step processes, emphasizing how asking the right questions through prompting leads to effective and relevant materials. Whether you have advanced technical skills or are just beginning your digital journey, this session offers concrete strategies you can immediately implement to enrich your teaching practice.
Bio: Clare Kaneko has been interested in information technology (IT) since she was 12 years old. Since completing an undergraduate business degree with a major in Information Systems, Clare has been able to integrate technology into her teaching career both in administration and within the classroom. At the start of Covid-19 she was able to use her experience to give faculty development lessons in English and Japanese on the tools teachers were expected to use at a national university. She enjoys learning about new ways to further implement different IT technologies, including AI. And although it is not possible to stay in front of the IT curve, she is enjoying the ride on the wave.
Professional Development (PD)
The technology-based presentations are our digital offering, while the PD workshops are our more analog offering. At these workshops you can learn more about, for example, data analysis approaches for your research study, writing abstracts, developing ideas for research studies, how to enhance your resume, troubleshooting a thesis or dissertation proposal, career planning, etc. Technology may be a dominant feature in our lives as the global pandemic forced educators and learners alike to develop new cyber competencies. The times also pushed educators, learners, researchers, etc. to hone their other competencies. The PD workshops are JALTs way to provide additional support to our community of practice.
PD Plenary
Jennie Roloff Rothman
Title: What PD is Best for Me? Identifying Best Practices and How to Take Action for Yourself
Abstract: Professional development (PD) means different things to different teachers and often draws mixed responses. It may be attending events in communities like JALT a chance to connect with like-minded educators. It could mean attending lengthy, mandatory lectures that feel like they must be endured rather than valuable learning experiences. It might be brief conversations in the hallway or over lunch with colleagues about how an activity went or to share ideas for modifying a final project. Or, it could be sitting down at the end of the day and writing thoughts down in a teaching journal. One's past experiences with PD will also, understandably, impact levels of receptiveness to alternative forms of PD. Therefore, it is important to understand and appreciate the variety of options available, rather than feeling overwhelmed. It need not be a major production; even smaller actions have value, so long as educators can recognize what works best for them. It is crucial that PD be contextually relevant (i.e., tailored to the needs of institutions, students, and teachers) and that it be engaged in regularly. This talk briefly introduces effective approaches to PD and provides examples of institutional, collaborative, and individual best practices. Attendees will have the opportunity to reflect and identify what might be most useful for them. It will also address topics such as teacher autonomy and agency, imposter syndrome, feelings of isolation, and academic gatekeeping.
Bio: Jennie Roloff Rothman is an Associate Professor and Senior Coordinator of Teacher Professional Development in the English Language Institute at Kanda University of International Studies, the latter a position she has held for eight years. She holds a Master's degree in TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia University. She has been teaching in Japan since 2004, briefly in high schools, but predominantly at universities. Her main areas of research include EFL teacher professional development and reflective practice, but she has also researched and published work about critical thinking and global issues in the language classroom. She has been an active member of JALT since 2005 and currently serves as its SIG Representative Liaison.
Conference Team
Conference Chair - Wayne Malcolm
Conference Coordinators - Robert Remmerswaal and Luc Gougeon