前導活動

Speaker: Dr. Konomi Shin’ichi

Abstract

As digital technologies become increasingly integrated into educational environments, new opportunities arise to better address diverse learning needs by leveraging interaction data from students and teachers. Educational recommendation systems play a crucial role in this context, utilizing vast amounts of data to guide learners toward relevant resources and activities. However, many existing systems are modeled after consumer-facing applications such as e-commerce platforms, often neglecting the unique contextual factors of educational settings, particularly the collective dynamics of learners within groups, classes, and communities. This talk explores how generative AI and other intelligent technologies can be harnessed to develop socially-aware recommendation systems tailored for both individuals and groups. We will discuss how these systems can enhance recommendation experiences by considering collaborative behaviors, diversity of preferences, and the explain ability of recommendations.

The talk will first introduce AI-driven smart learning recommendations, outlining existing approaches, key opportunities and challenges. It will then cover data collection and modeling techniques that enable socially-aware recommendations, including methods for incorporating user characteristics such as leadership and diversity tolerance. Additionally, we will examine explainable course recommendation systems as a means to address the inherent limitations of AI-powered educational recommendations by exploiting knowledge graph-based modeling methods. The talk will conclude with a discussion on the broader implications of these techniques for smarter learning recommendations and explore future directions, including the potential integration of wearable sensing and virtual/extended reality technologies.

Speaker: Dr. Sinéad Gormally

Abstract

This paper explores the pivotal role of education in advancing social justice, civic engagement, and peacebuilding, drawing on the extensive work of Professor Gormally’s research in the transformative potential of informal education when rooted in participatory, rights-based, and community-led approaches.
The paper will draw on various educational practices in exploring how they can serve as vehicles for challenging structural inequalities and fostering active citizenship. It will explore practices that empower marginalized groups to co-create solutions to systemic injustices, emphasizing the importance of relational and context-sensitive engagement. Central to this work is challenging deficit-based discourses that marginalize young people and communities, advocating for the recognition of informal educators as vital contributors to educational policy and practice.
The input will also draw on international research, particularly the “Educational Peacebuilding in Medellín and Acapulco” project and a recent book on “Peacebuilding, Conflict and Community Development” to discuss the role of education, culture, and learning in responding to crises and building peace in conflict-affected communities. This work highlights how educational initiatives can contribute to cultural transformation and social cohesion in areas grappling with violence and instability.
The paper will finally explore how education and educational institutions can be a catalyst for social justice, civic participation, and peacebuilding. Gormally advocates for a vision for educational practices that are inclusive, transformative, and grounded in the lived experiences of communities, students and young people. It calls for narratives that are inspired by values central to the future we aspire to, challenging frameworks that dehumanize.

Speaker: Dr. Nicola Galloway

Abstract

This presentation examines the urgent need to decolonize English Medium Instruction (EMI) in higher education by challenging the dominance of native English norms, addressing linguistic imperialism, and critically assessing the pervasive influence of imported Western curricula, materials and training. Often, these resources reinforce colonial power dynamics by prioritizing Western perspectives and marginalizing local knowledge systems. Drawing on data from the Southeast Asian context, I will explore ways to foster an equitable, decolonized approach to internationalization in higher education that aligns with broader goals of internationalisation and linguistic justice. In doing so, I will introduce The Education, Language, and Internationalisation Network (ELINET) (www.elinet.org.uk), a global platform established to foster collaboration and enhance the pedagogical and policy impact of growing research within the fields of EMI and Global Englishes. In this talk, I will provide an overview of how the network aims to facilitate research dissemination, professional development, and policy engagement. I will end with a discussion on the proposed spin-out EMI Professional Development proposals in relation to the Taiwanese higher education system.