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Programme

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Conference Outline

Sunday, November 24, 2024Monday, November 25Tuesday, November 26Wednesday, November 27Thursday, November 28Friday, November 29

Conference Venue: Hotel Le Port Kojimachi, Tokyo

13:30-14:30: Pre-Conference Check-in & Coffee | Sapphire Room (2F)

14:30-15:30: Pre-Conference Workshop Presentation | Sapphire Room
Writing a Successful Grant Application: Mastering Significance, Innovation, and Approach for Your Career
James W. McNally, University of Michigan & NACDA, United States
Sela V. Panapasa, University of Michigan, United States

15:30-15:45: Coffee Break

15:45-16:45: Pre-Conference Workshop Presentation | Sapphire Room
Developing Academic Skills for a Successful Academic Career
Umberto Ansaldo, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong & University of Western Australia, Australia

17:30-19:30: Welcome Reception | The Public Red Akasaka
This is a free event open to all registered delegates

Conference Venue: Toshi Center Hotel, Tokyo

09:30-10:30: Conference Check-in & Coffee | 601 (6F)

10:30-10:40: Announcements | Orion Hall (5F) & Online

10:40-11:00: Welcome Addresses & Recognition of IAFOR Scholarship Winners | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
Joseph Haldane, IAFOR, Japan

11:00-11:30: Keynote Presentation | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
University-Assisted Community Schools: An Interdisciplinary, International Movement to Promote Equity and Transform Education
Laura Bronstein, Binghamton University, United States
11:30-11:45: Q&A

11:50-12:50: Workshop Presentation | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
Internet Disinformation, Epistemology, and Education: Meeting the Challenges of Massive Lying
Keith W, Miller, University of Missouri-St. Louis, United States

12:50-13:00: Conference Photograph

13:00-14:20: Lunch Break

14:20-15:20: Panel Presentation | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
Navigating the Hype and Reality of Generative AI in Higher Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Trends
Héctor G. Ceballos, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico
Kenneth Lo, The Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore
Danny Bielik, Digital Education Council, Singapore
Sean McMinn, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong (Moderator)

15:20-15:50: Extended Coffee Break

15:50-16:50: Monday Poster Session | Orion Hall (5F)

Conference Venue: Toshi Center Hotel, Tokyo

09:00-09:30: Conference Check-in & Coffee | Subaru Room (5F)

09:30-09:45: Announcements | Orion Hall (5F) & Online

09:45-10:45: Panel Discussion: IAFOR Global Fellows | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
Community Engagement and Education in East Asia: From Preservations of Cultural Heritage to Practices of Contemporary Art
Hongmin Ahn, IAFOR Global Fellow
Yanhua Zhou, IAFOR Global Fellow
Joseph Haldane, IAFOR, Japan (Moderator)

10:45-11:00: Coffee Break

11:00-12:00: The Forum | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
Global Citizenship: Local Communities and the Academy
Laura Bronstein, Binghamton University, United States (Moderator)
Melina Neophytou, IAFOR, Japan (Moderator)

12:00-13:00: Lunch Break

13:00-14:00: Tuesday Poster Session | Orion Hall (5F)

14:00-14:10: Coffee Break

14:10-15:25: Onsite Parallel Session 1
Room 603 (6F): The Teaching of Social Studies
Room 604 (6F): Collaborative Learning
Room 605 (6F): Counselling, Guidance & Adjustment in Education
Room 607 (6F): Education & Difference
Room 608 (6F): Special Topics in Educational Management

15:25-15:40: Coffee Break

15:40-16:55: Onsite Parallel Session 2
Room 603 (6F): Culture & Sociology
Room 604 (6F): Problem-based Learning
Room 605 (6F): Counselling, Guidance & Adjustment in Education
Room 607 (6F): Service Learning & Lifelong Learning
Room 608 (6F): Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education

19:00-21:00: Conference Dinner | Shunju Tameikesanno
This ticketed event is sold out.

Conference Venue: Toshi Center Hotel, Tokyo

09:00-09:30: Conference Check-in & Coffee (7F)

09:30-11:10: Onsite Parallel Session 1
Room 601 (6F): Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics
Room 603 (6F): Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
Room 604 (6F): Film & Literature in Teaching Practice
Room 605 (6F): Interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Education
Room 607 (6F): The Teaching of Chemistry
Room 608 (6F): Higher Education Teaching Practices
Room 703 (7F): Learning Experiences, Student Learning & Learner Diversity
Room 704 (7F): Early Childhood Education
Room 705 (7F): Teacher Professional Development
Room 707 (7F): Educational Policy, Leadership, Management & Administration
Room 708 (7F): Technical-Vocational Education

11:10-11:25: Coffee Break

11:25-12:40: Onsite Parallel Session 2
Room 601 (6F): English as a Medium of Instruction
Room 603 (6F): Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
Room 604 (6F): Literature & Language Learning
Room 605 (6F): Islamic Studies in Education
Room 607 (6F): The Teaching of Science, Health & PE
Room 608 (6F): Higher Education
Room 703 (7F): Learning Experiences, Student Learning & Learner Diversity
Room 704 (7F): Primary & Secondary Education
Room 705 (7F): Knowledge Creation, Preservation & Access: Curation, Librarianship, Information & Archival Science
Room 707 (7F): Educational Policy, Leadership, Management & Administration
Room 708 (7F): Teacher Professional Development

12:40-12:55: Coffee Break

12:55-14:35: Onsite Parallel Session 3
Room 601 (6F): Aesthetics & Design Education
Room 603 (6F): Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
Room 604 (6F): Language Development & Literacy
Room 605 (6F): Interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Education
Room 607 (6F): The Teaching of STEM
Room 608 (6F): Higher Education
Room 703 (7F): Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics
Room 704 (7F): Primary & Secondary Education
Room 705 (7F): Professional Training, Development & Concerns in Education
Room 707 (7F): Educational Policy, Leadership, Management & Administration
Room 708 (7F): Teaching & Learning Resources

14:35-14:50: Coffee Break

14:50-16:30: Onsite Parallel Session 4
Room 601 (6F): Communication Skills & Development
Room 603 (6F): Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
Room 604 (6F): Language Development & Literacy
Room 605 (6F): Education, Sustainability & Society: Social Justice, Development & Political Movements
Room 607 (6F): The Teaching of Mathematics
Room 608 (6F): Adult, Lifelong & Distance Learning
Room 703 (7F): Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics
Room 704 (7F): Primary & Secondary Education
Room 705 (7F): Professional Training, Development & Concerns in Education
Room 707 (7F): Education & Difference
Room 708 (7F): Professional Training, Development & Concerns in Education

16:30-16:45: Coffee Break

16:45-18:25: Onsite Parallel Session 5
Room 601 (6F): No Session
Room 603 (6F): No Session
Room 604 (6F): Featured Workshop: Teaching Ethnography by Walking: Pedagogy in Action
Room 605 (6F): Interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Education
Room 607 (6F): The Teaching of Biology
Room 608 (6F): Adult, Lifelong & Distance Learning
Room 703 (7F): AI and Language Learning
Room 704 (7F): Primary & Secondary Education
Room 705 (7F): Assessment Theories & Methodologies
Room 707 (7F): Education & Difference
Room 708 (7F): Educational Research, Development & Policy

18:30-19:15: Cultural Event | Room 701 (7F)
Kimono Workshop
This is a free event open to all registered delegates.
Delegates are invited to a special session focusing on the art of kimono dressing, featuring live demonstrations by kimono teacher Satoko Yamada.

Conference Venue: Toshi Center Hotel, Tokyo

09:00-09:30: Conference Check-in & Coffee (7F)

09:30-11:10: Onsite Parallel Session 1
Room 601 (6F): Challenging & Preserving Culture, Inter/Multiculturalism & Language
Room 603 (6F): Curriculum Design & Development
Room 604 (6F): Curriculum Design & Development (Workshops)
Room 605 (6F): Mind, Brain & Psychology: Human Emotional & Cognitive Development & Outcomes within Educational Contexts
Room 607 (6F): Education, Sustainability & Society: Social Justice, Development & Political Movements
Room 608 (6F): Teacher Professional Development
Room 703 (7F): Higher Education
Room 704 (7F): Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education (Workshops)
Room 705 (7F): The Teaching Profession
Room 707 (7F): Indigenous & Inclusive Education
Room 708 (7F): Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics

11:10-11:25: Coffee Break

11:25-12:40: Onsite Parallel Session 2
Room 601 (6F): Challenging & Preserving Culture, Inter/Multiculturalism & Language
Room 603 (6F): Curriculum Design & Development
Room 604 (6F): Nurturing Creativity & Innovation: New Innovative & Radical Education (Panel)
Room 605 (6F): Mind, Brain & Psychology: Human Emotional & Cognitive Development & Outcomes within Educational Contexts
Room 607 (6F): Education, Sustainability & Society: Social Justice, Development & Political Movements
Room 608 (6F): Entrepreneurial & Business Education
Room 703 (7F): Higher Education
Room 704 (7F): Higher Education
Room 705 (7F): Online & Blended Learning
Room 707 (7F): Inquiry and Project-based Learning
Room 708 (7F): Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics

12:40-12:55: Coffee Break

12:55-14:35: Onsite Parallel Session 3
Room 601 (6F): Challenging & Preserving Culture, Inter/Multiculturalism & Language
Room 603 (6F): Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
Room 604 (6F): Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education (Workshops)
Room 605 (6F): Nurturing Creativity & Innovation: New Innovative & Radical Education
Room 607 (6F): Education, Sustainability & Society: Social Justice, Development & Political Movements
Room 608 (6F): Professional Training, Development & Concerns in Education
Room 703 (7F): Higher Education
Room 704 (7F): Higher Education
Room 705 (7F): Online & Blended Learning
Room 707 (7F): International Education
Room 708 (7F): Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics

14:35-14:50: Coffee Break

14:50-16:30: Onsite Parallel Session 4
Room 601 (6F): Professional Development
Room 603 (6F): Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
Room 604 (6F): Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education (Workshops)
Room 605 (6F): Nurturing Creativity & Innovation: New Innovative & Radical Education
Room 607 (6F): Special Topics in Educational Practice
Room 608 (6F): Professional Training, Development & Concerns in Education
Room 703 (7F): Education, Sustainability & Society: Social Justice, Development & Political Movements
Room 704 (7F): Higher Education
Room 705 (7F): Curriculum Design & Development
Room 707 (7F): International Education
Room 708 (7F): Teacher Education

16:35-16:50: Onsite Closing Session | Room 701 (7F)

Conference Venue: Online

07:55-08:00: Message from IAFOR

08:00-09:00: Online Featured Panel Presentation
Navigating AI in Higher Education: Multiple Perspectives from Policy to Practice
Susie Kung, Manukau Institute of Technology, New Zealand
Kylie Smith, Manukau Institute of Technology, New Zealand
Karin Avnit, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore
Fiona Westbrook, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

09:00-09:15: Break

09:15-10:55: Online Parallel Session 1
Live-Stream Room 1: ACE | Development & Practices in STEM & Design Education
Live-Stream Room 2: ACE | Case Studies in Higher Education & TVET
Live-Stream Room 3: ACE | Innovative Strategies in Language Learning
Live-Stream Room 4: ACE | AI and Education
Live-Stream Room 5: ACE | Education Development & Policy

10:55-11:05: Break

11:05-12:45: Online Parallel Session 2
Live-Stream Room 1: ACE | Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
Live-Stream Room 2: ACE | Learning & Career Motivations in Higher Education
Live-Stream Room 3: ACE | Special Topics in Education
Live-Stream Room 4: ACE | Blended & Online Learning
Live-Stream Room 5: ACE | Language Learning

12:45-12:55: Break

12:55-14:35: Online Parallel Session 3
Live-Stream Room 1: ACE | Innovative Practices & Policies in Higher Education
Live-Stream Room 2: ACE | Teaching & Professional Development
Live-Stream Room 3: ACE | Policy & Practice in Literacy & Language Development
Live-Stream Room 4: ACE | Emerging & Critical Issues in Education
Live-Stream Room 5: ACE | Skills Development

14:35-14:45: Break

14:45-15:45: Online Featured Panel Presentation
Blended Learning: Overcoming Challenges and Implementing Solutions
Murielle El Hajj Nahas, Lusail University, Qatar
Leandro Loyola, Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Applied Learning, Canada
Ya-Ling Wang, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

15:45-15:50: Message from IAFOR

*Please be aware that the above schedule may be subject to change.

Important Information Emails

All registered attendees will receive an Important Information email and updates in the run-up to the conference. Please check your email inbox for something from "iafor.org". If you can not find these emails in your normal inbox, it is worth checking in your spam or junk mail folders as many programs filter out emails this way. If these did end up in one of these folders, please add the address to your acceptable senders' folder by whatever method your email program can do this.

Conference Programme & Abstract Book

The online version of the Conference Programme is now available to view below via the Issuu viewing platform. Alternatively, download a PDF version. The Conference Programme can also be viewed on the Issuu website (requires a web browser). An Issuu app is available for Android users.

Click to download as a PDF

The Conference Programme contains access information, session information and a detailed day-to-day presentation schedule.

Featured Speakers

  • Hongmin Ahn
    Hongmin Ahn
    Inter-University Center for Japanese Studies, Japan
  • Umberto Ansaldo
    Umberto Ansaldo
    University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • Karin Avnit
    Karin Avnit
    Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore
  • Danny Bielik
    Danny Bielik
    Digital Education Council, Singapore
  • Laura Bronstein
    Laura Bronstein
    Binghamton University, United States
  • Héctor G. Ceballos
    Héctor G. Ceballos
    Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico
  • Susie Kung
    Susie Kung
    Manukau Institute of Technology, New Zealand
  • Kenneth Lo
    Kenneth Lo
    Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore
  • Leandro Loyola
    Leandro Loyola
    Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Applied Learning, Canada
  • Sean McMinn
    Sean McMinn
    The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong
  • James W. McNally
    James W. McNally
    University of Michigan & NACDA Program on Aging, United States
  • Keith W. Miller
    Keith W. Miller
    University of Missouri – St. Louis, United States
  • Murielle El Hajj Nahas
    Murielle El Hajj Nahas
    Lusail University, Qatar
  • Sela V. Panapasa
    Sela V. Panapasa
    University of Michigan, United States
  • Kylie Smith
    Kylie Smith
    Manukau Institute of Technology, New Zealand
  • Ya-Ling Wang
    Ya-Ling Wang
    National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan
  • Fiona Westbrook
    Fiona Westbrook
    Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
  • Yanhua Zhou
    Yanhua Zhou
    University of Arizona, United States

Featured Presentations

  • University-Assisted Community Schools: An Interdisciplinary, International Movement to Promote Equity and Transform Education
    University-Assisted Community Schools: An Interdisciplinary, International Movement to Promote Equity and Transform Education
    Keynote Presentation: Laura Bronstein, Binghamton University, United States
  • Internet Disinformation, Epistemology, and Education: Meeting the Challenges of Massive Lying
    Internet Disinformation, Epistemology, and Education: Meeting the Challenges of Massive Lying
    Workshop Presentation: Keith W. Miller
  • Navigating the Hype and Reality of Generative AI in Higher Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Trends
    Navigating the Hype and Reality of Generative AI in Higher Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Trends
    Panel Presentation: Danny Bielik, Héctor G. Ceballos, Kenneth Lo Ming Chee, Sean McMinn (Moderator)
  • Community Engagement and Education in East Asia: From Preservations of Cultural Heritage to Practices of Contemporary Art
    Community Engagement and Education in East Asia: From Preservations of Cultural Heritage to Practices of Contemporary Art
    Panel Discussion: Hongmin Ahn, Yanhua Zhou, Joseph Haldane (Moderator)
  • Navigating AI in Higher Education: Multiple Perspectives from Policy to Practice
    Navigating AI in Higher Education: Multiple Perspectives from Policy to Practice
    Panel Presentation: Susie Kung
  • Global Citizenship: Local Communities and the Academy
    Global Citizenship: Local Communities and the Academy
    The Forum: Laura Bronstein, Melina Neophytou
  • Blended Learning: Overcoming Challenges and Implementing Solutions
    Blended Learning: Overcoming Challenges and Implementing Solutions
    Panel Presentation: Murielle El Hajj Nahas, Leandro Loyola
  • Writing a Successful Grant Application: Mastering Significance, Innovation, and Approach for Your Career
    Writing a Successful Grant Application: Mastering Significance, Innovation, and Approach for Your Career
    Workshop Presentation: James W. McNally
  • Developing Academic Skills for a Successful Academic Career
    Developing Academic Skills for a Successful Academic Career
    Workshop Presentation: Umberto Ansaldo
  • Teaching Ethnography by Walking: Pedagogy in Action
    Teaching Ethnography by Walking: Pedagogy in Action
    Workshop Presentation: Yanhua Zhou

Accepted Presentations

One of the greatest strengths of IAFOR’s international conferences is their international and intercultural diversity.
As of September 10, 2024, ACE2024 has received over 1500 submissions from 92 countries and territories - including: Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam.

View Accepted Presentations

Previous Programming

View details of programming for past ACE conferences via the links below.

ACE2023
ACE2022 ACE2021 ACE2020
ACE2019 ACE2018 ACE2017
ACE2016 ACE2015 ACE2014
ACE2013 ACE2012 ACE2011
ACE2010 ACE2009
Hongmin Ahn
Inter-University Center for Japanese Studies, Japan

Biography

Hongmin Ahn is an incoming student at the Inter-University Center for Japanese Studies in Yokohama, Japan (2024-25). He holds a Master of Theological Studies in Buddhism from Harvard Divinity School at Harvard University, United States, and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Bard College, also located in the United States. As an interdisciplinary scholar, Mr Ahn’s research focuses on modern transnational Buddhism in Korea and Japan, exploring their history, culture, practices, gender dynamics, and institutions such as clerical marriage and the popularisation of Buddhism through military chaplaincy.

Supported by IAFOR grants, Mr Ahn’s forthcoming ethnographic study on Japan’s Shikoku Island will examine Buddhism's socio-economic and demographic changes, particularly evolving female leadership and ageing, declining populations. His work seeks to bridge the gap between academic research and contemporary religious realities, offering insights into how Buddhist communities navigate and adapt to rapid social changes throughout East Asia.

Panel Presentation (2024) | TBA
Umberto Ansaldo
University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Biography

Professor Umberto Ansaldo is currently an Honorary Professor at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), Hong Kong. He recently served as Head of the School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry at Curtin University, Australia from 2021 through 2023. Previously, he was the Head of the School of Literature, Art and Media at the University of Sydney, Australia from 2018 through 2020, and Head of the School of Humanities at HKU, where he taught from 2009 to 2018.

Professor Ansaldo’s disciplinary roots are in linguistics, specifically in the study of language contact, linguistic typology, and language documentation. He is the author of four books to date (with CUP, OUP, Routledge, and Stockholm University Press), has edited or co-edited 11 volumes and journal special collections, and has authored multiple journal articles and book chapters. His most recent publication is the co-editorship of The Routledge Handbook of Pidgin and Creole Languages (Routledge, 2021).

At HKU, Professor Ansaldo led the Humanities Area of Inquiry on the Common Core Curriculum Committee in HKU’s major revision of its curriculum (2010-2013), a time when, along with the University of Melbourne, Australia, HKU was leading in reimagining undergraduate curricula. As Chair of Linguistics, he was instrumental in establishing the Department within the top ten programmes in Linguistics (QS rankings), with the programme ranking at number one in Hong Kong.

At the University of Sydney, Professor Ansaldo sat on the University Executive Research Committee and led his School through a transformative period in terms of curriculum innovation and research engagement. He was in charge of overseeing the incorporation of the Sydney College of the Arts into the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences.

Professor Ansaldo has secured competitive research grants and leveraged industry funding for the advancement of the humanities and social sciences throughout his career. One of his proudest achievements was his role in securing financial support to develop and host an exhibition on language and the brain, the ‘Talking Brains’ exhibition at the CosmoCaixa in Barcelona, Spain in 2017. This type of engagement and championing of the Humanities is what Umberto is most passionate about.

Professor Ansaldo has lived and worked in Sweden, The Netherlands, Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong. and speaks seven languages, including Mandarin. He is well-acquainted with Asia and has conducted fieldwork in Muslim communities of the Indian Ocean, and has developed strong international networks in Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe.

Featured Workshop (2024) | Developing Academic Skills for a Successful Academic Career
Karin Avnit
Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore

Biography

Karin Avnit is an Associate Professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Singapore. She is a faculty member in the university’s Infocomm Technology cluster as well as Deputy Director (EdTech) in the SIT Teaching and Learning Academy (STLA), where she works with a team of educational developers, educational technologists, and software developers to support and equip educators in the adoption of technologies for teaching and learning. Professor Avnit advises the university on the framework, policies, and practices related to the use of generative Artificial Intelligence in the university. Her research and work as an educator at STI has garnered awards: she is the recipient of SIT’s Teaching Excellence Award (2015, 2017, 2019) and a member of the Teaching Excellence Award Honour Roll (2018, 2020).

Panel Presentation (2024) | Navigating AI in Higher Education: Multiple Perspectives from Policy to Practice
Danny Bielik
Digital Education Council, Singapore

Biography

Danny Bielik is the President of the Digital Education Council in Singapore and is passionate about access to high quality education and the positive impact that technology can have to achieve this.

His work currently involves assisting universities and governments to better understand governance approaches to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education. He believes that institutions of higher education should embrace datafication as one strategy to create stickier and more value-driven relationships with industry.

Mr Bielik has over 25 years of experience in leadership positions in higher education and technical and vocational training (TVET) organisations. He has extensive experience in strategy development, governance, and partnerships in higher education having run three tertiary organisations, as a director at peak bodies and serving as Ministerial Adviser in Education to the New South Wales Government in Australia.

Panel Presentation (2024) | Navigating the Hype and Reality of Generative AI in Higher Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Trends
Laura Bronstein
Binghamton University, United States

Biography

Laura Bronstein, ACSW, LCSWR, PhD is Dean of the College of Community and Public Affairs, Professor of Social Work, Director of the Institute for Justice & Well-Being, and Founding Director of Binghamton University Community Schools, State University of New York (SUNY), United States. Prior to entering academia, Professor Bronstein worked as a practising social worker in a range of settings. Since entering academia, Laura has published over 70 peer-reviewed research articles and chapters and two books, and her leadership has been instrumental in various teams being awarded over 20 million dollars in federal, state, and foundation grants. She has an international reputation for her research on collaboration, including having created the widely used Index for Interdisciplinary Collaboration. In 2010, her article on which the Index was based, A Model for Interdisciplinary Collaboration, was the eighth most highly cited publication in the social work literature. Professor Bronstein received the John A. Hartford Foundation Outstanding Dean for Aging Education award in 2011 and was Binghamton University’s inaugural recipient of the Lois B. DeFleur Faculty Prize for Academic Excellence “for scholarship that spans boundaries” the following year. She was awarded the Esther W. Couper Memorial Award for “outstanding service and dedication to the children and families of our community” in 2017. Most recently, Professor Bronstein has built Binghamton University Community Schools into a nationally and internationally renowned entity and is currently leading its adaptation across SUNY’s 64 campuses. In 2023, Laura was cited among the top 2% of scholars in her field in the Stanford World Scientist and University Rankings.

Keynote Presentation (2024) | University-Assisted Community Schools: An Interdisciplinary, International Movement to Promote Equity and Transform Education
Héctor G. Ceballos
Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico

Biography

Dr Héctor G. Ceballos is Director of the Living Lab & Data Hub of the Institute for the Future of Education (IFE) at Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico. He was previously head of the Scientometrics Office at the Research Vice-Rectory of Tecnologico de Monterrey for 18 years. Dr Ceballos received a master’s degree and doctorate degree in Intelligent Systems from Tecnologico de Monterrey in 2010. He is currently a faculty member of the university’s Computer Science Graduate Program (DCC) and is ascribed to the IFE's Research Unit on Engaging and Motivating Learning Models. Dr Ceballos is a member of the Mexican National System of Researcher (SNI) and an adherent member of the Mexican Academy on Computing (AMEXCOMP). He is an Organizing Committee Chair of the Special Interest Group in Learning Analytics in Latin America (LALA-SIG), the Society for Learning Analytics Research (SOLAR), and a member of the QS EduData Summit Advisory Committee. His main research interests include machine learning, data science, process mining, and causality, applied to research and learning analytics. He has authored more than 70 papers in journals and conferences worldwide and has worked as an expert consultant for bank and IT companies.

Panel Presentation (2024) | Navigating the Hype and Reality of Generative AI in Higher Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Trends
Susie Kung
Manukau Institute of Technology, New Zealand

Biography

Susie Kung has been in education since 1980 and in teacher education for over 26 years. She has been teaching within the Bachelor of Education programme at The Manukau Institute of Technology, New Zealand, since 2006. She is a Senior Lecturer attached to the School of Education and is also the Academic Lead overseeing the provision of pastoral care, as well as the retention and success of four programmes in the Institute’s School of Education. She has substantial experience in the field both in Malaysia and New Zealand.

Ms Kung’s passion for teacher education includes her research on effective tertiary teaching-learning spaces and, more recently, blended teaching-learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic; teacher identity and teacher motivation, preparing student teachers for a fast-changing, diverse world, and a reconsideration of teacher education as a holistic endeavour. Case study and narrative approaches to research are her methodologies of choice, but she has a special interest in the Appreciative Inquiry approach to research and has used this methodology for a number of her research projects. She is currently investigating the role of teacher identity, teacher motivation, and the teacher’s perception of advocacy in the teaching role.

Panel Presentation (2024) | Navigating AI in Higher Education: Multiple Perspectives from Policy to Practice
Panel Presentation (2023) | No One Left Behind: Advocating for Equitable Opportunities for
Success in Tertiary Education
Kenneth Lo
Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore

Biography

Dr Kenneth Lo is Director of the Office of Digital Learning and leads Cyber-Physical Learning (CPL) innovations at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Singapore. His research involves digital learning technologies, innovative pedagogies, and ethics. Under the CPL Lab, Dr Lo is innovating and developing competency, tools, and systems for the future of education and sustainability in order to advance SUTD as a future-ready university that nurtures lifelong tertiary learners and innovators with its recent Education Design.AI.Technology (D.AI.Tech) initiative. Dr Lo has extensive experience in technology innovations, predictive machine learning, and designing engineering systems.

Panel Presentation (2024) | Navigating the Hype and Reality of Generative AI in Higher Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Trends
Leandro Loyola
Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Applied Learning, Canada

Biography

Dr Leandro Loyola is Professor of International Business Management at the School of Business of Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Ontario, Canada. He previously served as a Learning and Organizational Development Specialist at Grand River Hospital in the Waterloo Region of Ontario. Before moving to Canada, Dr Loyola was an Associate Professor in the Department of Management and Organization at the College of Business of De La Salle University, Philippines, where he also held the position of Director of College Student Affairs at its Laguna Campus. With nearly 20 years of experience in academia, Dr Loyola has shown dedication to his role as an educator and leader: he has made notable contributions to academic and organisational development, including his tenure as National President of the Philippine Association of Practitioners of Student Affairs and Services (PAPSAS), Inc. Internationally, he has served as the Regional Director for Asia of the International Association of Student Affairs and Services (IASAS) and as President-elect of the Asia Pacific Student Services Association (APSSA). Throughout his career, Dr Loyola has developed impactful programmes for student welfare and development and has contributed to national policies and guidelines for student affairs and services. His research on student development and organisational leadership highlights his commitment to fostering socially responsible global citizens and leaders. Dr Loyola’s career is marked by his passion for education, leadership, and creating inclusive learning environments that promote excellence.

Panel Presentation (2024) | Blended Learning: Overcoming Challenges and Implementing Solutions
Sean McMinn
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong

Biography

Dr Sean McMinn is the Director of the Center for Education Innovation at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong. Previously, he served as Associate Professor and Director of the English Language Centre at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2020-2022) and held various academic roles at HKUST, including Associate Professor of Language Education and Co-Academic Director of the MA in International Language Education programme. As an early adopter of educational technologies, he has led initiatives in AI in education, blended learning, and fully online teaching modes. He currently serves on several international committees, including the AI and Education International Panel, Digital Education Council, Cyber-Physical Learning Alliance, and EduTech Asia organising committee.

Panel Presentation (2024) | Navigating the Hype and Reality of Generative AI in Higher Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Trends
Panel Presentation (2023) | Unleashing the Potential: The Impact of AI and ChatGPT in Revolutionising Education
James W. McNally
University of Michigan & NACDA Program on Aging, United States

Biography

Dr James W. McNally is the Director of the NACDA Program on Aging, a data archive containing over 1,500 studies related to health and the aging life course. He is also a Senior Advisor for the National Institute on Aging (NIA), Division of Behavioral and Social Science (DBSR/ODRA). He currently does methodological research on the improvement and enhancement of secondary research data and has been cited as an expert authority on data imputation. Dr McNally has directed the NACDA Program on Aging since 1998 and has seen the archive significantly increase its holdings with a growing collection of seminal studies on the aging life course, health, retirement and international aspects of aging. He has spent much of his career addressing methodological issues with a specific focus on specialised application of incomplete or deficient data and the enhancement of secondary data for research applications. Dr McNally has also worked extensively on issues related to international aging and changing perspectives on the role of family support in the later stages of the aging life course.

Previous Presentations

Special Seminar Session (2024) | Writing a Successful Grant Application: Mastering Significance, Innovation and Approach for Your Career
Special Seminar Session (2023) | Writing a Good Grant Application: Mastering Significance, Innovation and Approach for Your Career
Featured Presentation (2017) | The Use of Archival Data Resources for Generating Original Research, Thesis Development, Teaching and Knowledge Generation
Keith W. Miller
University of Missouri – St. Louis, United States

Biography

Keith W. Miller is the Orthwein Endowed Professor for Lifelong Learning in the Sciences at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, United States. In that position, he is partnering with the St. Louis Science Center. Dr Miller’s research interests are in computer ethics, online learning, and software testing. He is a past editor-in-chief of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine. He was awarded the 2011 Joseph Weizenbaum Award in Information and Computer Ethics by the International Society for Ethics and Information Technology (INSEIT), and is currently the President of that society. He has been a principal investigator of grants from the US National Science Foundation to study the effects of ethics education for computer science students, and to encourage scientists to become teachers.

Featured Workshop Presentation (2024) | TBA

Previous Presentations

Keynote Presentation (2018) | Sophisticated Machines and Innovative Education: Who (or What) Will Thrive?
Murielle El Hajj Nahas
Lusail University, Qatar

Biography

Dr Murielle El Hajj Nahas holds a PhD in French Language and Literature from the Lebanese University, Lebanon. She is currently Assistant Professor and Director of Lusail University Press (LU Press) at Lusail University, Qatar. She also serves as Associate Editor of the IAFOR Journal of Literature & Librarianship and the IAFOR Journal of Education (Language Learning in Education issues), The International Academic Forum (IAFOR), Japan, as well as Editorial Board Member of In Analysis, revue transdisciplinaire de psychanalyse et sciences, Elsevier Masson SAS, France. Her domain of research focuses on psychoanalysis of literature, the perspective on the unconscious in literary study, the roles of the instances involved in analytical/critical praxis, and the relation between literature and psychoanalysis. Her research interests include analysis of written narrative structure and focalisation; comparative studies of literary genres; discourse analysis and semantics; French linguistics, literature, modernism, and postmodernism studies; gender studies; literary semiotics and semiology; psychoanalysis; psychoanalytic criticism and textoanalysis; rhetoric and stylistics; and schizoanalysis. She has published book chapters, original articles, academic interviews, translated articles, book reviews and analyses, as well as poems. She has also authored a contemporary theatre book titled Fragments chaotiques published by Les impliqués Éditeur, France. (ORCID Link)

Panel Presentation (2024) | Blended Learning: Overcoming Challenges and Implementing Solutions

Previous Presentations

Panel Presentation (2023) | Unleashing the Potential: The Impact of AI and ChatGPT in Revolutionising Education
Panel Presentation (2022) | Mental Health in Action: Strategies to Build Teacher and Student Capacity
Roundtable Presentation (2021) | Being Resilient: Finding Ways to Publish in Difficult Times
Sela V. Panapasa
University of Michigan, United States

Biography

Dr Sela V. Panapasa is an Associate Research Scientist at the Institute for Social Research, United States. An active researcher and leader in developing scientific research methods to address data limitations and persistent health inequities in hard-to-survey populations, she has extensive experience conducting, analyzing, disseminating, and translating findings from mixed-methods research projects on Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) populations in the United States and independent Pacific nations. Dr Panapasa’s work has influenced policy development for these populations, from greater coverage of NHPI populations in the US Census to the use of racial categories in the American Community Survey and technical assistance in Pacific data collections. She developed and administered the successful collection of epidemiology as part of the Pacific Islander Health Study (PIHS), leading to a collaboration with the NCHS to develop and implement the 2014 NHPI National Health Interview Survey (NHPI NHIS). Dr Panapasa is the PI on 'Mechanisms of Diabetes and Diabetic Complications in a Multiethnic Population and a co-investigator for the Guam National Health Interview Survey (GNHIS)'.

Workshop Presentation (2024) | Writing a Succesful Grant Application: Mastering Significance, Innovation, and Approach for Your Career
Featured Presentation (2017) | Teaching Health Equity at the Community Level: Engaging Faith Based Organizations in Teaching Community Based Nutritional and Health Behaviors
Kylie Smith
Manukau Institute of Technology, New Zealand

Biography

Dr Kylie Smith is Head of School – Education and Social Work at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), New Zealand. She has dedicated over 25 years to education and teaching, beginning her career as a teacher of children before transitioning to teaching adults MIT for the past 13 years. Her academic journey and research interests have consistently centred around fostering her own love of learning and supporting others in their own educational pursuits. Dr Smith’s Master of Education thesis focused on the practical implementation of mixed-age communities of learning. She is deeply committed to the Māori values of whakamana (empowerment/enablement) and pono (integrity); these principles guide her educational approach, fostering genuine and connected relationships with students and colleagues. As the current Head of School – Education and Social Work at MIT, she leads a diverse group of tertiary educators. Her leadership focuses on bringing out the best in each team member, creating a high-performing, goal-oriented team that places ākonga (students) at the heart of all they do while aligned to the same core values. Dr Smith is passionate about promoting excellence and ensuring that ākonga are well-prepared for their professional journeys.

Panel Presentation (2024) | Navigating AI in Higher Education: Multiple Perspectives from Policy to Practice
Ya-Ling Wang
National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

Biography

Dr Wang is currently a Distinguished Associate Professor in the Department of Adult & Continuing Education at the National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan, and the Director of National Taiwan Normal University Online. Her primary research interests are the psychology of the elderly, digital learning, and social psychology. She is dedicated to applying theories and techniques related to social cognition and digital technology to adult education and better living. When it comes to the field of adult education and learning, learners and autonomous motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, are prefactors for explaining various conditions of adult learning. Accompanying the increasing demand and acceptance of digital technology among adult learners, Dr Wang’s current research advocates for older learners to achieve better learning effectiveness and psychological adjustment via digital technology or information media. Aside from this, her research also focuses on promoting intergenerational learning and sharing through the use of board games.

Panel Presentation (2024) | Blended Learning: Overcoming Challenges and Implementing Solutions
Fiona Westbrook
Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Biography

Dr Fiona Westbrook is an Early Childhood Education (ECE) Lecturer at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), New Zealand. Her research focuses on ECE teachers’ political dialogues, marginalised voices, satire and workforce political issues, guided by Mikhail Bakhtin’s dialogism. Dr Westbrook explores these dynamics through social networks and digital visualities, contributing to visual pedagogies and post-digital possibilities. She is also developing research projects on AI image creation as narrative storytelling, engaging with symposiums, talks, and podcasts to explore AI’s intersection with education. This work aims to integrate AI technologies into visual pedagogies, enhancing narrative techniques and educational practices.

Dr Westbrook currently serves as Vice President of the Association for Visual Pedagogies, co-edits the Video Journal of Educational Pedagogy (VJEP), and has developed initiatives like the AUT-ECE Newsletter to strengthen sector partnerships.

Panel Presentation (2024) | Navigating AI in Higher Education: Multiple Perspectives from Policy to Practice
Yanhua Zhou
University of Arizona, United States

Biography

Dr Yanhua Zhou is currently a Professor of Art History at the Research Center for Visual Art, Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, China. She is also affiliated as a Professor of Contemporary Chinese Art and Gender and Associate Director of Wanwu Art Research Lab at the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Arizona, United States. Born in Chongqing, China, Dr Zhou completed her PhD in East Asian Studies with a focus on Chinese Anthropology from the University of Arizona and her MA in Art History from the University of St Andrews, United Kingdom. Taking an interdisciplinary approach combining art history, anthropology, area studies, and cultural studies, her research focuses on the issue of art and geographic politics of contemporary art in Asia, global socially engaged art in a transnational context, affective infrastructural studies, and non-human agency in art.

Featured Workshop (2024) | Teaching Ethnography by Walking: Pedagogy in Action
University-Assisted Community Schools: An Interdisciplinary, International Movement to Promote Equity and Transform Education
Keynote Presentation: Laura Bronstein, Binghamton University, United States

The groundwork for community schools began at the turn of the 20th century, modelled after settlement houses in London and major cities within the UnitedStates, and John Dewey’s argument for “the school as social centre”. Community schools provide an integrated focus on child, family, and community whereby what occurs outside the classroom is understood to be as important as what occurs inside. To address this, community schools mobilise out-of-classroom support systems so that all youth can succeed, whatever their family’s assets and/or challenges. Examples of these supports include before, after, and summer school programming; physical and mental health services; family engagement; mentoring and more. The first step is a needs assessment so that supports are individually tailored to the unique needs of each school community. University-assisted community schools (UACS), a concept developed at the University of Pennsylvania, United States, utilise institutions of higher education as lead partners in community schools, mobilising the resources of area colleges and universities to support and lead local community schools.

This presentation will highlight how UACS can be a strategy for any institution of higher education to transform education in their local neighbourhoods. Specific examples of roles of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and administrators in supporting UACS will be given, and short and long-term outcomes of UACS will be shared. The development, implementation, and evaluation of this effort at Binghamton University Community Schools will be delineated as a case example in upstate New York, including how this work has been implemented at the Malawi Children’s Mission in rural Africa.

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Internet Disinformation, Epistemology, and Education: Meeting the Challenges of Massive Lying
Workshop Presentation: Keith W. Miller

"Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire

In 2017, Schiffrin argued that disinformation on the internet was undermining democracy. More recently, Michaelis et al. (2022) researched corporations that spread disinformation to their advantage. Bontridder and Poullet (2021) asserted that artificial intelligence (AI) increases the quantity and effectiveness of disinformation on the web at large. With this trifecta at work and its ramifications growing exponentially, how can we as educators help our students to recognize and reject misinformation they encounter on the internet?

This workshop will lay out the groundwork for educators to better equip themselves in combating digital misinformation in and outside of the classroom by establishing and defending three claims: (1) Epistemology is a central issue in disinformation; (2) Disinformation is almost always an ethical violation; and (3) Educators can take practical steps to help their students identify, avoid, and combat internet disinformation. With these in mind, participants will be led through the five strategies for resisting disinformation as proposed by The Union of Concerned Scientists. The workshop will culminate in a discussion about the application of these strategies and sharing of ideas for other applicable cases, first using one example of web misinformation from the speaker, then using examples volunteered by participants.

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Navigating the Hype and Reality of Generative AI in Higher Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Trends
Panel Presentation: Danny Bielik, Héctor G. Ceballos, Kenneth Lo Ming Chee, Sean McMinn (Moderator)

The rapid rise of Generative AI (GenAI) is reshaping teaching and learning in higher education. Universities are racing to integrate AI into their digital transformation strategies, with initial concerns focused on academic integrity now expanding to include topics such as AI literacy, ethics, misinformation, and data security. More recently, attention has shifted to potential challenges such as cognitive offloading and maintaining active learning in AI-driven environments. Amid these developments, much of the discourse is driven by hype from EdTech, government bodies, and sometimes higher education itself. Promises of personalised learning, AI-powered analytics, automated grading, and AI tutors are often highlighted, but they frequently overshadow established pedagogical-technological knowledge and ignore diverse institutional needs. Equitable and accessible education, especially for students with disabilities, must remain a priority in AI adoption.

This panel will critically assess the current state of AI in higher education, distinguishing between practical innovations and overblown expectations. Experts will explore how collaborations like the Digital Education Council (DEC) and the recently established Cyber-Physical Learning Alliance (CPLA) can help institutions develop informed, context-sensitive AI strategies. The discussion will also address broader trends, such as the shift to remote learning post-COVID, the rise of skills-based education, and the growing focus on digitisation in shaping future cyber-physical learning environments.

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Community Engagement and Education in East Asia: From Preservations of Cultural Heritage to Practices of Contemporary Art
Panel Discussion: Hongmin Ahn, Yanhua Zhou, Joseph Haldane (Moderator)

Recent community engagement and educational initiatives in East Asia actively aim to contribute to both the preservation of cultural heritage and the evolution of contemporary pedagogy. This panel engages in global interdisciplinary conversations on education, heritage, and community-building seen in two regional case studies of such initiatives connecting local practices with broader international trends. In Japan’s case, Mr Hongmin Ahn focuses on the Shikoku Pilgrimage in Japan, demonstrating how regional and national educational programs advance cultural preservation and promote local pride while supporting Japan’s UNESCO heritage recognition efforts. Dr Yanhua Zhou discusses a case study on the Handshake 302 art collective in Shenzhen, China, where art-geographic explorations serve as a means of engaging with migrant communities, resulting in the shaping of identity through contemporary art education. The panel ultimately calls for a rethinking of how we educate future generations in East Asia through community involvement, offering a timely reflection on the role of community-engaged art and education in addressing global challenges related to cultural preservation and social transformation.

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Navigating AI in Higher Education: Multiple Perspectives from Policy to Practice
Panel Presentation: Susie Kung

Education is continuously in a state of flux within the wider context of globally-accelerated change. The undeniable increasing reach of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has had a huge impact on higher education. While the use of AI-mediated technologies has revolutionised higher education, it also poses significant challenges that raise ethical, epistemic, and academic integrity concerns. This panel examines the complex nature of AI and proposes that discourses about the AI-mediated higher education landscape at the grassroots level requires rethinking of AI as either a delineated technology or just another technological innovation to enhance teaching and learning. Instead, it should be understood as a complex system that requires in-depth understanding, informed planning, and agile integration into the curriculum.

This panel also addresses issues of accountability, shifting authority and agency, as well as the ethical issues surrounding the use of AI in higher education. It will provide some insight into how AI-mediated technologies are understood and currently used in higher education. The discussion also provides a platform for scrutinising the role of AI in higher education from multiple perspectives, specifically policy makers, educational leaders, and practitioners/educators. The panel will also shed light on how policy makers, educational leaders, and practitioners/educators collaborate to safeguard the responsible and appropriate use of AI technologies in higher education. It is envisioned that this panel discussion will serve as a catalyst for further discussion on a more refined understanding of AI as a tool that facilitates learning through the augmentation of human cognition and AI hybrid, promoting a more critical, well-balanced position on the potential and challenges of integrating AI in the real world of practice. This discourse will have significant implications for higher education due to its shaping policy and practice on the appropriate use of AI at the grassroots level.

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Global Citizenship: Local Communities and the Academy
The Forum: Laura Bronstein, Melina Neophytou

The practical application of global citizenship education remains one of the most complex issues facing education today. At a previous Forum session in London, participants argued that students will hardly care about global issues if they are disconnected from their own local communities. According to these delegates, lack of attachment or sense of belonging to the local community desensitises people to the plight of others. Bridging the gap between the local and global world could be the key to fostering conscious global citizens.

Educators have attempted to remedy this issue in recent curricula, developing community-assisted curricula, including projects involving welfare, town planning, festivals, and other hands-on activities. In Japan, 58.3% of public elementary and junior high schools currently operate community school systems since the nation’s educational reform in the 1990s (also known as ‘The Quiet Revolution’), according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. This approach has since spread to several Asian countries and is considered a powerful innovation in school reform. These developments highlight spaces in which education can occupy to make a difference in local and global communities.

With a broader vision of the world, higher education is in an advantageous position to bridge the gap between the local and the global. However, even though embedded within local realities, universities today face the risk of turning into ivory towers: secluded, privileged spaces that avoid local issues with an escapist attitude. How can we reconcile these so-called ‘towns and gowns’ and foster a sense of shared responsibility between higher educational institutions and the local community? Discussions from The Forum at ACE2024 can help form the key to implementing global citizenship education effectively.

IAFOR invites delegates to join The Forum at ACE2024 to discuss community-assisted education, the university’s role within the local community, and how local communities and the Academy can work together to make a difference in the world.

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Blended Learning: Overcoming Challenges and Implementing Solutions
Panel Presentation: Murielle El Hajj Nahas, Leandro Loyola

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly transformed the educational model, leading to the widespread adoption of blended learning, where students engage in both face-to-face and online instruction. This panel explores the evolution of blended learning as a typical educational trend, examining its potential to revolutionise traditional classroom settings by integrating innovative teaching methods. Despite its promise, the blended learning model presents unique challenges, particularly in engaging both in-person and online students simultaneously while adhering to high-quality teaching standards. Central to this discussion is the need to maintain a student-centred approach, where learners actively participate in the teaching/learning experience regardless of their physical location. Critical issues educators face when implementing the blended learning model will be addressed, particularly efforts to ensure equitable access to learning resources, fostering meaningful interactions among all students, and aligning instructional strategies with pedagogical best practices. Furthermore, this panel aims to provide efficient solutions and best practices to enhance the effectiveness of this educational model as well as the challenges inherent in blended learning.. Panellists will offer strategies for creating cohesive learning experiences that bridge the gap between in-person and online students, thereby fostering an inclusive and interactive environment that supports student engagement and academic success. By focusing on both the obstacles and the opportunities presented by blended learning, this panel seeks to equip educators with the tools and insights necessary to optimise this educational model in a post-pandemic world.

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Writing a Successful Grant Application: Mastering Significance, Innovation, and Approach for Your Career
Workshop Presentation: James W. McNally

The ability to write, submit, and administer research grants has become an increasingly vital role in developing an academic career. Funders seek good ideas and innovative approaches that enhance research designs, classroom pedagogies, student and professional growth, conference development, and travel. The wide array of organisations representing potential funders can be summarised as federal or governmental awards, foundation or philanthropic awards, and private business awards. Typically structured as contracts, grants, or gifts, these mechanisms have critical distinctions, often requiring very different deliverables and outcomes expectations. Additionally, the type of mechanism will also impact the funds' fungibility in accomplishing the project goals. Knowing how to navigate the grant research, selection, and writing processes can prove essential for getting projects off the ground and to their completion.

This workshop will offer training, guidance, and opportunities to discuss grantsmanship as an integral part of the learning process and a critical element of academic advancement. It will also involve reviewing how to identify funders who best reflect research interests, interacting with funding agencies, and ways to build funding networks. The critical elements for developing a successful grant application and effectively budgeting requested funds will also be discussed. This workshop will also offer time management tips for meeting deadlines and ensuring applicants have crossed all ‘t's’ and dotted all ‘i's’. While the rules, expectations, and procedures for grant applications will vary internationally, organisationally, and internally, the basics of grantsmanship all share commonalities regarding significance, innovation, and approach. Understanding and mastering these skills will enhance and expand an applicant's capacities as an instructor, mentor, and researcher.

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Developing Academic Skills for a Successful Academic Career
Workshop Presentation: Umberto Ansaldo

Pursuing an academic career has become increasingly competitive and challenging in an era of technological advancements and limited resources. With universities competing for research grants internally, nationally, and internationally, and offering limited employment opportunities, developing the right competencies and standing out in the crowd has become essential for the survival of early-career academics. A successful academic career depends on how well a researcher can ‘market and sell’ their idea: this includes the process from the inception of an idea to selecting the right audience, as well as the consideration of dissemination paths and building a robust network.

This workshop is aimed at graduate students as well as undergraduates interested in research. Three key aspects of academic practice will be covered: (1) abstract writing; (2) conference presentation; and (3) publishing. In the first part of the workshop, we look at key features of a strong abstract and essential elements for delivering a good presentation. In the second part, we focus on publishing journal articles as well as books. Finally, we discuss strategies for selecting publishing outlets, ways to tackle the review process, and how to plan long-term for a coherent research strategy.

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Teaching Ethnography by Walking: Pedagogy in Action
Workshop Presentation: Yanhua Zhou

This workshop explores how ethnographic pedagogy can be reimagined through the practice of walking. By introducing her principal teaching and research project, ‘Field in Action’, in which students conducted research by walking across both rural and urban areas of China, Professor Zhou will demonstrate how walking reawakens the sensory capacities of our bodies – to see, listen, touch, and smell – during fieldwork. Participants’ bodies interact with landscapes, infrastructures, plants, insects, and both human and non-human species while walking: these sensory experiences challenge the traditional ethnographic approach, which often positions the observer as silent, invisible, and passive. Reclaiming the act of walking highlights the importance of bodily engagement in fieldwork, prompting a reconfiguration of ethnographic methods by recognising the active role of the body in the field.

This workshop adopts an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating anthropology, cultural studies, pedagogy, and performance. The workshop aims to:

    Encourage participants to reconsider ethnographic methods by introducing the embodied experiences of walking.
    Present ethnographic case studies that invite participants to rethink the capabilities of the body and how these shape their fieldwork observations.
    Foster interdisciplinary and cross-cultural networking opportunities for participants from diverse fields, including, but not limited to, anthropology, art, performance, and cultural studies.

Key Information

Facilitator: Yanhua Zhou, IAFOR Global Fellow, China
Pre-registration is required to participate in this workshop.
Please complete this workshop sign-up form.
Max: 15 participants

Wednesday, November 27, 2024 16:45-17:35 | Toshi Center Hotel, Room 604 (6F)

16:45-16:50 Opening and Introduction
16:50-17:05 Case Study
17:05-17:20 Group Work
17:20-17:30 Sharing Outcomes of Group Work
17:30-17:35 Wrap up and Closing

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