The Asian Conference on Technology in the Classroom (ACTC) brings together delegates from many different national, cultural and linguistic backgrounds in the Kansai region of Japan to present new research and exchange ideas. This exceptional platform welcomes speakers and delegates working in any area of education, from academics and theorists to policymakers and practitioners, in both the private and public sectors, for challenging debate and stimulating discussions around the latest concepts and newest approaches.
IAFOR's conferences are encouraging and nurturing environments where ideas can be shared and tested, where research synergies and collaborations can be formed, and where some of the biggest names in the field have the opportunity to interact with up-and-coming faculty members.
IAFOR’s technology in the classroom conferences are organised in partnership with some of the world’s most reputable institutions, including Birkbeck, University of London (UK), University of Sussex (UK), Waseda University (Japan), Moscow State University (Russia), Barcelona University (Spain) and Virginia Tech (USA), and feature programmes developed by leading academics to ensure both timeliness and academic rigour.
ACTC2016
Conference Theme: “Convergence|Divergence”
April 28 – May 1, 2016 | Art Center Kobe, Kobe, Japan
ACTC2015
Conference Theme: “Education, Power and Empowerment: Transcending Boundaries”
April 28 – May 1, 2015 | Art Center of Kobe, Kobe, Japan
ACTC2014
Conference Theme: “Individual, Community, Society: Connecting, Learning and Growing”
April 17–20, 2014 | Osaka International Conference Center, Osaka, Japan
Conference Report
The Fourth Annual Asian Conference on Language Learning (ACLL) and the Fourth Annual Conference on Technology in the Classroom (ACTC) welcomed 255 delegates from over 40 nations to engage, debate, learn and interact through productive exchanges, and the sharing of professional ideas and opinions alongside their international peers. The theme of the 2014 joint conference was ‘Individual, Community, & Society: Connecting, Learning and Growing’ and sought to establish new ways of engaging with others, providing creative mechanisms for teaching and learning, as well as advancing and enhancing personal, community, and societal advancement.
The joint conference got off to a great and convivial start with the well-attended welcome reception held at the Saint Louis Amuse, which established the highly positive and inclusive rapport that resonated within the conference. The Friday Plenary Session was once again very strong with two highly regarded senior academics as keynote speakers. The ACLL Keynote, Professor Kuniko Miyanaga is a cultural anthropologist and linguist and works on questions of globalization, identity and language. Professor Miyanaga spoke on the closed epistemological and ontological circuit that exists within English language education in Japan. The ACTC Keynote Dr. John Hope is the Associate Dean of International Programmes at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. Dr. Hope is a highly regarded and respected education leader within the Asia Pacific region. His keynote titled ‘Improving School/Home Communication With Online Blogs’ elaborated on research that was instigated to investigate whether online parental access to classroom blogs could help to bridge the gap between home and school, thus encouraging enhanced school – home dialogue with a view to create improved student achievement. The plenary session closed with an optimistic and motivating address by the ACLL Conference Co-Chair Professor Steve Cornwell of Osaka Women’s University, Japan, whose ‘Answerless Riddles: Stories from Language Learning Classrooms’, was not only informative but highly entertaining.
The organizing committee offers its grateful thanks to the five featured speakers at ACLL / ACTC 2014. Professors Marjo Mitsutomi and Minna Kirjavainen of Osaka Gakuin University, Japan Professor Shamim Ali of the Allama Iqbal Open University, Pakistan and Dr Roger Palmer of Konan University, Japan. We felt privileged to hear such wonderful insights and knowledge with our disciplines in such a positive and inspirational way. Our special thanks once again goes to our Conference Co-Chairs Professor Barbara Lockee of Virginia Tech, USA and Professor Steve Cornwell of Osaka Women’s University, Japan.
An important aspect of what makes our IAFOR Osaka conferences such a unique event is the opportunity for delegates to engage with traditional Japanese cuisine, arts and culture. The ACLL / ACTC conference dinner on Friday evening gave many first time visitors to Japan an experience of the delights of Japanese food. During the conference, delegates had the chance to hear the powerful Taiko drumming from leading Osaka based group Baliholic as well as attend a wonderful Japanese Calligraphy Workshop given by art students from Kyoto’s Ritsumeikan University.
This year’s conferences built upon the success of our previous 2013 joint conferences with returning delegates remarking that it was the best yet. The organizing committee wishes to thank all delegates who attended the 2014 ACLL and ACTC Conferences for their fantastic contributions and enthusiasm.
ACTC2013
Conference Theme: “The Impact of Innovation: Technology and You”
April 25–28, 2013 | The Ramada Osaka, Osaka, Japan
Conference Report
The Third Annual Asian Conference on Language Learning (ACLL) and the Third Annual Conference on Technology in the Classroom (ACTC) welcomed 275 delegates from 35 nations to engage in productive exchanges, informed debate, and the sharing of professional ideas and opinions alongside their international peers. This years conferences built on the success of our previous ACLL and ACTC conferences with returning delegates remarking that it was the best yet. The organising committee wishes to thank all delegates who attended the 2013 ACLL and ACTC Conferences for their fantastic contributions and enthusiasm.
This year’s ACLL Keynote speaker, Professor Thomas Robb of Kyoto Sangyo University, spoke on the technological use and classroom developments within Extensive Reading and revealed to delegates through recent case studies, the success of M-Reader as a tool to enhance and support language progress within students. Professor Robb gave valuable insights into how Language Learning and Technology can be integrated into a powerful motivational, literacy competency and evaluative tool for educators. The Keynote speaker for the ACTC conference was Professor Insung Jung, a Distance Learning specialist from the International Christian University in Tokyo (ICU). Professor Jung gave an engaging lecture comparing the use of Youtube by US and Japanese College students and its subsequent implications for college level media literacy. Professor Jung urged all delegates to embrace and introduce the fast changing social media platforms that are now used by students during their daily lives into their own learning programmes. This year’s joint ACLL / ACTC Conference was also fortunate to have six excellent featured speakers. These Professors and Educators each provided engaging and thought provoking presentations. The IAFOR and the ACLL and ACTC organising committees would like to thank Eiko Kato-Otani (President, Osaka Jogakuin University), Marjo Mitsutomi (Osaka Gaikuan University), Rozhan Idrus (Universiti Sians Malaysia), Lisa Donohue Luscombe (Monterey Institute of International Studies, USA), Steven Herder (Doshida Women’s College of Liberal Arts) and Ted O’Neil (Tokyo Medical and Dental University / JALT) for their valuable insights and contributions that made ACLL / ACTC 2013 a great success.
The IAFOR would also like to give special thanks to theConference Chairs, Professor Steve Cornwall (Osaka Jogaikuin University) and Professor Barbara Lockee (Virginia Tech, USA), and the programme advisers for their continued and committed academic support and guidance. We look forward to seeing you again next year.
ACTC2012
Conference Theme: “Globalization, Culture and Society: What role does language play?”
April 26–28, 2012 | The Ramada Osaka, Osaka, Japan
Conference Report
The Second Annual Asian Conference on Language Learning was held again this year with the Second Annual Asian Conference on Technology in the Classroom in Osaka, Japan. We are proud to announce that this year’s conference has grown considerably since last year, when the March 2011 earthquake and its aftermath notably affected attendance, and are equally proud to contribute to, and participate in Japans recovery.
IAFOR conferences are interdisciplinary, international, and intercultural conferences that invite academics, practitioners, scholars and researchers from around the world to meet and exchange ideas.These joint conferences encouraged us to reflect upon how we think, as well as reason, believe, and behave, under the theme of “Learning, Culture and Society: What role can technology play?”. The conference theme is an important one to all delegates, and was reflected in the friendships and bonds that were created, strengthened and renewed during our short time together in Osaka.We would like to thank all the delegates who made the event so enjoyable, including keynote and featured speakers Deryn Verity, Barbara B. Lockee, Marjo Mitsutomi, Kuniko Miyanaga, and Jo Mynard. We would also like to thank our global academic partners and affiliates for their role in the conference, and last, but not least, the small team of volunteers who staffed the event
ACTC2011
Conference Theme: "The Right Tool for the Right Job"
June 10–11, 2011 | The Ramada Osaka, Osaka, Japan
Conference Report
The Inaugural Asian Conference on Language Learning, was held this year with the Inaugural Asian Conference on Technology in the Classroom, in Osaka, Japan. The event offered a diverse variety of papers that encouraged interdisciplinary reflection, and the forging of new relations across national borders. Around 100 registrants and speakers attended, and we have every confidence that the event will grow in 2012.
We would like to thank all the delegates who made the event so enjoyable, including conference chair Professor Steve Cornwell, conference keynotes Garr Reynolds and Jill Robbins; and featured Speakers Bill Pellowe, Roger Palmer, Brent A. Jones, Deryn Verity, Charles Kowalski and Kevin Cleary.