Professor Anne Boddington, IAFOR, Japan (IAB Chair)
Dr Joseph Haldane, IAFOR and The University of Osaka, Japan & University College London, United Kingdom
Professor Jun Arima, IAFOR & The University of Tokyo, Japan
Professor Virgil Hawkins, IAFOR Research Centre & The University of Osaka, Japan
Mr Lowell Sheppard, IAFOR & Never Too Late Academy, Japan
Professor Umberto Ansaldo, VinUniversity, Vietnam
Dr Susana Barreto, University of Porto, Portugal
Professor Grant Black, Chuo University, Japan
Dr Evangelia Chrysikou, Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London, United Kingdom
Professor Donald E. Hall, Binghamton University, United States
Professor Brendan Howe, Ewha Womans University, South Korea & The Asian Political and International Studies Association (APISA)
Dr James W. McNally, University of Michigan, United States & NACDA Program on Aging
IICE2026 Conference Programme Committee
Dr Failautusi ‘Tusi’ Avegalio, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States
Kālewa Correa, Smithsonian Institute, United States
Dr Joseph Haldane, IAFOR and The University of Osaka, Japan & University College London, United Kingdom
Dr Mary Therese Perez Hattori, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States
Professor Curtis Ho, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States
Dr Daniel Hoffman, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States
Dr James W. McNally, University of Michigan, United States & NACDA Program on Aging
Dr Alex Means, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States
Professor Michael Menchaca, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States
Professor Moana Numanga, Brigham Young University–Hawaii, United States
Dr Katie Idalia Archer Olson, Alaska Pacific University, United States
Professor Sela V. Panapasa, University of Michigan, United States
Professor Elizabeth Park, Chaminade University of Honolulu, United States
Dr Paul Tauiliili, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States
Dr Hiagi M. Wesley, Brigham Young University–Hawaii, United States
IICAH2026 Conference Programme Committee
Professor Grant Black, Chuo University, Japan
Kālewa Correa, Smithsonian Institute, United States
Dr Joseph Haldane, IAFOR and The University of Osaka, Japan, & University College London, United Kingdom
Dr Mary Therese Perez Hattori, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States
Dr Daniel Hoffman, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, United States
Professor Line-Noue Kruse, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, United States
Professor Kenneth Gofigan Kuper, University of Guam, United States
Ms Fan Li, Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR), Japan
Dr James W. McNally, University of Michigan, United States & NACDA Program on Aging
Professor Elizabeth Park, Chaminade University of Honolulu, United States
Dr Paul Tauiliili, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States
Letter of Welcome
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Aloha and welcome to The 11th IAFOR International Conference on Education and The 6th IAFOR International Conference on Arts & Humanities in Hawaii!
There are few better places to start the year than in beautiful Hawaii, and few better ways than an IAFOR conference! Oahu means ‘the meeting place’ in the Hawaiian language, and our event will bring together people from around the world to exchange ideas across the barriers of nation, culture, and discipline that make an IAFOR conference special.
Over the past year, we have welcomed some 5,000 participants from more than 120 countries to our IAFOR conferences on three continents. This great convening and disseminating platform for engagement and action is driven by a wonderful community of scholars from around the world, who help shape our programmes and drive our publications. They are brought together with the shared understanding that our professional and personal lives are enormously enriched by international and intercultural engagement, and that the most pressing issues we face collectively require interdisciplinary approaches, and therefore meaningful collaboration.
In this spirit, I would like to thank our excellent International Academic Board which oversees our global programmes, as well as our wonderful local partners at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, and in particular Professor Michael Menchaca who has worked with us over the years, not only on all aspects of this conference but more widely with IAFOR, including as an editor of our Journal of Education.
An IAFOR conference is an amazing opportunity; we have so much to learn from each other. I urge your active participation throughout the event, and look forward to meeting you!
Mahalo,
Dr Joseph Haldane
Chairman & CEO, The International Academic Forum (IAFOR)
Professor, European Center for Peace and Development (ECPD), United Nations University for Peace
Guest Professor, Osaka School of International Public Policy, The University of Osaka, Japan
Visiting Professor, Doshisha University, Japan
Visiting Professor, The University of Belgrade, Serbia
Honorary Professor, University College London (UCL), United Kingdom
Member, Expert Network, World Economic Forum
Become an IAFOR Member
IAFOR provides an enriching personal and professional environment for academics and scholars of all ages and backgrounds to exchange and contribute to interdisciplinary and intercultural dialogue that informs and is informed by their own cultural and disciplinary background and experiences. We are able to do this thanks to our extraordinary network of individuals and institutions around the world who support our work and help shape our events globally. We particularly emphasise the nurturing and support for emerging academics from an array of different backgrounds, and aim to provide opportunities for them to seek advice, support and guidance, as well as offering mid-career and more established academics opportunities to forge working relationships beyond their traditional disciplinary ambitions.
In our current world where division and strife are often reinforced and played out in national and local contexts, and political posturing frequently seeks to ostracise and demonise, IAFOR is committed to working across cultural and national borders, and to work to bring people together through dialogue. We believe that mature human interaction and academic and cultural exchange are essential to offering positive versions of the future, where cooperation happens between individuals and institutions who share a commitment to listen, to reach out and bridge divides, and to contribute to good global citizenship, and to making the world a better place.
By becoming a member of IAFOR, you will become part of an extraordinary network and a stakeholder in shaping the IAFOR mission and facilitating international exchange, encouraging intercultural awareness, and promoting interdisciplinary discussion in the hope and expectation of generating and sharing new knowledge. Join us now in this growing global organisation, and help make a difference today.
To learn more about IAFOR membership, please visit:
iafor.org/membership
Key Sta tis tics
Date of C r eati on: Decem b er 0 8 , 2 0 2 5
64% Un i v ersi ty F a cu l ty 16% Doctora l Stu den t 7% Pu b l i c Sector/Pra cti ti on er 4% Postg ra du a te Stu den t 3% Oth er 2% In dep en den t Sch ol a r 2% Pri v a te Sector
2% Postdoctora l
1 Hu ma n i ti es - Tea ch i n g a n d L ea rn i n g (31)
2 Hi g h er Edu ca ti on (25)
3 Desi g n , Imp l emen ta ti on & A ssessmen t of In n ov a ti v e Tech n ol og i es i n Edu ca ti on (19)
4 Tea ch i n g Ex p eri en ces, Peda g og y, Pra cti ce & Pra x i s (18)
5 L ea rn i n g Ex p eri en ces, Stu den t L ea rn i n g & L ea rn er Di v ersi ty (16)
3 1 2 5 1 9 1 8 1 6
Date of Cr eation: Dec em ber 08, 2025
One o f the gre ate st stre ngths o f I A FOR's inte rnatio nal co nf e re nce s is the ir inte rcultural div e rsity.
I I CE/I I CA H 2026 has attracte d 340 de le gate s f ro m 42 co untrie s
Conference Venue: Saturday, January 3 & Sunday, January 4
Hawai'i Convention Center
Address: 1801 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, Hawaii
Conference Venue: Monday, January 5 & Tuesday, January 6
Ala Moana Honolulu by Mantra
Address: 410 Atkinson Drive, Honolulu, Hawaii
Conference Venues: Saturday, January 3 to Tuesday, January 4
Around the Hawai'i Convention Center and Ala Moana Hotel
Suggested Lunch Options and Local Amenities
Please note that lunch is not provided. This map offers suggestions on where you can eat around the conference venue, as well as the locations of local amenities.
January 3 | All times are Hawaii Standard Time (UTC-10)
Saturday at a Glance
Conference Venue: Hawai'i Convention Center (3F)
12:00-13:00 Conference Check-in | Room 306
13:00-13:20 Cultural Presentation | 310 Theatre & Online
Halena Kapuni-Reynolds, National Museum of the American Indian & Hawai'i Council for the Humanities, United States
Rosie Row, Hawai'i and Pacific Island Parent Training and Information Center, United States
Mary Therese Perez Hattori, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States (Moderator)
January 3 | All times are Hawaii Standard Time (UTC-10)
Saturday at a Glance
Conference Venue: Hawai'i Convention Center (3F)
16:30-17:30 Featured Panel Presentation | 310 Theatre & Online
Education, Culture, and the Environment in an AI-Driven Era
Jun Arima, The University of Tokyo & IAFOR, Japan
Peter J Mataira, Hawai'i Pacific University, United States
LJ Rayphand, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States
Michael Menchaca, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States (Moderator)
17:30-18:30 Welcome Reception | Pa Kaloka Charlot Courtyard (3F)
This is a free event open to all registered delegates
19:30-21:30 Conference Dinner | Roy’s Waikiki
This is an optional ticketed event
January 4 | All times are Hawaii Standard Time (UTC-10)
Sunday at a Glance
Conference Venue: Hawai'i Convention Center (3F)
08:30-09:30 Conference Check-in | Room 306
08:45-09:15 IAFOR Information Session | Room 301B
This session provides an overview of what to expect at the conference, including guidance on preparing your presentation, publishing opportunities, and ways to engage with IAFOR.
Room 303A: IICE/IICAH | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis Room 303B: IICE | Education, Sustainability and Society
Room 304A: IICAH | Humanities - Teaching of Philosophy and Consciousness Room 304B: IICE | Professional Training, Development & Concerns in Education Room 305A: IICAH | Society/Gender/Family Room 305B: IICAH | Teaching and Learning the Arts
Room 304B: IICE | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Room 305A: IICAH | History/Historiography
Room 305B: IICAH | Arts Theories and Criticisms
16:30-17:30 Cultural Event | Room 301A
E Hele Mai a Hula: A Hawaiian Music and Dance Workshop
Join us in exploring Hawaiian music and dance led by renowned Hula instructor Auntie Carolee Nishi, a Living Treasure of Hawaii. This is a free event open to all registered delegates
January 5 | All times are Hawaii Standard Time (UTC-10)
Monday at a Glance
Conference Venue: Ala Moana Hotel (2F)
08:30-09:00 Check-in & Coffee | Garden Lanai Room
09:00-10:00 The Forum | Carnation Room
AI in Academia: Ethics, Challenges, and Solutions
Michael Menchaca, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States (Respondent)
Grant Black, Chuo University, Japan (Respondent)
Melina Neophytou, IAFOR, Japan (Moderator)
This is your opportunity to engage with key themes, connect with speakers and fellow members, and contribute to meaningful interdisciplinary dialogue across borders.
10:00-10:15 Break
10:15-11:55 Onsite Session 1 (Parallel Session)
Carnation Room: IICAH | Arts - Literary Arts Practices (Workshops)
This is an interactive session designed to shift from passive learning to active participation. The session provides a space for delegates to connect, collaborate, and shape ideas that drive IAFOR forward.
09:15-09:35 Opening and Groups Formation
09:35-10:05 Session 1: Group Discussion
10:05-10:25 Networking Break
10:25-10:55 Session 2: Multi-topic Group Discussion
10:55-11:25 Session 3: Regrouping and Discussion
11:25-11:40 Coffee Break
11:40-12:10 Creative Reflection & Storytelling (with optional AI support)
12:10-12:40 Group Presentations
12:40-13:00 Closing Session | Carnation Room
January 6 | All times are Hawaii Standard Time (UTC-10)
Wednesday at a Glance
Conference Venue: Online via Zoom
12:20-12:25 Message from IAFOR
12:25-13:25 The Online Forum | Live-Stream Room 1 AI in Academia: Ethics, Challenges, and Solutions Michael Menchaca, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States (Online Respondent)
Apipol Sae-Tung (Online Moderator)
13:30-15:10 Online Parallel Session 1
Live-Stream Room 1: IICAH | Teaching and Learning in the Arts and Humanities
Live-Stream Room 2: IICE | Innovative Technologies in Education
Live-Stream Room 3: IICE | Teacher Professional Development and Educational Management
Live-Stream Room 4: IICAH | Special Topics in the Arts
Live-Stream Room 5: IICAH | Gender, Sex, and Sexuality
15:10-15:20 Break
15:20-17:00 Online Parallel Session 2
Live-Stream Room 1: IICAH | Teaching and Learning in the Arts and Humanities
Live-Stream Room 2: IICE | Digital Literacy and AI in Education
Live-Stream Room 3: IICE/IICAH | Teaching and Learning Experiences
Live-Stream Room 4: IICAH | Well-Being in the Arts and Humanities
Live-Stream Room 5: IICAH | Special Topics in the Arts and Humanities
17:00-17:10 Break
17:10-18:25 Online Parallel Session 3
Live-Stream Room 1: IICAH | Humanities and Literature
Live-Stream Room 2: IICE | International and Intercultural Education
Live-Stream Room 3: IICE | Teaching and Learning Experiences
18:25-18:30 Message from IAFOR
IAFOR’s Conference Themes for 2025-2029
IAFOR’s conference programme provides an essential comparative and contrastive space for people to engage in multidisciplinary research across borders of nation, culture, discipline, and professions. We encourage mixed approaches and methodologies, combining theory and practice between and across the disciplines, and we look to harness the collective intelligence of our International Academic Forum in addressing some of the most pressing issues of our time. Through the implementation of new formats in our conference programme over the last year, including Intelligence Briefings, Keynote Interviews, and The Forum, we gathered insights into what has been discussed at the theoretical and policy levels, identify the challenges, and the outlook for best practices in tackling global contemporary issues, which we have identified as the themes for 2025-2029. Our four themes can be seen as standalone themes, but they are also very much in conversation with each other. Themes may be seen as corollaries, complementary, or in opposition/juxtaposition with each other. The themes can be considered as widely as possible and are designed, in keeping with our mission, to encourage ideas across the disciplines.
1. Technology and Artificial Intelligence
Our first theme examines the rapid pace of technological advancements, aided most particularly by those driven by artificial intelligence and its enormous and growing impact in all fields.
2. Humanity and Human Intelligence
Our second theme asks us which principles, values, and attributes we wish to encourage, protect, and nurture and how we accomplish this. Technological advancements constantly ask us to reconsider and reimagine what it means to be human, including questions regarding communication, creativity, inclusivity, ethics, and care.
3. Global Citizenship and Education for Peace
This theme prompts us to consider our existence and coexistence with each other, within our communities and places of belonging, and with peoples of different countries, cultures, and backgrounds, as well as with our environment and our planet. It includes engagement with enormous issues facing us beyond borders, such as peace and human security, climate change, etc.
4. Leadership
The final theme recognises the continuing importance of leadership as a skill, particularly in light of difficult times, where recognising and encouraging best practices in leadership at all levels of society is critical. Encouraging leadership at the government level, in businesses, and within institutions of all sizes represents the engine of change.
Conference Themes in Theory, Policy, and Practice
Many theories are born and initially tested in the academy, informing discussions in the public sphere that influence policy. IAFOR represents a unique combination of engagement emerging from the collaborative efforts of senior policymakers, administrators, and individuals working on the ground or in the field. IAFOR has made this rare combination of equitable theoretical and practical exchanges the standard for our organisation and represents a valuable model for how science should be done.
We will develop conference and institutional programmes and publications around these themes as well as capacity building sessions for our conference programme over the next five years. It is our aim with the implementation of these themes, alongside the implementation and continuing refinement of new formats, to best harness the unique arena IAFOR and its network have built in regards to pressing issues of today and the future.
General Information
This QR code, also located shown on the back of your name badge, contains the information you need to attend the conference, including:
- Full Conference Schedule
- The ‘Find a Presentation’ Feature
- Conference Survey
- Suggested Lunch Options
- Online and Virtual Presentations
- Presentation and Session Chair Guidelines, and more.
Check-in & Information Desk
You will be able to pick up your name badge at the Conference Check-in & Information Desk at the times listed below. If you have any questions or concerns, IAFOR staff and volunteers will happily assist you in any way they can.
Saturday, January 3 | 12:00-17:00 – Hawai'i Convention Center, Room 306 (3F)
Sunday, January 4 | 08:30-15:30 – Hawai'i Convention Center, Room 306 (3F)
Monday, January 5 | 09:00-16:00 – Ala Moana Hotel, Garden Lanai Room (2F)
Tuesday, January 6 | 09:30-11:00 – Ala Moana Hotel, Garden Lanai Room (2F)
Wednesday, January 7 | No in-person check-in
Name Badges
Wearing your badge is required for entrance to the sessions. You must wear your badge at all times.
Refreshment Breaks
Complimentary coffee, tea, water, and light snacks will be available during the scheduled coffee breaks. Please note that lunch is not provided.
Connecting to WiFi
At the Hawai'i Convention Center
Free Wi-Fi for light use like reading emails and web browsing is available in most public spaces in the Hawai'i Convention Center. This can be accessed by creating a login on the Smart City splash page. If you want to stay connected in all common areas and lobbies, you can purchase Instant internet from your device. Even with the purchased instant internet, streaming video will not be possible. If your presentation includes video, please bring it on a file that can be played without an internet connection. It is recommended to bring your presentation on a USB flash drive rather than relying on the internet to transfer or email. Additional Internet access can be purchased through the Smart City splash page when you open your browser or by selecting the network name, ‘Instant Internet’, and following the on-screen instructions.
At the Ala Moana Hotel
Network Name: TGTC-WiFi
Password: kioic-070
General Information
Conference Schedule
The full conference schedule (including abstracts) and conference programme are available on the conference website, accessible through the QR code located on the previous page as well as the back of your nametag.
A full list of pre-recorded virtual video presentations and virtual poster presentations will be on the conference website during and after the conference. We encourage you to scan the QR code to watch these presentations and provide feedback through the video comments.
Conference Catch-up
All Keynote Presentations and live-streamed sessions will be recorded and uploaded to the Conference Catch-up page (video-on-demand) via Vimeo. The catch-up page will be publicly available after the conference until Saturday, February 7, 2026.
Certification
Corresponding authors will be able to download Certificates of Presentation for all presenters by logging in to the submission page. Certificates of Presentation will be available from Friday, January 16, 2026.
Session Chair certification, Certificates of Participation for non-presenters, as well as reviewer certification for Review Committee members and Senior Reviewers, will be sent out by email in a PDF format within two weeks of the Conference's conclusion.
Photo/Recording Waiver
Human interaction through networking, and dissemination of this knowledge, is at the core of what IAFOR does as an academic research organisation, conference organiser and publisher. As part of the archiving of the conference event, IAFOR takes photos in and around the conference venue, and uses the photos to document the event. This also includes the filming of certain sessions. We consider this documentation important and it provides evidence of our activities to members, partners and stakeholders all over the world, as well as to current and potential attendees like you. Some of these photos will therefore appear online and in print, including on social media. The above are the legitimate interests of the organisation that we assert under the European Union law on General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Under this legislation, you have an absolute right to opt out of any photo. We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. Read our full privacy policy – iafor.org/about/privacy-policy
Networking: Connecting with Other Delegates
IAFOR conferences are designed to offer countless networking opportunities to make and consolidate personal and professional connections, reconnect with colleagues, and meet new friends in a spirit of convivial collegiality. Whether in the plenaries, parallel sessions, workshops, information sessions, or cultural events, we encourage your active and open participation throughout the conference, remembering the importance of the spaces in-between; over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, or the continuation of conversations and relationships outside the conference. We encourage you to network at the conference over the Networking Events, the Networking Coffee Breaks, Knowledge Exchange Hubs, and the Extended Breaks.
In addition, you are invited to join the Online Presentation Sessions and the Online Forum discussion to explore even more presentations and opportunities to make connections for future collaborations. While conferences serve as a platform to present your work and make connections, please be mindful of the other delegates’ privacy and their consent to provide personal information.
Networking Spaces
The conference venues feature several comfortable spaces which serve as perfect locations for networking during the conference. These spaces provide an excellent opportunity to meet new people, connect with familiar faces, exchange ideas, and explore possible collaborations. We encourage you to make use of these spaces to connect with fellow attendees for a quick coffee or a longer chat to broaden your network and enhance your conference experience.
Missed the opportunity to make connections?
You can connect with other delegates by using our ‘Find a Presentation’ feature. This feature can be accessed by scanning the QR code provided on the back of your name badge, and is also available on the conference website. You can search by presentation title, submission number, the presenter’s name, or the name of their affiliation. From there, you can look up the presenter’s bio and connect with them through their preferred contact channel.
In addition to the ‘Find a Presentation’ online feature, presentation schedules are also displayed in front of presentation rooms. Use the notes pages to write down the presentations that you plan to attend or any information you may need for the conference.
Networking Events
Welcome Reception | Pa Kaloka Charlot Courtyard
Join fellow delegates for a drink or two at the conference Welcome Reception. This event provides a great opportunity for delegates to network and get to know each other.
Time & Date: Saturday, January 3, 2026 | 17:30-18:30
Location: Hawai'i Convention Center 3F, Pa Kaloka Charlot Courtyard
Ticket Price: Free to attend
Admission is included in the conference registration fee and is only open to registered conference delegates and audience members
Conference Dinner | Roy's Waikiki
Founded by the legendary chef Roy Yamaguchi, Roy's Waikiki is world-renowned for its innovative fusion cuisine, melding fresh local ingredients with Asian influences, capturing the essence of Hawaii’s ‘culinary renaissance’. The beachfront restaurant sits across Waikiki Beach, allowing delegates to continue conversations from the plenaries over a course meal with a view.
Time & Date: Saturday, January 3, 2026 | 19:30-21:30
Location: 226 Lewers Street, Honolulu
Ticket Price: 170 USD
This is an optional ticketed event. Only onsite conference delegates with pre-purchased tickets are able to attend the Conference Dinner.
Cultural Event | E Hele Mai a Hula: A Hawaiian Music and Dance Workshop
Explore Hawaiian music and dance in this immersive workshop, led by renowned Hula instructor Auntie Carolee Nishi, a Living Treasure of Hawaii. The cultural event is a chance for delegates to network, unwind, and experience this vibrant Hawaiian tradition together. Learn the rhythms of Hula and the melodies of Ukulele and enrich your understanding of Hawaiian arts and culture with us.
Time & Date: Sunday, January 4, 2026 | 16:15-17:15
Location: Hawai'i Convention Center 3F, Room 306
Ticket Price: Free to attend
Admission is included in the conference registration fee and is only open to registered onsite conference delegates.
Academic Grant & Scholarship Recipients
IAFOR's grants and scholarships programme provides financial support to PhD students and early career academics, with the aim of helping them pursue research excellence and achieve their academic goals through interdisciplinary study and interaction. Our warmest congratulations go to the following scholarship recipients who have been selected to receive grants and scholarships to present their research at the conference.
IICE2026 Scholarship Recipients
Gabrielle Heard (Workshop Presentation)
100731 | Beyond the Screen: Interactive Strategies for Bias Awareness in Teacher Education
Ms Gabrielle Heard is an EdD student at the University of Calgary, Canada, studying how e-learning can reduce educational shame. She is an Instructional Designer and founder of Plain Language Education, creating innovative digital learning experiences.
Vaisesika Navarro (Virtual Presentation)
100917 | Adapting Differentiated Instruction Strategies for Infants and Toddlers: A Framework for Inclusive Early Learning
Ms Vaisesika Navarro is an Early Childhood Education Specialist based in Florida, United States, focusing on inclusive teaching, learner diversity, professional development, and innovative strategies for equitable early learning.
IICAH2026 Scholarship Recipients
Mustapha Abdurrahman (Virtual Presentation)
98441 | Harnessing Indigenous Arts and Youth Engagement for Peacebuilding in Northern Nigeria
Mr Mustapha Abdurrahman is Projects Coordinator at Building Blocks For Peace Foundation and a Katsina State Representative for the Commonwealth Society Of Nigeria. His interests include education, peacebuilding, youth empowerment, and climate action.
Tzu-Ting Huang (Live-Stream Presentation)
94900 | Tokusuke Utsugi’s Form-of-Life in Junichirō Tanizaki’s Diary of a Mad Old Man
Ms Tzu-Ting Huang is a PhD student within the Department of English at National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan. Her research interests include nineteenth-century British literature, modern Japanese literature, and medical literature.
Julia Mielczarek (Oral Presentation)
100802 | Art as Emblem and Message: Polish Modernism – the Aesthetic Soft Power of Cultural Memory and Diplomacy
Ms Julia Mielczarek is a masters student within the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at The University of Warsaw, Poland. She is majoring in Cultural Policy, Management in Culture.
IAFOR Publications
Conference Proceedings
IAFOR Conference Proceedings are Open Access research repositories that act as permanent records of the research generated by IAFOR conferences. The Conference Proceedings are published online in the IAFOR Research Archive (papers.iafor.org). All accepted authors who present at the conference may have their full paper published in the online Conference Proceedings. For further details of how to submit your paper, please visit the Conference website.
Please note that:
1) Papers published in the Conference Proceedings cannot be considered for publication in IAFOR journals.
2) IAFOR's Conference Proceedings are not peer-reviewed and are not "Scopus-indexed".
Full text submission is due by Friday, February 6, 2026, through the online system. The proceedings will be published on Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Conference Reports and Intelligence Briefings (ISSN: 2759-4939)
IAFOR produces conference reports that provide concise and coherent overviews of the ideas, conversations, and areas of research presented at our conferences. These include key themes and takeaways, referencing programme(s), speakers and attendees, which are curated and archived for both those who attended the event, as well as those who did not. Readers can stay abreast of many of the developments and insights provided by the conference, and the collective intelligence of its participants. Links to video recordings of the presentations and interviews references are included where possible, encouraging readers to engage further with the conference material and presentations. Each report contains photos of the event, as well as key statistics pertaining to general attendance and demographics.
Read and download the Conference Reports and Intelligence Briefings, and access Conference Photo Galleries from the past conferences from the QR code on the back of your name badge. You will receive a notification email when the Conference Photos and the Conference Report and Intelligence Briefing of this conference are available.
THINK Magazine: The Academic Platform
THINK is an online magazine presenting the latest in interdisciplinary research and ideas from some of the world’s foremost academics and thought leaders. As a publishing platform, THINK makes selected research presented at IAFOR’s international, intercultural, interdisciplinary conferences freely available to a global academic audience. Content on THINK spans everything from the arts to psychology, politics to film, law to education and history to technology, presenting research, ideas and perspectives from every corner of the globe. The format is varied, encompassing full research papers, long-form journalism, opinion pieces, creative writing, interviews, podcasts, video, photography and more. To learn more about THINK, please visit think.iafor.org or access the webpage from the QR code on the back of your name badge.
IAFOR Journals
IAFOR's Open Access Journals
IAFOR publishes several editorially independent, Open Access journals across a variety of disciplines. They conform to the highest academic standards of international peer review, and are published in accordance with IAFOR’s commitment to make all of our published materials available online.
How are papers submitted?
Submissions should be original, previously unpublished papers which are not under consideration for publication in any other journal. All articles are submitted through the submission portal on the journal website and must conform to the journal submission guidelines.
How does IAFOR ensure academic integrity?
Once appointed by IAFOR’s Publications Committee, the Journal Editor is free to appoint his or her own editorial team and advisory members, who help to rework and revise papers as appropriate, according to internationally accepted standards. All papers published in the journal have been subjected to the rigorous and accepted processes of academic peer review. Neither editors nor members of the editorial team are remunerated for their work.
Where are the journals indexed?
IAFOR Journals are indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, DOAJ, ERIC, MIAR, TROVE, CiteFactor and EBSCO, SHERPA/ROMEO and Google Scholar. DOIs are assigned to each published issue and article via Crossref. Please note that indexing varies from journal to journal.
What’s the reach?
Each of our journal issues is viewed thousands of times a month and the articles are frequently cited by researchers worldwide, largely due to our dedicated marketing efforts. Each issue is promoted across our social media platforms and to our tailored email marketing lists. On average, each journal publishes biannually.
What’s the cost?
IAFOR Journals are Open Access publications, available online completely free of charge and without delay or embargo. Authors are not required to pay charges of any sort towards the publication of IAFOR Journals and neither editors nor members of the editorial boards are remunerated for their work.
How are IAFOR Journals related to IAFOR Conferences and Conference Proceedings?
IAFOR Journals reflect the interdisciplinary and international nature of our conferences and are organised thematically. A presenter can choose to publish either in Conference Proceedings or submit their manuscript to the corresponding IAFOR Journal for review.
Current IAFOR Journal titles include
IAFOR Journal of Cultural Studies (Scopus Indexed)
IAFOR Journal of Education (Scopus & Web of Science Indexed)
IAFOR Journal of Literature & Librarianship (Scopus Indexed)
If you would like more information about any of IAFOR’s publications, please visit iafor.org/publications
IAFOR events are among the most d iverse on Earth
Bridging divides of nation, culture, and discipline; informing and shaping ideas, research, practice, and policy in a comparative and contrastive space, IAFOR encourages the sharing and nurturing of diverse ideas.
Over the past year, more than 5,000 delegates from more than 120 countries have participated in an IAFOR event.
Inspiring global collaborations, this diversity of peoples, nations, voices, cultures, and ideas is at the heart of what we do.
It is our greatest strength. Join us.
Speakers, Keynote & Featured Presentations
All times are Hawaii Standard Time (UTC-10) Abstracts appear as originally submitted by the author. Any spelling, grammatical, or typographical errors are those of the author.
Plenary Speaker: Joseph Haldane
Welcome Address & Recognition of IAFOR Scholarship Winners
Saturday, January 3, 2026 | 13:25-14:00 | Hawai'i Convention Center, 310 Theatre & Online
Joseph Haldane
Joseph Haldane is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of IAFOR. He is responsible for devising strategy, setting policies, forging institutional partnerships, implementing projects, and overseeing the organisation’s global business and academic operations.
Dr Haldane has a PhD from the University of London in 19th century French Studies (ULIP/RHUL), and has research interests in world history, politics, and education, as well as governance and decision-making.
In 2022, Dr Haldane was named Professor in the United Nations Peace University's European Center for Peace and Development (ECPD). From 2019 he has been also a Visiting Professor at Doshisha University, where he teaches Ethics and Governance in the Global MBA, and a Member of the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network for Global Governance since 2017.
Since 2015, he has been a Guest Professor at The Osaka School of International Public Policy (OSIPP) at The University of Osaka, having taught on the postgraduate Global Governance Course, and has been Co-Director of the OSIPP-IAFOR Research Centre, an interdisciplinary research centre situated within the university, since 2017. He is also a Member of the International Advisory Council of the Department of Educational Foundations at the University of Hawai'i Mānoa, United States.
From 2020 to 2025, Dr Haldane was an Honorary Professor of University College London (UCL), through the Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction. Earlier in his career, he held full-time faculty positions at the Université Paris-Est Créteil, Sciences Po Paris, and Nagoya University of Commerce and Business, as well as visiting positions at the French Press Institute in the Université ParisPanthéon-Assas and the Schools of Journalism of Sciences Po Paris and Moscow State University.
Professor Haldane has given invited lectures and presentations at universities and conferences globally, including at the United Nations headquarters in New York, and advised universities, NGOs, and governments on issues relating to international education policy, public-private partnerships, and multi-stakeholder forums. He was the project lead on the 2019 Kansai Resilience Forum, held by the Japanese Government through the Prime Minister’s Office, and oversaw the 2021 Ministry of Foreign Affairs commissioned study on Infectious Diseases on Cruise Ships.
From 2012 to 2014, Dr Haldane was Treasurer of the Chubu chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce Japan, and since 2015 has been a Trustee of HOPE International Development Agency Japan. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society in 2012 and the Royal Society of Arts in 2015. He lives in Japan and holds a black belt in Judo.
Presentation: Unaisi Nabobo-Baba
Saturday, January 3, 2026 | 14:05-14:30 | Hawai'i Convention Center, 310 Theatre & Online
Unaisi Nabobo-Baba
Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba is the first Indigenous Fijian woman to be appointed a professor at a university. She is married to Fijian politician Dr Tupeni Baba and is currently the Acting Dean of College of Humanities and Education at Fiji National University. Growing up in Vugalei, Fiji and witnessing traditional ways of lifestyle gave her a quiet understanding of things at home. She attended Ballantine memorial secondary school in Suva, in a time where Pacific education was being questioned, and many Pacific island nations were trying to exert their independence.
She has taught at secondary schools, universities, lived through the Fiji coup of 2000, and has undergone many other life-shaping experiences. The contributions she has made to the Pacific are largely focused around education and Fijian-based methodologies. Professor Nabobo-Baba’s work as a Pacific researcher reflects her stories as a woman of colour, of the third world, of post-colonial Fiji, and the daughter of two Fijian tribes. Her life is evidence of how experience influences a person’s understanding, way of life, and how Indigenous knowledge morphs into a hybrid understanding, bridging traditional and non-traditional ways of knowing.
Panel Presentation: Halena Kapuni-Reynolds, Rosie Row, Mary Hattori (Moderator)
Defunding Education: Challenges and Implications
Saturday, January 3, 2026 | 15:25-16:25 | Hawai'i Convention Center, 310 Theatre & Online
Since January 2025, the Trump administration has enacted a sweeping range of policy shifts through anti-DEI executive orders and the termination of existing funding commitments in many areas, including education, the arts, and the humanities. These federal-level actions are especially detrimental for Indigenous community-centred organisations operating on the ground. With these changes comes challenges, innovations, and worry for the future, for the community resources at risk and beyond.
Members of this panel will share how their individual organisations, in which each serve the Indigenous populations of Hawaii, have been negatively impacted by these recent policies. The panel will also discuss the specific challenges they have faced in these policies’ wake, and their implications for academia at large.
Halena Kapuni-Reynolds
Dr Halena Kapuni-Reynolds was born on the island of Hawai'i and raised in the Hawaiian Home Lands community of Keaukaha and the rainforest of ʻŌlaʻa. As the Associate Curator of Native Hawaiian History and Culture at the National Museum of the American Indian, a unit of the Smithsonian Institution, he works on an array of projects centered around exhibitions, public programs, and public service. Dr Kapuni-Reynolds also serves as the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Hawai'i Council for the Humanities, where he has contributed to the establishment of the Pacific Islands Humanities Network (PIHN) and provided leadership for the organization during a time of crisis and change. In addition to these roles, Dr Kapuni-Reynolds has served as a board member for the International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management, the Hawai'i Museums Association, the Council for Museum Anthropology, and the Pi'ilani Hawaiian Civic Club of Colorado.
Rosie Row
Rosie Rowe is the Executive Director of Leadership in Disabilities & Achievement of Hawai`i (LDAH), a 501(c)3 organisation improving the lives of parents and their children with, or at risk of disabilities to receive an equitable education in the public-school system. Before this role, Ms Rowe served as the Education & Training Coordinator, where she managed the organisation’s two major programs, wrote, and designed training curriculum for parents and professionals and managed ten programme staff. She holds a master’s degree in business administration/ministry leadership and a certificate in developmental disabilities. As a sibling of a brother with down syndrome and a mom to three adult daughters, Ms Rowe has over 30 years of expertise in special education as a former Educational Assistant, Teacher, and Administrator of a private non-profit centre for children and adults with developmental disabilities. In her role as administrator, she assisted with the closure of Hawai’i’s State Institution for the Mentally Retarded within Waimano Training School and Hospital in 1999. Today, she manages three federal grants, four local government contracts, and one private grant under LDAH. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, walking, and staying active.
Mary Hattori (Moderator)
Dr Mary Therese Perez Hattori is a daughter of Guåhan (Guam), of the clan Familian Titang, born to Paul Mitsuo Hattori† of Kalihi, O’ahu, Hawaii and Fermina Leon Guerrero Perez† of the village of Chalan Pago, Guam. She currently serves as Director of the Pacific Islands Development Program (PIDP) with the East-West Center and previously enjoyed a long career in various technology and education-related positions. PIDP is a regional organisation, a founding member of the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific and secretariat of the Pacific Islands Council of Leaders.
Dr Hattori is also affiliate graduate faculty in Pacific Studies, Learning Design and Technology, and several Educational Doctorate programs, a community organiser, advocate for Pacific Islanders in the United States, public speaker, author, and poet. She is co-founder and co-organizer of cultural events such as the Cultural Animation Film Festival and the Celebrate Micronesia Festival, both held annually in Honolulu. She serves the state of Hawaii as a member of the Board of Education and Associate Member of the Consular Corps of Honolulu.
Featured Panel Presentation: Jun Arima, Peter J Mataira, LJ
Rayphand, Michael Menchaca (Moderator)
Saturday, January 3, 2026 | 16:30-17:30 | Hawai'i Convention Center, 310 Theatre & Online
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been presented to us as a technological tool that helps advance knowledge, delivering innovations and solutions to our many challenges in a much more productive and efficient way than ever before. While AI continues to evolve rapidly and open new doors, this progress also comes with a price. AI helps analyse complex data, yet has immense environmental impacts. It can empower learners, yet it can be culturally biased. AI has already significantly changed how students engage in research, yet what they gather comes from models indexed mostly from specific cultural sources of knowledge rather than a diverse range.
This panel will look at the promise of AI and the pitfalls we should be aware of in areas such as education, culture, and the environment. Panellists will discuss what our growing daily reliance on AI means for the future and how we might harness its benefits while minimising costs and risks to society.
Jun Arima
Professor Jun Arima is the President of IAFOR, and the senior academic officer of the organisation. In this role, Professor Arima is the Honorary Chair of the International Academic Advisory Board, as well as both the Academic Governing Board and its Executive Committee. He also sits on the IAFOR Board of Directors.
Jun Arima was formerly Director General of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), UK from 2011 to 2015 and Special Advisor on Global Environmental Affairs for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan, from 2011 to 2015. He has previously held various international energy/environment-related positions, including: Head of Division, Country Studies, International Energy Agency (IEA); Director, International Affairs Division, Agency of Natural Resources and Energy, METI; and Deputy Director General for Environmental Affairs at METI’s Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau. In the COP (UN Convention on Climate Change) 14, 15 and 16, he was Japanese Chief Negotiator for AWG-KP.
Since 2015 Jun Arima has been a Professor at the University of Tokyo, Japan, where he teaches Energy Security, International Energy Governance, and Environmental Policies in the Graduate School of Public Policy. (GraSPP). He is also currently a Consulting Fellow at the Japanese Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI). He is also Executive Senior Fellow at the 21st Century Public Policy Institute, Principal Researcher at the International Environmental and Economic Institute (IEEI), Distinguished Senior Policy Fellow, at the Asia Pacific Institute of Research (APIR), Senior Policy Fellow on Energy and Environment, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and was the Lead Author, the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC).
Peter J Mataira
Dr Peter J Mataira is a Professor of Social Work at Hawaii Pacific University College of Liberal Arts. Dr Mataira earned his doctoral degree in social policy and social work from Massey University, Albany campus in Auckland, New Zealand. He has published widely in areas of indigenous health, well-being and economic justice with particular emphasis cultural research methodologies and social innovation and entrepreneurship. His clinical and community practice background is in mental and behavioral health, economic sustainability and working with marginalized indigenous people. He enjoys running, reading, music, playing tennis, rugby, travel, and spending time with his family.
LJ Rayphand
LJ Rayphand is an educational leader and researcher from Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia. He earned a PhD from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States, and has significantly contributed to education by preserving and promoting Chuukese culture through storytelling and technology.
Dr Rayphand is currently the Dean of Outreach Education at Caroline College and Pastoral Institute (CCPI) in Chuuk, an official partner of Chaminade University of Honolulu. Dr Rayphand also teaches at the Chaminade University of Honolulu, the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, and the College of Micronesia-FSM, Chuuk Campus. His work focuses on integrating indigenous knowledge with modern educational practices to enhance learning outcomes for Pacific Islander students.
Dr Rayphand also serves in various capacities in Micronesia and Hawaii. He is currently a Professor in Residence with Chaminade University of Honolulu and a Faculty in Residence with the NSF INCLUDES Alliance. He is also a member of the REL Pacific Governing Board, Chuuk State Board of Education, Chuuk Vicariate Parish Council, and the Diocese of the Caroline Islands Board of Catholic Education.
Michael Menchaca (Moderator)
Michael Menchaca is a Professor in the Department of Learning Design and Technology at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States. He specialises in distance education, and has designed, implemented, and coordinated online and hybrid programs for over 20 years. He serves as editor for the IAFOR Journal of Education: Technology in Education Edition. He was an IT specialist for many years in the public and private sector. As an educator, he teaches and conducts research in the areas of online learning, technology integration, and social justice with technology.
The Forum: AI in Academia: Ethics, Challenges, and Solutions
Michael Menchaca, Grant Black (Respondents), Melina Neophytou (Moderator)
Monday, January 5, 2026 | 09:00-10:00 | Ala Moana Hotel (2F), Carnation Room
Grant Black (Online Respondent), Apipol Sae-Tung (Online Moderator)
Wednesday, January 7, 2026 | 12:25-13:25 | Online via Zoom
With regards to Academic Research, AI provides promise while simultaneously causing concern. AI might be used in research to assist with the writing process, organise literature searches, analyse data, generate graphs and figures, and even consider solutions. Overall, AI’s potential for strengthening research and dissemination is great. However, stories of plagiarism, a lack of critical thinking, and intellectual dishonesty also highlight significant pitfalls in its use in academia. Discussions surrounding ethics and how they might guide AI usage would prove useful in identifying potential solutions.
This forum session will focus on introducing ethics currently identified in specific cases and highlighting select AI usages for academic research. Participants are invited to share their insights on AI ethics, uses, challenges, and solutions. If AI use in academic research is here to stay, how can we positively approach its inevitable integration? What do we value most? How do we promote the ethics we identify in this session? How do we model use at all levels of academic research? In short, how can we begin to control the AI narrative?
Grant Black (Onsite & Online Respondent)
Professor Grant Black is a Professor in the Faculty of Commerce at Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan, where he has taught Global Skills and Global Issues since 2013. He is engaged in diverse roles as a global manager, systems builder, executive leader, and university professor. His research and teaching areas include global management skills, intercultural intelligence (CQ), and organisational management. He also has taught Japanese Management Theory at J. F. Oberlin University, Japan, and a continuing education course in the Foundations of Japanese Zen Buddhism at Temple University Japan. Previously, he was Chair of the English Section at the Center for Education of Global Communication at the University of Tsukuba, where he served in a six-year post in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. He holds a BA Highest Honors in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara; an MA in Japanese Buddhist Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles; and a Doctor of Social Science (DSocSci) from the Department of Management in the School of Business at the University of Leicester.
Professor Black is a Chartered Manager (CMgr), the highest status that can be achieved in the management profession in the United Kingdom. In 2018, he was elected a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI) and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). Professor Black is President of Black Inc. Consulting (Japan), a Tokyo-based firm specialising in international and intercultural project management, communication projects, and executive leadership and training. He is the director of the Nippon Academic Management Institute (NAMI) and the author of Education Reform Policy at a Japanese Super Global University: Policy Translation, Migration and Mutation (Routledge, 2022). Professor Black serves as a Vice-President for the International Academic Forum (IAFOR).
Michael Menchaca (Onsite Respondent)
See page 41 for full biography
Melina Neophytou (Onsite Moderator)
Dr Melina Neophytou is the Academic Operations Manager at IAFOR, where she works closely with academics, keynote speakers, and IAFOR partners to shape academic discussions within The Forum, bring conference programmes together, refine scholarship programmes, and build an interdisciplinary and international community. She is leading various projects within IAFOR, notably The Forum discussions and the authoring of Conference Reports and Intelligence Briefings, and she oversees the Global Fellows Programme.
Born in Germany and raised in Cyprus, Dr Neophytou received her PhD in International Development from Nagoya University, Japan, in 2023, specialising in political sociology, the welfare state, and contentious politics. She received an MA in International Development from Nagoya University, with a focus on Governance & Law, and a BA in European Studies from the University of Cyprus, Cyprus.
Dr Neophytou’s research interests currently focus on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the relationship between state and society. Her current work examines technologies such as facial recognition (FRT) and biometric surveillance, and how these tools impact freedom of expression, protest, and social policy.
Apipol Sae-Tung (Online Moderator)
Apipol Sae-Tung is an Academic Coordinator at IAFOR, where he contributes to the development and execution of academicrelated content and activities. He works closely with the Forum’s partner institutions and coordinates IAFOR’s Global Fellowship Programme. His recent activities include mediating conference reports for the Forum’s international conference programme and facilitating the IAFOR Undergraduate Research Symposium (IURS).
Mr Sae-Tung began his career as a Program Coordinator for the Faculty of Political Science at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. He was awarded the Japanese Government’s MEXT Research Scholarship and is currently pursuing a PhD at the Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University, Japan. His research focuses on government and policy analysis, particularly on authoritarian regimes. Mr Sae-Tung holds an MA in International Relations and Diplomacy from Thammasat University, Thailand, where he studied foreign policy analysis and Thailand-China relations. He also holds a BA in History from the same institution.
Knowledge Exchange Hubs
Michael Menchaca, Melina Neophytou (Moderators)
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 | 09:15-12:40 | Ala Moana Hotel (2F), Carnation Room
This is an interactive session designed to shift from passive learning to active participation. The session provides a space for delegates to connect, collaborate, and shape ideas that drive IAFOR forward, with the potential for interdisciplinary research partnerships and publication in IAFOR’s THINK Magazine.
We invite you to share with your peers and with IAFOR:
• What is truly happening in today’s classrooms, workplaces, and research environments?
• Which challenges remain unaddressed, whether experienced by educators, students, or professionals?
• What conversations need to happen more often, and how do they align with (or diverge from) the themes of this conference?
Participants at this conference are invited to submit their desired topics for discussion throughout the conference via an open poll and/or upvote discussion ideas that resonate the most with them. The most popular ideas will be selected on the final day for discussion. During the session, participants will engage in rotating group discussions, allowing ideas to evolve organically, effectively forming the base for networking and interdisciplinary research collaborations.
Participants can turn their group conversations into contributions easily with a creative reflection output in the format of their choice using NotebookLM or other AI tools. These tools may be used to turn ideas into a story, so that they can be presented to their peers. Exceptional reflective storytelling emerging from these discussions may be selected for publication in THINK Magazine.
This is more than just a networking session. It is an invitation to contribute to and co-create academic discussions, and a space where your voice matters and where your ideas can influence ongoing conversations within IAFOR and beyond.
Sunday, January 4
Parallel Sessions
All times are Hawaii Standard Time (UTC-10)
Abstracts appear as originally submitted by the author. Any spelling, grammatical, or typographical errors are those of the author.
102047 | Utilization of Conflict Resolution Strategies in Higher Education
Christine Kiracofe (Rienstra-Kiracofe), Purdue University, United States
Mediation and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) have long been used for conflict resolution in legal settings. Conflict resolution strategies are designed to provide a dispute resolution process that avoids costly litigation. While litigation is far less common in higher education than the corporate world, mediation and alternative dispute resolution strategies can play a valuable role in mediating faculty, staff, and/or student conflict. This presentation will discuss the application of conflict resolution strategies to higher education. Attendees will be provided with an introduction to basic principles of mediation and ADR, including strategies to come to “win-win” outcomes. Participants will learn tools that can be used to discover the differences between student/faculty/staff’s stated positions or demands and their true wants/needs. For example, a faculty member’s grievance about unequal office space is often not actually about the need for additional space. Instead, it is likely a desire for professional acknowledgement and respect that could be accommodated even if additional space is not available. The presentation will discuss practical ways that higher education administrators such as department heads, deans, etc. can utilize conflict resolution strategies in the workplace to improve morale, working conditions, and efficiency for faculty, staff and students alike.
10:20-11:10
100301 | A Shared Vision of MTSS
Julie Schmal, The University of Texas at Austin, United States
This interactive workshop will guide participants through strategies for developing and communicating a shared vision for a MultiTiered System of Supports (MTSS). Using a mix of reflection, discussion, and planning tools, participants will dig into how to move from individual ideas to collective action -- so that all students, especially those with diverse learning needs, are supported in a strong, inclusive system. The session connects directly to the conference themes. We will explore Leadership by looking at how to manage complex change and bring people together around a common purpose. We will focus on Humanity and Human Intelligence through authentic dialogue --acknowledging the perceptions, values, and lived experiences that families, educators, and communities bring to the table. The work of building shared vision is inherently collaborative and hopeful, aligning with the theme of Global Citizenship and Education for Peace. While this session is not tech-heavy, we’ll also consider how Technology and AI can play a role in communicating with stakeholders and using data to drive improvement. Whether you are just getting started with MTSS or looking to strengthen buy-in and implementation, this session will offer practical tools and space for meaningful conversation.
09:30-11:10
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 1
IICE2026 | Higher Education
Session Chair: Jered Borup
09:30-09:55
101854 | Evaluating Artificial Intelligence Large Language Models in Intermediate Accounting Yunita Anwar, Shenandoah University, United States
Martin Mulyadi, Shenandoah University, United States
This research examines the performance of different artificial intelligence large language models (AI LLMs) on an Intermediate Accounting quiz focused on perpetual inventory, net method discounts, and FOB shipping terms. The goal is to evaluate each model’s accuracy, speed, and self-reported confidence. We used an experimental approach in which 15 different AI LLM versions were presented with the identical multi-step scenario. A panel of accounting faculty validated the correct journal entries and scoring rubric to ensure uniformity between models. Our results showed significant diversity in correctness (from 30% to 100%) and consistently high confidence (9 or 10 on a 1-10 scale). Misapplication of FOB destination rules, failure to properly record net method discounts, and accidental use of a periodic rather than perpetual system were among the most common errors. These findings highlight the importance of appropriate control when using AI in accounting. Instructors can promote deeper conceptual mastery by creating evaluations that challenge AI-driven shortcuts, whereas practitioners can pilot-test models, use quality-control checks, and be cautious as LLMs progress.
09:55-10:20
100831 | Perception of the Metaverse in Education: An Exploratory Qualitative Study on Creative Destruction from the Perspective of Generation Z
Alexander Zureck, FOM University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Matis Kleffner, FOM University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Katerina Maria Schmitz-Jakovou, FOM University of Applied Sciences, Germany
The metaverse is increasingly being regarded as a transformative technology in the field of education, with the potential to complement or even replace traditional educational formats through immersive learning environments. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate whether and to what extent members of Generation Z perceive educational offerings in the metaverse as a form of creative destruction, in the sense of Joseph Schumpeter’s theory of innovation. To this end, problem-centered interviews were conducted with four members of Generation Z. The results show that Generation Z generally has a positive attitude toward the use of the metaverse in education and perceives it as an innovative addition. However, the perception of the metaverse as a form of creative destruction depends on factors such as technological maturity, user-friendliness, societal acceptance, and personal learning experience. The study concludes with an outlook on future research perspectives and potential implications for educational providers.
10:20-10:45
102093 | Reframing Educational Aims in the Digital Age: Anthropological and Philosophical Challenges of AI Development with Kazakhstan as a Case Study
Ainur Abdina, Astana IT University, Kazakhstan
This study investigates the imperative to reconceptualize educational objectives in light of anthropological and philosophical disruptions catalyzed by artificial intelligence (AI), utilizing Kazakhstan as a pivotal case. The accelerated adoption of AI technologies challenges foundational educational models, traditionally centered on knowledge acquisition and utilitarian skills, while underscoring a critical deficit in fostering existential competencies. Kazakhstan presents a unique context, characterized by a Soviet-era technocratic legacy and contemporary state-driven digitalization agendas, such as “Digital Kazakhstan”, which amplify these tensions. The methodology integrates a comparative-historical analysis of educational philosophy with in-depth, semi-structured interviews with leading Kazakhstani philosophers, AI ethicists, and policy architects. This mixed-methods approach triangulates theoretical frameworks from philosophical anthropology (e.g., the concept of “promethean shame”) and pragmatist pedagogy with grounded, qualitative data on local challenges and opportunities. This synthesis aims to formulate a contextually responsive educational framework that prioritizes dialogic co-creation with AI, situated ethical deliberation, and meaning curation over passive knowledge assimilation. Initial analysis suggests that a failure to pivot towards a human-centric educational paradigm may intensify socio-digital inequalities and erode autonomous cognition within Kazakhstan. The research culminates in proposing actionable strategies for embedding existential competencies - including critical agency, ethical resilience, and identity preservation - into the core of national educational policy. This contribution advances the global discourse on AI in education while providing empirically-grounded guidance for stakeholders in rapidly modernizing nations.
10:45-11:10
100883 | From Awareness to Transformation: Guiding Educator Prep Programs Through the Generative AI Era
Jered Borup, George Mason University, United States
Educator Preparation and Development Programs (EPDPs) face the dual challenge of adapting their own practices while preparing future teachers for classrooms increasingly shaped by generative AI. Frameworks are needed to guide EPDPs and researchers in these efforts. Graham et al. (2013) early research found that EPDPs sustained innovation requires strategy, structure, and support. To better apply Graham’s framework to sustained innovation related to GenAI, the current study used interviews with leaders at three EPDPs. In the revised framework, “strategy” reflects EPDPs’ vision for GenAI and policies that address ethics, equity, bias, privacy, and honesty. “Structure” involves EPDPs’ ability to provide and develop the infrastructure and governance needed to promote GenAI integration in ethical and meaningful ways to benefit all learners. “Support” includes providing professional learning that builds faculty and student skills, dispositions, and confidence in AI integration. Each of the three dimensions can be placed on one of three following Stages of Innovation. (1) Awareness/Exploration: Building understanding through learning and experimentation but no little meaningful integration. (2) Early Integration: Adopting AI to improve efficiency and incrementally enhance teaching, with emerging systematic supports. (3) Transformative Implementation and Growth: Using AI to transform teaching and learning in ways not otherwise possible, sustained by permanent committees, partnerships, and customized tools. The presented framework can guide researcher and EPDP leader efforts in understanding and developing strategy, structure, and support and progress from initial awareness to transformative practice.
96149 | User Experience in Augmented Reality with Apple Vision Pro David Wright, Missouri University of Science and Technology, United States Daniel Shank, Missouri University Of Science and Technology, United States
Apple’s Apple Vision Pro augmented/virtual reality headset was released in late 2023--promising an entirely new experience. In short, the device promised to allow users unprecedented control over virtual environments while still being able to interact with their own physical environment. One year and many updates later we sought to discover how users would react to performing common tasks with the Apple Vision Pro compared to their normal methods for doing so. We designed a user experience test that asked users to use Apple Vision Pro to watch movie clips, take and view pictures, shop for clothing, perform office tasks, build structures, and arrange furniture. Participants were screened to be sure that they had no experience with the Apple Vision Pro and to gather general information about their level of technological experience. Study participants were then asked to complete those tasks, to speak about their experiences during testing, and to answer both post-task and post-test questions. Results show that some tasks are preferred using the Apple Vision Pro, but that some users had trouble adjusting to their lack of tactile involvement. Participants also showed a mix of amazement and frustration with the technology in unexpected ways.However, the results are promising for the future of augmented reality.
10:20-10:45
102853 | Jazz Education in Contemporary Shanghai: Informal Learning and Identity Status Among Secondary Students
Yufei Liu, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
Since the early twentieth century, Shanghai has sustained a vibrant jazz ecosystem that continues to shape school music education and young people’s perceptions of musical identities. Although many papers indicate that popular music pedagogy is not encouraged in Chinese schools, a year of involvement in an international school in Shanghai revealed abundant popular music activities—especially in jazz—offered informally within the school context. This study aims to examine how integrating informal jazz learning into a formal international school context in Shanghai influences equitable access, participation, recognition, outcomes, and students’ musical identity exploration and commitment. Grounded in Erikson’s psychosocial theory and Marcia’s identity status model, this mixed-methods case study combined year-long observations of school jazz activities with semi-structured interviews with 10 participants aged 16–25 (current students and recent alumni, including school jazz band members, self-identified jazz enthusiasts, and students pursuing jazz degrees in the United States). I analyzed the roles of digital learning, peer learning, and assessment practices in facilitating or constraining engagement and identity work. Findings indicate that informal strategies broadened entry into jazz and supported musical identity exploration; however, limited assessments and uneven recognition from parents and the broader community constrained identity consolidation and access to high-status opportunities. This work addresses a research gap in secondary-school jazz education in Chinese context and has implications for the design of more equitable, identity-affirming music programs.
10:45-11:10
102991 | Retrovation in Literacy Education: Innovating from the Past to Inform the Future
Nathan Greidanus, University of Manitoba, Canada
Heather Greidanus, Pembina Trails School Division, Canada
This paper draws on the concept of retrovation— a specific form of innovation that utilizes largely forgotten past practices and products to address current problems and market opportunities—to frame a systematic review of the literacy education field. Through an analysis of shifting paradigms in literacy instruction, we trace the evolution from early phonics-based and skills-oriented models to whole-language and sociocultural approaches, and more recently toward evidence-based, scientifically supported frameworks such as the “science of reading”. Our review highlights how these paradigmatic transitions have been shaped by changing epistemologies, policy priorities, and professional identities within education. At the same time, we identify persistent resistance points that have slowed the diffusion of empirically supported best practices, including ideological divides, institutional inertia, and tensions between teacher autonomy and policy-driven reform. Importantly, we argue that recent developments in literacy research and practice illustrate a form of retrovation: a deliberate return to, and refinement of, foundational methods—such as explicit phonemic instruction and systematic decoding—that had been partially displaced by later movements. By situating these re-emergent practices within a retrovative framework, we demonstrate how literacy education can move forward not by discarding the past but by re-integrating its enduring strengths. This perspective provides both a conceptual and practical bridge between historical traditions and contemporary scientific insight, offering educators and policymakers a nuanced understanding of how innovation in literacy teaching can emerge through the rediscovery and reinvention of earlier pedagogical wisdom.
09:30-11:10 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 302B (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 1
IICE/IICAH2026 | Online and Hybrid Education
Session Chair: Jane Midea Hercules
09:30-09:55
102810 | Collaborative Online International Learning: Connecting Chilean and American University Students Through COIL Nicole Porcaro, Montgomery College, United States
COIL is defined as an approach to teaching and learning that brings together geographically distant instructors and students from different lingua-cultural backgrounds to communicate and collaborate through online tools, such as virtual exchanges and other platforms (SUNY COIL, n.d.) Through a college-level English 101 class of Early Cohort high school students at Montgomery College, Professor created an interactive journalism unit pairing Chilean students at DuocUC Sede San Andrés learning English proficiency and American students learning journalistic and research practices to create and implement interviews, with the final deliverables including a formal humaninterest piece displaying cultural competency and a dual-class Padlet that features these projects as an online magazine. While Chilean students focused primarily on improving their English writing and speaking skills in an academic context, American student’ curriculum was centered pedagogically on collaborative learning, experiential learning, inquiry-based learning, and the development of intercultural competence. Strengthening source-vetting, researching, writing, and presenting skills enabled this to fit into Montgomery College’s English curriculum. Pre- and post-survey data was collected on the project from students and showed growth in academic, social, and cultural understanding ideals, and will be discussed as part of the presentation, which will also include a slide deck and the aforementioned Padlet of student projects.
09:55-10:20
100765 | Tech-Mediated Communication Competence: A Framework for Enhancing Digital Feedback Engagement in Hybrid Learning Environments
Randy Kelley, Grand Canyon University, United States
The increasing prevalence of asynchronous and hybrid learning environments demands more nuanced frameworks to understand how students engage with instructor feedback. This presentation introduces Tech-Mediated Communication Competence (TMCC), a conceptual model grounded in educational psychology, neuroscience, and communication theory. TMCC outlines four interdependent dimensions essential for interpreting and applying feedback in digital contexts: (1) digital literacy, or the ability to navigate and decode digital platforms; (2) asynchronous communication competence, the capacity to interpret and express meaning effectively in delayedresponse settings; (3) sociocultural framing of feedback, which accounts for how learners’ cultural identity and epistemological beliefs shape feedback engagement; and (4) tech-mediated interaction, emphasizing the dynamic use of digital tools to co-construct feedback meaning with instructors. TMCC incorporates insights from affective neuroscience, cognitive load theory, and social presence theory to explore the brain-behavior dynamics of feedback processing. The framework offers a novel lens for investigating digital feedback practices and informs instructional design strategies that support cognitive alignment, emotional regulation, and feedback literacy. This conceptual contribution lays the groundwork for future empirical investigations and invites further scholarly discourse on advancing equitable, feedback-rich online learning ecosystems.
10:20-10:45
98675 | Teaching on Shifting Ground: A Self-Study of AI Policy, Practice, and Online Graduate Education Georgann Cope Watson, Yorkville University, Canada
This presentation reports on a self-study of practice (S-STEP) focused on the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in graduate-level online teaching and learning. As an educator teaching at three different institutions between 2022 and 2025, I have observed firsthand the rapid development of AI tools and the accompanying shifts in institutional policies governing their use in academic work. The central research question guiding this inquiry is: How has the development of policy around AI use in academic courses impacted my practice of teaching and assessment? The study employs self-study methodology to critically examine how my teaching practices have adapted in response to both student use of AI and the emerging policies regulating it. Data sources include a policy analysis of AI-related guidelines and academic integrity policies across three post-secondary institutions, alongside personal reflective journals documenting my experiences, challenges, and adjustments in course design and assessment. Dialogues with a critical friend served as an additional method of analysis, providing a collaborative space to interrogate assumptions and explore the implications of AI for professional practice. Findings suggest that AI policy is a moving target in higher education, requiring educators to remain adaptable and informed. As an online professor in education, I find myself continually navigating the balance between academic integrity, innovation, and equitable student learning experiences. This presentation will share practical strategies for integrating institutional policy shifts into teaching practice while supporting student learning in an AI-influenced academic landscape.
10:45-11:10
103022 | Connection by Design: Integrating Technology and Techniques to Promote Student Engagement in Online Learning
Jane Hercules, Georgia State University, United States
This presentation explores the importance of creating opportunities for connection in the asynchronous online classroom and provides techniques to engage students with course content, their classmates, professor, and community. In higher education, the rise in online enrollment has brought both opportunities and challenges. One challenge students often report is a sense of disconnection in the virtual classroom which can hinder their educational experience and negatively impact course outcomes. Taking an online course should not feel like a solitary act. With planning, educators can create interactive and engaging online experiences even in an asynchronous course. To build rapport, cultivate community, strengthen communication and critical thinking, I’ve integrated technologies and strategies to enhance engagement. Some examples of external tools used are VoiceThread, Vevox, Padlet, and AI. VoiceThread is used extensively, allowing students to interact visually multiple times per week. Students post video-recorded reflections and responses to discussion questions and peer posts. I post video recorded prompts and comments to encourage discussion. I conduct student check-ins, video-recorded announcements. how-to tutorials, and podcasts. Padlet and AI are utilized for group brainstorming. Vevox provides an opportunity for live meeting activities where students apply course concepts. Sessions are recorded for those who cannot attend. Community connection takes place through optional local community engagement opportunities and through community-themed assignments. Online students deserve the same rich, active educational experience that students receive in the face-to-face-classroom. With thoughtful course design, we can bridge the gap in online education to create a more connected and enriching learning experience.
09:30-11:10 |
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 1
IICE/IICAH2026 | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Session Chair: Huston Pullen
09:30-09:55
98405 | Examining Graduate Students’ Opinions About the Impact of AI on Their Teaching
Holly Hansen-Thomas, Texas Woman’s University, United States
Ann Wheeler, Texas Woman’s University, United States
The importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in today’s schools is ever-changing with a need to study how faculty, as well as emerging faculty, believe AI will shape their teaching philosophies. Therefore, this case study research examines written reflections of four doctoral students from the southern United States and their thoughts on the impact of AI on their current and future teaching. More specifically, the researchers wanted to know how graduate students involved in an online mentoring program focused on leadership development believe that AI will impact their future teaching. Each of the four participants were enrolled in a two-year graduate leadership program where students had dedicated faculty mentors, chosen by the mentees, who worked with them weekly, as well as two program directors who met quarterly with the mentees about their research projects. All of the graduate students had taught or were currently teaching at either a university or community college and had varying degrees of experience with using AI in their own learning and teaching. Data for this study consisted of three months of written reflections with a focus on AI. The researchers coded the data using open and axial coding. Four main themes about how AI would influence the participants’ teaching emerged from the reflection data: Better Assignments, Ethical Concerns, Instructor Concerns, and Student Expectations. The reflections revealed pros and cons of the use of AI in teaching and demonstrated evolving participant thoughts about its use. Implications for teaching and future research will also be discussed.
09:55-10:20
103017 | Artificial Intelligence Competencies of University Students – Impacts and Barriers at CUHK Vivian Lee, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Digital Literacy is highlighted in the CUHK Strategic Plan 2025 and is part of the undergraduate curriculum. It falls under the umbrella of Digital Competence, which involves the confident, critical and responsible use of engagement with, digital technologies for learning at work, and for participation in society. Through cultivating digital competence, teachers can utilise the use of educational technology to enhance students’ learning effectively. In higher education, 3 pillars are important namely (1) qualification; (2) subjectivity and (3) socialization. We aim to develop the professional skills and qualification of the students. Students will become the knower (subjectivity) of the subject and need to further engage in the lifelong continued education to sharpen the skills and qualification. Their epistemic beliefs will be crucial for them to further develop social goods to benefit mankind in the long term (socialization). The project aimed to examine the accessibility of educational technology and its impact on higher education. We aim to evaluate how artificial intelligence (AI) impact on students in each faculty at CUHK. The current project have 2 phases using a mixed-method (quantitative and qualitative) analysis. In phase 1, we evaluated how AI will impact on students’ qualification, subjectivity and socialization domains. As there is no validated tool that could evaluate all 3 pillars, the current project has developed the AIMS tool already. It evaluated the academic correlation of students’ AI competencies with subjectivity and socialization. We also identify potential barriers and challenges faced by students and assess the trajectories of students’ AI competencies.
10:20-10:45
103079 | Student Experience with AI in Higher Education: Learning Enhancement, Engagement, and Outcomes
Huston Pullen, Westcliff University, United States
Ying Iverson, Westcliff University, United States
Westcliff University transforms research insights into institutional action by developing a proprietary AI assessment tool specifically designed for our diverse student population of working adults, international learners, and first-generation students. This study examines how artificial intelligence technologies impact student learning experiences in higher education, with particular focus on personalized learning, academic support systems, and educational outcomes. Through systematic analysis of relevant literature and case studies from diverse institutional contexts, we identify key patterns of student engagement with AI-enhanced educational environments. Findings indicate that successful AI implementation depends on three critical factors: personalized learning systems that adapt to individual student needs while maintaining academic rigor; comprehensive support structures that enhance rather than replace human mentorship; and ethical frameworks that protect student privacy while leveraging data for educational improvement. The implications extend beyond technological implementation to fundamental questions about educational equity and access. The research reveals significant variations in student experiences based on implementation approach, with particular attention to digital divide implications, algorithmic bias risks, and cultural sensitivity requirements. Based on these findings, Westcliff University implemented an AI assessment tool focusing on personalized learning, human-centered design, and equity. Since Fall 2024, multiple pilots involving hundreds of students have been conducted. Early results demonstrate greater student engagement, improved communication skills, and deeper cognitive processing, validating the human-centered approach to AI integration in diverse educational contexts.
09:30-11:10 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 303B (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 1
IICE2026 | Education, Sustainability and Society
Session Chair: Natasha Murray-Everett
09:30-09:55
102851 | Reducing Prejudice and Enhancing Critical Consciousness Through Intragroup Dialogue-Based Multicultural Social Justice Group Counseling
Sunwoo Shin, Pusan National University, South Korea
Jisun Jeong, Pusan National University, South Korea
Discussions on group counseling approaches that actively promote social justice remain limited, highlighting the need to examine how multicultural social justice frameworks can be effectively integrated into group processes and outcomes. This study aimed to develop and evaluate an Intragroup Dialogue-based multicultural social justice group counseling program. The program was implemented over six weeks for graduate students (N = 14) majoring in counseling and employed a pretest–posttest control group design. Participants were assessed on prejudice, critical consciousness, empathy, and openness to diversity, and therapeutic factors emerging during the sessions were also examined. The findings showed that direct engagement with sensitive topics such as privilege, oppression, and prejudice significantly reduced participants’ biases and enhanced their critical consciousness. However, no immediate changes were observed in empathy or openness to diversity, suggesting the need for further research on the long-term emotional and attitudinal shifts. Despite the limitations of a small, single-institution sample, this study demonstrates that IGD-based multicultural social justice group counseling provides a unique environment in which privilege and oppression can be safely discussed, helping participants recognize unconscious biases and structural inequalities. This study provides concrete strategies for Intragroup Dialogue-based multicultural social justice group counseling in the Korean context and discusses practical implications for counselor education and application in diverse settings.
09:55-10:20
100853 | Utilizing Sustainability Frameworks to Counter Anti-DEI Efforts
Cody Nielsen, Western Michigan University, United States
Over the past two years, U.S. Higher Education institutions have been under significant attack regarding their work on of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) which has become a hallmark of work on supporting marginalized identities for more than 30 years. These attacks by conservative members of political parties, specifically the U.S. Republican Party and President Donald Trump, has led to the widespread closure of such offices, elimination of positions and units in support of women’s identity, LGBTQIA+ identities, and multicultural identities. For those institutions who remain committed and entrenched, the language of “DEI” is pivoting, oftentimes to that of “belonging” or “inclusion” or even to leadership as a framework. How these changes are being approaches appears to be unorganized at best and without any strategy at worst. This moment of threat offers an opportunity for transformation of the entire framework of DEI to that of something more robust and intersectional. Utilizing modern sustainability frameworks, which since the 1990s has employed not only the use of pillars of environments and economy but also social inclusion and culture, lends itself to an opportunity for higher education to not just survive this moment but to thrive over the next generation and beyond. This paper evaluates the application of sustainability frameworks to support the next generation of equity and inclusion work on campus by offering evaluations of current unit and programming descriptions and then reframing them with the use of cultural sustainability and social inclusion.
10:20-10:45
98678 | Inclusivity for LGBT+ Visually Impaired Learners Living in Residential Schools for the Blind Lindokuhle Ubisi, University of South Africa, South Africa
While notions of family and community are being expanded, challenged, and reimagined within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT+) community, so has the meaning of alternative kinship and diverse expressions of belonging in sub-communities such as LGBT+ learners with visual impairment (LVI). As LGBT+ LVI spend around 9 months of the year living in residential schools for the blind (SFB), this socio-educational space becomes a crucial space for them to find family, care, and support from those who understand their differences. This study sought to find out how teachers fostered inclusivity (i.e., family, care, and support) for LGBT+ LVI living in residential SFB. Thirty South African teachers from five different SFB were conveniently sampled to participate in five separate focus group discussions. While data were thematically analysed, Bronfenbrenner ’s Ecological Systems Theory underpinned this study. With the school ecology in mind (e.g., parents, other teachers, learners, school managers, hostel caretakers), teachers reported experiences of exclusion from the above, while simultaneously sharing instances of advocacy, affirmation, and acceptance from the above agents, which further contributed to LGBT+ LVI’s resilience. Recommendations to promote inclusion for LGBT+ LVI are provided with the entire schooling environment in mind.
10:45-11:10
102135 | The Impact on Students of Color Who Engage in Race Dialogue: A Case Study
Natasha Murray-Everett, Rowan University, United States
Research on race-focused intergroup dialogue (IGD) in college settings has largely found positive outcomes for participating students, providing evidence of their increased racial understanding. Building upon existing IGD research that demonstrates broad benefits for its participants, this study offers a more fine-grained analysis of the student experience. Much of the literature, in emphasizing these positive outcomes, has yet to fully map the varied costs involved, particularly the distinct emotional and pedagogical labor that students of color experience—a dynamic well-documented as a potential harm in other educational fields. Adopting an intersectional approach, this study therefore examines two key aspects of their experience: (a) the nature of their participation in race-related IGD, and (b) their resulting learning and conceptual shifts. To capture such dynamic and multifaceted phenomena, I used a case study approach with two participants, which allowed for a differentiated understanding of individual processes, rather than a more generalized understanding of “effects”.
09:30-11:10 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 304A (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 1
IICAH2026 | Humanities - Teaching of Philosophy and Consciousness
Session Chair: Dmitry Usenco
09:30-09:55
100568 | Integrating Science and Religious Education in Classroom Practices and Its Impact on Students’ Thinking During Critical Discourses
Various hands-on and mind-on activities motivate students towards the learning process, and to ensure that they understand, teachers concentrate on their responses during discussion sessions. Therefore, teachers utilize enough classroom teaching time for student discussion sessions and focus on quality thinking, which transforms these discussion sessions to initiate knowledge construction (Watkins, Carnell, Lodge, Wagner, and Whalley, 2002). However, in the current secular and religious educational systems, classroom teaching and learning place more emphasis on knowledge production during examinations than on the quality of discussion processes in the classrooms. A constructive classroom discussion creates a conducive learning environment where teachers act as scaffolds for developing students’ cognitive levels. As a result, in a traditional teacher-centered classroom setting, pupils rely on their teacher’s instructions to complete assigned tasks. Helterbran (2007) acknowledges this issue in the current education system and suggests that enhancing students thinking skills develops them into critical thinkers. A classroom teaching environment that encourages students to participate in class discussions allows them to question their assumptions and those of their peers and teachers and enables them to defend their own beliefs (Toulmin, 1958). Less research was collected where science subject teachers involved students in critical discourse and used evidence from religious documents, and vice versa. However, educators from science and religion disciplines can incorporate an argumentative inquiry method into their pedagogies to foster critical discussion in the teaching and learning processes in the classroom. Thus, interdisciplinary approach while designing instructions allow students to make judgments using evidence from both subjects.
09:55-10:20
98604 | Intuition and Rationality in Human Psyche Or, Why It Can Be So Hard for Achilles to Overtake the Tortoise
Dmitry Usenco, Independent Scholar, United Kingdom
One of the key differences between humans and other animals is the former’s ability to supplement (and sometimes even supplant) intuition with rationality. This uniquely human feature mostly manifests itself through various systems of compositional symbols, of which language is the most important one. Yet in practice, rationality never triumphs completely. Even the most cerebral feat always remains an intuitive act at its core – even the most detailed instructions on how to perform a certain technical process may not work without that final ‘click in place’ to be reported by the user’s ‘sixth sense’. The above gulf between intuition and rationality is felt all the more acutely in those areas of human psyche which reason has been historically struggling to assimilate. Among obvious examples are: 1) Failed attempts to rationalize certain basic body movements where consciousness is not habitually involved (to be exemplified by a challenging reading of Zeno’s famous aporia about Achilles and the tortoise); 2) Works of art and other products of creativity (to be illustrated by a remarkable exchange of letters between John Ruskin and Robert Browning); 3) Religious consciousness with its famous ‘leap into faith’ thought by some to be necessary for adopting a particular belief system. The last case is especially interesting as it allows us to observe a ‘feedback effect’ caused by attempts to rationalise mystical experience by means of mythology and, later, theology. Such rationalization clashes with the object’s ultimate unanalysability and in turn necessitates a longer ‘leap’, more difficult to perform.
09:30-11:10 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 304B (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 1
IICE2026 | Professional Training, Development & Concerns in Education
Session Chair: Warner Woodworth
09:30-09:55
100805 | Transforming the Field Education Landscape: Reflections on Partnership Outcomes
Julie Drolet, University of Calgary, Canada
Practicum, also known as field education, is widely recognized as the signature pedagogy in social work education. Practicum is the site where students learn to integrate and apply the values, knowledge, complex practices and skills of the social work profession. Despite its importance, field education is in crisis. There is an urgent need for social work education programs to re-vision how the profession prepares the next generation of social workers. This presentation will discuss the Transforming the Field Education Landscape (TFEL) partnership that aims to integrate research and practice in the preparation of the next generation of social workers by developing partnered research training initiatives, that enhance student and trainee research practice knowledge and applied skill development. The partnership is structured in three streams: (1) Digital Storytelling, (2) Development of Sustainable Field Education Models and (3) Applied Practice Research. This presentation will share the outcomes of the TFEL partnerships’s program, including research results from 104 interviews, 31 focus group discussions (n=99) and 9 roundtable sessions (n=218) on promising, wise, and innovative practices, conducted with social work students, academics, field educators, field instructors, and supervisors across Canada. The findings illustrate pathways to more sustainable models of field education that include 1) community-engaged placements, 2) field supervision, 3) partnerships and collaboration, 4) flexibility, 5) using technology, 6) macro-level placements, 7) Indigenous-centered practices, and 8) equity, diversity and inclusion. The challenges and opportunities will be discussed in our contemporary context.
09:55-10:20
101203 | Scientific Literacy as Part of the Science-for-all Movement
Emilio Landolfi, University of the Fraser Valley, Canada
This conceptual (theoretical) paper will focus on scientific literacy as part of the ‘science for all movement’ through a historical examination of relevant scholarly material. The work reviews how the curriculum has often catered only to those hoping to pursue careers in science and how a significant group of the population remain incapable of making educated, informed choices on science-related issues as well as how these issues impact their everyday lives. A historical examination of illiteracy in science (for example, the opposition to important products and technologies such as vaccines) will be provided, along with how the ‘science for all’ movement has attempted to respond to the need for increasing scientific literacy amongst the masses – examples of which include the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Project to promote scientific literacy, and the National Science Foundation’s programs to diversify Science. The work will then explore how the ‘science for all’ movement makes explicit connections to ‘curriculum studies’ theories by examining how both positions (science for all and curriculum studies) stress the importance of becoming more critical, extending students’ range of perceptions, and broadening students’ perspective of the world around them while emphasizing practical implications for education (teachers, curricula, policy) – thus making a unique contribution to the debate on scientific literacy relative to prior discussions on these significant issues.
10:20-10:45
102770 | Breaking Barriers: Expanding Science Fair Participation Among Title I Middle and High School Students
Narasimha Shashidhar, Sam Houston State University, United States
Cihan Varol, Sam Houston State University, United States
Amar Rasheed, Sam Houston State University, United States
Science fairs serve as vital platforms for inquiry-driven learning and the cultivation of STEM identities. They provide middle and high school students with exciting opportunities to engage in STEM fields; however, students in Title I schools—particularly those from underserved communities—encounter significant barriers. These include chronic underfunding, limited access to mentorship, cultural disconnects, and logistical challenges. Such obstacles often reflect broader educational inequities, particularly in schools that primarily serve low-income Black, Latino, and immigrant populations. Our study seeks to address these challenges by implementing classroombased fairs as accessible entry points, providing microgrants for supplies and travel, and establishing mentorship networks with faculty and students in the Department of Computer Science at Sam Houston State University. We aim to connect students with culturally responsive project mentors who can inspire their interest in STEM fields such as computing, digital forensics, cybersecurity, and information assurance. Our goal is to demonstrate that such academic-community partnerships can significantly enhance participation and improve educational outcomes. By reimagining science fairs as tools for equity rather than exclusivity, educators and policymakers can unlock the scientific potential of every learner. Our work represents a pivotal step toward creating inclusive STEM ecosystems that celebrate the diversity and brilliance of Title I students.
10:45-11:10
100386 | Students as Positive Deviants: Addressing Global Poverty with Action Research Warner Woodworth, University of Utah, United States
My paper analyzes actionable steps that inspire universities in teaching methods for students to change the world. Its essence is to go beyond academic theories to implement societal change. Thesis: We can develop approaches that motivate students to use their newly acquired insights and skills for improving human society. I will focus on practical classroom and field experiences the author has launched that empower college students to become activist “deviants” for social change. Not “deviants” as in juvenile delinquents, or being bad actors in society, but in becoming change agents for good, breaking norms of academic conformity and venturing into the wilderness of innovative change and social disruption. How may this be accomplished? I analyze ways that inspire students using strategies through our establishing 41 NGOs in 62 countries throughout 30 years. My teaching of students demonstrates that they are increasingly interested in getting an education to do more than simply work on Wall Street or gain a tech job. They want meaning in their work and lives. They increasingly seek personal fulfillment. My research draws on Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Illich’s De-Schooling Society, and Schumacher’s Small Is Beautiful, among other praxis approaches to radical education.
09:30-11:10
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 1
IICAH2026 | Society/Gender/Family
Session Chair: Alexandra Lysova
09:30-09:55
98278 | Building Resilience in Seniors Organizations to Address Social Isolation Among Vulnerable Older Adults: Results from the Connect!Age Project
Andrew Wister, Simon Fraser University, Canada
This project aims to foster social connections and resilience among seniors organizations serving four groups of older adults (65+) identified as being at high risk for social isolation: 1) in visible minorities; 2) those with symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression; 3) those with challenges completing daily tasks such as dressing, cooking, shopping, transportation, and cleaning the home; and 4) their informal caregivers. The Connect!Age Project includes 40 organizations across the province of British Columbia and 40 organizations in Quebec, Canada. This represents a research network of advocacy groups and organizations that provide services to older adults and their caregivers. The research team and organizations have co-developed an evidence-based response to organizational needs that serves as a platform for community deployment based on syntheses and translation into lay language of academic research. Priority strategic innovations within and between clusters of organizations with common aims and contexts were developed to test the new coproduced approaches and techniques for reducing marginalization and social isolation in the four target groups. We have merged academic research with organizational needs and translated research-based knowledge into plain language (French and English), supporting grant development, enhancing volunteer strategies, and providing support to enhance capacity. The research team also assessed innovations in this area and the sharing of successful approaches, including several discovery outcomes. Findings are discussed in terms of new methods of knowledge translation based on the co-production of knowledge and action that produces translational outcomes (organizational change and innovative interventions) resulting in social impact.
09:55-10:20
100799 | A Silent Conflict: Guilt, Relief, and the Pacifier in Urban Parenthood
Matt Chiu, University of Arts Singapore, Singapore
The arrival of a newborn is often associated as a joyful occasion. Yet for many young parents residing in metropolitan cities, this period is daunted by exhaustion, isolation, and despair. Isolated from extended families and immersed in demanding dual-income circumstance, parents today must navigate early parenthood with little support or space to grasp. In this fragile social context, the pacifier emerges as a powerful tool. It soothes the child, restores temporary peace, and grants parents a momentary sanity. Yet its use is entangled with guilt. Clinical voices caution against prolonged dependency, citing potential dental, developmental, and behavioural risks. Parents understood the consequences, but in moments of crisis, they often are cornered to choose short-term calm over long-term concern. The act of purchasing a pacifier becomes an emotional compromise, not of ignorance, but a pure act of survival. This emotional conflict became the heart of the design brief. What parents needed was not just another tool, but something that could meet their exhaustion with empathy and care. From this, an unconventional pacifier took shape, floral in form and delicate in spirit. The design encapsulates care, and listens to the natural rhythm of the child. It offers comfort when needed, and let go when the time feels right, listening to the natural rhythm of the child. Through critical design theory, socio-cultural reflection, and narrative insight, this paper reframes infant soothing as a humanitarian challenge. It argues that caregiving in urban life is not simply a private task, but a silent social conflict.
10:20-10:45
98258 | Long-Lost Family: The Role of Technology and Social Media in Facilitating New Social Connections and Identities
Barbara Mitchell, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Asli Ozer, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Due to rapid advancements and public access to genetic testing, digital, and communication technologies, a rising number of adults are engaged in the search for previously unknown relatives. Indeed, there are now unprecedented opportunities to locate and discover ‘longlost family’, using home-based DNA kits, along with online historical/archival digitalized records and other media sources. However, there is a dearth of research on this timely topic area, although recent studies have revealed some psycho-social and emotional impacts on self, belonging, and family. Additionally, few studies have focused on the role that technology/media have played in these processes and how new meanings of ‘family’ and related socio-cultural identities are transformed. To further explore this topic, data are drawn from an ongoing, online international survey of over 250 ‘amateur’ (unpaid) family genealogists aged 55+, including over 50 in-depth narratives. Preliminary results show how various technologies influenced these activities. For example, social media networks (e.g., Facebook) are found to facilitate searches, as well as create new social connections and a sense of community. Implications for theorizing emergent technologymediated forms of family life in contemporary society are highlighted, as well as some ethical/moral issues relevant to these practices.
10:45-11:10
100533 | Rethinking Gender and Violence in Families: a Decade of Evidence on Bidirectional Intimate Partner Violence
Alexandra Lysova, Simon Fraser University, Canada
The question of whether intimate partner violence (IPV) occurs primarily as male-to-female aggression or as a mutual, bidirectional dynamic remains a central issue in the field. Earlier reviews suggested that IPV is most often bidirectional—a perspective that re-entered public discourse during widely followed cases like Depp v. Heard. Using Rayyan, a web-based tool for systematic reviews, and searching across multiple databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, we identified and analyzed 64 empirical studies on physical IPV published between 2012 and 2022. A key contribution of this review is its comparison of IPV patterns across five sample types: large population, community, university/college students, adolescents, and clinical/treatment-seeking populations. We also examined study characteristics such as measurement tools (e.g., Conflict Tactics Scales). Our findings reveal that bidirectional violence remains the most prevalent form of IPV across all samples, averaging 52.8%—ranging from 44.8% among adolescents to nearly 60% among clinical and university groups. This underscores the importance of understanding IPV as a complex, often mutual phenomenon. We also found that unidirectional female-to-male IPV (31.4%) occurred more frequently than male-to-female IPV (16.9%) in all samples. This finding is consistent with earlier reviews and highlights the need to recognize female aggression and male victimization in research, policy, and practice. These results call for moving beyond gendered assumptions in IPV discourse and developing inclusive screening, prevention, and intervention strategies that address the full spectrum of relationship violence.
09:30-11:10 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 305B (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 1
IICAH2026 | Teaching and Learning the Arts
Session Chair: Ying Chen
09:30-09:55
100654 | Integrating AIGC into Art and Design Education: From Self-Expression to Aesthetic Literacy
Yimeng Shi, Donghua University, China
Menghe Tian, Donghua University, China
Arkadiusz Marcinkowski, SWPS University, Poland
Ideas shape the material world, just as the material world creates conditions for personal expression. With the aid of contemporary tools and digital media, especially AIGC platforms such as Midjourney, individuals are increasingly able to visualize and articulate their unconscious aesthetic tendencies. These technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to transform abstract inner concepts into tangible visual forms—moving from metaphor to explicitness, from internalized perception to externalized expression. As David Holz suggested, Midjourney may be seen as a derivative of human thought, echoing the ancient Chinese principle in The I-Ching of “establishing images to express meaning” (立象以尽意). This process illustrates how values and emotions can be more intuitively conveyed through image-based expressions than through language alone. However, the educational value of this process depends on more than just technological accessibility. While AIGC tools can democratize visual creation, they do not inherently foster aesthetic judgment or critical design thinking. Therefore, the role of design educators and cultural producers remains essential. Through guided interaction, curated prompts, and critical reflection, educators can help learners move beyond superficial image generation toward meaningful aesthetic growth. In this way, AIGC serves not only as a creative tool, but also as a pedagogical catalyst—bridging technology and tradition, expression and interpretation, imagination and intention.
09:55-10:20
100762 | Scales of Affection: Toward an Epistemology of Memory and an Emotional Reading of the Built Environment
Elisa
Mondin, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Can the naive and affective nature of childhood drawing become a visual research method within architectural criticism and design? In an era saturated with hyper-polished, AI-generated images, this paper explores the fragile yet powerful potential of memory – that, when translated into drawing, can open up new, intimate readings of the space. When adults are asked to draw, the immediate response is often a form of refusal: «I can’t draw». But when invited to let the child within respond, something shifts, and drawing becomes a non-judgmental space: it requires no skill, only memory, affection, imagination. In the architectural field, such drawings can activate alternative forms of spatial knowledge and help investigate the epistemic value of visualising space as it was felt, not as it was. Rather than imitating or regressing to childhood, this approach aims to rediscover drawing as both a tool for self-listening and a medium for engaging with the built environment. Rooted in architectural thinking but open to artistic and philosophical contamination, this design-driven exploration is being developed through multiple case studies, referred to as “affective drawings”. This approach may also be expanded across what could be called “scales of affection”, where scale refers not only to physical size – from the home to the city – but also to experiential depth. In this way, an epistemology of emotional resonance could emerge – one that can shape the reactivation of the built environment in all its forms.
10:20-10:45
100578 | Drawing as Structured Inquiry: A Comparison Between Artistic and Scientific Visualization Barbara Drobot, Independent Practice, Georgia
This presentation explores a pedagogical approach that treats drawing a form of structured inquiry mirroring the framework of scientific research rather than as an imitation. Based on years of teaching practice with children aged 6–12 and adults, the method applies the logic of the IMRaD structure (Introduction, Method, Results, and Discussion) to art education. Instead of offering students pre-made templates or step-by-step models, each drawing session becomes a mini-research journey: it begins with a question or hypothesis, is followed by observation and exploration of materials, and ends with a reflective discussion. This approach supports critical thinking, autonomy, and decision-making. Students learn to observe attentively, make creative choices, and interpret their outcomes. Over time, their drawings become visual arguments grounded in evidence and experience. The method is inclusive by design and accessible to all children and adults as it focuses on personal exploration rather than correctness. The presentation includes visual examples of student work, classroom strategies, and comparisons between artistic and scientific reasoning. It resonates with the growing body of research that positions artistic processes as parallel to cognitive development and problem-solving (e.g., Eisner; Hetland et al.). The proposed model demonstrates that drawing, when taught as inquiry, becomes a powerful tool for learning that connects the arts with broader educational goals and reaffirms the relevance of visual thinking in the 21st-century classroom.
10:45-11:10
100798 | Tacit Pedagogies in Foundational Art Education: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of US and Chinese Approaches in Drawing, 2D, and 3D Design
Ying Chen, University of Wisconsin, United States
This study conducts a comparative analysis of foundational visual art pedagogy—specifically Drawing I/II, 2D Design, and 3D Design—across US and Chinese higher education institutions. It examines how tacit instructional practices, a dimension frequently overlooked in cross-cultural scholarship, shape divergent student creative outcomes. Through systematic analysis of student projects, syllabi, and studio observations, we identify critical pedagogical distinctions: US pedagogy prioritizes conceptual exploration and individual artistic agency, yet often underemphasizes societal contextualization and the relationship between technical discipline and broader cultural discourse. Chinese pedagogy emphasizes technical precision and experimental execution, but marginalizes historical/industrial contextualization and critical engagement with art-historical frameworks. Notably, instructors’ backgrounds in fine arts (vs. design practice) in both systems may limit exposure to industry-applicable methodologies. Studio critiques further reveal epistemological contrasts: US instructors privilege intentionality (e.g., “Explain your choices”), while Chinese educators focus on formal correction (e.g., “Adjust this imbalance”). Material approaches in 2D/3D projects highlight divergent values—conceptual materiality (US) versus technical mastery (China). We argue these unspoken pedagogical norms prewire students’ creative identities. The study urges intentional recalibration of foundational training to foster globally adaptable artists/designers equipped with both conceptual agency and technical rigor. Finally, we note the impending influence of AI-driven tools as a catalyst for pedagogical evolution, warranting future research on technology’s role in bridging these cross-cultural divides.
Abstracts appear as originally submitted by the author. Any spelling, grammatical, or typographical errors are those of the author.
11:25-12:25 |
306 (3F)
Sunday Onsite Session 2: Poster Session
Humanities - Aesthetics/Design
102581 | From Academia to Industry: Overcoming the Transitional Barriers for Industrial Design Graduates
Yihui Hua, Arizona State University, United States
Although the design industry is changing more quickly than ever before, many college programs continue to use outdated frameworks that do not adequately prepare students for these rapid changes. To identify significant gaps between industrial design education and industry demands, this study carefully examines the most recent job postings and compares them with academic course curricula. This study pinpoints particular deficiencies in “hard skills”, such as design-for-manufacturing expertise, new emerging technologies, and software proficiency, as well as sustainability integration. In addition to hard skills, the study examines the limitations of “soft skills” that prevent successful employment, such as communication, presentation, and portfolio relevance. This study presents program administrators and college instructors with a data-driven framework for assessing and modifying their teaching strategies. The ultimate goal of this research is to facilitate the transition from the classroom to the professional field by explaining this misalignment for the employability of graduates, as well as for maintaining the relevance of industrial design education in the larger ecosystem of the arts and humanities, producing innovators who are anchored in ethics and prepared for the workforce.
Humanities - Cyberspace/Technology
100780 | Understanding the Productivity of Gamification System
Shih-Wei Chou, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan
A systematic analysis of how to improve productivity from employees’ gamification usage remains absent. This study builds on the transaction theory of stress (TTS) to consider how techno-stress is influenced by employees’ appraisals toward environmental demands and affects productivity. These appraisals are conceptualized as IT mindfulness and communication overload, which exert impact on coping responses. IT mindfulness refers to individuals’ overarching way of thinking based on contextual awareness and openness to information technology(IT)-enabled value creation. IT mindfulness represents appraisals based on internal demands, and communication overload based on external demands from environments caused by nonwork-related interruptions. We theorize coping responses from techno-stress as both problem-focused response and emotion-focused response, which represent challenge response and threat response respectively. Techno-stress emphasizes the negative aspect of IT usage and is caused by failure to appropriately regulate one’s use of IT. Examples include engagement in non-work-related social activities or overload during the use of gamification. Results of our empirical investigation from 403 respondents show that IT mindfulness exerts negative impact on both communication overload and emotion-focused response, while its impact on problem-focused response is positive. Emotion-focused response exerts a negative influence on productivity, whereas the impact of problem-focused response is insignificant. We contribute to the literature on gamification by deepening our understanding about the nature of appraisals towards demands and by exploring the management of the influence of these demands on employees’ productivity.
Humanities - Language/Linguistics
103077 | ERP Evidence for Morphological Processing of Sino-Korean Prefix in Visual Word Recognition Sun-Young Lee, Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, South Korea Jinwon Kang, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea
This study examined the neural correlates of morphological processing in Sino-Korean prefixed derivations during visual word recognition. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded to explore how morphological, semantic, and orthographic priming modulate brain responses across three temporal windows: N250 (200–270 ms), N400 (340–380 ms), and the Late Positive Component (LPC, 380–450 ms). Forty-three native Korean speakers participated in a masked priming lexical decision task while their EEG activity was recorded. The results revealed robust and sustained morphological priming effects across all three components, whereas semantic and orthographic priming produced weak or non-significant effects. The pronounced N250 and N400 effects suggest early morphological decomposition followed by continued lexical reanalysis. In addition, topographic analyses indicated that these effects were localized to language-related cortical regions, confirming the neurocognitive specificity of morphological processing. Collectively, the findings provide converging evidence that morphological information in Sino-Korean derivations is accessed automatically and rapidly at sub-lexical stages of visual word recognition. This supports the view that morphological decomposition operates as an early and continuous process in reading, even in a non–alphabetic language such as Korean. The present study thus extends the cross-linguistic evidence for morphological priming effects beyond alphabetic languages and contributes to a broader understanding of the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying complex word recognition.
Sunday Onsite Session 2: Poster Session
100505 | Beyond Translation: How Anime Theme Songs May Foster Global Engagement with Japanese Language
Shinji Okumura, Bunkyo University, Japan
Japanese anime theme songs, or “anisongs,” appear to be a unique form of global cultural expression that may foster interest in the Japanese language outside the framework of translation. This exploratory study investigates how anisongs might function as affective and symbolic media connecting non-Japanese-speaking audiences to Japanese language and culture through unconventional pathways. In doing so, it raises questions about dominant translation-centered models of language dissemination (Iwabuchi, 2002; Liang, 2025; Oe, 2025). Five widely recognized anisongs from different time periods and genres were selected: “Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis” (Neon Genesis Evangelion), “Blue Bird” (Naruto), “Guren no Yumiya” (Attack on Titan), “Gurenge” (Demon Slayer), and “Again” (Fullmetal Alchemist). Approximately 1,000 YouTube comments posted by self-identified non-Japanese speakers were collected from official and fan-uploaded videos. These comments were qualitatively analyzed to explore potential patterns of linguistic and cultural engagement. Preliminary observations suggest three recurring modes of interaction: (1) affective resonance with the rhythm and sound of Japanese lyrics; (2) symbolic association through audiovisual connections to anime narratives; and (3) increased interest in learning Japanese inspired by musical exposure. These modes may reflect emotional and cultural attachments formed through phonetic memory and symbolic immersion—even without full comprehension of meaning. By highlighting these alternative points of contact, this study opens space for further inquiry into how anisongs—and popular media more broadly—might contribute to symbolic globalization and foster multilingual, cross-cultural communication beyond translation.
Humanities - Other Humanities
100851 | An Examination of the Relationship Between Attachment, Time Perspective, and Help-Seeking Behavior
Kumiko Yoshitake, Nagasaki Junshin Catholic University, Japan
Takeshi Sato, Nagasaki Junshin Catholic University University, Japan
Yuki Inoue, Nagasaki Junshin Catholic University, Japan
Maori Urakawa, Nagasaki Junshin Catholic University, Japan
The internal working model of adolescence, which is formed on the basis of infant attachment, consists of two dimensions: avoidance and anxiety. Avoidance and anxiety indicate low trust in others and low trust in self, respectively. These low levels of trust may prevent adolescents from envisioning a positive future for themselves and may influence their low long-term time perspective. In addition, the low long-term perspective may inhibit them from seeking help from others to change their own future for the better, and may influence their low help-seeking behavior toward others. Questionnaire survey. METHODS: 117 college students (25 males, 91 females, 1 no response). Time perspective scale, internal working model scale, etc.
RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis revealed that high avoidance and high anxiety in the internal working model had a facilitative effect on low hope for the future in the time perspective (avoidance β=-.278, anxiety β=-310, R2=.161 both p<.01). Higher avoidance and higher anxiety had a facilitating effect on current emptiness (avoidance β= .285, anxiety β= .338, R2=.182 both p<.01).
Next, multiple regression analysis of time perspective and help-seeking behavior revealed that high hope for the future and high craving for future goals had a facilitatory effect on high help-seeking behavior (high hope for the future β=.265, high craving for future goals β=.201, R2=.146, both p<.05). Current emptiness was not associated.
DISCUSSION: Based on the results of the multiple regression analysis and the free-text narratives, we discuss strategies for shaping one’s long-term time perspective.
101727 | A Study on Youth Unable to Seek Assistance Due to a Lack of Long-Term Perspective
Maori Urakawa, Nagasaki Junshin Catholic University, Japan
Takeshi Sato, Nagasaki Junshin Catholic University, Japan
Kumiko Yoshitake, Nagasaki Junshin Catholic University, Japan
Why can’t people ask for help when facing major difficulties? A certain proportion of young adults struggle to initiate requests for assistance due to an inability to maintain a long-term perspective. This study examines the psychological factors hindering help-seeking behavior among young adults lacking a long-term perspective and explores supportive interventions. Method: Questionnaire survey Participants: 117 university students (25 male, 91 female, 1 no response). Measures: Time Perspective Scale (5 factors); “When you have a major worry or problem, can you say ‘Help me’ to those around you?” (5-point scale). Reasons for not being able to say it. What is needed to make it easier to say ‘Help me?’ (Free-response questions using a scenario method). Results: Participants were divided into two groups: those without a long-term perspective (scores ≤2, 4) and those with a long-term perspective (scores ≥2, 6). Free-response comments from those reporting difficulty seeking help were analyzed and categorized using the KJ method. In the group with a long-term time perspective, 20% cited factors related to others (e.g., “If I ask for help, it might be a bother to others”) as reasons for not being able to say “Help me”. In contrast, 41% of the group without a long-term time perspective cited factors related to others. Discussion: Based on the free responses regarding what is needed to be able to say “Help me,” we discuss what kind of support is necessary to enable the group without a long-term time perspective to request assistance from those around them.
Sunday Onsite Session 2: Poster Session
Humanities - Philosophy/Ethics/Consciousness
102822 | Seeing the Patient: A Phenomenological Interpretation of Doctor–Patient Relationships Across Specialties
Ling-Lang Huang, Mackay Medical University, Taiwan
Doctor–patient relationships are not only channels for clinical communication but also central to whether patients feel truly “seen.” Yet little attention has been given to how different medical specialties shape this experience. This study explored variations in patient needs and interactional dynamics in internal medicine and surgical outpatient clinics within a teaching hospital. Using a phenomenological approach, we conducted non-interventional field observations of 14 outpatient sessions involving 131 patients. Reflective field notes captured both verbal and non-verbal aspects of encounters and were analyzed through iterative comparative interpretation. Findings reveal a consistent patient desire to be acknowledged in their full humanity, expressed differently by specialty. Internal medicine patients, often coping with chronic illness, emphasized the importance of empathy and ongoing emotional support. Surgical patients prioritized transparency and clarity of procedural information, with analogies and everyday language reducing anxiety. In both contexts, physicians’ communicative choices and the broader social atmosphere significantly shaped patients’ sense of trust and engagement. These results suggest that specialty-based practices are not merely technical differences but humanistic variations in how care is enacted. Recognizing such distinctions can inform more context-sensitive medical education and foster patient engagement. Comparative research across cultural settings is warranted to deepen understanding of doctor–patient communication as a humanistic practice.
Humanities - Teaching and Learning
96257 | Inclusive Andragogy: Addressing Microaggressions Through Humanistic Learning
Orsolya Varkonyi, Molloy University and Columbia University, United States
Microaggressions in counselor education programs create hostile learning environments that undermine student success and retention. This presentation examines how humanistic-oriented andragogy can serve as a transformative approach to reducing microaggressions and fostering inclusivity. Through qualitative inquiry, this study explores faculty strategies for addressing microaggressions in graduatelevel counseling programs and assesses the impact of humanistic learning principles on student engagement. Findings indicate that faculty integrating cultural responsiveness, individualized support, and student-centered pedagogy contribute to a more equitable classroom experience. Faculty training in identifying and addressing microaggressions plays a vital role in cultivating inclusive learning spaces. When counselor educators integrate humanistic learning approaches, they create environments where students feel supported, fully engaged, and positioned for success. This presentation provides actionable strategies for developing equitable classrooms, prioritizing respect, inclusion, and meaningful student engagement.
Tomoe Nishio, University of North Georgia, United States
Chie Fujikake, Nanzan University, Japan
This presentation reports a short-term study abroad program enhanced by virtual exchange (VE) projects where two Japanese courses at a university in the U.S. (AMU) works with a group of Japanese college students from its partner university (JPU). A faculty-led group of JPU students visits AMU for two weeks every March, after AMU and JPU students engage in bilingual virtual exchange for each AMU course, to complete the projects. One of the projects, Sakura Project, focuses on collaborated research and critical reflections on Japanese and American college life, and the transpacific groups first engage in virtual discussion various aspects of the topic for six weeks followed by creating a video on the AMU campus in person to highlight their findings as a final product. The other project, Speech Project, allows students to collaborate to give a speech in the target language. Each group engages in peer-editing and peer-practice to improve their scripts and performance during the virtual period, followed by an in-person speech presentations during JPU’s two-week visit to AMU. This VE-enhanced study abroad program comes with benefits and challenges. On one hand, it creates an environment for deep intercultural learning and encourages them to commit to a longer-term intercultural experience in the future. On the other, it requires a lot of coordination between institutions and administrative preparations. It is also critical to have a robust assessment system shared between the two institutions to gauge student developments. Detailed project design and pedagogical implications will be presented.
100391 | Responses to Rental Housing for the Elderly During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Understanding the Deterioration of QOL of Elderly Residents
Tomoko Shigaki,
Osaka University of Economics, Japan
The study aimed to examine emergency response in normal times, how emergency medical information should be shared, and the health status of residents during the COVID-19 pandemic at serviced senior housing operators in Osaka City, the city with the largest number of such facilities in Japan. As a result, 70% (35 cases) of workplaces had cluster outbreaks. When asked about the time when the cluster outbreaks occurred, the highest number of cases was 11 in August 2022 (during the seventh wave). The physical and mental burden on both elderly residents and facility managers and staff was greatest when it came to “meetings and interactions with family”, which were restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by “travel within the facility”, “shopping”, and “going to the hospital”. The physical environment of elderly housing with services has space limitations, making it difficult to create storage facilities (including garbage storage) and places for staff to rest. While care was taken to prevent infection for residents who required severe care and were unable to move, there were many cases where residents with relatively mild dementia (who were able to move) did not understand the strict wearing of masks and restrictions on behavior, resulting in the zoning boundaries between contaminated areas (areas for infected people, areas for close contacts, areas for suspected patients) and areas where there was no possibility of infection becoming unclear
Sunday Onsite Session 2: Poster Session
100838 | Effects of Problem-Based Learning Using Metaverse Platform on Learning Outcomes in Nursing Students: A One-group Pretest-Posttest Study
Seyeon Park, Chungnam National University, South Korea
Jeongeun Lee, Chungnam National University, South Korea
Taehui Kim, Chungnam National University, South Korea
Problem-based learning (PBL) has been widely applied in nursing education to enhance student knowledge and clinical performance skills. With the expansion of online learning after COVID-19, the use of metaverse platforms in nursing education is applying. However, their effects on diverse learning outcomes remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of learning outcomes of learning motivation, immersion, self-efficacy and achievement in PBL using the metaverse platform for nursing college students. This study utilized a pre-experimental design with a one-group pretest-posttest survey. The course, a core nursing subject at C University in the first semester of 2022, was conducted for three hours per week in a metaverse virtual space. 42 third grade students participated and completed both pre- and post-surveys and were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and Paired t-tests were applied to examine pre–post differences. All statistics calculation was using SPSS software. Participants had a mean age of 23.2 ± 2.3 years, and 76.5% were female. Achievement score improved significantly post-intervention, from 35.94 ± 5.62 to 41.09 ± 5.85 (t = -4.54, p < .001), while self-efficacy score declined significantly (t = 2.99, p = .005). Learning motivation and immersion score also decreased, though these changes were not statistically significant (p = .094 and p = .460, respectively). PBL using metaverse platform can enhance achievement in nursing students. Future studies with larger samples and complete data are recommended to better assess educational potential.
100857 | EFL Undergraduate Students’ Engagement with Language Feedback by ChatGPT: An Exploratory Study
Hui-Tzu Min, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
Since its launch in November, 202d2, ChatGPT, has immediately garnered English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) writing scholars’ attention. Many ESL/EFL writing researchers have explored the affordances and pitfalls of this AI-powered chatbot. Current research has shown four promising research strands for incorporating ChatGPT into the ESL/EFL writing context, with two focusing on generating and processing feedback (Li, 2024). Both foci demonstrate that ChatGPT can be used to generate quality feedback based on evaluation criteria to help L2 writers improve their writing before, during, and after the composing process (Su, et al., 2023). Drawing on this line of research, this study aims to examine how 18 first-year university students engage with language feedback by ChatGPT on their 1st drafts of three academic paragraphs in an EFL writing class. The preliminary quantitative results show that the most common type of revision made by this group of students according to ChatGPT feedback is substitution at the word level, suggesting that they were more concerned about using academic vocabulary in their writing. The preliminary qualitative analysis of students’ reflection journals shows that students differed in their cognitive and affective engagement with language feedback by ChatGPT. Pedagogical strategies for enhancing students’ informed use of language feedback by ChatGPT are discussed.
102447 | Collaborative Learning in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Classrooms: The Role of Japanese Language Education
Keiko Okumura, Meiji Gakuin University, Japan
This presentation reports on a classroom practice designed to foster collaborative learning among students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, including Japanese students, international students, and returnees. The course focused on reading texts about contemporary social issues in Japan, aiming both to develop students’ academic vocabulary and expressions in Japanese and to deepen their understanding of Japanese society. Students engaged in collaborative tasks, discussions, and peer feedback activities, sharing perspectives, negotiating meaning, and supporting each other’s learning. Although differences in language proficiency and prior learning experience sometimes posed challenges, the interaction among students with varied backgrounds generated new insights and promoted intercultural understanding. Using texts on Japanese social issues as a common platform allowed students to connect linguistic learning with the exploration of social realities. By examining examples from these classroom practices, this presentation demonstrates that Japanese language education can provide a space for students not only to improve linguistic and academic skills but also to learn together about Japanese society. Collaborative learning in CLD classrooms thus functions as both language education and intercultural education, preparing students to engage thoughtfully with diverse perspectives in an interconnected world.
Challenging & Preserving: Culture, Inter/Multiculturalism & Language
100683 | Teaching Japan in English: Cultural Essentialism and the (In)visibility of Minorities in University EFL Textbooks
Chris Hastings, Nanzan University, Japan
In alignment with MEXT’s policy to cultivate global human resources (gurobaru jinzai)—emphasizing intercultural competence and identity rooted in Japan’s culture (Yonezawa, 2014)—Japanese universities are expected to foster global graduates through English‐medium education. Consequently, many EFL textbooks now focus exclusively on Japanese culture. However, such materials may unintentionally reinforce essentialist cultural views (Holliday, 1999) or obscure the country’s internal diversity. This study investigates how Japanese national identity is constructed in tertiary level EFL textbooks, guided by three research questions: (1) To what extent do materials promote essentialist representations of culture? (2) To what extent are Japanese minority groups—such as Okinawans, Ainu, Zainichi Koreans, and foreign born residents—included? (3) How are such minority groups linguistically and visually represented when they appear? A combined content analysis and critical discourse analysis approach is employed (Krippendorff, 2013; Fairclough, 2013). Content analysis addresses Questions 1 & 2 by identifying thematic emphasis—e.g. tradition, etiquette, food—and quantifying references to minority groups across five widely used textbooks. CDA responds to Question 3, unpacking how identity and belonging are framed through language and imagery. Preliminary findings indicate that textbooks overwhelmingly depict Japanese culture as homogeneous, harmonious and timeless, often omitting minority narratives. When minority groups appear, they tend to be portrayed in peripheral or exoticized terms, reinforcing predominant nihonjinron discourse (Befu, 2001). Such representations risk undermining the goals of intercultural education (Byram, 1997). The study concludes with a call for more inclusive and critically aware EFL materials that reflect the pluralistic realities of contemporary Japanese society.
Sunday Onsite Session 2: Poster Session
101136 | Culturally Responsive Teaching and Student Intrinsic Motivation in Multicultural Higher Education: A Cross-Disciplinary Perspective
Lin Xu, University of Michigan, United States
Higher education has become an increasingly multicultural environment in the context of globalization. Culturally responsive teaching has proved an effective approach to enhancing student engagement and promoting educational equity. However, its impact on students’ intrinsic motivation (IM) across different disciplines in higher education has not been comprehensively examined, which limits instructors’ ability to create inclusive curricula that successfully meet a range of learning demands in a globalized setting. Based on self-determination theory, the study fills this research vacuum by carrying out in-depth interviews with students from a range of cultural backgrounds and academic disciplines. Thematic analysis indicates evident disciplinary differences: students in science and engineering fields show relatively lower reliance on cultural inclusivity for their IM compared with students in liberal arts fields. Additionally, the study revealed a “dual dynamic” in the development of a culturally inclusive classroom environment: teachers adopting culturally responsive teaching methods can effectively enhance students’ learning motivation by enhancing their autonomy and relatedness; Students, alongside faculty, also need to take an active role in articulating their needs. The study shows that some students, influenced by cultural values regarding faculty authority, exhibit higher passivity in expressing their needs, resulting in weakening the depth of cultural inclusivity in the classroom. To address these issues, The study proposes five targeted, evidence-based strategies to enhance cultural inclusivity in higher education, offering both institutional and interpersonal insights to advance cultural inclusivity and equitable learning opportunities.
Counselling, Guidance & Adjustment in Education
96142 | Career Anxiety and Career Preparation Behaviors Among Youth in Child Care Facilities: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-method Study of Serial Double Young Jin Kim, Chonnam National University, South Korea Ji Hae Lee, Chonnam National University, South Korea
This study examined how career anxiety influences career preparation behaviors (CPB) among adolescents living in child-care facilities, testing the serial multiple mediation of positive psychological capital (PsyCap) and learner autonomy. Survey data were collected from 214 youths (out of 246 invited) in 15 facilities in the Gwangju–Jeonnam region. Instruments comprised 10-item scales for career anxiety and CPB, a 24-item PsyCap scale, and a 22-item learner-autonomy scale. Using SPSS 26.0 and Hayes’ PROCESS Macro v4.1 (Model 6), regression and bias-corrected bootstrap analyses were performed. Career anxiety significantly reduced PsyCap (B = –0.236, p < .001), PsyCap robustly increased learner autonomy (B = 0.866, p < .001), and learner autonomy, in turn, promoted CPB (B = 0.617, p < .001). The direct path from career anxiety to CPB was non-significant (B = 0.014, 95 % CI [–0.087, 0.116]), whereas the chain indirect effect (anxiety → PsyCap → autonomy → CPB) was significant (effect = –0.127, 95 % CI [–0.203, –0.063]); neither single-mediator route reached significance. These findings support full serial mediation: heightened career anxiety undermines PsyCap, which lowers learner autonomy and consequently diminishes career-preparation engagement. The results highlight the need for tiered interventions that first strengthen PsyCap and subsequently cultivate learner autonomy to buffer the adverse impact of career anxiety in residential-care youth.
Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
102971 | Proof of Concept for a Public Speaking Anxiety Diagnostic Tool for Students of Public Speaking Courses
Juven Nino Villacastin, University of Hawaii at Manoa, United States
Chaerin Song, University of Hawaii at Manoa, United States
Public speaking anxiety is a common problem many students of public speaking courses struggle to overcome. Public speaking anxiety is also multidimensional, and different types of public speaking anxiety manifest at different parts of the speech preparation process. But while most public speaking pedagogies cover techniques for overcoming public speaking anxiety, most do not cover (1) which techniques work best for specific manifestations of public speaking anxiety, and (2) when to strategically use such techniques within the speech preparation process. This leaves many students using anxiety-reducing techniques that may not be appropriate for the type of anxiety they are struggling to overcome for their assigned public speaking assignments in a class. This paper presents a proof of concept for a public speaking anxiety diagnostic tool tailored for individual student needs and discusses considerations made in the tool’s design process. Suggestions for classroom use of the diagnostic tool are discussed.
96664 | Normalization and Its Relation to Peace Education Using a Sampling of Montessori Preschools from Around the World Ritsu Dansako, Kyushu University, Japan
Montessori education is often referred to as a form of peace education. Montessori herself recognized that the phenomenon of Normalization is one of the most significant results of her empirical research (Montessori, 2016). It is a phenomenon that brings divergent children with behavioral problems back onto the natural growth path. She described it as a sensational, miraculous, and sudden improvement of the children’s character rather than a gradual change (Montessori, 1966). This research was to reveal the exact timing, steps, and circumstances of Normalization and concluded that it leads to the ‘peaceful state’ in the classroom. The method involved an online survey of Montessori preschool teachers worldwide. Forty-eight replies were received from eight different countries. There were two most significant findings. First, what triggered normalization was ‘students’ spontaneous choice of work.’ Second, most Normalization was more of a ‘gradual phenomenon’ that took three or four years on average in pre-school, rather than a sudden miracle as Montessori described. As a result, 95% of the teachers answered that Normalization addressed children’s behavior problems. 63% of their students maintained their normalization state as ‘permanent’ or ‘semi-permanent.’ The individual child developed grace, courtesy, tranquility, and respect for others, which spread throughout the classroom. This study centered on Normalization as a potentially powerful tool for social change since this state is directly linked to concomitant individual and community peacefulness, which can certainly spill beyond the classroom walls into general society. Furthermore, this study identifies the key to an effective means for long-lasting social change.
103002 | Quantitative Analysis of Gaze Behavior in Children with Developmental Disabilities During Reading Aloud and Visual Search Tasks
Kotomi Shiota, Waseda University, Japan
The present study aimed to quantitatively assess the motor characteristics of children with developmental disabilities—often described as “awkward” or “clumsy”—from the perspective of visuomotor coordination, and to develop educational support tools applicable in real classroom environments. The participants were ten elementary and junior high school students in Japan who had been clinically diagnosed with developmental disabilities and were attending special support schools or classes. Two tasks were employed: (1) a reading-aloud task commonly used in school lessons, and (2) a sequential number-search task. Eye movements during these tasks were recorded using an eye tracker. Fixation locations, durations, and sequences were analyzed and compared with those of five typically developing peers. Furthermore, given that Japanese texts can be written vertically or horizontally, the study examined how text orientation influences eye movement during reading. Results revealed that typically developing students directed their gaze toward upcoming characters prior to vocalization, following the text in an orderly manner. In contrast, students with developmental disabilities exhibited unstable and dispersed gaze behavior, frequently skipping characters and losing their reading position. In the number-search task, typically developing students smoothly identified numbers in order, whereas those with developmental disabilities demonstrated a narrower visual field and required more time to locate the next number. Future work will integrate eye-tracking and video-analysis data to identify “points of difficulty” and develop a practical “support protocol” that can be implemented by teachers without specialized expertise, thereby facilitating inclusive and data-driven educational support.
Education, Sustainability & Society: Social Justice, Development & Political Movements
102167 | Leveraging AI for Health Education: Advancing Equity, Trust, and Resilience in Public Health Systems
Myoung-Jin Chae, Soonchunhyang University, South Korea
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly applied in health education, from interactive chatbots to personalized learning platforms that disseminate preventive health information. Beyond individual learning, AI has the potential to strengthen public health systems by providing scalable, cost-effective, and timely education to diverse populations. However, concerns about bias, trust, and unequal access raise critical questions about its societal impact. This study investigates how the design of AI health educators—particularly their degree of human-likeness and transparency—affects individuals’ trust, comprehension, and willingness to adopt preventive health measures such as vaccination. Using an online experiment, we further examine whether AI-mediated education can reduce disparities in health information uptake across different social groups. Findings will inform both educational practices and public health policy by identifying ways to leverage AI responsibly, ensuring that future health education systems are inclusive, equitable, and resilient in preparing societies for ongoing and future health threats.
102973 | Linking Green HRM to SDG Performance in Universities: Evidence from Latvia
Jana Erina, Riga Technical University, Latvia
Inese Lusena-Ezera, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Latvia
Diana Liduma, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Latvia
Universities’ contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) increasingly hinge on Green Human Resource Management (Green HRM), which enables routine pro-environmental behaviour across the organisation. This research examines the relationship between Green HRM and institutional SDG performance in Latvian higher education using an explanatory, sequential mixed-methods design comprising surveys, institutional indicators, and interviews with university administrative representatives. At the organisational level, HR leaders assess Green HRM practices; at the individual level, staff report employee green behaviour and perceived leadership commitment; institutional SDG performance is captured through environmental and educational indicators. A cross-level model tests mediation via employee green behaviour and moderation by leadership commitment and policy coherence. Interview evidence highlights environmental shocks and digitalisation (e-documents, waste-sorting stations, drinking-water points, LED/sensor retrofits) that reduce friction for greener choices; governance and signalling (eco councils, a designated sustainability lead, and HR policy guidelines supporting SDGs) that legitimise action; and capability–opportunity gaps (ad hoc staff training, incomplete KPI/monitoring systems, and data constraints) that limit the translation from behaviour to outcomes. One case sets a climate-neutrality target by 2050 and pilots mobility challenges, while another reports fully electronic document workflows; formal incentives remain limited, although recognition and leadership role-modelling are influential. The research specifies AMO-based university pathways and offers actionable guidance for aligning HR bundles with SDG objectives.
The research was part of the project “Green human resource management for sustainable development of Latvian higher education institutions” (grant No. RTU-PA-2024/1-0096) within the framework of the European Union Recovery and Resilience Mechanism-funded project No. 5.2.1.1.i.0/2/24/I/CFLA/003.
Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics (including ESL/TESL/TEFL)
98253 | Developing Contextualized EFL Materials for Mongolian Pre-service Teachers: Insights from Coursebook Evaluation Nyamsuren Baljinnyam, Mongolian National University of Education, Mongolia
At the Mongolian National University of Education, undergraduates take English I (elective) and English II (compulsory) as part of the core curriculum. Since 2016, Mongolian teachers have developed and regularly revised course books for two levels, with the fourth edition (2024) based on student feedback and pedagogical considerations. This study investigates student perspectives on the effectiveness and relevance of the English course books used primarily during the first and second semesters of undergraduate studies. The primary objective is to assess the pedagogical value and suitability of the course books in relation to student needs and the evolving demands of 21st-century teacher education. A 28-item evaluation checklist—partially adapted from Morris’s (2017) EFL course book evaluation criteria—was designed to gather students’ feedback across three core dimensions: general attributes, learning content, and task evaluation. This research employed a two-phase descriptive survey methodology, encompassing responses from 572 and 519 undergraduate students during the spring term of the 2022–2023 academic year and the fall term of the 2023–2024 academic year, respectively. Participants were drawn from seven branch schools of MNUE. Quantitative data analysis of students’ itemized responses revealed several key findings:
• 97% of respondents (out of a total of 1091) agreed that the course books effectively supported the development of core language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
• 78% noted that the course books were distinct from those used in secondary school English education.
• 91% indicated that the course books enhanced their motivation for self-directed learning.
Higher Education
102815 | Internationalization of Higher Education in Kazakhstan: A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research Collaborations
Aigerim Akylbayeva, Pennsylvania State University, United States
Aikumis Serikbayeva, Pennsylvania State University, United States
Lyazzat Adilova, Pennsylvania State University, United States
This study examines the internationalization of higher education in Kazakhstan through a bibliometric analysis of global research collaborations using data from Scopus and SciVal. Publications with at least one Kazakh author between 2010 and 2025 were divided into three five-year intervals 2010-2015, 2015-2020, and 2020-2025 to examine trends of the internationalization policy. Co-authorship networks and international partnerships were visualized using VOSviewer, while SciVal identified key partner countries and publication trends. The results show nearly tenfold increase in the volume of scientific research in Kazakhstan since 2010, with more than half (≈51%) of collaborative papers involving international co-authors. Key collaborators include the United States, China, and Russia, as well as leading Kazakhstani institutions such as Nazarbayev University and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. These findings highlight Kazakhstan’s growing involvement in the global research community and the importance of international cooperation in increasing research transparency, strengthening national capacity, and developing policies to improve the internationalization of higher education.
98237 | Beyond Admission: Gendered Motivational Profiles and Clusters Among Medical Students
Shu-Ching Yang, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan
Chih Ting Chang, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan
This study develops and validates a Multidimensional Scale of Medical Students’ Motivation to Study Medicine to examine the varied motivational patterns among medical students, with a focus on gender and admission pathway differences. Using a cross-sectional survey design, 307 students from diverse entry routes completed a self-constructed questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis identified eight motivation dimensions, which were further clustered into five distinct motivational types through K-means cluster analysis. Findings revealed that male students scored significantly higher than females in the dimensions of intrinsic professional pursuit, health-related inspiration from family and friends, and political and expert influence, suggesting a stronger emphasis on career ambition and familial health values. In contrast, female students demonstrated higher motivation from self-expectation and personal growth. Postgraduate entrants exhibited significantly higher scores in professional pursuit, social contribution, family health inspiration, and career development, indicating more mature, socially oriented motivations. Cluster analysis showed that the dominant profiles were self-achievement-oriented and multidimensional integrated, with the former being the most common. Male students were more often classified under the highly integrated type, while female students tended toward the self-achievement-oriented type, underscoring gendered differences in motivation emphasis. This study enhances understanding of the nuanced motivational structures among medical students and offers practical implications for curriculum planning, career guidance, and the design of personalized educational interventions in medical training contexts.
100268 | Differences in Self-Efficacy Among Collegiate Athletes: A Comparison Between Contact and Non-Contact Sports
Li Heng Chen, National Taiwan University of Sport, Taiwan
Collegiate athletes face significant dual pressures from academics and high intensity training, as the extremely competitive professional sports environment requires them to prepare for both aspects for their future. Self-efficacy is a vital psychological resource for navigating this unique landscape. While self-efficacy in sports is well-studied, this research offers a unique perspective by examining its manifestation through the lens of contact versus non-contact sport types, aiming to observe how these distinct categories influence self-efficacy dimensions. A total of 455 collegiate athletes (162 female, 293 male) from a Taiwanese university participated in this study. A Collegiate Athlete Self-Efficacy Scale, uniquely incorporating a “Teammate Self-Efficacy” dimension, was utilized. The scale comprised three constructs: “Coursework Self-Efficacy,” “Social Self-Efficacy,” and “Teammate Self-Efficacy.” Its structural model demonstrated good fit with indices: Normed Chi-square=2.854; GFI=.940; AGFI=.914; CFI=.958; RMSEA=.064. Results revealed that “getting along with teammates” yielded the highest self-efficacy score, while “asking questions in class” scored the lowest. Crucially, non-contact sport athletes exhibited significantly higher academic and social self-efficacy compared to their contact sport counterparts. However, no significant difference was observed in teammate self-efficacy. These findings highlight contact sports’ demands may lower academic and broader social confidence, while teammate relationships consistently foster selfefficacy across all sport types. Recommendations include tailored support for contact sport athletes, fostering social engagement, strengthening team bonds, and encouraging academic participation. Future research should diversify samples and explore other factors.
100865 | A Study on the Test Construction of Psychological Resilience of College Students
Pin Chen Huang, National University of Tainan, Taiwan
Hsiu Shuang Huang, National University of Tainan, Taiwan
Hui Ping Chen, National University of Tainan, Taiwan
Numerous resilience scales evaluate various factors related to resilience, but assessing these alone cannot determine the effectiveness of psychological resilience interventions. This study distinguishes between background factors and psychological resilience as an outcome, aiming to compile a psychological resilience scale for college students, conduct pretests and formal tests, and explore performance influences. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and other analyses examined the effects of personal background factors on resilience and their relative influence. The results showed: 1.The formal questionnaire had strong explanatory power, reliability, and validity 2.Significant gender differences existed in resilience 3.Grades showed no significant differences 4.Club participation significantly influenced resilience. 5.Religious belief had no significant effect. 6.Sports habits had no significant effect. 7.Fathers’ (male caregivers’) influence significantly affected resilience. 8.Mothers’ (female caregivers’) impact was also significant. 9.Overall resilience levels showed significant positive correlations across all dimensions. 10.Different levels of the resilience scale could predict overall resilience. Based on these findings, recommendations were provided for relevant authorities, schools, teachers, and future research to enhance psychological resilience education and practice for college students.
Sunday Onsite Session 2: Poster Session
101944 | Perception of Changes on People with Disabilities from Recreation Therapy Course
Erick Kong, California State University East Bay, United States
Jaesung An, California State University East Bay, United States
Keelin Jardin, California State University East Bay, United States
Saehya An, California State University East Bay, United States
Negative depiction of people with disabilities has been an ongoing problem in our society. People with disabilities are viewed as dysfunctional and unable to contribute to society (Ee, Stenfert Kroese, & Rose, 2022). There is a lack of in-depth research to investigate the change in attitude towards people with disability pre and post education. As a result, the purpose of this study is to explore the perception of change in attitude among college students towards people with disabilities from taking a foundational recreation therapy course. The research questions that guide the analyses includes: 1. What are the changes in attitude (affects, cognitions, and behaviors) towards people with disabilities from taking a recreation therapy course?, 2. Are there any significant differences between students in different majors?, and 3. What is the impact this course has on the perception of people with disabilities? The students’ attitude towards people with disabilities was measured using the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons With Disabilities (MAS) questionnaire. It consists of three subscales in measuring attitudes: 1. Affects, 2. Cognitions, and 3. Behaviors where 36 items are divided among the three subscales. There were 126 responses collected. The results indicated that there were significant changes in student’s perception in terms of affects, cognitions, and behavioral attitudes towards people with disabilities from taking the course regardless of their majors. Furthermore, respondents became more aware of the challenges and difficulty of those with disabilities.
102889 | Exploring Problem-Based Learning in Latvian Higher Education: Perspectives from Students
Inese Lusena-Ezera, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Latvia
Diana Liduma, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Latvia
Una Libkovska, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Latvia
Daina Vasilevska, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Latvia
In the education sector worldwide, problem-based learning (PBL) as a pedagogical approach has been developing along with rapid changes in teaching and learning processes, learning content, and learning outcomes. Studies show PBL enhances conceptual understanding, problem-solving skills, and student motivation compared to traditional methods. It also improves students’ ability to apply theory in practice, preparing them for interdisciplinary collaboration and professional environments. This study explores students’ experiences with PBL across three stages: initiation, implementation, and assessment. Survey data from 301 students at four Latvian higher education institutions (conducted in May–June 2025) indicate moderate curriculum integration, with uneven application across stages. Notably, university-provided infrastructure and convenient scheduling are significantly associated with better PBL practice across all PBL stages. Over 80% of students during the initiation stage report acquiring new knowledge through problem-based tasks; however, structured collaboration with external industry partners remains limited. Furthermore, direct interaction with industry representatives is infrequent during both the implementation and assessment stages, potentially diminishing the authenticity and real-world relevance of the learning experience. These findings highlight the need for higher education institutions to strengthen partnerships with industry and enhance structural support to ensure more consistent and effective PBL integration into practice, thereby aligning academic practices with the demands of contemporary professional environments.
The study was part of the research project “Application of problem-based learning as a pedagogical approach in higher education in Latvia” (grant No. RTU-PA-2024/1-0067) within the framework of the European Union Recovery and Resilience Mechanism-funded project No. 5.2.1.1.i.0/2/24/I/CFLA/003.
Professional Training, Development & Concerns in Education
102964 | Education-Practice Alignment in Clinical Engineering: A National Gap Analysis of 40 Competencies in Japan
Takao Asai, Kobe University, Japan
Mototsugu Kudo, Japan Healthcare University, Japan
Jun’ya Hori, Okayama University of Science, Japan
Hiroshi Tsukao, Juntendo University, Japan
Akihiro Watanabe, Nihon Institute of Medical Science, Japan
Akio Nakajima, Kyorin University, Japan
Aligning pre-licensure education with entry-level clinical demands is central to effective professional development in health professions education. We conducted a national gap analysis in clinical engineering, comparing 40 competencies across two Japanese datasets: graduate attainment levels assessed by 64 educational programs (five-point scale) and perceived entry-level necessity rated by 249 practicing clinical engineers (four-point scale). Program ratings were linearly rescaled and standardized; item-level gaps were computed as necessity minus rescaled attainment, with robustness verified through z-score analysis and rank aggregation. The 40-item scale demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.965). Principal component analysis revealed a general competence factor alongside dimensions contrasting technology/data skills with ethics/patient-centeredness, and social context with reflection/professional demeanor Strong convergence emerged in ethics, confidentiality, professional demeanor, and interprofessional collaboration—domains where high graduate attainment aligned with practitioners’ ratings. The largest gaps highlighted self-management capacities (autonomy, initiative, sustained effort, reflective practice), rated highly necessary by practitioners but showing lower graduate attainment. Conversely, manageroriented safety competencies (leading training, organizing incident-prevention programs) exhibited education-leading patterns, exceeding entry-level necessity. We recommend embedding behavioral-change assessments into OSCEs, problem-based learning, and portfolios (reflection → improvement planning → re-performance) to strengthen self-management competencies, while deferring managerial safety roles to postgraduate training. This framework offers a replicable approach for enhancing education–practice alignment in clinical engineering and other health professions.
11:25-12:25
Convention Center: Room 306 (3F)
Sunday Onsite Session 2: Poster Session
Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
102778 | ICT-Based Instructional Materials and Butterfly Stroke Skill Acquisition in Junior High School Students: A Pre–Post Evaluation
Kazumasa Ozeki, Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences, Japan
Shunsuke Ogura, Wakamizu Junior High School, Japan
Yasuhiro Kawashima, Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences, Japan
The butterfly technique is considered particularly challenging to learn in junior high school physical education in Japan, and reduced swimming opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic have further exacerbated this issue. This study aimed to improve students’ technical understanding and skill acquisition by developing and implementing ICT-based instructional materials. Seventy-five thirdyear junior high school students (Grade 9) participated. Swimming performance was evaluated before and after the instructional unit using video recordings assessed by two trained independent observers. Four items—body posture, kick technique, pull technique, and breathing—were scored on a three-point scale (1–3), yielding a maximum total of 12. The mean total score increased from 6.11 ± 2.67 before the unit to 7.76 ± 2.59 after it, indicating a significant improvement ( t(74) = 11.32, p < .001; mean difference = 1.65; 95% CI [1.36, 1.94]; Cohen’s d (z) = 1.31; also reported as d (av) = 0.63 [Hedges’ g (av) = 0.62] ). Additionally, 58 of 75 students (77.3%) completed a 25-m butterfly swim at the end of the unit. Although the absence of a control group is a limitation, these results suggest that ICT-based instructional materials can contribute to the development of swimming skills. Integrating digital materials with traditional instruction may enhance technical understanding, increase motivation, and facilitate the learning of challenging strokes such as the butterfly. Future research should address performance outcomes as well as assessment domains in physical education related to students’ thinking, decision-making, and expressive abilities.
102890 | Current Practice of Problem-Based Learning in Latvian Higher Education: Insights from Academic Staff
Inese Lusena-Ezera, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Latvia
Diāna Liduma, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Latvia
Daina Vasiļevska, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Latvia
Una Libkovska, Riga Technical University Liepaja Academy, Latvia
The study examined the extent of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) integration across initiation, implementation, and evaluation stages in Latvian higher education from the perspective of academic staff. A questionnaire survey conducted in May–June 2025 among 51 faculty members across four higher education institutions included 25 statements assessing PBL integration (α = .914) and 5 statements on institutional support (α = .836). Findings indicate that PBL is increasingly embedded in academic staff teaching practices, promoting student autonomy and collaboration. However, integration remains uneven across stages. The initiation stage demonstrated limited engagement with external stakeholders and academic colleagues teaching concurrent or prior courses, with over 60% of academic staff disagreeing that such cooperation occurs. In the evaluation stage, weak emphasis on assessment components was observed. Specifically, endorsement of using a triad of assessment elements—solution, process, and student self-assessment—varied by age group. Institutional support for PBL was perceived as limited, with the most significant gaps reported in methodological support (60.8% negative responses), administrative support (62.8% negative), and professional development opportunities (54.9% negative). In turn, correlation analysis indicated that institutional support was positively associated with the initiation stage (rs = .303, p =.031). These findings underscore the need of broader institutional commitment and resources to ensure sustainable and effective PBL integration in Latvian higher education. The study was part of the research project “Application of problem-based learning as a pedagogical approach in higher education in Latvia” (grant No. RTU-PA-2024/1-0067) within the framework of the European Union Recovery and Resilience Mechanism-funded project No. 5.2.1.1.i.0/2/24/I/CFLA/003.
Sunday, January 4
Parallel Sessions
All times are Hawaii Standard Time (UTC-10)
Abstracts appear as originally submitted by the author. Any spelling, grammatical, or typographical errors are those of the author.
12:40-13:30 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 301A (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 3
IICAH2026 | Literary Arts Practices (Workshop)
Session Chair: Lee Friederich
12:40-13:30
100806 | The Forest Inside You: A Creative Writing and Wellbeing Workshop
Lee Friederich, Akita International University, Japan
Joel Friederich, Akita International University, Japan
Naeko Naganuma, Akita International University, Japan
Kathryn R. Cullen, University of Minnesota Medical School, United States
Drawing from creative writing projects in a Creativity and Wellbeing course now in its fourth year at Akita International University (AIU) in Japan, this workshop will lead participants through two activities: “Inner Forest Bathing” exploring senses and memories emerging from imagined forests and “Greenout Poetry,” a mixed media erasure poem using pages from Haruki Murakami’s coming of age novel Norwegian Wood as a base. Both poetic activities are non-threatening and easily accessible to participants, with memories as the focus of the meditative forest bathing and free-writing activity. In the “green-out” erasure poem, the activity avoids “the terror of the blank page” by supplying text from which kotodama, words that attract us in the moment, become anchoring words in poems. Workshop leaders will begin with a brief overview of the Creativity and Wellbeing course and the outcomes of a study investigating the connection between creativity and wellbeing among college students in a competitive academic environment. Results from a Comprehensive Inventory of Thriving survey taken before and after the course showed students had marked improvement in subscores for skills, community, accomplishment, and trust.
12:40-14:20 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 301B (3F)
100810 | Changing Internal Medical Residents’ Attitudes Towards Managing People with Obesity Using an Interactive Educational Session with Embedded Real-life Patients’ Experiences
Ellina Lytvyak, University of Alberta, Canada
Nikita Mittal, University of California San Diego, United States
Jennie Wei, University of California San Diego, United States
Jennifer DeConde, University of California San Diego, United States
Neil Farber, University of California San Diego, United States
Eduardo Grunvald, University of California San Diego, United States
Weight bias and discrimination towards individuals living with obesity among healthcare providers are associated with inferior patient care and worse outcomes. Our aim was to assess and measure the effect of an innovative educational session on attitudes towards perceived causes of obesity and treating individuals with obesity among internal medicine residents. This pre-post-intervention study was conducted among 30 internal medicine residents at the University of California San Diego. The session included a didactic lecture on obesity embedded with shared real-life patient experiences. Validated surveys were offered pre- and post-session: Perceived Causes of Obesity and Attitudes about Treating Patients with Obesity. A generalized estimating equations time-based model was used. The median age of participants was 29 years old, 53.3% females, and 56.7% were Caucasians. The effect of the session was significant in the physiological causes domain (from 3.59±0.75 to 3.97±0.80;p=0.002), suggesting a greater belief in that obesity is caused by physiological characteristics. Our educational session also resulted in a statistically significant improvement in negative attitudes about treating people with obesity (from 2.43±0.60 to 2.28±0.54;p=0.015). Our study demonstrated the significant positive impact of combining a traditional didactic lecture approach with embedded real-life patient experiences on a better understanding of factors contributing to obesity and improving attitudes towards managing people with obesity. It opens avenues for improving curricula to reduce anti-obesity stigma. Our findings merit further research on optimal strategy, context, duration, and evaluation of educational interventions that effectively and efficiently reduce weight bias among our future healthcare workforce.
13:05-13:30
98680 | Enhancing Engineering and Technology Education Through AI-Enhanced Instructional Methods
Mohamed Askar, Southern Utah University, United States
Jared Baker, Southern Utah University, United States
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are rapidly transforming engineering and technology education, offering personalized learning, simulationbased visualization, and real-time feedback. This study explores the integration of AI-powered platforms into the delivery of a senior-level course in the CM and CE programs at a U.S. public university. The research investigates the effectiveness of incorporating ChatGPT and AI-driven design assistants to improve conceptual understanding, assignment engagement, and technical writing. The methodology employed a mixed-format instructional model, where traditional lectures were supplemented with structured AI activities. Students utilized AI to interpret civil drawings, refine construction cost estimates, and simulate construction sequencing. A quantitative analysis compared student performance metrics and rubric-aligned assessments across two semesters: one with AI integration and one without. Qualitative data from anonymous student surveys and reflective journals were coded to assess perceived utility and learning confidence. Results indicated a 22% improvement in technical report quality and a 31% increase in student engagement scores. Notably, 78% of participants reported that AI tools significantly enhanced their comprehension of complex project delivery systems, particularly in visualizing multiphase construction processes, clarifying technical terminology, and understanding coordination between design, technology, and site logistics. This level of reported benefit suggests a strong alignment between AI-supported inquiry and the cognitive demands of applied engineering coursework. This case study demonstrates that thoughtfully integrated AI tools can enhance learning outcomes and student confidence in engineering education. The findings support further adoption of AI-enhanced instruction across STEM curricula and offer scalable insights for educators designing human-AI collaborative learning environments.
13:30-13:55
95014 | Keeping Your Personal Research Assistant Employed: Tips for Using AI Responsibly in Planning and Conducting Doctoral Research
Daniel Teodorescu, Clark Atlanta University, United States
The presenter explores the ethical considerations surrounding the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools by doctoral students while writing their dissertations. The focus will be on dissertations in education-related fields. This presentation will demonstrate how to use AI tools responsibly for: brainstorming research ideas, identifying gaps in literature, creating research schedules, conducting literature reviews, analyzing data, refining writing, checking references, and creating presentations. The presentation also examines the potential benefits and risks associated with AI, including issues of bias, transparency, authorship, and data privacy. It provides guidance on how to navigate these issues, focusing on the importance of critical evaluation, disclosure, and adherence to ethical guidelines. Furthermore, it discusses strategies for ensuring that AI tools are used in a manner that enhances, rather than compromises, the integrity and originality of dissertation research, ultimately promoting responsible innovation in scholarly inquiry. The presenter will include examples of specific AI tools (i.e., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Elicit, etc.) and prompts designed to assist doctoral students in brainstorming, literature review, data analysis, writing, and presentation development. Though tailored for doctoral students, this session also offers valuable insights for all scholars within education-related disciplines. To illustrate key points, the presenter will draw upon case studies derived from his experiences advising doctoral students in the Educational Leadership program. Furthermore, the session will include an overview of the presenter’s institution’s guidelines regarding use of AI, followed by a participant-led discussion of similar policies at their respective campuses.
12:40-14:20 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 301B (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 3
IICE2026 | Higher Education
Session Chair: Ompe Aime Mudimu
13:55-14:20
102807 | Enhancing Education in Disaster Management with the Responding Lab
This article presents innovative training concepts in disaster management with the Cologne Responding Lab (CRL), emphasizing the integration of theoretical instruction with practical application. A “learning by doing” approach fosters experience-oriented learning, developing both subject expertise and key skills such as teamwork, resilience, and problem-solving. Instructors with practical experience in risk management, crisis response, and emergency medicine supervise students during realistic deployments, enabling rapid qualification and role differentiation.
Student feedback is collected and external reviewers evaluate the program, which is highlighted for its strong practical focus. The CRL acts as a bridge between emergency responders and leadership researchers, facilitating knowledge transfer. For example, after the devastating flood in the Ahr Valley, CRL supported the construction of a temporary bridge using video technology, enabling the Federal Agency for Technical Relief to relocate its On-Site Operations Coordination Centre to a safer location.
Lessons learned from teaching, research, and practice contribute to updating the German fire service command regulation (FwDV100). This approach prepares personnel to perform complex tasks such as situation assessment and coordination. The Institute for Rescue Engineering and Civil Protection (IRG) fosters collaboration between science and civil protection by applying current research to practice through large-scale exercises and real deployments, ensuring academic training evolves with disaster management challenges.
TH Köln established a Commission on Responsibility in Science, involved since CRL’s founding, ensuring data safety and participant well-being. The concept relies on strong networks with first responders. Despite high initial costs, IRG’s 15 years of research provide necessary expertise and connections.
12:40-14:20 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 302A (3F)
102969 | Trauma-Informed Practices: Principal Perceptions of Self-Regulatory Strategies in Schools Cathie Bush, University of Portland, United States
This case study explored the perceptions of school principals in kindergarten to grade six, and kindergarten to grade nine schools related to impactful strategies utilized in trauma-informed practice with a focus on self-regularity strategies. The study was carried out in one urban center in western Canada, and examined how principals supported, encouraged, and promoted trauma-informed practices, specifically self-regulatory strategies. This research study was informed by Shields’ (2018, 2020) transformative leadership theory. Shield’s theory focuses on education through a lens of social justice, equity, inclusion, and excellence. Principal participants completed an online survey indicating the inclusion of trauma-informed practices, the types of professional learning undertaken by staff, and the types of self-regulatory strategies evident in their schools. Following the initial surveys, semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted within the principals’ schools, allowing the participants to share evidence and artifacts demonstrating the use of trauma-informed practices. A notable finding of this study revealed the necessity of strong leadership to carry out the work around trauma-informed practice in schools and has implications for strong, transformative leadership to support students and staff.
13:05-13:30
102968 | The Educational Space of Underprivileged Students: A Case Study of the Students Living in Subdivided Units in Hong Kong
Wai-leung Chan, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong
Beatrice Oi-yeung Lam, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong
This paper explores how the undesirable domestic environment conditioned the social and educational experiences of students from the low-income families, exerting adverse impacts on their education performance. The analysis is based on a qualitative case study of students living in subdivided units in Hong Kong. As a global city, there exist huge social and economic disparities among the citizens in different socio-economic strata in Hong Kong. For the low-income families, the subdivided unit within a larger residential flat often becomes an affordable option for their residential needs. Government statistics showed that more than 200,000 local residents were living in subdivided units in 2021 (Census & Statistics Dept, HKSAR, 2023). The living conditions in a subdivided unit, however, are usually below the average standard of residence in the city, characterized by its small size, insufficient personal space and limited facilities. In this paper, the authors adopt a spatial perspective with the Bourdieusian framework of forms of cultural capital to analyze the nuances of the social and educational experiences of 39 students living in subdivided units in Hong Kong through qualitative semi-structured interviews. Understanding home as the educational space of students, this paper shows how the undesirable physical and social environment of subdivided unit limited the intensities and varieties of students’ activities related to their studies, resulting in their inability in accumulating objectified and embodied cultural capitals for their academic studies. Implications on policy intervention are discussed.
13:30-13:55
96263 | Pursuing Agreement or Pursuing Response?: Caregiver Pursuit of Answers During Interaction with Adolescents Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Eriko Kamei, Kanagawa University, Japan
David Aline, Kanagawa University, Japan
Yuri Hosoda, Kanagawa University, Japan
In this presentation we discuss how, during daily interaction at home, caregivers (mothers) pursue responses from their adolescent sons who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Previous research demonstrated the desirability of investigating the communication behaviors of people diagnosed with ASD from a Conversation Analytic point of view (Dickerson, Rae, Stribling, & Dautenhahn, 2005; Dobbinson, Perkins, & Bourcher, 1998; Solomon, 2004). A number of studies have focused on the routinized utterances that are frequent in the speech of people diagnosed with ASD (Local & Wootton, 1995; Stribling, Rae, & Dickenson, 2007). However, there is a lack of research comparing the nature of caregiver pursuit of responses from individuals with an intellectual disability and those without. This study fills this gap and seeks to explore the types of responses caregivers pursue across the two groups. Utilizing Conversation Analysis, we examine two sets of video-recorded naturally occurring conversations between mothers and their sons diagnosed with ASD: one son manifests an intellectual disability and the other son does not. Analysis revealed observable differences in the nature of responses these two mothers pursued. While the mother with the son manifesting an intellectual disability pursued responses without consideration for type, the mother with the son without an intellectual disability pursued preferred responses, or agreement, similar to those found in conversation between interactants with typical development (Pomerantz, 1984). The findings indicate that the pragmatic practices used in ordinary conversation may be teachable to people diagnosed with ASD when they do not manifest intellectual disabilities.
13:55-14:20
102972 | Examining Teachers’ Perspectives on Inclusive Practices for Students with Disabilities, English Learners, and Struggling Learners: A Comparative Analysis of Classroom Implementation and Theoretical Frameworks
Cordelia
Yates, Morningside University, United States
This research study examines teachers’ perspectives on inclusive practices for students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and struggling learners, highlighting the challenges and implementation in K-12 classrooms. Despite progress through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, effective inclusion remains a significant challenge, with a growing emphasis on designing universally accessible practices (Hossain, 2012; Ferguson, 2008). The primary objective of the study was to assess the extent to which teachers incorporate inclusive strategies and to identify the obstacles they face in application, particularly regarding Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. The study also compares theoretical definitions of inclusion with educators’ real-world experiences, revealing gaps between theory and practice. The research methodology uses a descriptive quantitative research design, utilizing an online survey as the primary data collection tool. The survey was distributed to a diverse sample of K-12 educators across various school districts to ensure a broad representation of perspectives on inclusion practices. The survey includes scaled questions assessing teachers’ views on the effectiveness of current inclusive strategies, their confidence in applying UDL principles, and the challenges they encounter in their everyday teaching. Statistical analyses were conducted to interpret the data and identify significant trends and correlations. The research provides actionable recommendations for enhancing inclusive education, contributing to a more effective teaching, and learning environment for all students.
12:40-14:20
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 3
IICE2026 | Innovative Technologies in Education
Session Chair: Ahmed Alsharif
12:40-13:05
101559 | From AI Interest to Application: What Faculty AI Training Reveals About Higher Education’s Digital Future
Laura McNeill, University of Alabama, United States Shelby Morris, University of Alabama, United States
With artificial intelligence rapidly transforming higher education, faculty development programs must evolve to support meaningful technology integration. This mixed-methods study examines how faculty members applied AI skills following participation in the Hands-on AI Skills for Teaching Excellence (HASTE) program at a southeastern R1 university, using the modified Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology framework. Survey responses (n=21) and interviews (n=14) revealed that structured, hands-on professional development successfully builds AI literacy, with 95.2% of participants reporting increased knowledge and high program satisfaction (M=4.52). However, significant gaps emerge between training outcomes and sustained implementation. While 86% of faculty used AI for instructional planning, only 62% integrated it into student assignments, revealing complex tensions between innovation and academic integrity. Six key themes emerged: AI as a productivity multiplier enabling teaching excellence; the critical importance of structured skill-building through community learning; significant departmental resistance creating social barriers; institutional infrastructure gaps limiting sustained adoption; ethical considerations; and variations in implementation patterns. Most critically, faculty faced substantial barriers, including a lack of institutional AI licensing, policy uncertainty, and ongoing support systems. The research contributes three extensions to traditional UTAUT models for AI contexts: trust in AI technologies, ethical considerations, and sustained usage behavior. Findings demonstrate that effective AI integration requires coordinated investment in professional development, comprehensive infrastructure, and cultural change strategies. This study provides actionable insights for institutional leaders developing AI adoption strategies while highlighting the complex interplay between individual skill development, organizational capacity, and sustained technology integration in academic contexts.
13:05-13:30
102798 | Teacher SelfUse Predicts Classroom Adoption of Generative AI: A TwoStage Model in Japanese HighSchool Informatics Shunsuke Inagaki, University of Yamanashi, Japan
Japan’s nationwide Informatics curriculum and new generativeAI guidelines create both opportunity and uncertainty for classroom use. We model teacher adoption in Japanese highschool Informatics as a twostage process: expectation (perceived usefulness) → intention, and selfuse frequency → actual adoption, aligned with TAM/UTAUT. We conducted a Japanwide volunteer survey of Informatics teachers (n=104). Scales (5point Likert) measured expectation, concern, and intention; selfuse was coded 1 (“trial only”) to 4 (“almost daily”); adoption indicated whether teachers had already used AI in class. Multiple regression predicted intention; logistic regression predicted adoption. Intention was predicted by expectation (β=0.524, p<.001) and selfuse (β=0.267, p=.003), R²=0.500. Adoption was predicted only by selfuse (OR=2.329, 95% CI [1.219, 4.447], p=.010). Holding expectation and concern at their medians, predicted adoption rose monotonically with selfuse: 0.325 → 0.528 → 0.723 → 0.859; the classifier’s AUC was 0.679. The model connects policy to classroom by converting common reservations into manageable requirements: disclosure of AI use, source attribution, and verification logs of factchecking and revisions. For teacher professional development, we propose a short, repetitive practice loop (~15 minutes weekly for four weeks) to raise selfuse before wholeclass adoption. The practical message is simple and actionable: expectation drives intention; selfuse drives adoption. We contribute disciplinespecific numerical evidence and reusable instructional patterns and evaluation checklists that other systems can adapt.
13:30-13:55
102753 | Design, Implementation, and Assessment of a Student-Led Intelligent Learning System: Enhancing Engagement and Learning Ahmed Alsharif, Utah Valley University, United States
This paper presents the design, implementation, and assessment of a student-led Artificial Intelligence (AI) tutoring project at Utah Valley University (UVU). The system, integrated within the Canvas Learning Management System, was created to provide real-time, personalized academic support while upholding educational integrity. Its design intentionally modeled the scaffolding practices of human tutors, guiding students through problem-solving rather than supplying direct answers. Development was carried out by a small team of undergraduate students in collaboration with faculty mentors, supported by institutional grants and technology resources. The result was a mobile-friendly, scalable tool capable of supporting multiple courses. A preliminary assessment was carried out during the pilot deployment, drawing on surveys, analytics, and student reflections. Findings showed high engagement, with students reporting that the system enhanced understanding of course content and encouraged active learning. Technical evaluation confirmed reliable performance, and the project demonstrates that student-driven innovations can create meaningful educational technologies that promote accessibility, engagement, and equity in higher education. The findings also highlight both the pedagogical benefits and implementation challenges of introducing AI into authentic classroom contexts, offering a roadmap for institutions seeking to integrate AI responsibly into teaching and learning.
13:55-14:20
100529 | Designing a Custom GPT: Considering the Implications for Media Education
John Pavlik, the State University of New Jersey, United States
Tristan Pavlik, Rutgers University, United States
Custom GPTs present an opportunity for educational innovation. Combining an exploratory and descriptive approach in this emerging arena, we used a case study method to test the potential of a custom GPT in media education. We conducted a qualitative document analysis to assess the textual content generated by a custom GPT and identify themes. To design the custom GPT, we used OpenAI’s GPT-5, released August 7, 2025. Using agentic artificial intelligence (AI) mode, we generated a custom GPT on media ethics. The resulting custom GPT, Media Ethics Instructor (MEI), features an interface designed for college students using a blend of academic and conversational interaction. Our analysis of the content generated by MEI indicates three themes. First, MEI enables Q&A sessions to help students explore key concepts. In responding to questions about core ethical principles, MEI articulated several media ethics concepts, including seeking truth, minimizing harm, and maintaining human oversight when using generative AI. Second, MEI enables simulations with tailored feedback. A simulated student query was posed regarding the use of anonymous sources in journalism. MEI generated a response highlighting the role of unnamed sources in journalism, especially when protecting source confidentiality. Third, MEI distills trends from historical data. MEI revealed that since media reporting of the 1972 Watergate break-in, media usage of anonymous sources has declined steadily. MEI provided its source materials. Limitations of this study include using a single platform (GPT-5) and only one subject (media ethics), and having no assessment of student learning via a custom GPT
12:40-14:20 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 303A (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 3
IICE2026 | Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics
Session Chair: Andreea Cervatiuc
12:40-13:05
102823 | Reconceptualizing ESL Students’ Communication Apprehension Through a “Creating Understanding” Framework: Implications for Teaching Public Speaking in Multicultural Classrooms
Chaerin Song, The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States
Juven Nino Villacastin, University of Hawaii at Manoa, United States
Public speaking is an essential skill for a student’s success in higher education in the United States, yet many students describe it as anxiety-inducing. Public speaking courses are often offered for undergraduates in higher education institutions, including a component for addressing communication apprehension (CA) or one’s feeling of anxiety arising from speaking in certain contexts.However, most pedagogical approaches and instructional materials for managing public speaking CA are written with the assumption that students are English-as-first-language (EFL) speakers. In multicultural classrooms with English-as-second-language (ESL) students, existing lessons and exercises for overcoming CA may not adequately address ESL students’ specific experiences of public speaking anxiety. To address this conceptual and pedagogical gap, this paper reconceptualizes CA within Gasiorek and Aune’s (2021) “creating understanding” framework. More specifically, CA is conceptualized as arising from an individual’s anticipation of “low entrainment” – a perceived misalignment of mental models – which then reduces the likelihood of achieving mutual understanding with an audience. From this perspective, ESL speakers’ apprehension in public speaking contexts stems not only from language proficiency concerns but also from fears of miscommunication and misinterpretation across cultural and cognitive boundaries. Drawing on this framework, the paper identifies salient causes of public speaking CA among ESL students and suggests pedagogical strategies that focus on enhancing entrainment and practicing self-repair strategies to overcome CA. Implications for developing inclusive public speaking curricula in public speaking classes tailored to the needs of ESL students are also discussed.
13:05-13:30
96654 | AI Avatar VR Speaking Practice: Effects on Speaking Proficiency and Anxiety in Japanese EFL Learners Preparing to Study Abroad
Yukie Saito, Chuo University, Japan
This presentation reports the results of a study examining the effects of AI-avatar-based virtual reality (VR) speaking practice on speaking proficiency and foreign language anxiety (FLA) among Japanese EFL learners preparing for study abroad. In Japan, where opportunities for authentic English interaction are limited, anxiety often hinders students’ ability to speak confidently. With study abroad programs resuming post-COVID-19, effective preparation methods are essential. Thirteen university students (CEFR A2–B2) engaged in daily English conversations with AI avatars via the Immerse VR platform. Speaking proficiency and foreign language anxiety (FLA) are assessed before and after speaking practice with AI avatars in the VR platform, using the Versant English Speaking Test and an adapted version of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) (Horwitz et al., 1986), respectively. Quantitative data are analyzed using paired-samples t-tests to investigate changes over time. The students also completed a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)based questionnaire evaluating perceived ease of use, usefulness, playfulness, convenience, and intention to continue using the VR platform. In addition, they kept a daily Speaking Practice Journal, recording the topics of their interactions with AI avatars in VR and reflecting on their speaking experiences throughout the practice. The presentation will highlight quantitative outcomes and thematic findings from the journals, offering a comprehensive view of how immersive, AI-powered VR practice can support speaking development and reduce anxiety among EFL learners preparing for overseas study.
13:30-13:55
102996 | Mediation Found in Intercultural Communication Within Multicultural Classes
Etsuko Yamada, Tokyo Polytechnic University, Japan
This study explores the concept of mediation as clearly formulated in the CEFR (Common European Reference for Languages) Companion Volume (2018). The CEFR had a significant impact on language education over the past few decades. One significant difference between the initial CEFR (2001) and the more recent revised versions is the increased focus on non-linguistic competence, such as mediation. This means that successful communication cannot be achieved through linguistic skills alone. The contribution of nonlinguistic skills to communication is a topic warrants further exploration. In addition to exploring mediation, this study attempts to search the difference in how mediation is managed by L1 Japanese speakers and L2 international students. An empirical study was conducted in multicultural classes at a state university in Japan. These classes involved Japanese local students and international exchange students working together on PBL-style group projects. The instruction language was Japanese. The main sources of qualitative analysis were students’ diaries and group interviews conducted after the course had finishes. Approximately 30 students’ data were examined. Consequently, there were no significant differences in the patterns of L1 and L2 mediation acts. However, mediation skills can be taught more consciously. There were also many instances of L1 Japanese students considering the linguistic skills of L2 international students. This is similar to accommodation strategies in lingua franca communication, with some overlap. As they both focus on non-linguistic aspects of communication, it can be inferred that these aspects should also be included in language education.
13:55-14:20
98317 | Multimodal Approaches to Teaching Additional Languages
Andreea
Cervatiuc, University of British Columbia, Canada
This presentation will report on a recent conceptual research study that analyzes multimodal additional language teaching, drawing on relevant research (Diamantopoulou, & Ørevik, 2021; Magnusson, & Godhe, 2019). The presentation will begin with a discussion of the differences between traditional approaches to additional language teaching, which focused on meaning-making through the separation of language strands and modes of communication, and multimodal approaches, which combine oral communication, writing, images, and videos. The presentation will make the case that multimodal approaches to teaching and learning additional languages can positively affect language learners’ literacy development, critical thinking, and creativity. Drawing on the socio-semiotic approach to education (Kalantzis, & Cope, 2012), multimodal additional language teaching and learning are conceptualized as creative acts. Teaching is viewed as designing for learning, while learning is conceptualized as redesigning (Kress, 2010). The presentation will discuss and recommend several multimodal approaches to teaching additional languages, which educators can design and implement in their classrooms: multimodal identity texts, films as resources for students’ development of multimodal literacy, graphic novels, reading literature through drawing, and digital storytelling. The findings of this study can have relevant implications for applied linguists, teachers, and language learners.
12:40-14:20 |
Convention Center: Room 303B (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 3
IICE/IICAH2026 | Humanities - Teaching and Learning
Session Chair: Manca Sustarsic
12:40-13:05
101951 | Exploring Self-compassion in Early Adolescents: Evidence from a Vietnamese Urban School Sample
Tat Thien Do, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Vietnam
Van Son Huynh, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Vietnam
Quan Hong Bui, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Vietnam
Khuong Vinh Nguyen, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Vietnam
Thanh Nghia Lam, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Vietnam
Xuan Quynh Ngoc Nguyen, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Vietnam
Self-compassion has emerged as a key psychological resource that enables adolescents to navigate emotional challenges and schoolrelated stress. Despite increasing international attention, empirical research on self-compassion among early adolescents in Vietnam remains limited. This study aims to examine the overall level and subcomponent profile of self-compassion in Vietnamese lower secondary school students and to explore differences based on gender, grade level, family socioeconomic status, and academic achievement. Methods: A total of 385 students (grades 6–9) from public schools in Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnamese version of the SelfCompassion Scale for Youth (SCS-Y; Neff et al., 2021) was administered. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, independent samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVA to explore patterns and group differences. The findings revealed that students reported moderate levels of self-compassion, with positive subcomponents (common humanity, mindfulness, and self-kindness) scoring significantly higher than negative ones (self-judgment, over-identification, and isolation). Gender differences were significant, with male students reporting higher self-compassion than females (p < .01). Grade-level differences emerged only in self-judgment, with older students exhibiting lower self-criticism. No statistically significant differences were found in overall self-compassion by family socioeconomic status or academic performance. Conclusion: Vietnamese adolescents demonstrate a relatively balanced self-compassion profile, with strengths in mindfulness and common humanity. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating gender-sensitive and developmentally appropriate interventions to foster self-compassion during adolescence. Educational and psychological support systems should consider integrating self-compassion training to promote emotional resilience in school environments.
13:05-13:30
102284 | Early Childhood Science Education in Bedouin Communities
Saleem Abu Jaber, Kaye Academic College of Education, Israel
The Bedouin in Israel live mainly in unrecognized and recognized villages in the south of the country. The connection between Bedouin society and Israeli society at large is replete with social and political challenges. Teaching science in early childhood affects children’s physical, cognitive and social development. The proposed project will give Bedouin children the ability to understand and integrate scientific knowledge into their daily lives and ensure balanced educational growth. The project takes into account that educational material and activities must be adapted to the unique features of Bedouin culture. (Abu Sa’ed, 2023; Oranit Spector-Levy and others, 2019). Science teaching in Bedouin society has not been sufficiently researched, although in recent years, the situation has changed somewhat. One example of a recent study is “The influence of science teaching in early childhood on thought processes and child development in Bedouin society in the Negev.”(Kesner-Baruch, J., 2015; Behar, Sefi, 2020; Abu Sa’ed, A. 2023). The Early Childhood Science Teaching Project in Bedouin Society in the Negev is an educational-pedagogical project aimed at improving science teaching in Bedouin kindergartens and promoting the scientific and educational development of Bedouin children. It is an initiative that can help reduce gaps between Bedouin children and other children in Israel. It will also allow them to develop scientific thinking and teamwork skills. The project will help kindergarten teachers and Bedouin students in the early childhood program at Achva College, exposing them to a variety of teaching strategies and methods, skills and various technological tools.
13:30-13:55
100902 | Enhancing Preschool Quality: A Survey of CLASS Training Effectiveness in Hawaiʻi
Nicole Schlaack, University of Hawaii, United States
Manca Sustarsic, University of Hawaii, United States
Lorraine Kouao, University of Hawaii, United States
Benji Whitenack, University of Hawaii, United States
The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) is a research-based observational assessment tool designed to enhance program quality. Over the past decades, CLASS has been used as an instrument to assess teacher-student interactions and classroom quality in pre-K classrooms (Hongli, 2019; Designation Renewal System Overview, 2023). CLASS played a critical role in teacher effectiveness, as it promoted students’ social and academic development through reliable and successful teacher–student interactions (McDoniel, 2022; Soininen, 2023). With the Preschool Development Grant Birth - Five (PDG B-5), Hawaiʻi piloted the implementation of CLASS as a tool for assessing program quality in preschool programs. The implementation occurred in two phases: Phase I, which established a baseline setting, and Phase II, which focused on coaching and training. This presentation details findings from the CLASS Phase II Feedback Survey, conducted in Hawaiʻi between December 2024 and January 2025. Phase II activities included pre- and post-observations, debrief meetings, workshop sessions covering the three CLASS domains, and an optional individual CLASS support session with each participant from the early childhood education program, including teachers, assistants, and administrators from five preschools. The survey evaluated participants’ perceptions of the training’s effectiveness, support, and impact on teaching practices. Participants were motivated by professional growth and program requirements. Results consistently demonstrated overall positive outcomes. Significant improvements in knowledge and confidence were reported across all CLASS domains. Participants particularly valued the practical applications, individualized feedback, and debriefing sessions. These findings strongly support the positive impact of CLASS training, recommending its continuation with targeted domain-specific support.
12:40-14:20 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 304A (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 3
IICAH2026 | Humanities - Globalisation
Session Chair: Sei Shishido
12:40-13:05
102686 | Competition Law Harmonization for Cross-Border Digital Trade
Shin-Ru Cheng, Kyoto University, Japan
Cross-border digital trade (CBDT)—the online transactions that occur across countries—plays a vital role in driving global economic growth. Since harmonization of laws is essential to continue this momentum, key trade treaties such as the United States-MexicoCanada Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership require member states to align their competition laws. However, these treaties do not specify the necessary level of harmonization, potentially leading to enforcement challenges that may undermine their effectiveness. Unfortunately, prior literature on this topic is limited and inapplicable as it is primarily focused on traditional industries. To determine the appropriate level of competition law harmonization that would promote both global and regional digital trade, this research identifies areas of convergence and divergence in competition laws among major economies, including the United States, the European Union, and Japan. Through a comparative study, it reveals that concerns regarding vertical restraints differ significantly depending on the jurisdiction’s domestic industry development. US antitrust law primarily emphasizes interbrand competition—competition among different brands—while European and Japanese competition law typically focuses on intrabrand competition—competition among suppliers and retailers—thereby facilitating the growth of digital startups. The divergence in these legal frameworks offers sophisticated and arguably diverse tools for regulating unprecedented global tech giants. Consequently, this research suggests that a low level of harmonization can be the most ideal model for fostering CBDT in the form of robust competition and innovation.
13:05-13:30
96999 | From Data Hunt to Data Vault: A Closed-Chain Solution for Antitrust Compliance
Sei Shishido, Seikei University, Japan
This research proposes a novel framework to reduce the investigative burden on governmental agencies such as the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) by leveraging permissioned blockchain technology. In current antitrust enforcement, regulatory bodies must expend significant resources to collect, verify, and analyze transaction-level data, often encountering delays, information asymmetries, and strategic non-disclosure by firms. To address this, I propose the creation of a closed, consortium-based blockchain network that securely stores real-time transactional and business information from participating firms. The proposed system would operate under a legal framework that mandates or incentivizes firms—particularly those in dominant or gatekeeping positions—to record key business data on the blockchain. Access to this data would be strictly controlled, with governmental authorities granted conditional access upon meeting legal thresholds of suspicion or initiating formal investigations. This design ensures due process and protects firms’ confidential information while enabling prompt, verifiable, and tamper-resistant access to historical data when needed. By shifting the evidentiary focus from post-hoc data gathering to preemptive, verifiable data recording, this framework could enhance both the speed and accuracy of competition law enforcement. The study explores the technical, legal, and institutional implications of this proposal and evaluates its potential for implementation within Japan’s legal system. Ultimately, this research contributes to a broader discussion on how digital infrastructure can improve regulatory efficiency and accountability in complex, data-driven markets.
12:40-14:20 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 304B (3F)
95755 | Education for Sustainable Development: An Analysis of English Textbook Grade 11 in the Vietnamese Context
Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Hanoi University, Vietnam
Hien Ta Thi Thanh, Hanoi University, Vietnam
Nhung Vu Thi Tuyet, Hanoi University, Vietnam
Le Thu Huong, Hanoi University, Vietnam
According to the Ministry of Education and Training (2018), Vietnam’s general education curriculum adopts multiple textbooks across subjects to support innovative teaching. These textbooks, developed by academic experts, align with the national framework and enhance classroom flexibility. However, research on integrating sustainable development education into Vietnam’s textbooks and curriculum remains scarce, highlighting a critical gap in educational studies. This study examines the representation of sustainable development topics in four new English textbooks for grade 11 used in Vietnam. Employing a quantitative approach, the research utilises a content analysis method guided by the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) principles framework, developed by Mohammadnia and Moghadam (2019), which is based on the Earth Charter (2000) and the UNESCO Roadmap for Implementing the Global Action Program on ESD (2014). The analysis involves systematically evaluating the textbook content to identify and interpret themes related to sustainable development according to these established ESD principles. The findings showed that four textbooks exhibit the highest level of emphasis across 14 sustainable education topics covered. The main topic of “English 11_Global Success” is pollution. “English 11_c21” strongly emphasises harmonious living and group problem-solving. While “English 11_Bright” concentrates on technology, “English 11_ Explore New World” is more concerned with biodiversity. Three themes—natural disasters, poverty, and renewable energy resources— are given the least attention in all four textbooks. These findings offer valuable insights for educators, enabling them to select teaching resources that enhance students’ awareness of sustainable development challenges and contribute to global discussions on embedding sustainability in educational curricula.
13:05-13:30
98411 | Interested, but Not Motivated: Motivational Corruption in Higher Education
Matthias Werner, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, Germany
Carsten Rennhak, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, Germany
Alina Byrkun, Bavarian State Ministry of Finance and Home Affairs, Germany
Student motivation is widely recognized as a critical determinant of effective learning in higher education. However, students often report a paradoxical decline in motivation over the course of their studies: content that initially elicited genuine interest loses its appeal due to external pressures such as high-stakes assessments, grade-oriented evaluation systems, and inflexible curricular structures. This phenomenon, known as motivational corruption or the over-justification effect (Deci et al., 1999), remains underexplored in higher education research. This study conceptualizes motivational corruption as a structural risk in academic environments. The theoretical framework integrates Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) which explores conditions that support intrinsic motivation, Goal Orientation Theory (Dweck, 1986; Ames, 1992) which distinguishes between mastery- and performance-oriented learning goals, and Cognitive Evaluation Theory which explains how external rewards and controls can undermine intrinsic motivation. Empirically, the study is based on a quantitative survey of over 200 university students. Standardized SDT-based scales assess motivational quality. Openended responses provide qualitative insight into perceived motivational decline. Findings indicate that students experience a marked loss of motivation despite initial interest in the subject matter. Frequently cited causes include exam-related stress, lack of autonomy, and a disconnection between academic tasks and personal goals. Preliminary patterns suggest that perceived autonomy and identity alignment are important factors in sustaining motivation over time. Therefore, motivational corruption should be understood as a systemic issue which calls for pedagogical and curricular designs that foster autonomy, identity coherence, and meaningful engagement, thereby creating conditions conducive to sustained intrinsic motivation in higher education.
13:30-13:55
98270 | Exploring the Structural Relationships Between Medical Students’ Interest and Passion for Studying Medicine
Shu-Jyun Liou, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan
Chih Ting Chang, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan
Shu-Cing Yang, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan
The current global shortage of healthcare professionals has become increasingly severe. A thorough understanding of medical students’ learning motivation is crucial for developing effective admission strategies and enhancing the quality of medical education. This study aims to investigate the structural relationships between sources of motivation and learning enthusiasm among medical students. The sample comprised 466 enrolled students from Taiwan, including those in general medicine, graduate-entry medicine, and dentistry programs. Data were collected through a cross-sectional questionnaire survey measuring five constructs: family caregiving, social service, professional development, socioeconomic status, and learning enthusiasm. Regression analysis results indicated that family caregiving has a significant direct effect on social service (β = .486) and can indirectly predict learning enthusiasm through professional development (indirect effect = .179). Social service also significantly influences professional development (β = .451), which in turn indirectly enhances learning enthusiasm (indirect effect = .259). Among all variables, professional development exerts the strongest direct effect on learning enthusiasm (β = .574). Although socioeconomic status is not a direct predictor of learning enthusiasm, it functions as a dependent variable in the pathways involving other constructs.These findings highlight the interactive influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors on medical students’ learning enthusiasm, providing empirical evidence and theoretical insights to inform admission policies and curriculum design in medical education.
12:40-14:20 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 304B (3F)
103069 | Experiential Learning in Graduate Conducting Education: Insights from a Community Medical Orchestra
Matthew Brooks, University of Nebraska at Omaha, United States
Peter Nelson, University of Nebraska at Omaha, United States
This action research qualitative study explores a community medical orchestra as a site of experiential learning and pedagogical innovation in graduate orchestral conducting education. Composed primarily of healthcare professionals and trainees who participate for wellness and enjoyment, the medical orchestra offers a nontraditional environment in which graduate conducting students refine leadership, communication, and reflective skills through iterative cycles of action and reflection. Faculty and student conductors collaboratively examine rehearsal strategies, engagement methods, and adaptive leadership approaches to enhance both learning and practice. Drawing on the protégé effect--the phenomenon in which teaching and facilitating others deepens one’s own mastery--this study investigates how guiding a community ensemble reinforces conductors’ understanding of musical, interpersonal, and pedagogical principles. Date from reflective journals, faculty observation, and group discussions were analyzed thematically to inform ongoing improvement. Finding highlight the development of empathetic leadership, adaptability, and relationship awareness, demonstrating how community-based, arts-in-health engagement can expand conductor preparation toward a more human-centered and socially responsive model of musical leadership.
12:40-14:20 |
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 3
IICAH2026 | Politics and History
Session Chair: John Riofrio
12:40-13:05
100825 | Collective Agency and Land Rights: Women’s Self-Help Groups as Drivers of Rural Transformation in Kenya Franciscah Anyona Omukiti, University of Tsukuba, Japan
Self-help groups (SHGs) have long been the subject of research across Asia and Africa, especially for their role in promoting financial inclusion, empowering women, and strengthening household resilience. In Kenya, much of the scholarship on women’s self-help groups— locally known as Chamas—has centred on individual and household outcomes like savings, income generation, and food security However, their broader influence as collective agents of change within communities has received far less attention. This paper shifts the analytical lens outward to explore how Chamas contributes to rural transformation—not only by advancing women’s land rights, but also by shaping local governance structures and challenging entrenched norms. This study draws on a large body of academic and policy literature, alongside qualitative insights from interviews with Chama leaders and community stakeholders in Kakamega County. It explores how collective action within Chamas helps raise legal awareness, mobilize women around land claims, and gradually shift deeply held gender norms. Framed through the lenses of Collective Action Theory and the Rights-Based Approach, the findings show that these grassroots women’s groups do far more than offer economic support—they are actively reshaping local power dynamics and advancing more inclusive models of rural development.The study’s focus on impacts at community-level adds to the growing discourse on gender, land governance, and rural transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa. It offers a more nuanced understanding of the socio-political dimensions of women’s collective agency.
13:05-13:30
100885 | Where’s Utopian Leadership when We Need it?
Toby Widdicombe, University of Alaska Anchorage, United States
There is little quarrel about the poor state of leadership in the West at the moment. There has been for some time an alarming drift towards the anti-democratic and increasingly centralized abuses of power. Leadership has, frankly, begun to take on many of the characteristics of the cruel use of authority in dystopias such as Zamyatin’s We (1920), Huxley’s Brave New World (1932), and Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949). The solution (one direction democracies could take) is to examine seriously the ideas about successful leadership in utopian thought especially as expressed in Plato’s Republic (ca 375 BCE), More’s Utopia (1516), Morris’s News from Nowhere (1890), and Huxley’s Island (1962) as well as the insights from intentional communities (Tennessee’s The Farm and Virginia’s Twin Oaks among others). The lessons are there for the taking. All it requires (and this is a big requirement, I know) is common sense and courage. Much of the presentation will be focused on putting flesh on the bones of the first two paragraphs of this proposal as presented above. The rest of my time will be given over to trying to answer this question: “How might we get from now to markedly better leadership in the near future?” Or to put it another way, “How do embody utopian thought in the real world?” The solution lies somewhere between Huxley’s simple choric statement in Island, “Attention”, and a complex and disruptive revolution: political, social, economic, and existential.
13:30-13:55
100769 | Dueling Sovereignties: The Debate over Public Safety Authority on Tribal Lands in the US
Kenneth Hansen, California State University, Fresno, United States
In the early 1950s, the US Congress passed several laws to implement its Termination policy, which was designed to relieve the national government from its treaty obligations to Native American tribes in certain states. This resulted in another dark episode for Native Americans and the diminishing of tribal sovereignty. Dozens of tribes had their federal recognition withdrawn, tribal governments and individuals lost ownership and control over lands and resources, as well as access to benefits and services that were supposed to be guaranteed by treaty. Along with this came more forced relocations and loss of tribal citizenship. Though the policy was largely withdrawn in the 1970s following substantial public backlash, permanent damage was done. Currently, elements of Termination persist in several states, especially the continued imposition of state law enforcement authority over the tribes. This is problematic for several reasons, including a lack of cultural competence on the part of public safety officials, and double standards when it comes to enforcing the law, which have manifested themselves in the Missing & Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) phenomenon, among other problems. However, the states on the West Coast have made some progress at repairing relationships with Native tribes, with Oregon especially seeking to interact with tribal governments on a more equal basis. This paper argues that US states should advance a policy called “retrocession” to allow self-exercise of police powers by reservation governments in accordance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
13:55-14:20
102151 | Gentrifying Choice and (Un)Freedom: Selling Out to Survive in Gentefied John “Rio” Riofrio, College of William and Mary, United States
“Gentrifying Choice and (Un)Freedom: Selling Out to Survive in Gentefied” examines the Netflix series Gentefied and its efforts to make sense of the tangled social and personal issues that inhere in the complex processes known as gentrification. Centered on the primarily Chicano barrio of Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles, this essay begins by suggesting that Gentefied’s understated blend of comedy and drama cleverly resists the urge to package gentrification as either a tragedy or an uplifting fable of family-triumphs-over-all. Instead, Gentefied emphasizes, in articulate but at times ambiguous terms, the costs and opportunities that come with navigating the rapidly shifting economic and cultural terrain of a neighborhood in active gentrification. Using the “rational choice” framework of philosopher Ruth Chang, this essay proposes that Gentefied’s contribution to what might be termed “Gentrification Studies” is that way in which it articulates the raft of impossible “choices” that residents face in trying to make sense of, and adapt to, the economic and social changes wrought by neoliberal notions of progress, development, and renewal. This essay concludes by suggesting that, as such, Gentefied is urgent, essential viewing for those interested in understanding the human cost behind the ubiquitous, structural, global processes that mark contemporary gentrification.
12:40-14:20 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 305B (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 3
IICAH2026 | Design and Performance in Arts & Humanities
Session Chair: Sharon Mirchandani
12:40-13:05
103056 | Staging the Archive: Theatrical Methods for Presidential Library and Museum Engagement Through Betty Ford’s Legacy Jamey Grisham, Stephens College, United States
During visits to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, I was struck by the often-overlooked influence of First Ladies, especially Betty Ford, whose openness about personal struggles and advocacy for health still resonate strongly today. This study investigates how theatrical techniques can animate archival materials and deepen public engagement, drawing on interviews, field observations, and a range of scholarly and creative sources. Grounded in museum studies and ethnodrama, the research uses Betty Ford’s multifaceted legacy—captured through personal artifacts, correspondence, and expert commentary—as a case study for performative storytelling that brings presidential history to life. Archival research at the Ford Library, combined with creative practices like scriptwriting and curated video, aligns with performance theory concepts such as “restored behavior” and the ephemerality of live theatre to create immersive, emotional museum experiences. Contextualizing this work alongside plays such as The First Lady Suite (2004), Grey Gardens (2006), and All The Way (2012), the project highlights the varied ways First Ladies have been dramatized and builds on this tradition by centering Ford’s modern dance background to develop embodied, interactive approaches. Ultimately, this integration of archival preservation and theatrical innovation challenges conventional museum display, offering new pathways to engage diverse audiences and ensure that legacies such as Betty Ford’s remain vivid, accessible, and meaningful for future generations.
13:05-13:30
100777 | Between Life and Aesthetics: Understanding Marginal Landscapes Through Japanese Cherry Blossom Trees (Sakura) Ran Kamiyama, Toyo University, Japan
The concept of “marginal landscape” is inspired by the term “marginal art,” proposed by Japanese philosopher Shunsuke Tsurumi, and stands in contrast to the idea of “pure art.” Applying the framework of marginal art to landscapes highlights the social and human contexts often lost when landscapes are formalized or aestheticized. Once a landscape is beautified and recognized as pure art, it tends to become detached from the everyday human activities and environments that originally shaped it. Although many pure landscapes originate from marginal ones, the process of aesthetic elevation often obscures these roots. Historically, pure landscapes have been preserved through cultural expressions—such as poetry and painting—produced by well-known artists. These works shaped public appreciation and helped promote preservation. In contrast, marginal landscapes, discovered by anonymous individuals and closely linked to lived experience, have received little attention because they were not created with artistic or aesthetic intentions. Consequently, preservation efforts for such landscapes have often been limited or overlooked. This study re-evaluates marginal landscapes through the lens of marginal art, using cherry blossoms (sakura)—a symbolic landscape element in Japan—as a case study. Although now celebrated as a cultural and aesthetic icon, many sakura landscapes have roots in marginal contexts. Methodologically, this research investigates marginal landscapes using historical sources such as traditional calendars, almanacs, collections of proverbs, folk songs, and local histories. In contrast, the study of pure landscapes draws on sources such as poetry and illustrated maps.
13:30-13:55
100427 | The Eclectic American Musical Style of Composer Marga Richter’s Humorous Art Songs Sharon Mirchandani, Westminster Choir College of Rider University, United States
The American composer Marga Richter (1926–2020) has been primarily recognized for her large-scale instrumental works and tragic art songs and cycles. These include her Testament (2001) for alto, English horn, and piano, which sets texts by Anne Morrow Lindbergh reflecting on the kidnapping and murder of her son; Sarah Do Not Mourn Me Dead (1995), the Civil War letter by Major Sullivan Ballou; and Lament for Art O’Leary (1983), the Irish keen by Eileen O’Leary. Richter’s humorous vocal compositions have been much less explored. This paper examines three of these works that highlight the breadth of Richter’s eclectic musical style and her love of wit and playful experimentation: Jabberwocky (1941), a whimsical setting of Lewis Carroll’s famous nonsense poem; Erin Odyssey (2000), a collection of fourteen limericks written by the composer herself; and Goat Songs (2006), which sets six poems from Marcia Slatkin’s A Woman Milking (2006). Through close musical and biographical analysis, this paper expands our understanding of Richter’s artistic identity. The paper also reveals how Richter’s text settings relate to theories of humor such as those by Thomas Schultz, Kendall Walton, and Enrique Arias. Richter’s songs express humor through a strong female perspective, and draw upon a variety of twentieth-century compositional techniques to create humor with melodic expectations, disruptions, and resolutions, in addition to timbral effects and rhythmic complexity. In exploring Richter’s humorous songs, this paper enhances our understanding of the expressive range of American art song in the twentieth century.
14:35-16:15
| Hawaii Convention Center: Room 301A (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 4
IICE2026 | Innovative Technologies in Education (Workshops)
Session Chair: Gabrielle Heard
14:35-15:25
98483 | Synergizing Success: A Deeper Dive into Academic Integration
Jill Ranucci, Independent Scholar, United States
It is time for elective career subject teachers and academic subject teachers to stop working in silos and start collaborating to help students. Creating links between academic courses and Career and Technical Education (CTE) is the most effective way to create a school-wide curriculum that equips students for a demanding world after high school. AI and emerging technologies are in global high demand for the future generations. All parties involved in schooling benefit from teaching for both academic rigor and career relevance. As a result, students perform better and have an easier time adjusting to post-secondary education and professions. There are numerous ways for educators to collaborate and build relationships. The optimal collaboration model is an issue for high school administrators who want to prepare their pupils, not whether to link academic and technological skills. The presenter will share her published book “Synergizing Success: Academic and Career Integration in CTE and the reasons why Academic integration is essential. Models for connecting careers and academics exist to aid administrators, academic leaders, and instructors. This workshop will focus on comprehensive high schools, technical centers, career centers, and academic integration in emerging technologies. The applied skills that link mastery of employable abilities to core academic knowledge will also be beneficial to academic teachers. The utilization of project-based learning as a tool in CTE courses and its connection to the academic information required for higher-level thinking will be highlighted.
15:25-16:15
100731 | Beyond the Screen: Interactive Strategies for Bias Awareness in Teacher Education
Gabrielle Heard, University of Calgary, Canada
Alisa Wilson, University of Tennessee at Martin, United States
Teacher preparation requires active engagement with bias and opportunities for self-reflection. This workshop invites participants to experience two activities that explore implicit bias in different ways. One activity is digital and created with Articulate 360 and H5P. The other is paper-based and designed for small group collaboration. Participants will rotate through both activities. Each involves interpreting ambiguous images to spark reflection on personal assumptions and perceptions. The digital version uses multimedia prompts, voiceover scenarios, and gamified reflection questions. The paper-based version relies on dialogue and shared interpretation in small groups. After completing both, participants will discuss their experiences and consider how the learning format affected their engagement and depth of reflection. The workshop also shares results from a pilot study with pre-service teacher candidates. Each cohort completed one version of the activity, and surveys measured engagement, comprehension, and self-reflection. Findings suggested that the digital format encouraged higher engagement and deeper introspection, while the non-digital version supported collaborative discussion. The session concludes with strategies for bringing reflective bias-focused exercises into teacher education and professional training. Participants will leave with insights into designing activities that combine reflective practice with engaging formats. They will also gain practical ideas for integrating educational technology into courses focused on teaching diverse learners.
14:35-16:15 |
Convention Center: Room 301B (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 4
IICE2026 | Higher Education
Session Chair: Hideto Fukudome
14:35-15:00
101264 | Annual Rankings of Institutions of Higher Learning: Where’s the Validity?
Kenneth Cramer, University of Windsor, Canada
Rachel Picard, University of Windsor, Canada
Amber Riberdy, University of Windsor, Canada
Annual rankings of institutions of higher education have now become large and lucrative magazine-selling enterprises, as witnessed in USA Today and Maclean’s Magazine in Canada. Students, parents, and especially college/university administrators pay careful attention to these data, basing either school choices or institutional programming and design on these numbers. The present study examined the most recent data (2023-2025) of almost 50 institutions of higher learning in Canada, based on the following indices: student-faculty ratio, faculty and student awards, SSHRC and medical/science grants, total research, operating budget, library expenses and acquisitions, and both student scholarships and services. We divided our analysis by both year and category of school: medical/doctorate, comprehensive (with some professional and graduate work), and undergraduate (with limited graduate programs). Replicating prior studies, our analyses cast considerable doubt on the validity of these rankings. For example, after dividing schools as upper- vs lower-ranked (within their derivative category), a Mann-Whitney nonparametric test was significant for just 2 of the 11 indices (viz. student awards and faculty awards). Further, a nonparametric Spearman correlation between the overall rank and each of the 11 indices was significant for between 1 and 5 indices (< 50%). Finally, a cluster analysis grouped like-indexed schools into clusters with no meaningful pattern or interpretable framework. This raises further doubt on the validity of these rankings for public and administrative consumption. Wider social implications are discussed as are directions for future research.
15:00-15:25
102966 | Transformative Learning in a D&I Study Abroad Programme: Insights from Qualitative Data Aki Nishihara, Hokusei Gakuen University, Japan
This study investigates how a short-term, thematically focused study abroad programme can foster transformative learning related to Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) among undergraduate students. The programme was designed to move beyond superficial cultural exposure by intentionally integrating critical reflection, local immersion, and real-world dialogue around issues of identity, social structures, and inclusion. Drawing on qualitative data from student-generated reflection sheets and learning journals, we conducted open coding and thematic analysis to identify patterns of personal transformation. The findings reveal consistent learning trajectories: increased awareness of unconscious bias, emergent intercultural empathy, and the reframing of self in relation to others. Notably, spontaneous interactions in host communities—rather than classroom content—served as powerful catalysts for critical reflection and identity negotiation. This presentation argues that well-designed short-term mobility programmes can serve as intensive incubators for inclusive mindsets, especially when embedded in pedagogies that scaffold reflection and social inquiry. We offer actionable insights for educators and programme designers seeking to operationalise D&I goals within global learning contexts, and discuss implications for evaluating student outcomes beyond language or cultural knowledge.
This research was conducted as part of a project funded by KAKENHI (Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research), a research funding programme supported by the Government of Japan.
15:25-15:50
102953 | Bridging Quality Assurance and Pedagogy: A Reflection on Course Redesign in Higher Education Mercedes Valadez, California State University, Sacramento,United States
This study critically examines the redesign of an undergraduate research methods course using the Quality Matters (QM) 7th Edition rubric as a framework for both quality assurance and pedagogical enhancement. Using an autoethnographic approach, the analysis draws on reflective journaling, peer feedback, and course content reviews to trace an iterative, three-phase redesign process: self-assessment, targeted professional development, and course reconstruction. The redesign prioritized QM standards related to alignment of learning objectives, learner experiences, and accessibility, while integrating AI tools such as automated feedback systems and generative writing aids. These tools were evaluated by tracking student participation in course activities and through reflective assignments. The findings reveal strategies for balancing adherence to quality standards with active participation and student-centered learning. They also highlight technology-driven approaches that promote flexibility and inclusivity for diverse student learners. Overall, this study demonstrates how reflective, data-informed course design can bridge quality assurance and pedagogical innovation. It offers practical guidance for integrating emerging technologies within established instructional standards.
15:50-16:15
102988 | Innovation in Undergraduate Education at a Japanese Research University: Developing a Concept of Design Education
Hideto Fukudome, University of Tokyo, Japan
This presentation will discuss innovations in undergraduate education currently underway at some Japanese universities. Specifically, the University of Tokyo has decided to establish the College of Design as a new undergraduate college in 2027. This college plans to adopt a broad concept of design and develop a curriculum integrating design thinking with a wide range of academic knowledge. Rather than focusing on a particular academic field, the goal is to cultivate individuals who can proactively engage with contemporary social issues by fusing diverse knowledge and pursuing interdisciplinary learning. I am involved in this project and will discuss the current plans. This new educational program is designed to be delivered entirely in English, aiming to attract a large number of international students. Faculty and students with a strong interest in social issues will gather from around the world, integrating diverse academic disciplines. It will form a community of individuals seeking interdisciplinary learning through interaction with people from various backgrounds. The program will incorporate campus life with residential elements and introduce a small-group, project-based educational style emphasizing student initiative. This presentation will discuss how the University of Tokyo, a leading traditional research university in Japan, is building this new interdisciplinary education. It would be valuable to compare and discuss our plan with equivalent initiatives in other countries.
14:35-16:15 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 302A (3F)
96407 | Navigating Mandates: Leaders of Nonprofit Support Service Providers for Adults with I/DD & the Challenge of Ethical Decision Making Kristal Hebert, Arc of St. Mary, United States
C. Amelia Davis, Louisiana State University Shreveport, United States
Leaders of nonprofits that offer support services to adults with I/DD must work within the framework of federal and state mandates when making ethical decisions regarding autonomy and risk for recipients of their services. This paper presents findings from a qualitative descriptive case study that examined the contemporary phenomenon of risks of autonomy for adults with I/DD within the real-world context of leaders’ ethical decision-making under state and federal mandates. Six leaders of nonprofits that offer support services to adults with I/DD in South Central Louisiana coastal parishes participated in this study. Data was collected through a participant demographic questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and document review. A researcher reflective journal, member-checking, and triangulation of data demonstrated rigor and trustworthiness throughout through all steps of the study. Document analysis and thematic analysis of interview data produced findings that resulted in a case summarized as “The dignity of risk.” Recommendations for practice and future research include specialized ethics training and a longitudinal study to assesses strategies for leaders of nonprofit support service providers who promote autonomy for individuals with I/DD and enable service recipients the dignity of risk when making decisions about their lives.
15:00-15:25
102164 | The Role of Parental Mediation in Preventing Adolescent Addiction to Digital Media
Soyoung Kim, Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea
Heejo Keum, Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea
Jaeho Cho, University of California - Davis, United States
This study examined the effects of four parental mediation strategies—active, restrictive, monitoring, and technical—on adolescent digital media addiction across social media, online gaming, and short-form video platforms. Two waves of online surveys were conducted with 2,000 participants aged in their late teens, spaced four months apart and matched to national demographic quotas. Measures included validated scales for parental mediation and digital media addiction, encompassing behavioral, emotional, and cognitive dimensions. Hierarchical moderated regression analyses revealed that active mediation significantly decreased addiction to both social media and short-form video among adolescents with high baseline addiction, though this effect reversed for those with low baseline addiction. Restrictive mediation showed a marginal negative effect on social media addiction only. Technical mediation failed to reduce gaming addiction but was associated with increased addictive symptoms among low-risk youth. Monitoring mediation demonstrated no main effect but had a moderation effect for short-form video, reducing addiction only in high-risk adolescents. These results highlight the need to consider baseline media addiction risk and mediation strategy when designing family mediation, and they advance understanding of how parental mediation processes differentially influence adolescent media addiction trajectories.
15:25-15:50
96640 | Parental Stress and Coping Strategies of Mothers of a Child Having Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder as Basis for an Intervention
Elise Lauren Cabrera Barbin, Miriam College Nuvali, Philippines
Previous studies report that mothers of children diagnosed with ADHD often experience stress, yet they have a variety of coping mechanisms. This research aimed to assess the parental stress and coping strategies of mothers of a child with ADHD. A quantitative approach in which a descriptive research design was employed, involving 114 mothers from Las Piñas City, Philippines, having a child with ADHD. Respondents completed the following standardized survey questionnaires: The Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, The Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale, and The Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Parent Rating Scale. According to the findings, being a mother of a child who has been diagnosed with ADHD is a stressful and time-consuming task that must be balanced with other responsibilities of being a mother in today’s society. Because of their children’s behavioral disorders, parents of children with ADHD may find raising their children difficult. Moreover, regardless of the level of parental stress, mothers’ coping strategies are heavily reliant on their individual coping abilities. The findings highlight the importance of Reframing. It emphasizes mothers’ perseverance and strength while also recognizing how isolating and lonely, caring for a child can be. Mothers can use Reframing to regularly alter their perceptions of their child’s situation and their own families. To fortify and promote the use of Reframing, an Intervention Program has been created for the mothers with a child diagnosed with ADHD.
15:50-16:15
100662 | Enhancing Neuroinclusivity in British Columbia’s Post Secondary Education System: A Macro-Level Perspective
Shendah Benoit, University of Northern British Columbia, Canada
B. Edward Benoit, College of New Caledonia, Canada
As the number of neurodiverse students attending Canada’s colleges and universities increases, there is a growing awareness of the need for greater neuro-inclusivity within the postsecondary education sector. In February 2025, as part of a series on supporting neurodiversity in post-secondary education, one of the authors was invited to present a teaching and learning workshop to faculty from across the British Columbia (BC) post-secondary system. The workshop emphasized the use of universal design for learning principles to inform compassionate planning for neurodiverse learners and robust conversation during the workshop raised important questions about enhancing neuro-affirming practices within higher education. This presentation proposes that an understanding of the macro-level institutional context of higher education is required to foster successful social innovation and change such as increasing neurodiversity across the BC post-secondary system. Based on a theoretical framework consisting of institutional theory and a compassionate systems leadership and change approach, we detail the coercive, normative, and isomorphic pressures that influence and constrain organizational innovation and change, as well as the compassionate systems concepts of engaging with creative tension, recognizing the interconnected nature of systems, and cultivating the intra- and inter-personal competencies required to support successful systemic change. Applying this theoretical framework to the issue of neuroinclusivity on BC post-secondary campuses, we point to emerging and potential opportunities to foster change at the macro- (systems) level, including changing student and social expectations, new government requirements and supports, interorganizational collaboration and the sharing of best practices, and training opportunities through professional networks.
14:35-16:15 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 302B (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 4
IICE/IICAH2026 | Humanities - Teaching and Learning
Session Chair: Raymond Yasuda
14:35-15:00
96156 | Investigating Japanese University Students’ Intercultural Behavior Intent Through a Theory of Planned Behavior Model: A Longitudinal Study
Brad Deacon, Nanzan University, Japan
This longitudinal study employs a Theory of Planned Behavior causal model to investigate Japanese university students’ (N=155) shortterm study abroad intercultural behavior intent. Accordingly, the study hypothesized a predictive relationship between four nomological steps including: personality traits; mediators related to attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control; intercultural behavior intent; and actual intercultural behavior. Repeated measures ANOVA results demonstrated significant changes particularly for attitudes and perceived behavioral control across time. Structural equation modeling showed that data were a good fit in this theoretical framework, while providing partial evidence for our hypothesized pathways. Openness was the most robust personality trait in the model. Attitudes and subjective norms were found to be particularly significant mediators on intercultural intent. Additionally, several significant indirect effects on actual intercultural behavior were uncovered through a longitudinal mediation analysis. The implications from this causal model bear relevance for various stakeholders involved in intercultural communication development.
15:00-15:25
97258 | Consideration and the Content of ‘Informatics’ – Which Was Introduced from 2025 in the Common Test for University Admissions in Japan
Yoshiaki Nakano, Kogakuin University, Japan
Azu Azuki, Violence of Gakureki, Japan
In 2025, “Informatics” was newly included as a required subject in the Common Test for University Admissions (CTUA) in Japan, which is used by all national and public universities and many private institutions. While “Informatics” has been a compulsory high school subject since 2003, it was long treated casually due to its exclusion from university entrance exams. This paper examines the educational significance of including “Informatics” in CTUA by analyzing the structure and content of the first-year exam taken by over 300,000 students, with an average score of 70%. The exam covers four key areas of “Informatics I”: (1) Problem-solving in the Information Society, (2) Communication and Information Design, (3) Computers and Programming, and (4) Information Networks and Data Utilization. The authors evaluated the exam items based on content balance, cognitive demand, and alignment with the high school curriculum. This analysis shows a well-balanced approach in addressing both conceptual understanding and applied skills, marking a significant shift in digital education policy. This inclusion has stimulated renewed attention to informatics education at the high school level and raised questions regarding curriculum alignment and teacher preparedness. The findings offer valuable insights into how national testing policies can drive curriculum reform and digital literacy education, with potential relevance to international contexts where informatics is still emerging.
15:25-15:50
100850 | Information Skills of University Freshmen and General Informatics Education
Tomohiro Inagaki, Hiroshima University, Japan
Naohiro Chubachi, Takasaki University of Commerce, Japan
Kazuki Kawamura, Tokyo International University, Japan
Yuko Murakami, Hiroshima University, Japan
In many Japanese universities, general informatics education is implemented as a mandatory part of the undergraduate curriculum. One of the standards guiding the design of such education is General Informatics Education Body of Knowledge (GEBoK) established by the Information Processing Society of Japan. To provide effective instruction along GEBoK, it is essential to understand the knowledge and skills that students have acquired prior to entering university. In Japan, “Information I” has been introduced to the Common Test for University Admissions in AY2025. It is expected that incoming university students will possess more advanced knowledge and skills. The aim of this study is to clarify changes in the knowledge and skills of university fresh students. Based on the GEBoK and the high school curriculum for the subject “Information”, we developed IT placement test consisting of questions across 10 key areas and administered it to first-year university students to assess their competencies. In addition, we collected data on students’ prior information education experiences through a questionnaire developed by the IPSJ. By analyzing the placement test results by year and by area, we identify longitudinal changes in knowledge across different areas. We perform trend analysis using regression techniques to capture changes in skill levels over time. We also examine the relationships between high school learning experiences and placement test performance using correlation and multiple regression analyses. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the design and improvement of general informatics education.
15:50-16:15
100895 | Developing Intercultural Communicative Competence Through a Short-term Study Tour
Raymond Yasuda, Kanagawa University, Japan
Intercultural communicative competence (ICC), the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with individuals from other cultural backgrounds (Byram, 1997; Fantini, 2020), is considered a crucial factor in successful academic acculturation. In study abroad contexts, ICC is thought to play a critical role in overcoming common culturally based academic challenges, such as actively engaging in classroom discussions, adapting to teacher expectations of speaking and silence, and navigating pedagogical differences. However, there are few resources for educators who want to effectively integrate ICC into their curricula. To meet this need, this presentation will provide an overview of a short-term study tour in which Japanese university students participated in lectures and fieldwork for 2 weeks at the University of Hawaii. The ICC framework used to design the study tour will be presented through a description of:
• Linguistic and ICC development learning objectives • Pre-departure guidance sessions • Contents of lectures and fieldwork • Group interview project
Assessment of the study was conducted utilizing the Beliefs, Events, and Values Inventory (BEVI) survey, questionnaire of student satisfaction of tour contents, participant interviews, and a language proficiency test. Key findings regarding the alignment of learning objectives and tour contents, and students’ intercultural communicative competence and linguistic development will be discussed. The presentation will close with suggestions on how study tours can be planned for other institutions with insights on potential benefits and limitations. Travel itineraries, accommodations, specific tour activities, safety guidelines, and cost information will also be covered.
14:35-16:15 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 303A (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 4
IICE2026 | Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics
Session Chair: David Aline
14:35-15:00
98231 | Japanese Learners Embrace AI: Reducing Anxiety and Enhancing Fluency, Autonomy and Confidence in English Practice
David Hammett, Sapporo Gakuin University, Japan
Can artificial intelligence (AI) reshape English practice for non-native learners? This study explores 15 Japanese university students’ engagement and perceptions of a dialogue-based AI speaking platform over a 15-week semester. Focusing on willingness to use AI, it examines impacts on foreign language anxiety (FLA), fluency, confidence, autonomous learning, and perceived limitations, addressing gaps in educational technology research. Student-participants, ranging from beginner to intermediate proficiency, interacted with the platform in 20-minute sessions, practicing real-world scenarios like casual one-to-one dialogues. The AI platform provided adaptive, nonjudgmental feedback, creating a low-pressure environment ideal for shy learners. A survey with 15 Likert-scale questions across five themes, supplemented by four open-ended questions, captured learner experiences compared to traditional methods. Findings suggest students valued the AI platform’s supportive feedback, reporting lower anxiety and increased engagement in speaking practice. They also perceived notable fluency and autonomy benefits. While some participants noted limitations using AI, like reduced spontaneity or inability to interpret gestures, these were seen as minor compared to the platform’s strengths. The AI platform complemented classroom instruction, fostering self-directed or autonomous learning. This presentation will share learner and teacher perspectives, inviting questions on AI’s role in language acquisition and language education. By highlighting how AI supports engagement and reduces anxiety, the study offers practical insights for educators and developers, suggesting AI platforms can create inclusive, learner-centered environments that align with trends in personalized learning and educational innovation.
15:00-15:25
96222 | How Informal Digital Habits Shape Vocabulary Growth Among Saudi EFL Learners
Mohammed Hassan Alshaikhi, University of Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
While casual digital engagement—like browsing social media, streaming videos, or gaming—has become part of everyday life for Saudi university students, its impact on English vocabulary development remains underexplored. This study investigates how learners’ motivations for engaging in these digital activities (whether for learning, socializing, or entertainment) and the strategies they apply during or after those experiences contribute to different dimensions of vocabulary knowledge. A sample of 339 Saudi EFL students participated in the study, and data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. The findings revealed that students’ intentions behind digital engagement, along with how they process vocabulary (e.g., paying attention to both word meaning and form, or using deeper cognitive strategies), significantly influenced their vocabulary gains. Interestingly, these influences varied depending on the type of vocabulary knowledge—receptive (understanding) versus productive (use)—being measured. Deep processing strategies emerged as particularly important for helping students make meaningful connections between words. This research underscores the value of not just what students do online, but why and how they do it. For Saudi EFL learners, being intentional about their digital habits—whether learningfocused or socially driven—can meaningfully enhance vocabulary acquisition in both academic and everyday contexts.
15:25-15:50
98381 | Tour Guides’ Embodied Conduct for Preparing Visitors for Extended Informings of Sites of Interest: The Nexis of Language and Tourism
Yuri Hosoda, Kanagawa University, Japan
David Aline, Kanagawa University, Japan
This study elucidates the steps that tour guides take to initiate and launch extended informing sequences during guided tours in which English is used as a common language. We focus on how our findings can be utilized by teachers and learners in foreign language classrooms that prepare students for careers in tourism. Analyzed through the research method of conversation analysis were the interactional practices tour guides deploy to prepare visitors for extended-telling sequences through which they expatiate on focal objects and sites of interest. Numerous studies examine extended informing sequences in tours provided in a first language (De Stefani & Mondada, 2014), but few explore these practices in second language tours (Hosoda & Aline, 2021; 2024). Analysis of 900 minutes of video-recorded and transcribed data from tours in Japan, Belgium, South Korea, France, Thailand, and Cambodia uncovered the embodied practices guides utilize to initiate and launch informing sequences. Revealed were the deictic phrases guides commonly use to launch explanation sequences: “This is ~,” “That is ~” and “Here is ~”. Analysis highlights tour guides’ embodied conduct preliminary to the actual launching of explanation sequences. Specifically, guides paid attention to visitor movement and orientation: when visitors were not physically ready to attend to explanations, guides utilized pre-telling formats and created some mystery until visitors were ready to apply their attention. This study’s findings can be applied to help prepare those who will lead tours conducted in a second language to develop leadership skills in presenting their culture to foreign visitors.
15:50-16:15
98382 | Learners’ Construction of Opinions With Reported Speech During Task-Based Language Learning Activities: How Classroom Materials Are Employed in Student Discussions
David Aline, Kanagawa University, Japan
Yuri Hosoda, Kanagawa University, Japan
Classroom interactional research on task-based language teaching and learning has examined learners’ selection of linguistic resources while they maintain a primary focus on meaning. This presentation outlines how Japanese university students of English present their interactional competence through deployment of direct reported speech (DRS) in producing arguments and opinions in L2 discussions. We build on this classroom research by examining how the grammar of the pedagogical materials influences L2 learner production of DRS. Basing our analysis on the research method of conversation analysis, we examined 145 hours of video-recorded small-group discussions among over 520 intermediate level Japanese university students. The students participated in extended discussions in which they had to achieve consensus on goal-oriented tasks. Worksheets for two discussion tasks included personal statements from hypothetical candidates for jobs and dating. Analysis disclosed how the hypothetical statements on the pedagogical materials influenced production and practice of DRS grammatical structures. Two standard formats were shown to be employed extensively by these learners when incorporating DRS in their stance-taking turns: (a) DRS + stance, and (b) stance + DRS + stance. The two formats outlined above were recurrently utilized to support the students’ positions. The results of this study show the extent to which L2 students in language learning discussion tasks are able to use DRS and reveal how students utilize pedagogical materials in participating in discussions that require exchanges of opinion. The findings will aid teachers in understanding what grammatical forms students are producing or not producing in task-based discussions.
14:35-16:15
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 4
IICE/IICAH2026 | Education, Sustainability & Society
Session
14:35-15:00
Chair: Kari Moana Te Rongopatahi
96101 | The Effects of a Culture of Belonging on Indigenous Students in Junior High Cori Fraser, University of Portland, United States
The research highlights the crucial role of cultivating a culture of belonging in schools, particularly for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) students. It underscores the significance of intentional efforts by school leaders to create inclusive environments, which can positively impact attendance and ultimately student well-being and achievement. The study aims to investigate the impact of a culture of belonging on the attendance of self-identified First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students at Westmount Junior High, with a focus on building connections, fostering inclusion, and promoting engagement. The research aims to explore how a culture of belonging impacts Indigenous students’ attendance in Junior High, hypothesizing that students exposed to three years of practices fostering belonging would show increased attendance, supported by interviews with eligible students and Division Feedback Survey data analysis. The study investigates the impact of implementing research-based practices focused on building a culture of belonging on Indigenous students’ attendance in a Junior High setting, revealing a statistically significant positive impact on the perception of safety at school but inconclusive results regarding attendance due to limitations in data availability. Despite this, the study underscores the importance of evidence-based practices in informing decision-making and fostering reflection and change within educational systems, especially concerning the low high school completion rates of Indigenous students in the local school division.
15:00-15:25
101631 | Persian Dance from Cultural Survival to Resistance
Shahrzad Hamzeh, The University of Texas at Dallas, United States
Persian Dance with its long roots in cultural expression has served as a tool for resistance during the different eras in Iran. It is not only an art form but it has also become a way to start conversations in global communities where the Iranian Diaspora has taken leadership of this form and the ways it is taking part to bring peace between the cultures. This Paper tracks the history of Persian dance in three different Dynasties, and how dancers navigate the borders of illegality of the art form in a post Islamic revolutionary Iran. I argue that Persian dance is not only an art form but also a tradition of leadership that fosters solidarity not only among Iranians but also others, connections in Diaspora, and collective resistance against cultural erasure through artistry based on scholarly research, interviews, and personal experience. This connects with the conference theme of Global Citizenship and Education for Peace and Leadership, and how Persian Dance can be a force for personal and collective liberation
15:25-15:50
100903 | Navigating Challenges and Enhancing Access: A Case Study of Infant and Toddler Program in Hawaiʻi
Nicole Schlaack, University of Hawaii, United States
Manca Sustarsic, University of Hawaii, United States
Lorraine Kouao, University of Hawaii, United States
Benji Whitenack, University of Hawaii, United States
The United States has faced a significant shortage of infant and toddler childcare seats, with demand exceeding available spaces (Jessen-Howard, 2020). Infant and Toddler childcare has been critical in early childhood education, as it offers a safe and stable environment for children and families while fostering parental involvement and building social networks (Reid, 2021). In Hawaii, only 9.2% of infants and toddlers received early childhood care (DeBaryshe, 2023). To address this shortage, the Preschool Development Grant Birth to Five developed innovative strategies. This presentation highlights two sites, each enrolling up to 10 infants and toddlers from lowincome and disadvantaged families. Key successes included achieving full enrollment and expanding access for families previously ineligible for subsidies. At both sites, the programs were able to sustain and provide opportunities for children to receive care, social interactions, and support from the community. Challenges encountered involved workforce shortages, licensing complexities, and addressing parental anxiety and trauma. Strategies for overcoming these included strong partnerships with local organizations and flexible staffing incentives such as sign-on bonuses and covering certification costs. The study also examined support for children with disabilities, highlighting the Individualized Family Support Plan process. The findings highlighted an opportunity to strengthen the early intervention system by making it more centralized and transparent, which could help families and providers more easily access resources. Recommendations included offering technical assistance to smaller organizations navigating grants and strengthening collaboration between early care programs and the Early Intervention Section to enhance service coordination and outreach.
15:50-16:15
98491 | Waves of Resistance: Beyond the Illusion of Inclusion
Kari Moana Te Rongopatahi, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
This presentation critically explores the contested waters of Indigenous knowledge integration within contemporary educational frameworks. Using Māori knowledge systems (mātauranga Māori) in Aotearoa New Zealand as a critical case study, this research demonstrates that current educational institutions cannot accommodate authentic expressions of Indigenous knowledge without fundamentally transforming their existing power structures. These issues resonate across Indigenous contexts, including ongoing struggles for Native Hawaiian educational sovereignty and the revitalisation of Indigenous ontologies, epistemologies, and pedagogies throughout Te Moana nui ā Kiwa. Drawing from decolonial and Kaupapa Māori methodologies, this analysis investigates the gap between policy rhetoric about cultural responsiveness and the lived realities of Indigenous knowledge holders navigating colonial education systems. The research reveals how educational institutions fragment and commodify traditional understandings, transforming holistic worldviews into discrete curriculum components subjected to Western validation processes that undermine their epistemological foundations and spiritual dimensions. Case studies from recent educational reforms demonstrate how seemingly progressive initiatives often reinforce colonial hierarchies by determining which aspects of Indigenous knowledge are deemed “suitable” for institutional adoption. This gatekeeping process reflects deeper structural issues about who holds authority to define legitimate knowledge and educational practice, revealing persistent patterns where power remains concentrated within colonial institutional frameworks. This presentation argues that meaningful transformation requires recognising the fundamental incompatibility between Indigenous knowledge systems and colonial institutional structures. Rather than seeking accommodation within existing colonial frameworks, genuine social justice and political transformation demand creating new educational spaces that honours Indigenous educational sovereignty and pedagogical autonomy.
14:35-16:15 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room 304A (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 4
IICAH2026 | Humanities - Immigration, Race, Nation and Identity
Session Chair: Saleem Abu Jaber
14:35-15:00
103024 | Global Frameworks, Local Reconfigurations: A Comparative Study of Batur and Rinjani UNESCO Geoparks
Yoonhee Jung, National University of Singapore, Singapore
This project compares the role of UNESCO Global Geoparks in Bali and Lombok as locally embedded governance formations. While UNESCO outlines universal goals of conservation, education, and local economic development, their enactment—and the priorities attached to them—are shaped by local cultures, hazardscapes, and socio-political dynamics. Drawing on qualitative interviews and documentary analysis, the study shows that Batur Geopark (Bali) has generated new opportunities, particularly in tourism and service employment, while simultaneously marginalizing small-scale farmers and miners, restricting ritual access to land, and intensifying governance tensions between state authorities, external investors, and village communities. In contrast, Rinjani Geopark (Lombok) emerged as a key local institution in the aftermath of the 2018 earthquake, integrating geoheritage preservation with disaster risk reduction (DRR) education and community-driven resilience. Through a comparative lens, the study examines how geopark designations generate divergent governance configurations—tourism-led development in Bali versus resilience- and community-driven initiatives in Lombok—illustrating how global frameworks are reconfigured through local histories, cultural practices, and hazard contexts. The study contributes to debates in political ecology by conceptualizing geoparks as hybrid institutions situated at the intersection of conservation, tourism, and community resilience.
15:00-15:25
102271 | “Shojin Ryori”, Japanese Zen Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine, Profoundly Influenced Japanese Aestheticism, Shaping the Cultural Identity of the Local Japanese In Hawaii
Naoko Moller, Japan Food Studies College, Japan
Hawaii is a melting pot of diverse cultures, especially Asian. The culinary creations born from different ethnic backgrounds, which came to be regarded as “comfort food” and “cultural community cuisine,” are now referred to as “local food”. Asian immigrant workers came to work in the sugar and pineapple plantations in the 1800’s. 72% of plantation workers were Japanese in 1902. In 1920, approximately 42% of Hawaii’s population was Japanese. In Hawaii, the New Year and the summer event, Bon, are celebrated with traditional festive food. These traditional events demonstrate the Japanese aesthetic, sometimes more than in the homeland of Japan. “Shojin-Ryori”, Japanese Zen Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, was established and deepened by Dogen (1200-1253), the founder of the Soto-Zen Buddhist sect, and is the basis of modern Japanese cuisine. In his book ‘Tenzo Kyokun’ (1237), Dogen emphasizes mindful eating and a connection to nature through the appreciation of food and a focus on using fresh, seasonal ingredients with minimal waste. The lifestyle and the traditional food style continue to this day in the life of the Japanese community in Hawaii through many seasonal and traditional festivals and rituals. Local Japanese food in Hawaii is a cultural icon, a symbol of identity, a source of sustenance, and continues to shape Japanese culinary traditions and social customs in Hawaii.
15:25-15:50
100404 | “They Text Like They Speak”: Exploring the Online Socio-Communicative Challenges of African Low-Skilled Migrant Workers in Qatar’s Education City
Al-Hadar Mumuni, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar
This study investigates the online socio-communicative challenges faced by African low-skilled migrants in Qatar’s Education City, focusing on their interactions on digital platforms, particularly WhatsApp. Qatar’s migrant workforce is dominated by Asian nationals, rendering African workers a visible minority. This demographic imbalance often results in limited cultural integration and communicative marginalization, as dominant linguistic and cultural practices tend to reflect the majority group. These disparities affect work-related digital communication, forcing minority groups to adapt to dominant workforce norms. Despite WhatsApp being widely adopted as a primary communication tool in corporate and operational settings, low-skilled African migrant workers face barriers linked to literacy levels and limited technological know-how. This research examines how linguistic discrepancies, restricted internet access, platform affordances, and gender dynamics influence their digital interactions, especially with East Asian colleagues. The findings highlight three key challenges: interactional difficulties arising from language barriers, technological constraints such as poor internet access for field workers and limited digital literacy, and gendered dynamics that restrict female workers’ participation in work-related WhatsApp groups. Using affordance theory as an analytical lens, the study explores how the design features of digital platforms enable and constrain these workers’ communication practices. While WhatsApp holds potential as a tool for enhancing workplace communication, the findings reveal that its affordances are often underutilized, reinforcing existing socio-communicative gaps. This study highlights the need to view digital communication tools as neutral platforms and socio-technical spaces that can either bridge or deepen communicative divides among diverse migrant workforces.
15:50-16:15
102844 | Samīr Naqqāsh: Literature as a Struggle for Identity
Saleem Abu Jaber, Kaye Academic College of Education, Israel
This paper investigates the literary career of the Iraqi Jewish novelist and short story writer Samīr Naqqāsh (1938–2004), who remained committed to Arabic as his language of expression despite exile, displacement, and the sociocultural challenges he endured. Born in Baghdad, Naqqash was forced to emigrate with his family to Israel during childhood; however, his deep attachment to his homeland continued to resonate throughout his works, shaping both his literary voice and his thematic concerns. Naqqash’s writings vividly document the experiences and hardships of Iraqi Jews, particularly in the aftermath of their coerced migration to Israel, where they struggled with alienation and a lack of belonging. His novels and short stories—such as When the World Was Pregnant and Miscarried (1980), The Abomination (1987), A Story for All Times and Places (1978), I, Those, and Schizophrenia (1978), and When the Ribs of Triangles Fall (1981)—grapple with complex issues of identity, exile, and the tension between dual affiliations to Iraq and Israel. This study argues that Naqqash’s experience of exile fundamentally shaped his literary imagination and gave rise to a body of work marked by themes of uprootedness, estrangement, and cultural fragmentation. Special attention will be given to his insistence on writing in Arabic rather than Hebrew, a choice that placed him at the margins of Israeli literary life but reinforced his unique cultural positioning. By situating his literary production within the broader framework of identity formation and displacement, this paper highlights the intersection of literature, exile, and the politics of language.
14:35-16:15 | Hawaii Convention Center: Room
304B (3F)
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 4
IICE2026 | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Session Chair: Elodie Billionniere
14:35-15:00
102235 | Designing Inclusive Data Science Literacy for Non-STEM Majors: A 2023 Baseline and Design-Based Extensions Through 2025
Yuko Murakami, Hiroshima University, Japan
Rie Enomoto, Kokushikan University, Japan
Yoshinori Honma, Kokushikan University, Japan
Tomohiro Inagaki, Hiroshima University, Japan
Naoki Itoh, Kokushikan University, Japan
Ryosuke Oyanagi, Kokushikan University, Japan
Motoo Sekiguchi, Kokushikan University, Japan
Japan’s government has strongly promoted mathematics, data science, and AI literacy across higher education. Yet universities respond differently depending on student demographics and institutional philosophy, leading to unique designs for data science education. Against this backdrop, we asked a common question: whether such education raise students’ motivation to engage with data science? In 2023, we delivered a university-wide, on-demand literacy course to students from seven faculties (N≈2,000). Pre/post surveys with eight Likert items (mapped to SDT: Self-Determination Theory, autonomy, competence, relatedness) were analyzed using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA (time × faculty). Open-ended comments and learning-management logs were used to enrich interpretation. Results showed significant pre–post change on most items, but with notable faculty-level interactions. Gains in perceived fairness of AI and enthusiasm were clear in some groups. In contrast, confidence in competence-related skills even declined in others, suggesting that a scalable ondemand format does not support all learners equally. Guided by these findings and informed by national initiatives at comparable universities, we designed instructional improvements during FY2024–2025. This includes exploring the introduction of collaborative learning supported by generative AI, aligning tasks with SDT to strengthen autonomy and competence, and refining documentation of course architecture and engagement metrics. We present the 2023 baseline, explain how it influenced subsequent redesigns, and outline a 2026 evaluation plan that links attitudinal change with behavioral indicators. This work highlights how national policy interacts with local educational diversity, and how design-based improvement can advance scalable yet inclusive data science literacy.
15:00-15:25
100896 | Enhancing Preservice Teachers’ Learning Through Integrated STEM and Community-Based Experiences in a Mathematics Content Course
Jia He, Augusta University, United States
This study investigates the effectiveness of an innovative ACE (Applying, Connecting, Experiencing) model for teaching geometry to preservice elementary and middle school teachers through integrated STEM inquiry within mathematics content courses. The ACE model promotes applying learned knowledge to teaching practice, connecting crosscutting concepts through STEM inquiries and practices, and providing experiential, community-based learning to enhance preservice teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward mathematics teaching and learning. We report findings from one of four research sites. Twenty-three preservice elementary and middle school teachers participated in a windmill module in which they assembled and designed windmill blades to maximize electricity generation. After mastering the concepts, the preservice teachers visited community centers and elementary schools to teach a similar STEM module to elementary students in after-school programs. Data sources include pre- and post-surveys to measure changes in preservice teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward mathematics and science teaching. In addition, analysis of self-reflections offers insights into the perceived value of the ACE math course and highlights their learning experiences. This presentation shares preliminary findings and invites discussion on the feasibility of integrating STEM content into mathematics content courses and the challenges encountered during implementation. The study is significant because it fills a gap in the research literature by examining how STEM integration within a mathematics content course can enhance preservice teachers’ mathematical learning, extend their learning beyond traditional instruction, and strengthen their confidence and competence in teaching mathematics through meaningful, hands-on experiences.
15:25-15:50
97252 | Place-based STEAM Education: Students’ Perceptions of Their Social and Environmental Responsibilities as Citizens Kevin OConnor, Mount Royal University, Canada
This paper describes long-term analysis of an interdisciplinary high school program utilizing STEAM through place and land-based education. The research follows students from 8 to 25 years as part of their participation in the STEAM program, in which data collection and community-driven actions are the norm. It demonstrates how extended field experiences and integrated coursework have led to engaging students in continued STEAM-related studies, employment and related civic actions. It also explores how these practices have affected the students’ perceptions of their social and environmental responsibilities as citizens. Our action research studies—utilizing semi-structured interviews of a sub-set of students, teachers and administrators, and end-of-semester focus groups and anonymous surveys has revealed key factors related to the concept of place that contributed to the positive outcomes of these alternatives:
-The longer time on field studies/labs, allowed students to approximate the work within a STEM field to a larger extent than is normally possible in regular classroom setting.
-The self-reflective and socio-constructivist pedagogy helped students make sense of their experiences together and construct their emerging understandings.
-The supportive and trusting relationship between students and the teachers in the program, as well as the collaborative and supportive relationships that developed within the school groups, field groups and larger communities.
-The program was often held in the field rather than back on campus thus creating entirely school/community-based semesters.
-The multidisciplinary approach, which utilizes an integration of strategic STEAM courses curriculum that promotes a relational aspect to knowledge (i.e. Holistic Education)
14:35-16:15 |
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 4
IICE2026 | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Session Chair: Elodie Billionniere
15:50-16:15
98584 | Faculty Mentorship for Underserved Senior STEM Students: Insights from a Hispanic-Serving Institution Elodie Billionniere, Miami Dade College, United States Lawrence Meyer Jr., Miami Dade College, United States
This paper reports the role of faculty mentorship in supporting underserved and low-income senior students in STEM fields at the largest undergraduate Hispanic-Serving Institution in the United States. The evaluation focused on 49 students in Fall 2024 and 39 in Spring 2025, all in their senior year and enrolled in one of three bachelor ’s programs: Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, or Information Systems Technology. Faculty mentorship was provided during the final two years of the students’ programs, in addition to general academic advising. The evaluation examined changes in scholars’ self-ratings of program and mentorship satisfaction, as well as confidence, sense of belonging, and perceived support. Comparisons by gender and degree program revealed no statistically significant differences across semesters, suggesting a consistent mentoring experience. Qualitative findings were gathered from a focus group and followup questionnaire with three faculty mentors—one from each program. Mentors described adaptive, student-centered approaches that included academic support, development of soft skills, and career preparation. They also emphasized building trust and tailoring guidance to individual student circumstances, such as employment demands and limited experience in professional environments. Faculty noted the positive impact of mentorship on student motivation and persistence, particularly for those navigating barriers like imposter syndrome or financial hardship. Recommendations included structured mentor training, access to industry professionals, and improved handson learning opportunities. Mentors also reported personal growth in teaching and advising through a deeper understanding of student needs. These findings provide practical insights for designing effective mentorship initiatives for underserved STEM students approaching graduation.
14:35-16:15
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 4
IICAH2026 | History/Historiography
Session Chair: Carlos De Oro
14:35-15:00
100722 | Nepali Diaspora Journalism in the US: A Historical Perspective
Prakash Acharya, Ohio University, United States
Nepal’s history of online journalism began in the United States in 1993, with the launch of Nepal Digest in the U.S. The Kathmandu Post, Nepal’s English-language newspaper, launched its online edition in 1995 on the University of Illinois website, with assistance from a Nepali engineering student studying there. Since then, Nepal has experienced significant growth, now hosting over 4,600 news sites. In the U.S., the Nepalese community operates approximately 40 news outlets, including online portals, YouTube channels, and podcasts, which serve the Nepalese community in the U.S. Some outlets also reach audiences in Canada. Several are registered with Nepal’s Department of Information and cover the Nepalese community in the U.S. through U.S.-based contributors. Currently, there is a lack of research on Nepalese diaspora journalism in the U.S.; therefore, this paper provides foundational knowledge based on new findings. I conducted interviews with Nepalese journalists, reviewed 40 websites, and analyzed content, coverage, and scope. The study, through a content analysis of 10 sample news outlets, examines the quality of content, working conditions, ethical issues, and demographics of the Nepalese audience in the U.S. It highlights the challenges and opportunities faced by over 300 Nepalese journalists and 40 outlets, noting their active involvement in various associations. The paper also explores U.S.-based Nepalese journalists working in American news media and Nepalese media outlets. Overall, this paper contributes to the foundational knowledge about Nepalese diaspora journalism in the U.S.
15:00-15:25
100201 | ReMatriating Space for the Sacred Woman: Indigenous Feminism as an Emerging Global Systems Framework Jordan Traut-Jellad, Binghamton University, United States
This paper argues that what is often dismissed as radical or inauthentic in the emerging academic field of Indigenous Feminism is instead a return to the traditional, as demonstrated through a comprehensive analysis of Indigenous feminist scholarship spanning from Rayna Green’s pioneering 1975 work, “The Pocahontas Perplex” to Joyce Green and Gina Starblanket’s 2024 critical theory book, Making Space for Indigenous Feminism. Through three distinct analytical approaches – examination of theoretical frameworks, analysis of stereotypical media representations, and investigation of literary resistance – this paper illuminates how Native women navigate the dual challenges of external colonial violence and internal tribal resistance to feminist empowerment. By applying the modern understanding of Indigenous Feminist frameworks to the dual representations of Native women identified in Rayna Green’s “Princess/Squaw” and Martin-Hill’s “She No Speaks/Villainous Woman,” this paper explores how colonial patriarchy normalized violence against Native women in both their settler and tribal communities through institutional structures and media interventions, while also investigating how Indigenous women’s narratives actively unmask and resist the resulting, pervasive colonized masculinity. Finally, this paper extends Indigenous Feminist theory beyond the US and Canada, arguing that “ReMatriation” – conceptualized by Robin Wall Kimmerer as the return of the Sacred to the Mother – provides a path forward by recognizing women’s critical and ongoing cultural work and restoring their inherent authority as knowledge keepers, offering a framework for addressing gendered violence in colonized communities worldwide.
15:25-15:50
94747 | Socialism, Communism, and Black Secular Thought, 1877-1940
Christopher Cameron, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, United States
Shortly after the commencement of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, the African American abolitionist, Unitarian, and deist Peter H. Clark joined the Workingmen’s Party, marking him as the first openly identified Black socialist in the United States. In a speech to striking railroad workers shortly after joining the party, Clark noted that the workers deserve “the aid and sympathy of all good people, especially when, in the struggle for life, he is pitted against a powerful organization such as the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.” Clark also condemned the fact that the government usually took the side of corporations instead of workingmen in labor disputes and called for an educated citizenry that could forcefully resist the machinations of wealthy and connected leaders, both in business and government. Clark’s foray into socialist politics would presage a more widespread engagement with socialism and communism by African Americans in the early 20th century, an engagement that for them was aimed at fulfilling the democratic promise of America’s founding documents and promoting racial and class equality in the nation. Figures such as Hubert H. Harrison, Harry Heywood, Richard B. Moore, Louise Thompson Patterson, Elizabeth Hendrickson, and others also argued that resisting American capitalism was an essential component of undermining American imperialism abroad. The secularism of socialists and communism was appealing to Black activists critical of religion, and the intersection of these identities produced thinkers who creatively combined anti-capitalism, anti-imperialism, and anti-racism in advancing their democratic and egalitarian vision for the nation.
15:50-16:15
97043 | Comparative Allegories of Authoritarianism in Contemporary Latin American Horror Cinema
Carlos De Oro, Southwestern University, United States
Noelia Cigarroa-Cooke, Southwestern University, United States
This project develops the innovative concept of the “political monster” as an analytical category to examine representations of dictatorial trauma in the horror films La Llorona (2019) by Jayro Bustamante and El Conde (2023) by Pablo Larraín. This original theoretical framework defines the allegorical figure through three fundamental characteristics: ontological inversion, whereby the supposed guardian of law and order reveals itself as its primary threat; spectral temporality, which enables the coexistence of traumatic past and impunityladen present; and the embodiment of systemic evil, which transforms historically collective responsibilities into individualized culpability. This transnational perspective proves particularly innovative as the first comparative study between these specific works, providing critical analytical tools for understanding processes of transitional justice and social reconciliation. The paper demonstrates how both directors transform spectral and monstrous figures into powerful allegories that challenge official narratives of impunity prevalent in Latin American democratic transition processes. Through this transformation, the films establish a vital bridge between their symbolic universes and historical significance for contemporary generations who did not directly experience the horrors of Latin American dictatorships. This analysis provides a unifying theoretical framework for understanding how contemporary genre cinema functions as both an instrument of historical memory recovery and a vehicle for systematic denunciation in post-dictatorial contexts.
14:35-16:15 |
Sunday Onsite Parallel Session 4
IICAH2026 | Arts Theories and Criticisms
Session Chair: Melita Quinonez
14:35-15:00
102825 | Narrative Implosion and the Transformative Practice of Reality in Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84
Naomi Hori, University of Tsukuba, Japan
This paper examines how Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84 engages with questions of representation in media-saturated modern society. It argues that, as metafiction, 1Q84 functions both as a critical lens for understanding reality and as an active force for reshaping it within a postmodern media landscape. While existing scholarship has emphasized the novel’s metafictional elements, this study highlights how 1Q84 demonstrates fiction’s capacity to transform the very framework of reality. The first half analyzes the female protagonist’s growing awareness of deceptive appearances. The recurring warning, “Don’t let appearances fool you,” together with Marshall McLuhan’s dictum that “the medium is the message,” underscores the narrative’s interrogation of media-constructed facts in the world of 1Q84. This resonates with Jean Baudrillard’s concept of hyperreality, in which simulation displaces the real. The second half follows the male protagonist’s transformative practice in resisting a culture of mediated appearances. This culminates in what the paper terms “narrative implosion,” exemplified by the rumbling thunder at the climax. Along with the female protagonist’s conception of a child, these moments symbolize the collapse of false appearances and the opening of new possibilities. The paper concludes that the song “It’s Only a Paper Moon” encapsulates the novel’s insight: fiction, though unable to alter reality itself, can reshape the future by offering new frameworks for understanding the past. Such reframing enables the self to become a “bearer of morality.” Moreover, the latter part of the novel as a whole can be read as a sustained reflection on Wittgenstein’s philosophy of “aspect-drawing.”
15:00-15:25
103020 | Addressing Transnational Repression in the Arts
David Matas, University of Manitoba, Canada
The presentation would address the issue of transnational repression in the arts through a case study. The specific focus would be Chinese Communist Party (CCP)/ Government of China transnational repression of the dance company Shen Yun Performing Arts. Shen Yun Performing Arts is a classical Chinese dance company, founded in 2006 by volunteers from the community of practitioners of the spiritually based set of exercises Falun Gong. Falun Gong is a blending and updating of ancient Chinese spiritual and exercise traditions, started in 1992. With the initial encouragement of the Chinese Government, the population of practitioners in China grew by 1999 to 100 million, a number which so alarmed the CCP that the Party reversed course and decided on the repression of the practice. Though the Falun Gong community was initially apolitical, its repression created understandably an opposition to that repression within the community which found its way into some of Shen Yun Performing Arts dance pieces. The dance depiction criticizing CCP regression of Falun Gong in turn generated CCP transnational repression against the dance company. This transnational repression took the form of Chinese embassy and consulate diplomatic initiatives, bomb threats against dance performance venues, lawfare and media generated disinformation. The presentation would set out details of this transnational repression and the reaction of arts venues to that repression. The presentation would make recommendations about what should be done by arts venues both specifically relating to Shen Yun performances and generally by these venues when faced with transnational repression.
15:25-15:50
100802 | Art as Emblem and Message: Polish Modernism – the Aesthetic Soft Power of Cultural Memory and Diplomacy
Julia Mielczarek, University of Warsaw, Poland
In my article, I will present the functioning of modernism as an emblem of cultural memory after World War II in the Republic of Poland. I will discuss the narratives about modernism that are used today in the international presentation of Polish art. Modernism in Poland in the 20th century served as a universal aesthetic language to build a progressive, modern image of the country. I will focus on the aesthetic and political strategies of Polish cultural institutions that promote art and heritage outside Poland. In particular, I will discuss the ‘Poland 100’ programme, which was implemented under the slogan ‘Inspired by the past, we create the future’ as part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Poland regaining independence. My intention is to present art as a vehicle for collective memory and social identity, which influences the soft power of the state and makes cultural policy increasingly visible on the international stage. Therefore, I will present my comparative analysis of two artworks entitled ‘Semiotic Reading of State-Sponsored Memory Aesthetics,’ which will discuss visual form, narrative message, and type of founder. My research method is a combination of visual semiotics + art policy analysis + research in situ. At the same time, I will show the perspective of understanding art through the lens of memory coding and cultural policy. 15:50-16:15
102595 | The Problem with “Afterwards”: Transformation and the Female Pupil in Pygmalion Melita Quinonez, Black Hills State University, United States
George Bernard Shaw found the topic of transformation a pertinent theme in “Pygmalion”, especially the message of a female’s transformation at the hands of a superior male figure. The play raises numerous questions from an intersectional feminist and identity politics lens regarding the treatment of value in relation to humans across different social standings and male-female relationships. As well as the confusion such transformations cause, leading to the bewildering thought of, “What’s to become of me?”. The issues of identity crisis and the intrinsic value of a person are explored as we look closer at Shaw’s characters struggling with the problem of “afterwards.”
Monday, January 5
Parallel Sessions
All times are Hawaii Standard Time (UTC-10)
Abstracts appear as originally submitted by the author. Any spelling, grammatical, or typographical errors are those of the author.
10:15-11:55 |
Hotel: Carnation Room (2F)
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 1
IICAH2026 | Arts - Literary Arts Practices (Workshops)
Session Chair: Katie Garcia
10:15-11:05
103034 | How Poetry Can Help You Re-Envision What You Think You Know
Mark Yakich, Loyola University New Orleans, United States Loren Goodman, Yonsei University, South Korea
Since antiquity, poetry has been at the heart of our interaction, expression, and creativity. And now more than ever, poetry is the ideal discipline for developing the perspective and patience for making order out of difficulty and chaos. Both scientific study and anecdotal evidence suggests that poetry helps us understand others with greater empathy, and enhances our self-awareness and qualitative and creative judgement skills. Even outside of the academe, in business settings, studies show that poetry drives readers to generate nearly twice as many solutions as compared to traditional problem-solving approaches. Our workshop, “How Poetry Can Help You Re-Envision What You Think You Know,” will allow participants to think more comfortably about uncertainty and ambiguity, and how to become a better observer and analyzer not only of poems but of all kinds of texts, from advertisements and news articles to children’s stories and law briefs. The workshop will include host-led discussions with participants, who will receive a pdf with strategies for reading and analyzing poems and other texts. This workshop is targeted at educators as well as scholar both within and outside of literary arts.
11:05-11:55
97017 | Raised by this Place: Ritual Theater, Ecological Identity, and Spiritual Nurturing Katie Garcia, Columbia University, United States
Experience theater as a transformative ritual that bridges self-awareness, spirituality, and ecological connection. This engaging workshop invites participants to explore theater’s capacity to nurture spirituality and inspire joy, resilience, and communion. Drawing on Antonin Artaud’s revitalizing vision of theater and Augusto Boal’s transformative practices, you’ll delve into embodied storytelling, improvisational slam poetry, physical theater, and ecological narratives. Discover theater as a dynamic space for healing, magic, and connection through practices centered on flow, pause, and presence. Designed for educators, artists, and seekers, this session explores our relationships with self, community, and the natural world.
10:15-11:55
|
Moana Hotel: Ilima Room (2F)
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 1
IICE2026 | Assessment Theories & Methodologies
Session Chair: Jaegeun Kim
10:15-10:40
102156 | Using Diagnostic Classification Models to Improve Instructional Decision-Making
Jake Thompson, University of Kansas, United States
Recent years have seen a push for assessments to better support teachers as they make instructional decisions and place less of burden on students. One approach that can meet both needs is the use of diagnostic classification models (DCMs). DCMs are psychometric models that provide fine-grained results on specific skills that a student has mastered. Additionally, because DCMs provide categorical results (e.g., mastery vs. nonmastery), we can achieve highly reliable results with very short assessments that can be embedded into normal instructional cycles. In this talk, we will describe the psychometric properties of DCMs, including how DCMs can be used to evaluate proposed relationships among the measured skills (e.g., learning progressions). We then provide examples of how student mastery results and learning progressions can be combined for reporting to students, parents, and teachers to inform instructional decisions. Finally, we’ll share applied examples of DCMs being used innovative through-year assessment models such as the Pathways for Instructionally Embedded Assessment (PIE) project, a proof-of-concept 5th grade mathematics assessment, and the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) alternate assessment system, which is used to as an accountability assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in over 20 states in the United States. These programs demonstrate how DCMs can be used to refocus the purpose of assessment as being in the service of student learning.
10:40-11:05
101714 | Implementing the Model-Based Approach to Oral Reading Fluency Assessment
Paul Foster, Southern Methodist University, United States
Akihito Kamata, Southern Methodist University, United States
Kuo Wang, Southern Methodist University, United States
This paper informs reading researchers about a new model-based approach to oral reading fluency (ORF) assessment and how to implement it with a web-based, easy-to-use Shiny App. ORF is widely used in response to intervention (RTI), which is a framework for adapting instruction and progress monitoring to each student. However, ORF lacks a well-defined psychometric model. The model-based approach to ORF assessment instead relies on an innovative psychometric model, analogous to item response theory (IRT), that calibrates passage parameters (e.g., passage difficulties) and models speed and accuracy as latent factors. This approach also estimates students’ fluency in words correct per minute (WCPM) scores, with individually estimated standard errors (versus a global standard error in traditional ORF). This method offers better score compatibility between passages and lower standard errors, enabling more accurate and timely identification of at-risk students. The Shiny App allows researchers to prepare data, calibrate passage parameters, estimate fluency scores, and visualize results. It supports customization of variables, analyses (e.g., sentence level), scores estimated and estimators, and visualizations on one task or one student. Each step is performed via simple menus, while a related R package enables full customization. Thus, the Shiny App affords easy implementation of the model-based approach to ORF assessment without requiring deep expertise in psychometrics or R. In turn, the model-based approach to ORF provides stronger evidence for comparable results, greater insights into students and passages, and more precise measurement, thereby supporting better educational decisions.
11:05-11:30
102266 | Understanding Null Evaluation: Misalignment Between Curriculum and Assessment
Jaegeun Kim, Daegu National University of Education, South Korea
This paper examines the meaning of null evaluation in education, with particular attention to the discrepancy between what is mandated in official curricula and what is actually measured through large-scale assessments. Null evaluation refers to the systematic omission of substantial curricular content in assessment practices, which in turn reshapes how the curriculum is interpreted, taught, and valued in schools. Although curriculum–assessment misalignment has long been acknowledged, little conceptual work has been done to theorize null evaluation as a distinctive phenomenon that influences educational practice and policy. By framing null evaluation as an overlooked dimension of curriculum studies and assessment research, this study underscores its significance for understanding how intended curricula are transformed in real contexts of evaluation. The case of Korea’s high-stakes testing system is presented as an illustrative example: despite comprehensive curriculum guidelines, many important domains remain absent from assessments, effectively narrowing the taught curriculum. This absence not only affects what teachers emphasize but also contributes to long-term patterns of instructional prioritization. Importantly, the concept of null evaluation has broader relevance beyond a single national case. Because many education systems worldwide rely heavily on large-scale testing, the tendency to exclude or silence certain curriculum areas is not unique to Korea. The theoretical framework offered here provides a lens through which researchers in other countries can investigate similar dynamics in their own contexts. By conceptualizing null evaluation in generalizable terms, this study contributes to comparative and international research on curriculum and assessment.
11:30-11:55
95845 | ‘The Third Year Slump’: The Importance of Reflective Practice for Novice Teachers
Thomas Farrell, Brock University, Canada
Novice teachers face considerable challenges as they transition from teacher education programs into the teaching profession. The first year of teaching can be a real reality shock for many novice language teachers and if they manage to survive this important inaugural year, it does not mean the danger is over or that they will continue to develop as teachers because research indicates that that more novice teachers drop out after their third year of teaching. The genesis of the case study reported in this paper is unique in that I was approached by Roger (a pseudonym) at the beginning of his third year of teaching because he said he was eager to engage in reflective practice during this year because he was aware of my work facilitating ESL teachers with their reflections. Roger looked and sounded a bit ‘down’ when we met as he said he had just finished teaching a short course to begin his third year and he said it was a really bad experience for him. This paper presents a case study of an ESL teacher in his third year of teaching in in Canada as relayed through interviews, discussions, journal writing and classroom observations. By documenting Roger ’s journey and experiences. I aim to provide a sense of his professional world from his perspective as he reflects through the lens of a holistic framework for reflecting on different aspects of this practice (e.g., philosophy, principles, theory, practice and beyond practice).
10:15-11:55 |
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 1
IICE/IICAH2026 | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Session Chair: Lindsay Knisely
10:15-10:40
96918 | Philosophical Teaching Practices and Reflections at Aizhi Camp
Pei-shan Chen, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan
This qualitative study explores the teaching practices and pedagogical reflections of secondary school teachers participating in the 21st “Aizhi Camp – A Journey of Thoughtful Happiness,” an informal philosophy education program for high school students in Taiwan. The camp provides a non-authoritarian space where students engage in philosophical dialogue, value inquiry, and critical thinking through interactive activities, multimedia materials, and real-life cases. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and on-site observations, this study focuses on how teachers—most of whom work in Taiwan’s formal secondary education system—navigate and reflect upon their roles in a dialogical and student-centered learning environment. The findings reveal that many teachers experienced the camp as a liberating contrast to their usual classroom practices, where standardized curricula, fixed answers, and exam-oriented instruction dominate. Participating in the camp challenged their assumptions about what counts as “teaching” and “learning,” and encouraged deeper reflection on pedagogical goals, student agency, and the value of philosophical thinking. This study suggests that such informal educational experiences can serve as meaningful reference points for curricular innovation, and may inspire broader institutional efforts to incorporate philosophy and critical dialogue into formal secondary education systems.
10:40-11:05
102983 | Applying Evidence-Based Strategies and Error Analysis to Improve Third Grade Students’ Literacy Integration and Conceptual Understanding When Solving Mathematical Word Problems
Rosalind Hudson, Louisiana State University of Baton Rouge, United States
This study explored how applying evidence-based instructional strategies and systematic error analysis enhanced third-grade students’ literacy integration and conceptual understanding when solving mathematical word problems. This study focused on eight third grade participants at a public elementary school in the southern region of the United States. Grounded in Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988) and the Read–Draw–Write framework from Eureka Math, the study drew on classroom data and qualitative analysis of student work. Multiple data sources were utilized, including student work samples, classroom discussions and open-ended responses, instructional observations, and semi-structured interviews. Participants engaged in guided error analysis to identify comprehension, procedural, and conceptual errors and apply targeted strategies such as modeling, simplifying problem presentation, guided reading, and scaffolding. Findings demonstrated that integrating these strategies reduced cognitive overload, strengthened reading comprehension, and promoted conceptual reasoning. This study offered globally transferable practices that bridge literacy and mathematics instruction, equipping teachers with diagnostic and instructional tools to improve students’ problem-solving accuracy and depth of understanding.
11:05-11:30
103025 | Creating Belonging in the College Classroom
Lindsay Knisely, University of California, Santa Cruz, United States
This presentation will include information on why belonging matters in higher education and offer instructors methods for designing belonging into the college classroom. The presentation will describe elements of belonging and emphasize the importance of creating a sense of belonging in college courses. Attendees will be encouraged to consider how they may already be helping their students feel a sense of belonging and how to amplify this element of our teaching. For example, instructors can address common student concerns through belonging interventions, which will be described in the presentation. Research-supported techniques for fostering belonging by creating a community of care in the writing classroom will be described. Research has shown that increasing students’ sense of belonging builds equity and improves student success, confidence, and retention; this research will be highlighted during the presentation. This presentation will also offer practical ideas for increasing students’ sense of belonging by using collaborative exercises, classroom activities, and short-answer reflective writing prompts. Several different interventions to build belonging will be presented, including an assignment for students to create video recommendations for incoming first-years, a hybrid activity to help students name and navigate impostor syndrome, and a think-pair-share exercise in which students are asked to reflect on their adjustment process. Attendees will be given access to a shared folder of in-class activities designed to foster belonging, as well as an introduction to current research on belonging from sources such as Wise’s Design For Belonging, Felten & Holden’s Relationship-Rich Education, and Walton and Cohen’s work.
11:30-11:55
100796 | Experience in Skills Intelligence Related to Two Large EU Projects on Training of Professionals in the Agrifood Sector
Remigio Berruto, University of Turin, Italy
Patrizia Busato, Polytechnic of Turin, Italy
Konstantina Ntrallou, University of Turin, Italy
Emanuele Rovera, University of Turin, Italy
Silvio Tealdi, University of Turin, Italy
The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of skill requirements in the European agri-food and forestry sectors, conducted as part of the ERASMUS+ FIELDS project. Based on eleven focus groups across different EU countries, it explores how these sectors must adapt to challenges such as climate change, technological innovation, and global value chain complexity. The study highlights the need for new competences, especially in business and strategic management, sustainability, digital technologies, communication, entrepreneurship, and soft skills. The methodology section details the organization, data collection, and reporting of focus group findings. Results show that while skill needs vary by stakeholder—farmers, cooperatives, agri-food companies, and forestry professionals—there is a shared demand for digital proficiency and sustainable practices. Importantly, the study emphasizes that farmers, beyond technical know-how, must also develop entrepreneurial and communication skills to effectively engage with market dynamics and innovations. The paper concludes by recommending that these emerging skill needs be integrated into education and training programs. It also calls for targeted policy measures to support workforce development, making the report a vital resource for policymakers, educators, and industry actors navigating a rapidly evolving sector.
10:15-11:55 |
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 1
IICE2026 | Culture, Inter/Multiculturalism & Language
Session Chair: Zhamilya Yessirkepova
10:15-10:40
102985 | Affective Literacies and Material Agency: Immigrant Stories of Belonging and Identity
Laura Brass, University of British Columbia, Canada
This study examines how emotional and material entanglements shape the language and literacy identities of six immigrant women teachers living across Canada. Drawing on qualitative interviews and visual narratives, and analyzed through a material-discursive framework (Barad, 2007; Hekman, 2008; Deleuze & Guattari, 1978/2020), the research explores how objects—such as jewelry, coins, and handwritten notes—act as emotional anchors that mediate belonging, literacy practices, and professional identity. Through these affective-material encounters, participants narrate how their emotional connections to objects sustain their resilience, foster multilingual literacy practices, and bridge transnational ties between home and host contexts. The findings reveal that literacy development among immigrant educators extends beyond textual practices to include embodied, affective, and material dimensions of meaning-making. By highlighting the agency of emotions and objects in shaping self-perception and pedagogical engagement, this research contributes to new materialist perspectives in applied linguistics and immigrant teacher education. It advances understandings of literacy as a relational practice embedded in emotional and material life, challenging skills-based paradigms and offering implications for inclusive literacy policies and practices that honour teachers’ lived, transnational experiences.
10:40-11:05
100720 | Uncovering Hidden Funds of Identity of a Newcomer Multilingual Family in the US
Zhamilya Yessirkepova, Michigan State University, United States
Anara Akhmetova, Michigan State University, United States
This qualitative case study explores how a newcomer Kazakh multilingual family in the U.S. drew on personal, cultural, and linguistic resources to navigate a new educational and social environment. Grounded in the funds of identity framework (Esteban-Guitart & Moll, 2014a) and Vygotskian theory (1998) of identity development, we address the need for asset-based approaches that recognize the strengths multilingual learners and their families bring to schools. Guided by two research questions—(1) What funds of identity does the family express through the co-creation of a bilingual book? and (2) How do these funds shape their experiences in the U.S.?—we focused on Alma, a graduate student and mother, and her son, Arman, an elementary student with emerging English proficiency. The family arrived in the U.S. in December 2022, and we collected data in March 2023 through semi-structured interviews and the co-creation of a bilingual artist book. We transcribed, translated, and coded the data, analyzing it using the five-domain framework of funds of identity: geographical, practical, cultural, social, and institutional. Our findings show that Alma and Arman actively drew on multiple identity resources to adapt to their new context, sustain cultural continuity, and form meaningful connections. Arman exhibited strong academic engagement despite limited English proficiency, challenging deficit-based assumptions. This study introduces an innovative arts-based methodology and underscores the importance of positioning families as knowledge-holders. We offer concrete implications for culturally sustaining pedagogy and identity-affirming literacy practices that center the lived experiences of multilingual families.
10:40-11:05
103071 | Breaking Language Barriers: Localization Challenges in Arabic Versions of Modern Fighting Games Amer Al-Adwan, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar
Video games enjoy immense popularity worldwide, with a diverse range of players across continents and cultures. They serve as a significant form of entertainment and recreation for millions of people across the globe. With this growing demand, game developers realized the potential profit of a global audience and started implementing game localization to fit different cultures, including the MENA region. Game localization in the Arab world remains understudied, particularly given Arabic’s unique linguistic structures and cultural nuances. To address the gap in the current research field of game localization in the Arab world, this paper aims to investigate the localization of four major fighting games, Tekken 7, Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1, focusing on the linguistic and technical aspects of these games. The findings demonstrate significant inconsistencies in how in-game assets are localized, including improper text directionality, font rendering problems, and menu alignment issues that hinder gameplay fluidity. Furthermore, linguistic issues in the Arabic subtitles, including unnatural phrasing and grammatical errors would significantly disrupt player immersion. These findings highlight an urgent need for standardized Arabic localization guidelines to ensure both linguistic accuracy and cultural relevance.
13:10-14:50 |
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 2
IICE/IICAH2026 | Humanities - Teaching and Learning (Workshops)
Session Chair: Paul Sevigny
13:10-14:00
100760 | Got Paper?
Kay Hones, KeyInfo Inc., United States
Got Paper? is an interactive workshop designed for educators seeking to engage students through creative, hands-on paper projects. Participants will explore ten diverse activities—ranging from candy and blackout poetry, Zen tangles, and mini books to nature journaling and literary games, integrating art, history, science, and play.
The workshop will empower educators with practical tools and strategies for fostering creativity, literacy, and socio-emotional development. The workshop aligns with Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle—encouraging participants to use concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
• Design and facilitate hands-on paper-based projects in library or classroom settings.
• Assess student outcomes related to literacy, information retention, creative thinking, and socio-emotional skills using pre/post reflections, observation, and artifact analysis.
• Incorporate community resources and cross-disciplinary themes into paper projects that enhance student engagement.
Workshop Structure
Participants will experience a mix of teaching and learning strategies, including:
• Group Discussion: Sharing experiences and best practices in integrating creative projects into library programming.
• Practical Activities: Engaging in five hands-on paper projects such as blackout poetry, Zen tangles, mini book creation, and nature journaling.
• Reflective Practice: Pre- and post-workshop reflections to measure changes in literacy, retention, creativity, and socio-emotional perspectives.
• Artifact Analysis: Reviewing and discussing paper creations as evidence of learning and creativity.
Learning Resources
Workshop participants will receive:
• Comprehensive slide deck outlining project instructions and theoretical background
• Resource links to community organizations, digital tools, and suggested materials
• Sample pre- and post-reflection forms for measuring workshop impact
14:00-14:50
100858 | Illocutionary Work: A Theory of Shared Agency in Human-AI Group Discussion: Exploring How Learners, Peers, and AI Coconstruct Meaning
Paul Sevigny, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan
This workshop introduces a theoretical model for understanding multi-agent communication (Cohen and Levesque) in educational contexts where humans and AI co-construct meaning through dialogue. Building on Vygotskian sociocultural theory, Bandura’s agentic perspectives on self, and Searle’s speech act theory, the proposed model conceptualizes illocutionary work as a distributed phenomenon—where interpretive effort, responsibility, and meaning-making are shared among learners, teachers, and AI interlocutors. Rather than viewing student talk as discrete input/output units, the model frames classroom discourse as a throughput system— capturing the rate and flow of interpretive work over time—shaped by role-based preparation (e.g., literature circles, mock trials, debate), where human and AI scaffolding work in tandem to support human skills in mediated interpretation tasks. Illocutionary work, in this sense, represents the “cognitive labor” performed at the level of interaction—not only by individual agents, but as emergent from group-level coordination—and can be broken down into pre-locutionary, locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary work. Examples of how these concepts were applied to the configuration of tasks, roles, and custom GPTs will illustrate their utility. The workshop also proposes preliminary constructs—such as turnshare, floorshare, and human-AI bandwidth ratios to operationalize group throughput in future research and system design. Applying the theory of illocutionary work to specific pieces (e.g., custom GPTs) as well as broader scaffolding systems offers a more principled foundation for educational AI integration. Attendees will leave with a conceptual map of the model, a sample tagging framework, and custom GPT configuration examples for applying these ideas to their own contexts.
13:10-14:50
| Ala Moana Hotel: Ilima Room (2F)
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 2
IICE2026 | Design, Implementation & Assessment in Education
Session Chair: Vanessa Balagtas
13:10-13:35
102958 | Student Attitudes and Perception of AI and AI-Generated Practice in the Classroom
Rachel Van Campenhout, VitalSource, United States
Michelle Clark, VitalSource, United States
Benny Johnson, VitalSource, United States
Despite the prevalence of AI tools, studies surveying students’ perceptions of AI discovered relatively low usage and experience with the technology, lack of understanding of the tools’ strengths and weaknesses, and low confidence in their application for learning (Chan & Hu, 2023; Smolansky et al., 2023). Faculty teaching three courses at Iowa State University used AI-generated practice alongside the etextbook as a low-stakes homework assignment. While prior research on this practice has found it effective for learning, better understanding how students perceive and use AI generally—in addition to this specific tool—was important for faculty to understand more fully. In this investigation, 234 students responded to end-of-semester survey to capture their course perceptions, general comfort and trust levels with AI, frequency of use, types of use, and perceptions of the AI-generated questions more specifically. Survey findings suggest that student usage and attitudes toward AI remains varied. While a small portion of learners appear comfortable integrating AI tools into their studies, many remain infrequent users of such technology, with the most frequent use for AI being spelling and grammar support. It is key for those in higher education and educational technology alike to keep in mind that the open access and explosion of AI tools does not equate to ubiquitous student use, mastery, or sophisticated learning strategies. In light of these survey findings, the need for effective AI tools for classroom implementation as well as general AI literacy strategies for teaching and learning are discussed.
13:35-14:00
95936 | From Text to Visual Story: Enhancing STEM Students’ English Writing with Adobe Firefly and Express Makoto Shishido, Tokyo Denki University, Japan
This study investigates the use of Adobe Express and its integrated generative AI engine, Firefly, to enhance English language learning among STEM students at a Japanese university. STEM students often face difficulties in writing due to limited vocabulary, lack of confidence, and insufficient experience with creative communication. To address these challenges, a project-based instructional approach was implemented, combining writing tasks with visual design supported by generative AI tools. Students followed a four-step process: (1) composing an essay in English, (2) using AI tools such as Firefly to refine tone and clarity, (3) generating images with Adobe Express based on their written content, and (4) designing digital posters or slides using Adobe Express. By visualizing their ideas with Firefly’s text-to-image generation and enhancing layout and design with Express, students were able to engage in more meaningful and multimodal self-expression. The integration of generative AI empowered students to explore how visual and linguistic elements interact to convey messages effectively. Student work showed improved creativity, stronger narrative structure, and enhanced audience awareness. Many students reported that the ability to create AI-generated visuals deepened their understanding of the written content and increased their motivation to revise and polish their writing. While some students required initial guidance on using the tools, most adapted quickly and responded positively to the multimodal format. This presentation argues that generative AI tools like Adobe Firefly and Express offer valuable pedagogical potential by supporting creativity, expression, and engagement in English learning for STEM learners.
14:00-14:25
94658 | Task-Based Language Teaching: Best Practices and Insights from Hong Kong
Rickey Lu, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Max Diaz, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Task based language teaching (TBLT), a whole language approach where all skills of a language are trained together, is a popular pedagogy for language learning in classrooms due to its highly communicative nature. In the Hong Kong university context, various factors, including the complexity of task design and cultural considerations, are major factors a teacher must bear in mind when designing tasks for TBLT classroom. Through the use of self-reflective narratives provided by tertiary teachers, this study provides an overview of TBLT and how it is perceived by Hong Kong university students within English as a medium of instruction (EMI) contexts, including those intending to be English language teachers in the future. This narrative approach, alongside the affordances of TBLT as described by the literature, reveal that the pre-task, while-task, and post-task framework, as applied within Hong Kong university settings, is one at odds with the Hong Kong cultural conception of both “learning” and “teaching”. It is therefore argued that the integration of these cultural concepts into the TBLT framework is therefore necessary for the successful adoption of the TBLT approach to English language teaching and learning.
14:25-14:50 102771 | Teacher as Builder: Creating Custom AI Applications for Student Learning
Vanessa Balagtas, Hawaii Tokai International College, United States
What’s possible when educators with no coding background use AI tools to build custom solutions? This presentation visually documents how educators can move from technology consumer to creator using AI development tools. My journey began with multi-level ESL students needing quick personalized feedback in a test prep class. Google Forms and existing tools didn’t address the needs for my specific context, so I learned to collaborate with AI tools to build what my students needed. Through this development process, I built an application grounded in Zimmerman’s Self-Regulated Learning model and Flavell’s metacognition theory that delivers timed metacognitive reflection prompts during class, analyzes student responses, and delivers personalized task recommendations by session end, freeing me to focus on meaningful one-on-one coaching and responsive instruction. AI is constrained to a validated educator-designed task bank, ensuring complete pedagogical control. AI handles pattern recognition, response mapping, and delivery while I maintain instructional decision-making. This visual documentation displays the complete development journey using design thinking methodology. It demonstrates key breakthrough moments and problem-solving strategies, creating a replicable roadmap for other educators. Take-away resources empower attendees to begin AI-assisted development journeys, moving beyond waiting for perfect solutions to instead creating technology that serves their students’ specific needs while maintaining educator agency.
13:10-14:50
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 2
IICE2026 | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Session Chair: Ashley Harrison
13:10-13:35
102992 | Consciousness Raising and Freedom Dreaming: Digital Storytelling as Liberatory Praxis in Teacher Education
Nermin Vehabovic, Elon University, United States
This qualitative multiple case study investigates how teacher candidates enrolled in Children’s Literature, Methods and Materials in TESOL, and Adolescent Literacies courses from 2023 to 2025 engaged with refugee-background families across culturally and linguistically diverse communities. In each course, candidates participated in initiatives that connected them with translingual children, youth, and families in their homes, fostering care and building empathy in out-of-school contexts through reading and responding to children’s literature, assisting with homework, and engaging in play and outdoor activities such as hiking and horseback riding. Guided by critical consciousness (Freire, 1970) and notions of freedom dreaming (hooks, 1994; Kelley, 2002; Love, 2019), this study asks: In what ways do teacher candidates engage in liberatory praxis, act in solidarity with marginalized communities, embody critical humility, and cultivate justice- and equity-centered practices grounded in ethical responsiveness and transformative purpose when reflecting on their learning through digital storytelling? Data sources include digital storytelling artifacts, reflective journals, and mid-semester and end-ofsemester self reflection surveys, analyzed through thematic coding and cross-case analysis (Miles, Huberman, & Saldaña, 2019). Findings reveal how digital storytelling enabled teacher candidates to engage with their own positionalities in reflective and reflexive ways, resist deficit-based perspectives, and imagine more just and humanizing educational futures. This study highlights the transformative potential of justice-focused coursework and community-based partnerships in preparing teacher candidates to become equity-minded educators who work toward liberatory possibilities for children, youth, and families from refugee backgrounds.
13:35-14:00
100719 | From Training to Practice: Empowering TEFL Teachers to Bring Global Citizenship to Life Through Immersive Virtual Reality
Michelle Zirkel, University of Bamberg, Germany
Tackling climate change and promoting social justice is one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Consequently, these topics have become embedded in curricula worldwide, with the integration of Global Citizenship Education (GCE) now mandatory across subject areas, including English language education. Research has shown that immersive virtual reality (iVR) can support second language acquisition and foster pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. Despite English language teachers generally expressing positive attitudes toward incorporating such technologies, many lack the necessary competencies to do so effectively. To bridge this gap, we developed, tested, and implemented open educational resource (OER) training modules using a design-based research approach to equip TEFL educators with the competencies needed to use iVR for GCE in EFL classrooms. This presentation outlines our teacher training course and provides insights into changes in teachers’ beliefs and competencies regarding the implementation of iVR and ESD in their classrooms measured through focus group interviews and pre-, post-, and follow-up questionnaires. The first four rounds of teacher training (n = 51) have shown that while 85% of teachers had little to no experience with iVR or ESD prior to the course, the training significantly improved teachers’ technology acceptance and TPACK regarding iVR, with large effects for perceived ease of use (d= 1.48) and TPACK (d=0.73). By the time of the conference, we will have gathered data from four more rounds of teacher training taking place in November (n = approx. 110), and the findings from the 8 rounds of teacher training will be presented.
14:00-14:25
100880 | Aligning Systems of Support: Strengthening University and P-12 District Partnerships to Attract, Prepare, and Retain Educators
Gina Anderson, Minnesota State University, United States
Teri Preisler, Minnesota State University, United States
Jennifer Iacovino, LKI Consulting LLC, United States
This panel highlights how Minnesota State University, Mankato’s College of Education, partnering with regional P–12 school districts and a local education service cooperative, is reimagining teacher preparation and induction to build a sustainable system of support grounded in anti-oppressive, inclusive, and culturally sustaining practices. For over a decade, the College has implemented a strong student teaching model supported by trained university-based mentors. A governance council of seven partnering districts works to better align university preparation with district needs. While more than 90% of teacher candidates surveyed were hired or seek employment in the region where they student teach, statewide data shows that one-third of new teachers leave the profession within five years. The most cited reasons, negative climate and lack of administrative support, make clear that strong preparation alone is not enough. Belonging, cultural alignment, and sustained support are essential. A state-funded induction grant catalyzed a shift in how the College and P-12 Districts work together. The College now trains site-based mentors and instructional leaders using the same equity-centered framework used during student teaching. This continuity bridges the preparation-to-practice gap and deepens shared investment in new teacher success. The panel features two university faculty members and an external educational consultant, each bringing unique expertise in educator preparation, induction, and systems change. Together, they share a case study of a partner school where this collaboration has evolved into a symbiotic model that attracts and retains early career teachers as well as builds leadership pathways to keep them in the profession long-term.
13:10-14:50
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 2
IICE2026 | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Session Chair: Ashley Harrison
14:25-14:50
102696 | Applying a User-centered Approach to Inclusive Education Teacher Training: Teach Input from the U.S. and Netherlands
Ashley Harrison, University of Georgia, United States
Karrah Bowman, University of Georgia, United States
Anne Smit, Utrecht University, Netherlands
Annelies de Bildt, University of Groningen, Netherlands
Teachers globally receive insufficient training to teach autistic students in inclusive classrooms. Teacher trainings to augment knowledge of autism and evidence-based practices for inclusion (EBIs) are essential and must be designed to align with teacher-reported needs to increase training engagement. This presentation applies user-centered design to develop an global teacher intervention. Using mixed methods, the current study gained the perspectives of teachers from the US (n=10) and Netherlands (n=17). Likert questions assessed knowledge and attitudes toward EBI training content derived from the literature from multiple orientations and on different instructional modalities (e.g., decisional flow charts, vignettes, visual aids, etc.). Non-normal data on training preferences were ordered from most to least familiar (knowledge) and acceptable (attitudes) and compared to the group median using a Wilcoxon Sign test. All teachers had negative opinions about self-regulation (M_att = 4.67; M_k = 4.00). The most preferred content included TEACCH strategies (M_att =7.67; M_k = 7.00) and behavioral rewarding (M_att =7.67; M_k = 7.50). We also compared mean attitude scores on the normally distributed variables and found that Dutch teachers had more negative attitudes than US teachers toward behaviorism t = 1.77, p < . 05 and a behavioral flow chart t = 1.72, p < .05. Qualitatively we documented themes related to teacher challenges, under preparation and negative attitudes, EBI use, and preferences for future trainings. We will present on the integration of teacher preferences into development of an EBI intervention that incorporates strategies teachers have identified as feasible and acceptable.
13:10-14:50 | Ala Moana Hotel: Plumeria Room (2F)
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 2
IICE2026 | Education, Sustainability and Society
Session
13:10-13:35
Chair: Michael Hart
100887 | Employer-Based Health Care and Retirement Literacy Initiative Attracts, Retains, & Engages Employees
Jim Westrum, Orono Public Schools, United States
Ed Dressel, Dallas Public Schools, United States
Employer-based retirement financial Literacy strategies can pay significant dividends to a school district as it seeks to attract, retain, and engage its employees. Participants will see practical applications of best practices that can allow school districts to leverage these generous provisions including health insurance best practices utilization as well as public pensions, social security, 403(b)’s and HSA’s / HRA’S to clearly articulate the financial benefits of working for a school district. As pension plan participation is mandated and often retirement benefits are now coordinated with Social Security, a layer of complexity and “mystique,” often hinders an employee’s ability to perceive the value of these benefits. The Center for State and Local Government Excellence found that more than 60% of school district employees place a high priority on their health insurance benefits as well as pension and other retirement benefits and that remains one of the primary drivers and incentives for choosing to work for and remain with their district. On a national level, many school districts and other public employers are seeking to strengthen their recruiting efforts and retainment initiatives through employer sponsored employee wellness and financial literacy programs to provide public employees with a high level of confidence that they are in a “career of choice” and have the ability to continue their important work serving the students, families, and communities and not be distracted by a lack of confidence that they will be ready to retire when they are ready for that chapter in their lives.
13:35-14:00
97126 | Not Alone: Women Social Justice Educators Speaking Our Truth
Lisel Murdock-Perriera, Sonoma State University, United States
Rosela Balinbin Santos, University of Hawai’i Manoa, United States Rayna Fujii, University of Hawai’i Manoa, United States
We are scholars, we are women, we are friends. Our Courageous Critical Collective met through our shared interest in guiding courageous critical conversations (CCCs)--conversations about justice-related topics with teachers and young children in elementary settings. In this presentation, based on the introductory chapter of our proposed book, we consider issues of identity, relationships, academia, and intuition, and unity in exploring the foundation of creating our collective. Initially, what was common sense to one of us wasn’t necessarily at the core for all of us. The amalgamation of our identities includes being women of Color, traditional and cultural mothering, our roles in relation to multiculturalism. We recognized a shared vision, and we intentionally explored our own definitions and instantiations of social justice from three overlapping perspectives. We couldn’t find a space in which we as individuals, or collectively, could be embraced in the world of academia, so we created this space by reaching out to one another, to ground one another. Now, what is common sense to the three of us isn’t always common sense to others: Listening to the gut feeling, the naʻau (Nā Puke Wehewehe ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, 2023), the feeling from behind the people, from behind the belly button, the central core/corps of who you are. We share our story to inspire other women scholars as they engage with deeply personal and essential work of social justice action research. We seek to honor ourselves, the places we live in and teach, and the people around us.
14:00-14:25
103377 | Indigenous Engagement in a Research Intensive University
Michael Hart, University of Calgary, Canada
In November 2017 the University of Calgary launched its inaugural Indigenous Strategy. The strategy was titled, “ii’ taa’poh’to’p,” a Blackfoot term meaning a place to stop and rejuvenate. The strategy was developed under the oversight of a Circle of Advisors made up of Indigenous Knowledge Keepers/Elders working beside members of the university’s senior administration team. The developed strategy had 27 key recommendations attending to matters ranging from the grounds to buildings, curriculum development to graduations, community engagement to advanced research, and supports from incoming students to staff and faculty. After eight years of implementation there has been significant developments at the university. A key aspect of the implementation is the reliance on the key foundational concepts within the strategy including ways of knowing, doing, connection, and being, parallel paths, written and oral systems, and ethical space. These developments include:
-a facilities Elders Circle that guided the development of 25 year landscape plan,
-the establishment of a Indigenous curriculum consultant supporting the inclusion of Indigenous focused content -establishing Indigenous presence in convocation
-Outreach to Indigenous communities by various units
-the incorporation of the parallel path process in the largest university research grant ever received from a national funding organization -development of new programs such as pathways for Indigenous student to enter and successfully participate This presentation will give an overview of each of these and other points od development. It will summarize with thoughts on how other institutions could successfully incorporate such developments by summarize key learnings from this process.
13:10-14:50 |
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 2
IICE2026 | Education, Sustainability and Society
Session Chair: Michael Hart
14:25-14:50
95774 | Engaging Black Male Faculty: Phenomenological Study in the US Telvis Rich, Adelphi University, United States
Black male faculty often work in isolation in higher education. A qualitative study was conducted with 27 Black male Social Work faculty after the pandemic to explore their lived experiences. The participants taught in person prior to the pandemic, online during the pandemic and returned to on campus teaching after the pandemic. The participants identified as U.S. citizens of Black/African origin and taught at historically predominately White universities in the U.S. The participants were recruited using social media platforms and emails to Social Work faculty and administrators in the U.S. Each region of the country was considered in the recruitment efforts. The researcher conducted two semi-structured interviews with each participant using freeconferencecall.com. The data was analyzed by the researcher using Saldana (2017) coding manual and MAXQDA. Each transcribed interview was emailed to the participant to ensure member checking. No participant added additional content to their transcribed interview, which ensured validity of the recorded interviews. The research study was guided by Herzberg Two-Factor Theory, which centers on workplace engagement, inclusion and belonging. The findings concluded the following themes: Black male Social Work faculty often work in isolation, experience inequality in the workplace, and receive limited to no ongoing supports from Social Work administrators. The themes were alarming as they were present prior to the pandemic and persisted when the participants returned to teaching on campus after the pandemic. Thus, the themes are systematic. The center theme was Black male Social Work faculty apply spiritual coping techniques to manage the workplace challenges for sustainability in the workplace. During this presentation, the researcher will provide details on the findings’ themes. Additionally, recommendations for administrators, faculty and staff seeking to enhance the workplace engagement, inclusion and sense of belonging among its Black male faculty will be presented.
15:05-16:45 | Ala Moana Hotel: Carnation Room (2F)
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 3
IICAH2026 | Humanities - Teaching and Learning (Workshops)
Session Chair: Jodi Consten
15:05-15:55
103055 | Applying the Socratic Method in Asynchronous Online Courses: Best Practices for Teaching Critical Thinking Jacqueline Trimier, College of Lake County, United States
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for distance learning courses has remained strong, with many students enrolling in at least one distance learning course per term, most often in an asynchronous format. At the same time, employers increasingly emphasize the importance of critical thinking skills among college graduates. This workshop addresses both needs by demonstrating how to implement the Socratic Method (SM)—long regarded as the pedagogical archetype for developing critical thinking skills—within online asynchronous threaded discussion boards. Scholarship supports the efficacy of the SM in online courses, particularly when combined with the Community of Inquiry (CoI) pedagogy. However, guidance for faculty on the practical application of these pedagogies remains limited. Accordingly, this interactive workshop is designed for instructors across disciplines—both new to and experienced in online teaching—who seek to promote critical thinking in their online courses. The presenter will illustrate strategies and outcomes from her online Critical Thinking course taught on the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS). Workshop teaching/learning strategies will include role-play, discussions, and small group activities. Participants will be able to (a) explain the theoretical foundations of SM and CoI; (b) identify key LMS course design considerations; (c) apply these foundations and considerations to their own online courses; and (d) develop an action plan to teach SM in their own online courses. Participants will also receive a curated reading list and sample materials, including screenshots from the presenter’s course.
15:55-16:45
98537 | Driving Student Success: Using an Integrated Model to Elevate Learning, Community, and Scholarship
Jodi Consten, Westcliff University, United States
Ying Iverson, Westcliff University, United States
Laura Sliwinski, Westcliff University, United States
Explore a transformative, future-ready model for integrated education designed to enhance student persistence, research readiness, and degree completion. This scalable and inclusive framework reimagines the education journey through intentional course design, early support, and collaborative faculty mentorship. With completion rates lagging and diverse student populations requiring tailored support, institutions must evolve. The model responds with a unified series of research-focused courses shared across the Colleges of Business, Education, and Technology, paired with a robust faculty-led Professional Learning Community (PLC) that ensures ongoing curricular alignment and continuous improvement. Examine how coursework, early research socialization, and stronger faculty-student engagement contribute to improved outcomes. The model has led to measurable gains in retention and student confidence while fostering a cross-disciplinary research culture. Blending technology and AI with the heart of human connection, it fosters leadership that combines intelligence and compassion with curiosity and collaborative inquiry. This session is ideal for anyone seeking to build sustainable, studentcentered systems. Participants will leave with actionable resources, including a research milestone map, PLC discussion guide, and faculty development calendar. Attendees are invited to join a virtual PLC to extend collaboration beyond the conference. Together, we can shape a doctoral experience that is not only rigorous and equitable but also empowering and responsive to the needs of tomorrow’s scholars.
15:05-16:45 |
Hotel: Carnation Room (2F)
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 3
IICAH2026 | Humanities, the Arts and Technology
Session
15:05-15:30
Chair: Aelita Skarzauskiene
No Presentation
15:30-15:55
103084 | Adapting AI-Generated Personas from Marketing Research to Media Art Practice: Exploring Identity and Creativity
Zhino Yousefi, York University, Canada
This study explores how AI-generated personas, which were originally developed as marketing research tools to model audience behavior, can be reimagined for application in fine art and media art research. In marketing, personas are used as predictive models that simulate human responses, but in art-based research they become dynamic tools capable of demonstrating creative tendencies and possible emotional responses. This research translates this marketing approach into an artistic context, treating AI personas as both collaborators and conceptual mirrors that help examine questions of identity, authorship, and digital existence. When incorporated into interactive and virtual installations, AI personas expand beyond their analytical origins and enter a reflective, experiential domain. The project offers a new methodology for media art research that combines computational simulation with qualitative interpretation and audience engagement. It invites artists to encounter and interact with algorithmic beings, prompting reflection on what it means to create, to exist, and to relate in a world where human and artificial identities increasingly intertwine.
15:55-16:20
101188 | The “Human Face” of Nonfungible Tokens: Dangers and Opportunities of New Technology
Valentina Kuskova, University of Notre Dame, United States
Dmitry Zaytsev, University of Notre Dame, United States
This paper explores the humanistic dimensions of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) through an interdisciplinary lens that integrates network analysis with social media data. While much of the current discourse focuses on the financial or technological aspects of NFTs, we examine how NFT ecosystems foster community formation, cultural expression, and identity-building. Using fused on-chain and off-chain data from over a hundred NFT collections, we identify distinct community types – holders, traders, and speculators – and analyze their structural characteristics. Our findings reveal that long-term holders form tightly connected, narrative-rich clusters, while speculative activity leads to fragmented, transactional networks. By mapping these dynamics and correlating them with community discourse, we expose how inclusion, visibility, and bias manifest across NFT spaces. This methodology provides a novel framework for uncovering inequality patterns, particularly among historically underrepresented groups, and highlights the sociotechnical nature of NFTs as emerging sites of cultural production and systemic reflection.
16:20-16:45
98516 | From Archives to Algorithms: Shaping Cultural Futures with AI
Aelita Skarzauskiene, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania
Kristina Kovaitė, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania
Paulius Šūmakaris, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania
Monika Mačiulienė, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania
As cultural heritage institutions (CHIs) increasingly adopt digital and AI-driven tools, they encounter both new possibilities and complex challenges. Digitization and AI can enhance preservation, broaden access, and create more meaningful public engagement. Yet CHIs often struggle to evaluate and select suitable projects due to fragmented institutional priorities, limited technical capacity, and decisionmaking models that overlook cultural and social values. This study introduces a micro-level decision-support framework tailored to help CHIs assess digitization and AI-supported projects. Developed through a three-phase mixed-method design—combining a systematic literature review, focus groups, and the Delphi technique—the framework incorporates input from professionals across Europe’s cultural and creative sectors, including representatives from ethnic minority communities. Their diverse perspectives ensured that the framework reflects not only technical and financial feasibility but also accessibility, social value, and cultural significance. The result is a validated set of 43 evaluation criteria organized into six thematic categories: finance and investment, employment and personnel, market relevance, accessibility, social impact, and characteristics of cultural heritage objects. This framework offers a structured, context-sensitive approach for CHIs to navigate trade-offs between innovation and institutional missions. It advances theoretical understanding by integrating cultural value into project assessment and provides practical guidance for strategic decision-making. Though designed for project-level use, the framework can inform broader applications, including multi-criteria decision-making methods and institutional planning. In doing so, it supports CHIs in making inclusive, culturally grounded investments that align with both technological advances and evolving public expectations.
15:05-16:45 | Ala Moana Hotel: Pakalana & Anthurium Room (2F)
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 3
IICE/IICAH2026 | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Session Chair: Brent Shea
15:05-15:30
100706 | From Challenges to Solutions: Development and Evaluation of Alumni Engagement Portal System for Tracer Studies
Marion Cresencio, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines
This study addresses the challenge of limited alumni engagement within a university, particularly for its Graduate School. Alumni engagement is critical for institutional development, curriculum improvement, and student mentorship. However, challenges such as outdated manual methods and inconsistent monitoring hinder the university’s ability to maintain meaningful alumni relationships. To resolve this, the study proposed and developed an Alumni Engagement Portal System tailored to meet the needs of a university. A mixedmethod approach was employed, incorporating surveys, expert reviews, and pilot testing. A survey instrument was designed and validated with a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability score of 0.9236, ensuring high reliability. The system was developed using agile methodology, emphasizing user-friendly design and data privacy compliance. The portal effectively integrates functionalities such as tracer studies, networking opportunities, and data analytics for institutional decision-making. Results from the pilot implementation indicate high levels of usability, acceptability, and engagement among alumni. Furthermore, the system provides valuable insights into employment trends, enabling better curriculum alignment with industry needs. This innovative portal bridges gaps in alumni engagement by offering centralized, accessible, and interactive tools. It addresses issues such as alumni data management and engagement strategies, enhancing institutional capability to maintain long-term alumni relationships. The Alumni Engagement Portal System represents a transformative step in strengthening alumni-institution relationships. It sets a benchmark for strengthening technology to enhance alumni engagement and institutional development, contributing significantly to the advancement of higher education management practices.
15:30-15:55
100807 | From Hard Eugenics to Soft Power: Educational Stratification and the Persistence of Ableist Sorting in Alberta, Canada
Steven Sheppard, University of Calgary, Canada
John Williamson, University of Calgary, Canada
Eugenics in the Canadian province of Alberta is often framed as a closed chapter, epitomized by the province’s Sexual Sterilization Act (1929–1972) and the 2,800 people forcibly sterilized under its mandate. These overt acts of state-sanctioned violence exemplify what political geography terms hard power—direct, coercive control over populations. Yet while the explicit mechanisms have ended, the underlying logic of ranking human worth persists in subtler, institutionally embedded forms. Drawing on Critical Disability Studies, educational policy analysis, and Joseph Nye’s hard/soft power framework, this paper examines ability grouping, streaming, and assessment practices in Alberta’s K–12 curriculum as a form of soft-power eugenics. These mechanisms—diagnostic categories, “gifted” programs, individualized education plans, and streaming policies—operate under the guise of support and meritocracy while quietly reproducing structural inequality. They normalize exclusion by framing stratification as neutral, efficient, and evidence-based, obscuring the continuities between past coercion and present-day containment. Foucault’s concept of bio-power helps illuminate this shift: from punishing and excluding to regulating and “optimizing” life, producing compliant and “normal” citizens. By positioning educational stratification within a lineage of eugenic thinking, this paper challenges the assumption that contemporary schooling is free from such legacies. Instead, it argues that unless these soft-power mechanisms are dismantled, Alberta’s education system will continue to determine who thrives and who is quietly left behind—reproducing inequality under the banner of inclusion.
15:55-16:20
101997 | Passing the Torch: Navigating Intergenerational Transitions in Community Education and Partnerships
Simone Gause, Coastal Carolina University, United States
Franklin Gause, Coastal Carolina University, United States
This presentation explores the lived experience of an intergenerational transition within a community education program, focusing on the dynamic shift as a younger generation assumes leadership from its founders and longtime stewards. Drawing on a qualitative case study and interviews with both older and younger program leaders, we will articulate the pros, cons, and invaluable lessons learned from our elders. The session will highlight strategies for bridging generational divides to ensure program continuity and mission fidelity. In an era marked by increasing social and political divisiveness, we will identify and discuss the vital tools—including restorative dialogue, trustbuilding exercises, and shared visioning—that are essential for fostering resilient community partnerships. This presentation offers a roadmap for those inheriting community programs, providing practical guidance on how to honor the past while innovating for the future. We will begin by exploring the unique position of those inheriting community work. This segment will detail the pros and cons of such a transition, including the rich legacy of institutional knowledge and the potential for friction over new methods. We then present a framework for dialogue and partnership that honors the wisdom of older generations while empowering the creativity and digital literacy of younger leaders. Finally, we situate these findings within the current sociopolitical climate. We will articulate why intergenerational community partnerships are more vital than ever and present a toolkit of vital strategies for building and maintaining trust across diverse perspectives, including asset-based community development and conflict resolution techniques tailored for mission-driven organizations.
16:20-16:45
100820 | Revisiting the Bowles and Gintis Correspondence Principle 50 Years Later
Brent Shea, Sweet Briar College, United States
Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis, in their neo=Marxian critique and economic determinist analysis of education (1976), hypothesized that the social class-specific socialization occurring throughout primary and secondary education could be explained by the dominant influence of corporate capitalism on the institution of education. This implies that, if we know the characteristics of the dominant economic institution, we will know how education is structured. This structure includes non only classroom instruction and tracking systems within schools but also among schools, which differ by neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics and sources and amount of financial support. The hypothesized correspondence between the social relations of production and the structure of schooling has withstood the scrutiny of researchers during these past 5 decades, resulting in both affirmation and revisions, ranging from explaining persistent reinforcement of work-related characteristics in Japanese schools (Takemura 2018) to the 1988 Education Reform Act’s impact on British and Welsh Schools (Bailey 1995). While the hidden curriculum reflects worker characteristics required in the workplace, it is critical to acknowledge the effect of these traits on products of consumption (goods and services), and their effect on the social relations of production. The correspondence principle, when applied to the function of education in providing the non-cognitive traits required in workplaces, contends that workers’ traits correspond to both the kind and amount of education. The extension of this principle that is hypothesized here is that the same non-cognitive traits that reflect production processes also affect the products of consumption, which themselves affect the processes of production.
15:05-16:45
| Ala Moana Hotel: Plumeria Room (2F)
Monday Onsite Parallel Session 3
IICE2026 | Culture, Inter/Multiculturalism & Language
Session Chair: Akiko Kano
15:05-15:30
101072 | Ghost Logics: Resistance, Transparency, and Liberation in Generative AI Outputs
Pamela Morrow, Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland, New Zealand
This paper aims to demonstrate how genAI misrepresents Indigenous identities by drawing upon colonialist tropes and historical stereotypes. The term phantasm is used to create critical distance by emphasising the spectral quality of generated identities, and system’s inability, in most cases, to convey the lived realities of Indigenous groups. As stochastic systems, genAI reassembles fragmented cultural markers into synthetic composites that may appear coherent on the surface. However, without critical AI literacy to counter automation bias, educators and students risk mistaking such outputs for truth, perpetuating societal bias. Because datasets include pornographic materials, representational risk can include explicit and inappropriate content, particularly when prompts combine gender with non-white identity markers, for example ‘a Māori woman’. These tendencies underscore the urgent need for critical strategies to ensure appropriate, equitable use in education contexts. Informed by my positionality as a Māori artist, author, educator and researcher, I present a scaffolded, classroom-ready methodology that treats Māori identity as a site of epistemic resistance. Centring personal cosmologies, this counterfactual strategy disrupts representational defaults while building competency in the critical evaluation of AI outputs. Two linked practices shape the approach: system reflexion (surfacing the model’s compositional habits and sources) and recursive dialogue (reusing and inverting prompts to track coherence and bias persistence). Framed as Ghost Logics, the methodology sequences cultural sensitivity, transparency, and equitable outcomes—positioning the AI educator-user as a guide to learners in chasing, reshaping, and dismantling harmful representations.
15:30-15:55
102954 | (Re)Storying Education: Drawing upon Local Stories of an Indigenous Culture, Land, and Language Learning Journey
Stephanie Bartlett, University of Calgary, Canada
Mandy Mercredi, University of Calgary, Canada
In 2022, in a broader study adjacent to this postdoctoral research, youth were interviewed in Northern Alberta, Canada to find out what they needed to feel successful and connected to their education. Many youth articulated that they wanted cultural teachings in schools. In response, the broader study funded cultural educators from surrounding local Indigenous communities to provide learning experiences that include art, dance, drumming, land, and language. Now that these educators have been in place for more than one year, this postdoctoral study uses kincentric wayfinding methodology within an Indigenous paradigm to respectfully gather and witness stories from learning experiences. This collaborative story cannot be told in isolation by the researcher alone. Together with a Métis educator/ community partner, we will share stories that showcase the learning and the effect this has had on youth, schools, communities, and teacher pedagogy. With artifacts of student learning and stories and insights from teachers, parents, community members, including anecdotes of learning that youth are bringing home to share around the kitchen table, this presentation aims to add to the collective, global work of (re)storying education. Findings from this study highlight that intentional teaching of language, land, and culture teachings contributed to a deeper appreciation of local place, and a stronger sense of engagement, well-being, and belonging for Indigenous youth. These local stories of language revitalization, well-being, and cultural resurgence have widespread implications beyond the Canadian context as educators and researchers around the world seek to find resonance with interconnected possibilities.
15:55-16:20
100691 | An Exploration of Native Representation, Contradictory Colonial Values, and Messaging Through the Lens of Early Primers and a Family History
William Makoyiisaaminaa, Western Washington University, United States
Sylvia Tag, Western Washington University, United States
A presentation of contemporary research on Native representation, colonial values, and messaging in Native education through the lens of nineteenth and early twentieth century American reader primers and a family history. Dr. William Makoyiisaaminaa, Visiting Assistant Professor at Western Washington University, is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation located on the Blackfeet Reservation adjacent to Glacier National Park. Professor Sylvia Tag serves as Children’s and Young Adult Librarian at Western Washington University. Shared examples focus on the lack of representation and negative stereotyping dominant in early primers. Sylvia and Will have gathered evidence by physical, pageby-page research beginning with primers published in 1803, documenting examples and context. This research discloses how education materials reinforced the doctrine of manifest destiny and Western expansion, Christian morals and values, derogatory images and illustrations, and the erasure of Natives. The lack of contributions by Natives and selective appropriations by editors created a warped representation of Natives, contradicting Native world views and subsequently harming Native children who encountered these primers in classroom settings. Will shares stories about his family through a narrative of history and education among the Blackfeet Nation including the impact of colonialism on education within his own family. The exploration includes a look at primary documents from the residential boarding school era. The research evidence and family stories come together in a reflection of Native education practices that prevail today.
16:20-16:45
100859 | From Classrooms to Communities: A Case Study of Student-Led JSL Support Programs in Japan
Akiko Kano, Sophia University Junior, Japan
Maria Lupas, Sophia University Junior, Japan
In recent years, the number of foreign residents in Japan’s regional and suburban areas has steadily increased, placing new demands on local governments and educational institutions. However, language support models in these areas remain significantly under-researched compared to those in urban centers. This study analyzes changes in the nationality composition of foreign population between 2015 and 2025 at a rural city in Japan, in relation to social factors such as politics, economy, public safety, and access to education. It also examines shifts in the characteristics of learners requiring Japanese language support, drawing on insights gained through service-learning activities conducted at a local junior college. The analysis utilizes quantitative and qualitative learner data from two student-led language support initiatives. The first program dispatches junior college students to public schools to assist children with foreign backgrounds in learning Japanese. The second is a community-based Japanese language class held in public halls, targeting a wider range of learners, including preschoolers, high school students, and their parents. Presenters will describe the profiles of learners with international roots and will document significant external changes that have happened in the past ten years, including the integration of technology in the classroom. The findings reveal a growing diversity among foreign learners, indicating the need for more flexible and sustainable support systems. Although this is a case study of a single municipality, the research offers valuable insights into the development of community-rooted language support models and contributes to broader discussions on inclusive education policy in Japan.
Wednesday, January 7
Online Parallel Sessions
All times are Hawaii Standard Time (UTC-10)
Abstracts appear as originally submitted by the author. Any spelling, grammatical, or typographical errors are those of the author.
13:30-15:10
| Live-Stream Room 1
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 1
IICAH2026 | Teaching and Learning in the Arts and Humanities
Session Chair: D. Christina Sagaya Mary Dhiraviam
13:30-13:55
101521 | Land-Based Learning in Art Education: Bringing Indigenous and Western Knowledges Alongside One Another Through Collaborative Approaches
Razieh Alba, University of Calgary, Canada
Art education spaces naturally facilitate curiosity and exploration, challenging learners to shift their perspective and explore layers of meaning within artistic creation practice. Due to these inherent qualities, art education may be an ideal space for Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers to collaborate with non-Indigenous educators to bring Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing alongside Western art theory and practice. In a recent research study in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, three Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers from the Treaty 7 territory collaborated with a non-Indigenous researcher/educator to develop a four-part workshop that brought Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing alongside Western art theory and practice. The frameworks guiding the research were Two-Eyed Seeing and Decolonization, with Storytelling as Methodology and Storywork as the methodologies. Falling within the substreams of Visual Arts Practice, Teaching and Learning in the Arts, Teaching and Learning, and First Nations and Indigenous Peoples, the paper aims to explore the universal benefits for similar collaborative approaches in the future, where land-based learning creates spaces to bring Indigenous and Western ways of knowing, being, and doing alongside one another. By exploring the lived experiences of participants in the recent study conducted by the author, as well as current literature related to similar land-based Indigenous research practices in countries such as Canada, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, the proposed paper falls under the overlapping themes of Humanity and Human Intelligence and Global Citizenship and Education for Peace.
13:55-14:20
100753 | “Slow Media” and Hybrid Arts Pedagogy: Reframing Sensory Ethics Between Technology and Human Intelligence
Jiaye
Wu, Shih Chien University, Taiwan
In the digital age, sensory engagement and material literacy in arts and design education are in gradual decline. This study addresses the tension between technological acceleration and human intelligence by positioning letterpress printing as a form of slow media. Its creative rhythm, material resistance, and embrace of imperfection challenge the instantaneity and superficiality of digital workflows. From 2022 to 2025, the research team collaborated with Tokyo-based Letterpress Letters to run immersive, intergenerational workshops involving more than 120 participants. The methodology combined ethnographic observation, reflective interviews, and analysis of student works. Typesetting and printing revealed how participants experienced the weight of metal type and the tactile impression on paper. The embossed mark was perceived not only as visual beauty but also as a lesson in patience, respect for material, and the temporal discipline of slow craft. Findings indicate that such embodied practice cultivated design awareness beyond speed and mass production. Participants re-evaluated the role of error, rhythm, and material constraints as resources for creative reflection. They also reported that engaging with traditional craft in tandem with digital tools allowed cultural memory to be extended into contemporary design practice. This research demonstrates how sensory ethics can ground hybrid arts pedagogy. By transforming cultural insights into future-oriented design actions, it proposes a sustainable framework for cross-disciplinary arts education that bridges material heritage with pedagogical innovation.
14:20-14:45
103033 | Understanding IB Education in Japan: Student Experiences in the First Year of the Diploma Programme
Aktolkyn Rustemova, University of Tsukuba, Japan
Akari Fuji, University of Tsukuba, Japan
Sayaka Mitarai, Shukutoku University, Japan
This study aims to examine how the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) operates within Japan’s educational context and explores students’ learning inside and outside the classroom, study time, and future outlook. Focusing on IBDP Year 1 students at government-approved (‘Article 1’) schools, the study provides empirical insights into how a global curriculum standard has been implemented in the early stages of Japan’s adoption of the IB. The IB system was established after World War II to promote peace through intercultural understanding, global mindedness, and critical thinking. As of 2025, over 6,000 IB World Schools operate in 162 countries. The IB has been introduced for diverse purposes—promoting educational equity in the United States, enriching elite education in Singapore, diversifying education in Poland, internationalising education in Hong Kong, and fostering inquiry-based learning in Korea. Japan similarly represents a distinct trajectory. Introduced in 2013 under the government’s Project for the Promotion of Global Human Resource Development, the IB initiative aimed to expand to 200 schools by 2018 – a goal that was ostensibly achieved in 2023. Despite strong policy promotion, empirical research on its implementation remains limited. Drawing on data from a nationwide survey of 1,794 students at 31 government-approved IBDP schools, this study provides new evidence on students’ educational experiences and aspirations, contributing to broader discussions on aligning a global curriculum with national and individual educational priorities.
14:45-15:10
97257 | Error Analysis in the Writing Skills of ESL Learners at the Tertiary Level and the Use of AI
D. Christina Sagaya Mary, Loyola College, India
The paper aims at finding out the kinds of errors committed by the L2 learners at the tertiary level in a heterogeneous classroom. The experiment is performed at Loyola College of Arts and Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The sample population of the study amounts to sixty learners, comprising male and female students. The study examines the reasons for errors recurrently committed by a group of heterogeneous ‘test takers’ in a ‘paper and pencil’ test at the tertiary level. The research equally attempts to ascertain the relevance of AI tools, namely ChatGPT 4.0, Trinka AI grammar checker, and Grammarly, in the elimination of the recurring errors. The research design includes hypothesis formulation, research questions, a pilot study, and data analysis. The data analysis employs Python Software and administers ‘T-test’ and ‘Paired Sample Testing.’ The research also discusses the limitations and delimitations of the study and highlights the scope for future research on the topic.
13:30-15:10
| Live-Stream Room 2
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 1
IICE2026 | Innovative Technologies in Education
Session Chair: Minerva Bonilla
13:30-13:55
102994 | The Integration of Generative AI (GAI) into Elementary Music Composition
Yun Yan Hsieh, National University of Tainan, Taiwan
Hao Chiang Koong Lin, National University of Tainan, Taiwan
The purpose of this study is to integrate Generative AI (GAI) into elementary music education in rural areas to facilitate music composition, while enhancing students’ creative motivation and self-efficacy through successful experiences. In Taiwan’s remote regions, although the government has made efforts to narrow the gap between rural and urban areas, there remains a shortage of qualified music teachers. This instructional design adopts a procedural scaffolding experimental approach and applies a “writing-as-coding” method, in which natural language prompts are treated as computational commands. Students engage in the “computational writing practice” of creating lyrics (chants) through ChatGPT, and then generate musical compositions using Suno AI. By lowering the technical threshold through language interaction, this design helps transform abstract creativity into concrete works, mediates emotional expression, and simultaneously preserves the subjectivity, criticality, and emotional depth of human creativity.
13:55-14:20
102623 | Generative Artificial Intelligence in Art Education: An Overview of Current Research Themes and Future Research Directions
Yihan Jiang, Univeristy of Florida, United States
Zifeng Liu, University of Florida, United States
This literature review examines the current landscape of research at the intersection of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and art education through systematic analysis of publications from 2019 to 2025. The review reveals a rapidly expanding field with concentrated research activity in recent years, reflecting the transformative impact of generative AI tools on art education. The analysis identifies seven primary thematic areas emerging from the literature: (1) Pedagogical Integration and Learning Enhancement, (2) Human-AI Collaborative Creation, (3) Student and Educator Perceptions and Attitudes, (4) Technical Applications and System Development, (5) Cultural and Cross-Cultural Applications, (6) Specialized Educational Contexts, and (7) Theoretical and Ethical Considerations. This review contributes to the emerging discourse on generative AI integration in art education by synthesizing current research themes and identifying key directions for future scholarly inquiry. The findings suggest that GenAI represents a significant pedagogical opportunity in art education, with potential for enhancing creativity, engagement, and learning outcomes when thoughtfully implemented within appropriate theoretical and ethical frameworks.
14:20-14:45
100816 | Integrating Generative AI into Construction Education: A Classroom Activity on Reasoning and Reflection
Yajie Liu, Southern Utah University, United States
Minerva Bonilla, University of Texas A&M, United States
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape professional practices across industries, higher education must prepare students to engage critically, creatively, and responsibly with these technologies to ensure future workforce readiness. While AI tools are becoming increasingly prevalent in construction practice, there is limited pedagogical research on how generative AI can be purposefully integrated into construction education to benefit both instructors and students. This paper aims to explore how generative AI tools—such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and discipline-specific applications—can be integrated into construction education to enhance teaching effectiveness and improve student learning productivity and efficiency. The proposed instructional activity engages undergraduate construction students in both technical problem-solving and creative design tasks. Students first complete a task using only their own knowledge and course materials, then revisit the same task with three AI tools of their choice to generate alternative solutions, explanations, or design concepts. They conclude with a written reflection on how AI outputs influenced their reasoning, addressed misconceptions, improved efficiency, or provided new perspectives, and suggest additional ways AI could support construction-related learning. The activity’s novelty lies in its multi-tool AI integration, structured reflection process, and comparative evaluation of humanversus AI-generated work. Although empirical results are not yet available, the paper will present the activity framework, sample prompts, and planned qualitative analysis methods. The expected outcome is a practical, adaptable model for embedding AI into construction education that advances responsible AI adoption and prepares future professionals for an AI-enabled industry.
13:30-15:10
| Live-Stream Room 3
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 1
IICE2026 | Teacher Professional Development and Educational Management
Session Chair: Valentina Canese
13:30-13:55
100717 | When Dissonance Feels Like Gaslighting: Facing the Gap Between Stated and Actual Institutional Support
Jaclyn Rivard, The University of Southern Mississippi, United States
During the COVID-19 pandemic, academic institutions proclaimed their commitment to supporting faculty caregivers through official communications, policy announcements, and public statements emphasizing care and flexibility. However, faculty experiences revealed a stark disconnect between institutional rhetoric and reality—a dissonance so profound that many caregivers questioned their own perceptions of inadequate support. This presentation examines how the gap between stated and actual institutional support created conditions that felt, to many faculty caregivers, like organizational gaslighting. Drawing from qualitative interviews with twelve faculty caregivers across diverse institutional types during the pandemic, this session explores how administrators offered “supportive” emails and verbal encouragement while simultaneously increasing workloads, maintaining rigid productivity expectations, and failing to implement meaningful structural changes. Participants repeatedly described feeling confused and invalidated when their lived experiences of overwhelming stress and inadequate support contradicted institutional messages of care and understanding. One participant noted: “They wanted us to believe they cared—it was like just show us that then because your words are empty.” The presentation analyzes how this institutional gaslighting particularly affected women and contingent faculty, who faced compounded challenges yet were told they were being supported. We examine the psychological impact of this dissonance, including self-doubt, increased stress, and erosion of trust in institutional leadership. The session concludes with recommendations for authentic institutional support that aligns rhetoric with action, including concrete policy changes, resource allocation, and cultural shifts necessary to eliminate the harmful gap between what institutions say and what they actually do to support faculty caregivers.
13:55-14:20
No Presentation
14:20-14:45
98684 | Plural Pedagogies and Inclusion in French Primary Schools: Building Teacher Self-efficacy
Kari Stunell, Université De Bordeaux, France
The domain-specific nature, and the organisational, instructional and emotional components of teacher self-efficacy have been widely explored in research in education for over 40 years. This presentation examines teacher self-efficacy in relation to the use of plural approaches to the inclusion of plurilingual and pluricultural pupils in French primary schools. Navigating the mismatch between the values, rules, beliefs and linguistic expectations of home and school can be challenging for this group of pupils, who require high levels of self-efficacy, which positively impacts resilience, persistence and willingness to try hard, if they are to succeed. Recent research highlights links between high teacher self-efficacy, the development of high pupil self-efficacy, and the use of inclusive classroom practices. This paper investigates the extent to which the experiences of future primary-school teachers in France during their periods of teaching practice are likely to contribute to the development of high levels of self-efficacy in relation to the use of plural pedagogical practices. Data was collected from 300 student-teachers enrolled in a two-year pre-service teacher education programme using an online questionnaire and follow-up interviews which examined their self-efficacy feelings in relation to plural classroom practices, and their enactive and vicarious experiences of these practices during teaching practice. The results suggest that despite some positive points, overall exposure to language awareness activities during teaching practice is not systematic enough to really impact the evolution of high TSE in this domain. The findings have important implications for the content of the pre-service teacher education programme.
14:45-15:10
102981 | Digital Literacy and Continuing Teacher Education: Diagnostic Assessment of Secondary School Teachers in Paraguay Valentina Canese, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Paraguay
Juan Ignacio Mereles Aquino, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Paraguay
Roberto Adriano Paez, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Paraguay
Armildo Fabián Rojas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Paraguay
Digital transformation has redefined educational processes, requiring new digital skills from teachers to ensure teaching quality Considering this fact, this study proposed a continuing education course to strengthen the digital knowledge of secondary school teachers in Paraguay and measure their levels of technology appropriation. Using a quantitative, descriptive, and exploratory approach, the study aimed to assess participants’ initial digital knowledge and place them at the corresponding training level (Level 1 or Level 2) within the designed courses. The target population included secondary school teachers in Paraguay, and the final sample consisted of 376 teachers from different regions of the country. The instrument used was a detailed questionnaire in the course registration form, which assessed ten dimensions of digital knowledge: use of devices, file management, handling of specialized programs and systems, production of texts and data, creation of multimedia content, communication and collaboration in digital environments, digital citizenship, and digital literacy. The results show that teachers have basic skills in using devices and files; however, significant gaps were identified in information management, content creation, and the use of advanced digital tools. The analysis of variables such as gender, area of residence, and preferred modality (face-to-face, synchronous, or asynchronous) revealed diverse profiles and contexts. The diversity of profiles validates the need for programs differentiated by level and modality to achieve a more relevant and sustainable pedagogical integration of technologies in Paraguayan secondary education. This exploratory phase lays the groundwork for contextualized training strategies and equitable integration of digital education in Paraguay.
13:30-15:10
| Live-Stream Room 4
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 1
IICAH2026 | Special Topics
in the Arts
Session Chair: Austin Oting Har
13:30-13:55
100821 | The Art of Antonella Trovarelli – Creation Through Chaos
Jytte Holmqvist, Lund University, Sweden
This paper gives voice to bold and experimental Italo-Argentinian Antonella Trovarelli. Artist-in-residence based in Costa Rica, her professional trajectory has taken her from strength to strength. Most recently breaking ground at Museo C.A.V. La Neomudéjar near the heart of Madrid, Trovarelli first became known to contemporary Spanish audiences also physically speaking while working at the Associations Lab section of brutalist and cutting-edge regional contemporary art museum Zapadores Ciudad del Arte – a politically activist, visual accompaniment to the aforementioned 4,000 square metres Neomudéjar avant-garde art centre occupying the former Fuencarral army barracks in an obscure part of Madrid proper. The provocative pieces and representations at transfixing Zapadores contrasted starkly with the notion of art as beauty. Rather, covering an expansive art space that has since ceased to exist, were works that hurled us back to Spain’s dark Francoist past. Images of executed soldiers, and torture victims shocked into silence. We were reminded of the brutality of a regime that haunts Spanish citizens to date. Trovarelli, in turn, engages with identity and migration politics through abstract, primitive, anthropomorphic and shapeless figures that verge on the grotesque and step out from their limitless space, challenging the viewer and leaving room for interpretation. This paper argues that chaos is needed for a creative spark to fly and draws on S.E Guthrie when asking what role animal symbolism plays in Trovarelli’s art, if her skeletal figures can escape their liminal space in the existential margins, and what diasporic message is conveyed through her art.
13:55-14:20
98571 | Innovative Framework to Enhance Immersive Experiences: Case Study of Rural Kabuki on Shōdoshima
Jingyi Cheng, Waseda University, Japan
Frank Li, Sophia University, Japan
James Jack, Waseda University, Japan
Since the potential of digital technologies to document, preserve, and disseminate traditional knowledge and practices has been widely acknowledged, the digitization of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) has gained more and more attention in the field of heritage protection. However, many digitization projects that aim to preserve ICH primarily focus on documenting content. This makes it hard for the audience to fully comprehend the cultural background and the stories associated. There is a gap between the original cultural context and the ways heritage is presented in digital formats. Immersive experiences have been explored in ICH contexts as a way to enhance engagement, emotional connection, and community-based storytelling. These approaches seek to recover sensory and spatial elements that are often lost in traditional digitization, helping to convey the contextual integrity of ICH. Yet, it is still ambiguous in past research without much attention to present a clear framework that emphasizes immersive experience to handle the contextual integrity in ICH. The purpose of this study is to formulate a conceptual framework that effectively maps the range of immersive experiences possible in the digitization of intangible cultural heritage, balancing cultural authenticity with technological innovation. The convergence of both ideas, contextual integrity matters in ICH and the digitalization will be presented in the following research by suggesting possible digital technology applied to 農村歌舞伎 (“Shodoshima Rural Kabuki”).
14:20-14:45
102904 | How Does Transformative Experience in Contemporary Art Experience Happen and Improve our Decision-making in Action? Chiao-Fen Lin, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
This essay examines ecological art as a way to show how art can inspire action and contribute to improving both the Earth and human society. I argue that philosopher L. A. Paul’s concept of the Transformative Experience can also be understood as an Aesthetic Experience, often encountered in contemporary works such as Joseph Beuys’ 7000 Oak Trees, which demonstrates how art can shape thought, decision-making, and social practice. This idea aligns with Arthur C. Danto’s philosophy that anything can be art, a view that has significantly influenced pluralism in the contemporary Art World. When art is seen as an imaginative and cognitive experience, it can lead us to reflect on urgent public issues and to envision the world in new ways. In the Anthropocene, such transformative experiences may motivate actions driven by emotion and imagination, echoing French art historian Paul Ardenne’s call in Un art écologique: Création plasticienne et Anthropocène to reconsider art’s role in humanity’s current crisis. I also draw on Taiwanese curator Lu Pei-Yi’s Art / Movement as a Public Platform: A Study of Contemporary Art and Social Movements, which highlights how social movements can function as an art form that generates transformative participation and imaginative decision-making. By inviting the public into artistic actions, ecological art offers visibility, agency, and imaginative mechanisms that may guide social and institutional change. Ultimately, art experience can serve as an imagination-based decision-making process, enabling us to envision and work toward a better world.
14:45-15:10
100763 | The Cinematic Vision of Jōji Yuasa’s Music Signal Processing of Classical Noh Songs
Austin Oting Har, Michigan State University, United States
I illuminate the technologies and techniques employed by Jōji Yuasa in his 1961 electroacoustic adaptation of the classic noh play by Zeami, Aoi no Ue, and their implications for adapting Japanese noh theater with live electronics. I examine two areas: (i) Yuasa’s collaboration with the inventor and sound engineer Okuyama Zyunosuke in their use of tape machines, filter banks, oscillators, and a recording pen invented by Okuyama for their audio signal processing of classical noh songs (utai) and drum calls (kakegoe) (ii) Yuasa’s processing of three songs (jitori), (sashi), and (sageuta) from this play. I discuss the historical context of the tape-based technologies and techniques that Yuasa used on the eminent noh performers and descendants of Zeami (the Kanze brothers Hisao, Hideo, and Shizuo) and highlight the significance of Okuyama in this work. I contextualize the concept of “Noh-Expansion” with respect to the historical use and scope of the term, the evolving field of intercultural noh theater, and expansions of two other traditional Japanese performing arts, shakuhachi and taiko, with live audio and MIDI processing. I propose three terms: Kinds of Expansion, Dimensions of Expansion, and Degrees of Expansion, and identify two dimensions for Noh-Expansions with live electronics— “virtuosity with technology” and the “cinematic”—which resonates with Yuasa and Okuyama’s interdisciplinary collaboration with the Kanze brothers. Their cinematic vision for noh theater, I suggest, can shape the creation, adaptation, and performance of noh theater with live electronics as “Noh-Expansions” as opposed to the “Noh-Inspired” works commonly created by Western-trained composers.
13:30-15:10
| Live-Stream Room 5
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 1
IICAH2026 | Gender, Sex, and Sexuality
Session Chair: Robert Hamilton
13:30-13:55
103058 | Social Media and the Subversion of Female Images in Literary Works by Asako Yuzuki Piyanuch Wiriyaenawat, Thammasat University, Thailand
This study examines the representation of women and the role of social media in two contemporary novels by the Japanese author Asako Yuzuki: The Nile Perch Women’s Club (Nairu pāchi no joshikai) and The Sorrowful Beauty (Nageki no Bijo). Yuzuki’s writings often convey feminist viewpoints and question the construction of female identity in modern Japanese society. She also wrote the novel Butter (Batā), which has been internationally recognized for its complex portrayal of women and critical engagement with traditional Japanese gender norms. In The Nile Perch Women’s Club, social media platforms connect two women from diverse backgrounds: Shimura Eriko, a successful executive, and Maruo Shoko, a housewife who defies conventional domesticity by working as a social media influencer. The online space welcomes both women to express themselves and form emotional bonds, while displaying competitive dynamics, especially between married and unmarried women. In The Sorrowful Beauty, Yuzuki explores how social media shapes beauty standards and defines women’s self-worth according to physical appearance. Ikeda Yaiko, the protagonist, is described as unattractive and overweight, representing an alternative femininity opposing beauty ideals demanded by society. In the two novels, Yuzuki depicts social media as a site of female empowerment and self-expression as well as a venue for comparison and pressure. Her nuanced presentation criticizes today’s gender ideology and performative femininity.
13:55-14:20
96870 | Strategies for Women’s Empowerment in the Construction of Non-Violent Environments
Carolina Saenz Ibarra, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Mexico
This doctoral research focuses on identifying the elements of empowerment that help prevent violence against adult women in Monterrey, Nuevo León, addressing empowerment as an act of positive peace. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, the experiences of women aged 35 to 50 who have lived through violence in their intimate relationships were explored. The study recognizes empowerment as a comprehensive process that encompasses physical and emotional well-being, respect, dignity, and equality as essential pillars. These elements not only strengthen self-esteem and decision-making capacity but also contribute to breaking cycles of structural violence. Based on semi-structured interviews and analysis using tools such as MAXQDA and SPSS, key protective factors and personal and community strategies that promote autonomy were identified. The findings highlight the importance of education, economic independence, and support networks in building non-violent environments. Furthermore, it is recognized that women’s empowerment goes beyond the individual, positively impacting social cohesion and cultural transformation toward more equitable relationships. The research provides empirical evidence for the design of public policies and intervention programs aimed at preventing gender-based violence from a perspective of positive peace and social justice.
14:20-14:45
102124 | Reading Desire Across Borders: Digital Intimacy, Citizenship, and Belonging in South Korea
Robert Hamilton, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, South Korea
Dating apps in South Korea promise connection but often deliver exclusion. This paper examines how everyday moments on these platforms—the tentative opening line, the sudden silence, the repeated self-adjustment after rejection—dramatize negotiations over race, belonging, and national identity. Drawing on autoethnography experience and qualitative observations, I analyze how these interactions create what I call digital bordering: the subtle ways intimacy becomes a site for sorting insiders and outsiders. These practices shape forms of intimate citizenship—the uneven distribution of recognition and desire within the imagined national community. South Korea’s global image as modern and democratic collides with the intimate exclusions enacted through dating platforms in ways that expose how personal longing and public hierarchy intertwine. The paper interprets these digital encounters as cultural texts, tracing how private desires reproduce broader logics of inclusion and exclusion in contemporary life.
15:20-17:00
| Live-Stream Room 1
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 2
IICAH2026 | Teaching and Learning in the Arts and Humanities
Session Chair: Todd West
15:20-16:10
100228 | Revitalizing a Connection with the Sacred – an Ethical Response to the Anthroprocene
Denise Findlay, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Anthropocentrism is a symptom of the dominant worldview and human exceptionalism. Education is now tasked with addressing conflicting and contradictory aims and needs. Intellectual and skill development within the dominant educational paradigm is insufficient to address the polycrisis. Indigenous worldviews and knowledges, when engaged with meaningfully, can guide the development of ethicalrelational capacities of learners to act more humanely, think holistically and systemically and to collaborate. However, education must facilitate a shift out of the dominant worldview in which reductive materialism is characteristic. An introduction to Indigenous worldviews and philosophies will help guide new thinking and new approaches. Two-eyed seeing within the dominant ontology only serves to perpetuate left-brain hegemonic approaches to knowledge and education. By shifting to an Indigenous worldview, right-brain Indigenous eye development and strengthening can occur. Greater ethical and relational action can unfold through the cultivation of the Indigenous eye and the relational capacities of learners to take more humane and less harmful action, and reconnection to that which is sacred is essential. Education has a significant opportunity to become a praxis for cultivating a more humane, less human-centric civilization. A first step towards change and transformation can begin with endeavoring to shift worldviews by engaging in more ethical and relational ways of knowing, being, and doing, while and by facilitating a reconnection with that which is sacred.
16:10-16:35
103060 | Government Bonded Scholarship Programs as a Tool of the ‘Developmental State’: The Case of Kazakhstan and Japan
Aktolkyn Rustemova, University of Tsukuba, Japan
This study provides a comparative study of government bonded scholarship programs based on government policy papers, official reports and data of governmental programs Bolashaq and “Long-term Overseas Fellowship Program for Administrative” in Kazakhstan and Japan. The Government bonded scholarship provides funding for elite or high-performing students on the condition that the recipient either return to their country of origin or enter government service after graduation, for a stipulated number of years. The details of each system are as diverse as the countries that have adopted the system. However, despite peculiarities, there are also striking similarities between those offered by authoritarian and comparatively democratic governments. The study shows that government bonded scholarship programs represent a tool of the ‘developmental state’, aiming to strengthen the country rather than fulfilling individual (students’) aspirations. They are a long term investment and generally raise highly skilled human resources who contribute to social and economic development. However, like most institutions, bonded government scholarships rely on strong public institutions to avoid corruption; they can serve either meritocracy or kakistocracy. In kakistocratic systems, about half of highly skilled individuals leave government service or their home country after completing their term, causing brain drain and low long-term efficiency. In contrast, meritocratic systems retain over 90% of scholarship recipients in public service even five years later, showing effective human capital investment. The study emphasizes that success depends not only on training talent, but also on creating a supportive environment for sustainable outcomes.
16:35-17:00
101339 | Out of the Silo and into the Field: A Multi-Departmental Approach to Teaching Humanities
Todd West, Kishwaukee College, United States
Miles Halpern, Kishwaukee College, United States
Teaching in the humanities is as wide-ranging as the human experience extends, yet as each of us who teach introductory survey classes can attest, our personal/professional experiences are stronger in one or two of the areas we’re teaching, and almost never are we experts in all of the areas that we teach. This presentation builds on educational theories supporting the value of interdisciplinary/collaborative approaches to teaching, with a focus on the benefits for both students and professors when professors who teach in different areas come together to teach a common topic from different points of view and with their own, unique teaching styles. The presentation highlights a particular example of a learning community in the humanities in which multiple professors teach a single introductory survey course. The presentation features the experiences of Professors in Art, Literature, and Music, who form a professorial trio at Kishwaukee College in Malta, Illinois each Spring to teach a thematic approach to the humanities that takes advantage of each of their areas of expertise. The presentation surveys the literature supporting the value of collaborative approaches to teaching and highlights the challenges the professors experienced along the way in the evolution of the class toward its current incarnation as a class that now features a final Capstone Project in which students create a unified work of their own that brings together these different aspects of the humanities.
15:20-17:00 | Live-Stream Room 2
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 2
IICE2026 | Digital Literacy and AI in Education
Session
15:20-15:45
Chair: Sherif Abdelhamid
102974 | AI-generated 3D Building Blocks with Dynamic Image Assistance: Impact on Students’ Learning Outcomes, Cognitive Load, and Creative Design Ability
Ming Chun Wu, National University of Tainan, Taiwan
Hao Chiang Koong Lin, National University of Tainan, Taiwan
Traditional 2D block diagrams lack sufficient 3D rotational perspectives, making it difficult to fully display the back of the block assembly and complex structures, limiting students’ spatial understanding and operational accuracy. AI-generated 3D dynamic image systems, such as Tripo AI, can instantly generate 3D rotating models, providing multi-angle viewing and detailed supplementation. This helps reduce the cognitive load caused by limited viewing angles while encouraging creative thinking. Therefore, an empirical study will investigate the practical teaching effectiveness of AI-generated 3D dynamic imagery, hoping to significantly impact junior high school engineering education. This study focuses on how the Tripo AI-generated 3D block dynamic imagery system impacts junior high school students’ learning outcomes, cognitive load, and creative design abilities in engineering block learning. The system complements the perspective limitations of traditional 2D paper diagrams by generating rotating, surround-view 3D block models and displaying the back of components. A quasi-experimental design was adopted in this study. Intact classes of junior high school students were assigned as the experimental group (assisted by AI 3D dynamic imagery) with the control group (using only 2D paper diagrams) on a learning task. We hope to discover that AI dynamic images can improve spatial understanding and operational accuracy, effectively reduce cognitive load, and promote the diversified development of creative thinking.
15:45-16:10
103005 | Digital Storytelling: Cultivating ‘Being’ in the Age of AI
Sujing Xu, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
The exponential rise of generative AI, as exemplified by ChatGPT, poses a significant challenge to the traditional model of higher education, prompting a fundamental re-evaluation of its purpose. Rather than focusing solely on transmitting knowledge, universities must embrace an ontological shift, centring on students’ existential development and cultivating an authentic voice with which to navigate uncertainty. This paper explores digital storytelling (DS) as a transformative pedagogical approach. Drawing on my experience of designing DS projects for university Mandarin courses, I examine how DS can foster reflexivity, personal growth and linguistic proficiency. Through analysing student work, reflection reports and interviews, I will argue that DS supports the ontological shift by encouraging selfdirected learning and fostering a deeper engagement with identity. Preliminary findings suggest that students improve their language skills and develop greater agency and self-awareness — critical attributes in the age of AI.
16:10-16:35
102951 | Strengthening Digital Literacy and Cybersecurity Awareness Through Student-Led Cyber Training
Sherif Abdelhamid, Virginia Military Institute, United States
Mona Aly, Independent Scholar, United States
James Bangura, Virginia Military Institute, United States
This study presents a research and workforce development initiative designed to enhance the digital resilience of local businesses and non-profit organizations through a student-led cybersecurity training and AI advisory program. The project integrates experiential learning with community engagement by empowering undergraduate students to deliver cybersecurity awareness workshops, conduct comprehensive threat assessments, and support the establishment of secure workplace environments. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining quantitative pre- and post-training surveys with qualitative feedback and observations. The sample included small businesses and non-profit organizations located in Rockbridge County, Virginia, representing sectors such as retail, food services, technology, health, and environmental management. Training modules were delivered both onsite and online, featuring interactive lessons, animations, and formative assessments designed to promote immediate knowledge application. Results indicated improvements in participants’ cybersecurity awareness, confidence in applying security practices, and understanding of AI-driven tools for data protection. Beyond individual outcomes, the program fostered long-term partnerships between academia and community organizations, demonstrating a replicable model for cyber-as-a-service education. These findings offer actionable strategies for educators and policymakers seeking to integrate experiential cybersecurity learning into higher education curricula and workforce development programs. Specifically, they highlight the effectiveness of student-led service-learning models in addressing digital literacy gaps while simultaneously preparing a skilled cybersecurity workforce aligned with state and national priorities for digital transformation and resilience.
16:35-17:00
98343 | Do Algorithms Dream of Electric Muses?: Teaching Creative Writing in the Age of Generative AI Anna Leahy, Chapman University, United States
In Phillip K. Dick’s story “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?,” androids are given a psychological test to confirm they are not human before killing them, but one android can fool the tester. The story’s end suggests that humans will treat a seemingly harmless android as authentically as what it’s replicated even when they know it’s not the real thing. Our students use tools like ChatGPT that functions as autocomplete on steroids to compose text using statistically likely relationships, and we instructors can’t always tell the difference between average student writing and GenAI text. But to focus on policing for authenticity—or author-icity—confuses product with learning. Instead, we might re-articulate “thinking for oneself” (Angelo & Cross, Classroom Assessment Techniques, 1993) as a central learning priority of creative writing and also re-focus on the intertwined roles of the self and skills in the arts. Applying Carol Dweck’s research, creative writing can be an environment where students understand their abilities are not fixed and failure is part of developing their unique combination of abilities. Angela Duckworth’s concept of situational modification and designing environments in which students can follow through is useful too. My presentation examines factors that shape pedagogical approaches and course structures and appraises individual assignments, including exquisite corpse, experiential learning, and final portfolio. Rather than champion a particular course policy on GenAI, I look at how different approaches and activities serve our learning priorities and discourage students from using GenAI that interferes with their decision-making, thinking, and autonomy
15:20-17:00 |
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 2
IICE/IICAH2026 | Teaching and Learning Experiences
Session Chair: Fumiyo Seimiya
15:20-15:45
102957 | A Comparative Study of Different Scaffolding Designs on Students’ Financial Decision-Making and Learning Processes
Ching Fang Hu, National University of Tainan, Taiwan
Hao Chiang Koong Lin, National University of Tainan, Taiwan
As financial environments grow increasingly complex, financial literacy has become an essential civic competence. However, traditional finance education that emphasizes knowledge transmission often fails to cultivate students’ practical application and decision-making skills. To address this issue, this study integrates scaffolding theory with interactive multimedia instruction to examine the effects of different scaffold designs on students’ financial decision-making. A quasi-experimental design was adopted with non-finance university students randomly assigned to either a procedural or a strategic scaffolding group. Interactive videos served as the main learning medium, incorporating branching scenarios, contextual tasks, and instant feedback, while embedding two types of scaffolds: procedural scaffolds provided step-by-step guidance to organize tasks, and strategic scaffolds offered reflective prompts and decision principles to foster strategic thinking. Data sources included pre- and post-tests of financial knowledge and application, interaction logs, manipulation checks, and learning experience questionnaires. ANCOVA and sequence analysis were used to compare learning outcomes and decision patterns. The results are expected to show that interactive videos enhance engagement and reflective thinking, and that different scaffold designs guide learners toward distinct decision pathways and learning processes. The study provides theoretical and practical implications for integrating scaffolding into interactive video-based financial literacy education.
15:45-16:10
102622 | Voices from the Studio: Understanding Art Students’ Educational Experiences and Challenges
Yihan Jiang, Univeristy of Florida, United States
This study explored the lived experiences of art students in studio art courses, examining the various challenges they encounter in a U.S. university setting. The research aimed to understand how students navigate their academic journey in studio art, including their interactions with faculty, peers, and institutional structures. Through purposive and voluntary response sampling, five art students who had completed multiple studio art courses participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data analysis employed thematic analysis procedures, involving systematic coding, pattern identification, and theme development to capture the complexity of participants’ experiences. Eight primary themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Overwhelming Academic Demands and Time Management, (2) Faculty-Student Relationships, (3) Physical and Mental Health Challenges, (4) Critique Environment and Feedback Dynamics, (5) Resource Access and Environmental Constraints, (6) Community and Peer Relationships, (7) Personal Artistic Development and Identity, and (8) Institutional Support and Structure. These themes revealed the multifaceted nature of the studio art educational experience, highlighting both significant challenges students face and the various factors that shape their academic and personal development. The findings provide insights into the realities of studio art education and inform the development of more supportive learning environments and practices for art students in higher education.
16:10-16:35
103030 | Redefining Generic Skills in the AI Era: A Conceptual Review of Historical Evolution and Essential Significance
Fumiyo Seimiya, Hosei University, Japan Rihyei Kang, Hosei University, Japan
The purpose of this paper is to clarify how the concept of generic skills is being redefined in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). It conducts an integrated analysis connecting their historical development with current educational and policy frameworks. Previous studies have addressed generic skills from two perspectives: first, as transferable or employability skills supporting adaptability in the labor market (Bennett et al., 1999; Andrews & Higson, 2008); and second, as competences taught and assessed within higher education (Jääskelä et al., 2018; Touloumakos, 2020). However, these views remain rooted in a pre-AI, human-centered context and overlook the emerging condition of human–AI collaboration. This study integrates three perspectives: (1) tracing the historical evolution of generic skills from the liberal arts to modern competency theories; (2) reinterpreting the “third mission” of universities as the institutional foundation linking generic skills education to social value creation (Compagnucci & Spigarelli, 2020); and (3) comparing international frameworks—such as the OECD Learning Compass 2030, UNESCO AI Competency Framework, and the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report—to identify key shifts specific to the AI era. The analysis reveals three conceptual transitions: from employability to human flourishing, from individual traits to relational capacities for human–AI collaboration, and from adaptive response to transformative agency. The findings suggest that as AI assumes more routine cognitive tasks, generic skills are becoming both more essential and more deeply human, forming the creative and meaningful core of capability in the twenty-first century
15:20-17:00 |
IICE/IICAH2026 | Teaching and Learning Experiences
Session Chair: Fumiyo Seimiya
16:35-17:00
100359 | Predicting a New Student’s Math Score Based on the Scores of Previous Students
Iyad Suleiman, Tel Hai Academic College, Israel
Rozan Abbas, Emek Yizrael Academic College, Israel
Amani Attallah, Yizrael Academc Collge, Israel
Rula Jiryis, Kinneret Academic College, Israel
Accurately predicting students’ academic performance is a growing area of interest in educational data mining and learning analytics, with the potential to inform policy decisions, resource allocation, and personalized interventions. This study explores the feasibility of predicting a new student’s mathematics score based on the performance patterns of previous student cohorts. The central idea is that past achievement within the same institutional and instructional context may provide valuable signals for anticipating outcomes of incoming students. Using historical mathematics scores from multiple cohorts across several academic years, we investigate different modeling strategies, including baseline comparisons and machine learning approaches such as linear regression and random forest. Predictors incorporate not only cohort-level trends but also contextual features such as teacher tenure, exam year, and school characteristics. Evaluation metrics (RMSE, MAE, R²) and time-based validation are applied to ensure robustness and prevent data leakage. Preliminary results indicate that incorporating cohort-level features improves prediction accuracy beyond simple baselines, though variation across subgroups highlights the importance of fairness considerations. We also discuss the ethical implications of predictive analytics in education, emphasizing that predictions should support early identification and resource allocation rather than reinforce stereotypes or high-stakes tracking. By framing the problem at the intersection of cohort-level modeling and individual-level forecasting, this work contributes to ongoing discussions in predictive educational analytics. The study underscores both the potential and limitations of leveraging prior cohorts’ data to inform expectations for new students, pointing toward more nuanced, equity-aware applications of predictive modeling in educational practice.
15:20-17:00 | Live-Stream Room 4
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 2
IICAH2026 | Well-Being in the Arts and Humanities
Session Chair: Stephanie Meyers
15:20-15:45
103016 | Interactive Catharsis: PTSD, Survivor’s Guilt, and Coping Mechanisms
Doan Morgan Vassaf, The Gregg School, United Kingdom
Video games may not be obviously linked to processing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet they offer unique opportunities to address traumatic experiences in a safe, cathartic environment within an interactive contemporary digital culture. This paper focuses on two Life is Strange games: True Colors (2021) and Double Exposure (2023), examining how computer games navigate and represent individual trauma, particularly PTSD, survivor’s guilt, and the long-term effects of unresolved emotional wounds. True Colors centers on Alex Chen, whose empathic abilities allow her to literally see and experience other people’s trauma and relive moments of heightened emotions. Drawing on aspects of her diagnosed PTSD, she is able to use this power to stay safe. Double Exposure explores how Max Caufield’s undiagnosed PTSD causes her to alienate herself and then develop coping mechanisms by using photographic skills rooted in her trauma. The protagonists’ PTSD eventually manifests as their coping mechanism, which is revealed to the audience after they witness the violent death of a loved one. The player takes on the role of Alex or Max as they futilely try to change the present or past respectively. The narratives show that trying to reframe or change the past to undo trauma has the same deleterious effect as the trauma itself. Yet by utilizing a version of Foot’s ‘trolly problem’, these video games act as a form of catharsis, demonstrating that the work of recovery is not to undo trauma but to have agency in gaining a new perspective on what has happened.
15:45-16:10
96914 | The Power of Language: Exploring the Impact of Language on Mental Health and Relationships
Nicholas Isaac Mukwana, Kyambogo University, Uganda Nabiccu Sarah, Kyambogo University, Uganda
Language is a powerful tool in human communication, with profound implications for mental health and interpersonal relationships. This study investigated the complex interplay between language use, emotional well-being, and relationship dynamics. Employing a mixedmethods approach, the research gathered both quantitative and qualitative data from 177 respondents. It examined self-reported experiences of speaking rudely, the emotional consequences of such interactions, and principles guiding empathetic communication. Findings indicated a widespread occurrence of rude communication, with a significant majority admitting to having spoken harshly at some point. Common emotional aftermaths included guilt, regret, and remorse, hence the psychological toll of negative language. Importantly, the study identified six core principles essential for effective and empathetic language use: mindfulness and self-awareness, empathy and compassion, positive language use, caution and restraint, thinking before speaking, and sensitivity to others’ emotions and mental states. These insights underlined the critical need for mindful communication in fostering healthier relationships and more supportive social environments. Thus, when communicants recognise the power of language to either build or damage connections, individuals can consciously choose to communicate in ways that promote understanding and well-being. The study’s recommendations urged educators, parents, and caregivers to model and teach empathetic communication, encourage positive language habits, and cultivate conflict resolution skills. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of how language shapes mental health and relational outcomes, reinforcing the role of empathy and mindfulness in creating inclusive, compassionate communities.
16:10-16:35
100868 | Movement, Emotion, and Change: a Qualitative Study of Dance Movement Therapy in the Treatment of Depression Libei Wang, University of Malaya, Malaysia
Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) is an embodied psychotherapeutic modality integrating movement, creative expression, and relational engagement to enhance psychological well-being. While accumulating evidence supports its efficacy in alleviating depressive symptoms, the evidence for its potential therapeutic mechanism, especially its impact on emotional regulation, remains insufficient. This qualitative investigation employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to examine the lived experiences and meaning-making processes of individuals engaged in DMT for depression. Data were derived from three complementary sources: (a) a thematic synthesis of existing qualitative literature, (b) semi-structured interviews with 6 adults clinically diagnosed with depression who completed at least eight DMT sessions, and (c) in-depth interviews with three certified DMT practitioners. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and systematically analyzed to identify convergent and divergent experiential themes. Analysis revealed three superordinate themes: (1) movement as a catalyst for emotional activation, release, and symbolic expression; (2) embodied awareness as a mediator between intrapersonal insight and interpersonal connection; and (3) progressive change characterized by enhanced self-agency, emotional regulation, and reconstructed self-narratives. Participants also reported substantial improvements in sleep quality and mood stability, accompanied by reductions in self-reported depression ratings. Findings indicate that DMT fosters integrative body–mind engagement, facilitates emotional processing, improves sleep, and supports transformative recovery trajectories in depression. By triangulating literature-based insights with patient and practitioner perspectives, this study advances a nuanced conceptual framework for the role of creative, embodied practices in contemporary mental health care.
16:35-17:00
103075 | Cultivating and Maintaining Physical and Emotional Wellness in the Teaching Studio
Stephanie
Meyers, University of Texas at El Paso, United States
In addition to cultivating the art of proper practice and performance skills, it is important that teachers encourage students to maintain physical and emotional wellness. This session will demonstrate tools for wellness and strategies for implementation in the teaching studio. The first, physical wellness, is centered on proper posture. Incorrect posture can lead to discomfort, strain, and sometimes injury. It is important that we teach our students how to balance themselves and place their instrument in a position that does not create any physical strain. The second type of wellness, emotional wellness, is rarely touched upon in the teaching studio. It should, however, be a topic of discussion in lessons. Giving students tools to navigate stressful performance scenarios and teaching them how to manage time to allow for relaxation and self-care is an important part of a teacher’s role. Emotional health techniques are impactful tools that we need to teach our students, otherwise they could easily become burned out and overwhelmed, and perhaps injured due to the physical manifestation of emotional stress. It is vital for teachers to model wellness to their students and cultivate the mentality that emotional and physical health do not just come naturally, they are learned techniques that can become effective tools. This session will cover techniques such as mindful meditation, deep breathing, positive self-talk, and tools to disengage when not practicing. The many techniques covered will ensure the physical and emotional health of your students and, in turn, assist with their creative process.
15:20-17:00 | Live-Stream Room 5
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 2
IICAH2026 | Special Topics in the Arts and Humanities
Session Chair: Dirk Rodricks
15:20-15:45
102906 | How Does Contemporary Philosophy Help Us to Understand Our Living World in an Alternative Way Through Contemporary Art Experience?
Chiao-Fen Lin, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
This essay explores how the philosophies of John Dewey, Nelson Goodman, and Arthur C. Danto illuminate the role of contemporary art and philosophy in achieving one of philosophy’s central aims: understanding the world. I focus on the relation between language and world as a means to explain phenomena in a pluralistic way, linking audiences’ experiences of art with their everyday lives, rather than confining analysis to Danto’s early notion of “The Artworld” (1964). In Danto’s later philosophy of art (1997, 2013), the experience of artworks provides a way to grasp the world by offering alternative perspectives on the familiar events and objects that structure daily life. Building on Wittgenstein’s later philosophy of language, conceived as a form of contextualism, and drawing from the metaphilosophical perspectives of Hannon, Nguyen, and Kitcher, I argue that contemporary philosophy supports a holistic understanding of the world through engagement with art. I propose that three phases of art experience in contemporary practice can awaken self-consciousness regarding pressing social issues and prompt a conscious shift in perspective. Thus, aesthetic experience functions not only as a mode of reflection but also as a transformative process that connects philosophy and art, offering new ways to reimagine and critically engage with the world we inhabit.
15:45-16:10 No Presentation
16:10-16:35
103027 | Generational Perspectives on Cultural Inclusivity in the Church: The Case of Adolescents and Adults in Brazil
Injae Son, Andrews University, United States Vy Cao, La Sierra University, United States
Limited research has explored how generational differences shape attitudes toward cultural inclusivity within religious communities. This study examines how adolescents and adults perceive cultural diversity in church settings, offering insights into how generational context influences inclusivity within congregations. Data were drawn from the Global Church Member Survey (GCMS), conducted by the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (2022–2023). The analysis focused on Brazilian participants, including adolescents aged 10–18 (n = 3,311) and adults aged 30 and older (n = 46,700), from a total sample of 60,008 respondents. Cultural inclusivity was measured using two indicators: (1) comfort with attending a church where members share the same cultural background and (2) openness to welcoming individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Overall, participants expressed greater openness to cultural diversity than preference for cultural uniformity. However, adolescents reported higher comfort levels in culturally homogeneous church environments and slightly lower openness to welcoming people from diverse backgrounds compared to adults. These findings suggest that adolescents may value cultural similarity more strongly than adults, indicating developmental and experiential factors that shape inclusivity attitudes. While further research is needed to identify contributing influences, the study enhances understanding of generational differences in perceptions of cultural inclusivity within faith communities and offers implications for age-sensitive ministry, intercultural competence education, and inclusive church environments that nurture diversity as a dimension of faith.
16:35-17:00
100893 | Movement Arts as a Living Methodological Intervention into Contemporary Understandings of Humanity and Human Intelligence Dirk Rodricks, University of Toronto, Canada
Annalissa Crisostomo, University of Toronto, Canada
David Puvaneyshwaran, University of Toronto, Canada
In recent years, multiple intersecting pandemics have shaped how people move and access urban spaces, forcing a redefinition of borders—not only geographic, but also linguistic, racial, gendered, sexual, emotional, psychological, cultural, and even virtual (Walia, 2021). There exists pressing need to interrogate the very real and imagined borders of movement and exclusion, along with the technologies and practices that sustain them. This paper shares insights from a community-engaged ‘storydoing’ (Rodricks, 2020) research project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), that explored the border stories of diasporic South Asians in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) using two different movement arts–– Kalarippayattu and Afro-Caribbean dance. Kalarippayattu, with its emphasis on martial grounding and internal discipline, and Afro-Caribbean dance, with its improvisational rhythm and legacy of collective resistance, offered distinct yet complementary embodied vocabularies for participants to engage personal, interpersonal and intergenerational border stories. Rather than framing movement arts as performance or output, this paper offers embodied cultural practice as an iterative and relational ‘living methodology’ - a way of storydoing (Rodricks, 2020) that is rooted in everyday textures of diasporic humanity. Thus, the body is not only a site of (un)learning, experience, and analysis (Khanmalek & Rhodes, 2020; Pineau, 2002) but also as a living archive for re/membering, re/connecting and re/imagining movement, internal and external, real and imagined. As de/colonial praxis (Bhattacharya, 2009), such embodied methodologies center cultural memory and collective care, which we posit is critical to unsettling dominant discourses of human intelligence.
17:10-18:25
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 3
IICAH2026 | Humanities and Literature
Session Chair: Artchil Daug
17:10-17:35
94900 | Tokusuke Utsugi’s Form-of-Life in Junichirō Tanizaki’s Diary of a Mad Old Man
Tzu-Ting Huang, National Chengchi University, Taiwan
Diary of a Mad Old Man is not only a key work of Japan’s Aesthetic Movement but also exemplifies what Giogio Agamben calls “form-oflife,” or vitality. Born during Japan’s Westernization in the Meiji era (1868-1912), Tanizaki was initially fascinated by Western culture and modernism, later shaping his writing around erotic obsessions, distorted sexuality, sado-masochism, the destructive pursuit of desires, and the tension between modern Westernization and traditional Japanese culture in the twentieth century. This essay suggests that, in Diary of a Mad Old Man, the aging diarist Tokusuke Utugi situates himself in a zone of indetermination between impotence and sex as well as life and death, revealing his form-of-life via his diary, which lays bare his happiness and sense of autarchy. This essay mainly uses Giorgio Agamben’s idea of form-of-life to explore how Tokusuke dismantles the opposition between impotence and sex as well as life and death, positioning himself at their midpoint. Additionally, Jean Baudrillard’s fatal strategy of reversibility is applied to explore how Tokusuke subverts the impotence-sex dichotomy. Finally, this essay will examine how the diary form reveals Tokusuke’s form-of-life, exposing his autonomy and pursuit of ecstacy. By interpreting Diary of a Mad Old Man through Agamben’s form-of-life and Baudrillard’s fatal strategy of reversibility, this essay concludes that Tanizaki neither portrays aging as mere decline nor glorifies masculine pleasure in old age. Instead, Diary of a Mad Old Man suggests liberation from rigid oppositions—rejecting the reduction of individuals to bare life and instead opening up new possibilities for existence.
17:35-18:00
103029 | A.K. Coomaraswamy’s Interpretation of Chthonic Myths and Its Impact on Mircea Eliade’s History of Religions
Tamaki Kitagawa, University of Tsukuba, Japan
Mircea Eliade, one of the founders of the history of religions, was influenced by the Traditionalist school initiated by René Guénon. Yet among the Traditionalists, the art historian and thinker Ananda K. Coomaraswamy exerted a stronger influence on Eliade, especially in conceptual and methodological terms. This presentation examines Coomaraswamy’s writings from the 1920s, a period marked by ideas remarkably close to the later history of religions. By comparing these with the works of Eliade and Guénon, it clarifies their affinities, influences, and differences. Whereas Guénon posited the Primordial Tradition as an ahistorical and superhuman principle opposed to modernity, Coomaraswamy focused on interpreting expressive forms rooted in concrete myths and works of art. In this period, he frequently engaged with chthonic motifs such as dragon-maiden legends, identifying in them a mythic structure of creation that he saw as a metaphysical “formula” underlying human action. Eliade acknowledged significant common ground with Coomaraswamy’s hermeneutics, which integrated art history, classical literature, folklore, and religious studies. However, Coomaraswamy’s application of Guénon’s concepts often entailed the Devolutionary view of history, explaining “primitive” religions through a Classical intellect. Eliade reversed this framework: while adopting Coomaraswamy’s plural methodology, he interpreted Classical thought through archaic religiosity. Thus, Eliade’s archaism may be understood as an effort to transcend the Devolutionary paradigm by decontextualizing the Traditionalist notion of the “Primordial” and freeing it from its intellectualist premises.
18:00-18:25
102589 | The Woman that Exists: Horror, Jouissance, and the Obscene God in Eggers’ Nosferatu Artchil Daug, Mindanao State University, Philippines
This presentation argues that Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024) is not simply a gothic revival but a philosophical staging of the collapse of the Symbolic order. Drawing on Lacan’s account of feminine jouissance and Kristeva’s concept of abjection, the film is read as dramatizing the impossibility of sexual relation, the fragility of providence, and the obscene underside of divinity. Ellen Hutter’s convulsions become the privileged site of this collapse, echoing the ecstatic seizures of Teresa of Avila, Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi, and the Manila beatas, whose bodies historically bore what culture could not integrate. The recurrence of convulsion and ecstasy across contexts reveals that horror’s true object is not fear of death or monstrosity but the eruption of excess—jouissance—that culture disavows while depending upon it. The analysis develops in three movements. First, it situates Ellen within Lacan’s formulas of sexuation, showing how women occupy the not-all position that unsettles the fantasy of providential order. Second, it contrasts this with Irigaray’s proposal of a female God, arguing that Ellen’s seizures do not await redemption but insist as immanent jouissance. Third, it turns to the theological register, contending that Orlok is not God’s opposite but God unveiled in his obscene truth. Horror here functions as philosophy by other means: it stages the Real where the Symbolic falters, revealing that the Woman—denied by Lacan as a universal—does exist, and that this Woman is God.
17:10-18:25
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 3
IICE2026 | International and Intercultural Education
Session Chair: Joanie
Crandall
17:10-17:35
101889 | Beyond the Barrier: Strategies to Empower Study Abroad Participation
Hiroshi Nakagawa, Kindai University, Japan
This study builds on Nakagawa’s (2024) exploratory work by conducting an exploratory factor analysis to investigate key factors contributing to hesitation among 150 Japanese university students regarding study abroad participation during the 2023–2024 academic year. Participants, drawn from institutions in the Kanto and Chubu regions, completed a structured questionnaire exploring psychological, logistical, and socio-cultural barriers. The analysis revealed three dominant hesitation clusters: (1) Perceived Foreign Risk and Inconvenience (39.03% variance), (2) Information and Process Understanding Barriers (7.38%), and (3) Personal and Familial Concerns (5.40%). The sharp increase in fear-based responses from the previous year highlights the growing impact of global uncertainty and media portrayal on students’ perceptions. To complement the quantitative findings, follow-up interviews were conducted with 15 students who had recently completed short-term study abroad experiences. All participants took part in pre-departure training sessions including goal setting, intercultural scenario simulations, and logistical preparation. These interviews revealed significant emotional and cognitive shifts: students reported increased confidence, openness to intercultural engagement, and clearer academic and career goals. In this presentation, we highlight recent study abroad trends derived from factor analysis, share insights into students’ perceptual changes before and after studying abroad, and propose actionable strategies to improve program design and delivery. The findings provide practical guidance for TESOL professionals, program coordinators, and policymakers seeking to enhance both the accessibility and educational effectiveness of international education in Japan and beyond.
17:35-18:00
96514 | The World Is Our Playground: Using Cultural Education and Storytelling to Shape Global Citizens
Jamel Kaur Singh, University of Edmonton, Australia
Gene Blow, Independent Scholar, Australia
In an increasingly fractured world, cultural education offers a powerful antidote - one that bridges differences, fosters empathy, and nurtures a sense of global belonging. This presentation introduces The World Is Our Playground, a ground-breaking children’s book series grounded in the framework of Cultural Education and Cultural Intelligence (CQ), developed from my doctoral thesis and now used in classrooms across Australia. The series follows two Australian children of diverse backgrounds as they travel the world - from Vietnam and France to First Nations communities in Australia, learning from Elders, cultural leaders, and Indigenous Dreamtime stories. The stories are more than adventures; they are values-based learning tools. Dreaming narratives like “Why the Koala Lost His Tail” and “Why the Emu Cannot Fly” are presented with cultural context and moral insight accessible to 5–8-year-olds. This session explores how embedding such narratives into curriculum design can support inclusive teaching practices, language development, intercultural communication, and global citizenship education. Drawing on case studies, classroom engagement, and measurable social-emotional outcomes, the presentation offers a practical framework for educators and policy-makers to implement cradle-to-grave Cultural Education that is responsive, ethical, and inclusive. Aligned with the themes of lifelong learning, intercultural dialogue, and social sustainability, this session calls for a reimagining of global education through arts and humanities, grounded in the lived experiences and wisdom of diverse cultures—including First Nations pedagogy and storytelling.
18:00-18:25
100877 | Interdisciplinary Decolonizing Approaches in Indigenous Canadian, Iberian, Latin American, and Latinx Education Joanie Crandall, University of Northern British Columbia, Canada
In my proposed presentation, based on a proposed forthcoming chapter, I will explore how employing decolonizing frameworks and designing curriculum for decolonizing learning across disciplinary boundaries are significant acts of advocacy and solidarity. I will ground my arguments in Tribal Critical Race Theory; the Cree concept wâhkôhtowin, or creating relationship; the Latin American concept of buen vivir, referring to all aspects that are involved in living a good life; and the Andean concept of kawsay, or “living well”. Through pedagogies of relationality, I will argue that incorporating interdisciplinary approaches supports decolonizing learning spaces and contributes to creating more equitable approaches to knowledge systems. Drawing upon autoethnography, I will share my lived experiences as a nonIndigenous teacher in Indigenous communities and now as a teacher educator facilitating undergraduate- and graduate-level online and face-to-face learning in humanities and in education. I will make the case for postsecondary educators extending decolonizing efforts in including Indigenous frameworks, publicly available Indigenous-informed/-created learning documents, Indigenous language, and dual language texts to facilitate deepening comprehension through contextual, connection-based teaching and learning, amplifying Indigenous voices in academia, building relationships, and situating learning in social justice activism in and beyond academia.
17:10-18:25 |
Wednesday Online Parallel Session 3
IICE2026 | Teaching and Learning Experiences
Session Chair: Jaclyn Rivard
17:10-17:35
102950 | Japanese Elementary School Teachers’ Classroom Decision-Making: A Qualitative Analysis from the Perspectives of School and Teacher Culture
Akari Fuji, University of Tsukuba, Japan
This study aims to examine the factors that influence Japanese elementary school teachers’ classroom decision-making from the perspectives of Japan’s distinctive school and teacher cultures. In many Japanese elementary schools, a homeroom teacher system is employed, whereby a single teacher is responsible for one class and teaches most subjects. Teachers are also assigned roles across several organizational levels, including school-wide, grade-level, and subject-based, and are expected to collaborate actively within these structures. These organizational arrangements foster distinctive cultural practices shaped by collective modes of work. Within this context, teachers’ decision-making in the classroom is influenced by the interplay of school culture and teacher culture. To understand the characteristics of such decision-making, qualitative analyses were conducted using data obtained from multiple interviews with Japanese elementary school teachers. The findings indicate that teachers’ decision-making in the classroom are strongly shaped by the collaborative dimensions of school and teacher culture, particularly through goal setting at the school or grade level and the assumption of shared professional roles.
17:35-18:00
102989 | Designing a Hawaiian Culture-Based AI Chatbot for Inclusive Science Education
Laura Morrison, Ontario Tech University, Canada
Ululani Brigitte Russo Oana, University of Hawai’i, United States
Chris Bush, Chris Bush AI, Australia
Rosanna Nusseiri, Ontario Tech University, Canada
This study explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can be leveraged to provide culturally grounded and personalized science education in a rural Hawaiian community on the West Coast of O’ahu. The research involves the creation, testing, and evaluation of a Hawaiian culture-based AI chatbot to support Native Hawaiian students’ engagement and achievement in the science classroom. The chatbot was developed on the AI education platform, PlayLab, and is guided by Hawai‘i Culture-Based Education (HCBE) principles. The project is being co-designed by a Native Hawaiian kumu and cultural practitioner, an AI consultant, and researchers from a Canadian University. The study seeks to answer: (1) How can a culturally sustaining chatbot, co-designed with community members and students, support engagement and achievement in one Hawai‘i Department of Education (DoE) science classroom on the West Coast of O‘ahu? and (2) How can such a chatbot assist non-Native Hawaiian teachers in creating more inclusive learning environments? The project is occurring over four phases: (I) co-design, (ii) community feedback, (iii) classroom testing, and (iv) teacher implementation. The project aims to identify promising practices and design considerations for integrating culturally sustaining AI tools in education. At the conference, our research team will present our preliminary findings on the first two phases (co-design and community feedback).
18:00-18:25
102075 | Characterizing Evolution in Departmental Change
Jaclyn Rivard, The University of Southern Mississippi, United States
Sarah Wise, University of Colorado, United States
Courtney Ngai, Colorado State University, United States
Joel Corbo, University of Colorado, United States
Innovations and improvements in STEM undergraduate education have historically been focused on the individual classroom level, but such efforts are largely ineffective in accomplishing systemic, sustained change. Recently, team-based change models at the department level have succeeded in catalyzing sustained cultural and curricular change in STEM. However, the rapid growth of departmental change projects has resulted in a group of practitioners that are not well networked, and structures for sharing practices and resources are not well developed. To address these needs, we conducted a landscape study of undergraduate STEM education departmental change projects that investigated their methods for supporting change. Our landscape study included two completed phases. First, we assembled a comprehensive database of past and current departmental change projects across many academic disciplines. We included projects that were situated at the department level, involved multiple departmental change agents, and aimed to improve undergraduate education via department-wide structural, climate, curricular, and/or pedagogical change. Second, we enrolled a purposive sample of change projects from the database in an in-depth qualitative study, including at least one project from each institutional type represented in the database and incorporating diverse approaches to departmental change. Our findings from the qualitative study paint a picture of the departmental change landscape that shows this work is spreading across institutions and disciplines. The approaches being implemented are rich and diverse, demonstrating the growing momentum and varied pathways for sustainable STEM education transformation at the departmental level.
Abstracts appear as originally submitted by the author. Any spelling, grammatical, or typographical errors are those of the author.
IICAH2026 Virtual Poster Presentations
Humanities - Ethnicity/Difference/Identity
100478 | Adapting Research Designs for Gen-Z in the Study of the Role of Media on Life Choices for Foster Youth Leslie Ponciano, Fielding Graduate University, United States
The fourth phase of a longitudinal research project started with a pilot test of an online focus group approach with Gen-Z young adult participants to understand if exposure to foster care media portrayals influenced their life choices when in foster care. This technography approach for digital natives included slides, prompts, media clips, and polls to motivate engagement. However, participants resisted verbal responses. The failure to collect meaningful data identified the need for an adapted research design. Eight Gen-Z adult participants attended an informal, in-person, 2-hour listening session to discuss research design and media portrayals. Transcript analyses revealed 4 differences: 1) participants were significantly more likely to disengage in the online focus group as compared to the listening session, 2) participants in both research designs disengaged more during the presentations of information and engaged more when given control of the discussion, 3) participants didn’t disagree in the online focus group; however, participants respectfully disagreed with each other in the listening session, and 4) the disagreements were pivotal to changes in perspectives. The noted listening session features included in-person, longer meetings, without prompts, and abbreviated, verbal-only presentations. Meaningful insights about media portrayals were collected. The discussion ranged from few foster youth narratives to superhero origin stories to negative fictional portrayals and news reports of criminals. Positive fictional television series inspired higher education and career goals. This participatory-action approach gives participants control and creates a safe space for disagreement, which may be an important catalyst for deeper processing of life events in real-time.
98677 | Sherlock and ‘Mestiza’ Daughter: Debut of an Ingénue, Sage, Hero, Detective from the Americas Diana Rios, University of Connecticut, United States
Amelia Rojas is a Native/Hispana “mestiza” (mixed heritage) who journeys across the ocean to London, to locate her father and discover her mother’s murderers. This analysis draws from select archetypes (Jung) and related motifs to highlight how Amelia’s character disrupts patriarchal labor, space realms, and elite social hierarchies, through movements and actions. Archetypes include: hero, traveller, explorer, sage, maiden-ingénue. This 2025 CW-Discovery+, HBO, limited series uniquely revamps a globally established detective, mystery narrative. While Holmes-like stories have been created over past years, this story adds a savvy female compatriot, and offers Holmes instant family via a young woman of color/non-white, of California Apache heritage. The series is not blind to racism-elitism of the period. Media literature discusses dehumanizing tactics that denigrate Native peoples, Hispanas, of the US West (Berg). Within the series, bigoted and elitist individuals insult Amelia and indigenous people as savage, unintelligent, scheming. Verbal insults and exclusion are performed through malicious talk. Most offending people receive just punishments as good quashes evil. This analysis is necessary because Amelia is unique. It is politically bold that this US series exists and is distributed during waves of extreme-right ideologies circulating in the country. This reworked version, though imperfect, is more inclusive of gender/culture/ethnicity/race and attempts to fortify redemptive qualities of tales that are updated, re-told for contemporary audiences. More young women of color, such as indigenous/ mestizas, are needed as positive, strong media characters in popular culture. Audiences need broad ranges of female heroes.
103014 | Detective Jackie Quiñones of Netflix’s “Hightown”: A Woman’s Dark Struggles with the Shadow Self Highlights Our Broken Society
Diana Rios, University of Connecticut, United States
The series “Hightown” (2020-2024) takes viewers on a journey with several tragic characters, including the main hero/antihero Jackie Quiñones. She is a valuable fisheries agent on Cape Cod who becomes embroiled with crime detective investigations in the New England, U.S. region.This analysis focuses on seasons 1-3, drawing from C.G. Jung’s concepts of “the shadow self” or “dark self”, Frankel’s work on female characters in popular culture, and relevant supporting research on strong women and media. In our real society, everyone is imperfect and we metaphorically mask/masque for the sake of decency and civility. Jackie’s tale is compelling by today’s trends because the series sheds light on addictive, obsessive behaviors currently running across racial, ethnic, economic class lines. In the series characters are culpable of extreme errancy, and they bury these among personal shadows and in physical obscurity (bogs, ditches, hideouts) until discovered. Jackie is painted as an un-glamorized anti-drug law enforcer and cannot mask her addictions well. By not consistently managing (AlAnon meetings, etc) her dark side (roots of her emotional problems), she lives in self-destructive cycles. This analysis discusses: 1. pieces of the shadow self as an interpretive framework; 2. female character elements painted through the main protagonist (strong female; kick**ss hero; tragic hero); 3. US regional trend data in drug addiction as key context for the series. Though it is uncomfortable to view portrayals of health crises and brokenness in any society, “Hightown” lays bare contemporary issues, instigating audience awareness
IICAH2026 Virtual Poster Presentations
Humanities - Teaching and Learning
103035 | Designing Online and Hybrid Course Strategies to Engage Students Through Learning Outcome Focused Activities
Hamid Fardi, University of Colorado Denver, United States
Gita Alaghband, University of Colorado Denver, United States
Assessing and ensuring meaningful student learning in online and hybrid courses has become increasingly complex with the proliferation of digital resources and generative AI tools. Traditional approaches to grading homework or monitoring resource use often shift attention away from deeper learning and toward grade anxiety or superficial compliance. This paper proposes a structured course design strategy that redirects students’ focus to key learning outcomes while actively engaging them in the process of knowledge construction.
The strategy integrates multiple components—ungraded but required homework, team-based solution presentations, guided peer reviews, unit assessments, research projects, and an in-person final test—each carefully aligned to emphasize conceptual understanding over rote completion. Homework assignments are structured to stimulate problem-solving and critical thinking without the pressure of grades, while rotating team presentations and peer evaluations foster accountability, collaboration, and deeper engagement with core concepts. Unit assessments provide formative checks on comprehension, and team-based research projects extend learning beyond the classroom through exploration of key papers and structured peer discussions. The culminating in-person exam ensures individual accountability and synthesis of learning across the course.
By emphasizing reflection, peer feedback, and active participation, the proposed design strategy encourages students to prioritize comprehension of fundamental concepts rather than reliance on external tools. The framework demonstrates how online and hybrid courses can be structured to balance flexibility with rigor, ultimately creating a more meaningful, outcome-focused learning experience.
iicehawaii.iafor.org/programme
IICE2026 Virtual Poster Presentations
Challenging & Preserving: Culture, Inter/Multiculturalism & Language
102627 | Can Japan Learn from Hawaiʻi for Its Multicultural Future? An Analytical Journey from Hybridity to Complexity
Mitsuko Takei, Hiroshima Shudo University, Japan
Kenta Babasaki, Hiroshima Shudo University, Japan
Japan is undergoing a demographic and cultural shift as the number of foreign residents increases, intensifying debates over tabunka kyōsei (multicultural coexistence). Yet Japan’s multicultural reality is better described as multicultural complexity, encompassing policies, attitudes, and institutional practices that reveal both opportunities and challenges in integrating diversity. In contrast, Hawaiʻi represents a longstanding case of multicultural hybridity, shaped by immigration and hybrid practices such as Pidgin, foodways, and festivals. As Bhabha (1994) theorizes, hybridity constitutes a “third space” where new cultural forms and identities are negotiated and reconfigured. In Hawaiʻi, hybridity has become normalized in daily life, yet, as Okamura (2008) cautions, inequalities persist beneath its multicultural image. Despite this, few studies have directly compared Hawaiʻi’s hybridity with Japan’s complexity to consider implications for multicultural education. This study frames the move from hybridity to complexity as an analytical lens rather than a developmental trajectory, foregrounding the research question: Can Japan learn from Hawaiʻi in shaping its multicultural future? This presentation forms the first stage of a two-year project. Its objective is to synthesize scholarship across three domains: (1) theoretical perspectives on hybridity and complexity; (2) sociological and educational studies of Hawaiʻi’s hybridity; and (3) policy and discourse analyses of Japan’s complexity. Methodologically, this stage uses a systematic literature review and comparative thematic analysis to identify connections and gaps across these domains. This synthesis will guide the next stage of qualitative fieldwork and inform the development of higher education curricula in Japan that foster intercultural competence and readiness for diversity
Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
101514 | Education of Physical Therapy Students on the Innovative Use of Spirometry in Physical Therapy Practice: Scoping Review
Kaelee Brockway, Texas Woman’s University, United States
Germaine Ferreira, Baylor University, United States
Spirometry is a simple, noninvasive test that provides objective data on lung function by identifying airflow obstruction and abnormalities. It has proven value in primary care for improving the detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and identifying individuals at increased risk of lung cancer, yet it remains underutilized in rehabilitation education. This scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, screening major health databases from 2000–2024 for studies on spirometry use in screening, diagnosis, disease monitoring, and outcomes relevant to rehabilitation practice. Twenty-three articles met inclusion criteria, including randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and systematic reviews. Results indicated that spirometry performed during lung cancer screening frequently identified previously undiagnosed COPD, often at earlier stages when intervention is most effective. Evidence also demonstrated its utility in monitoring post-transplant rejection, predicting exacerbations in COPD, and guiding adherence to pharmacological and rehabilitative interventions. Furthermore, integration of spirometry into routine care influenced clinical decision-making and improved patient-reported outcomes in both pediatric and adult populations. Despite these benefits, barriers remain, including clinician knowledge gaps, diagnostic inaccuracy, and inconsistent application of guideline-based care.
Conclusion: Strong evidence supports incorporating spirometry training into Doctor of Physical Therapy curricula. Educating students on the application of spirometry for high-risk groups and patients with respiratory complaints has the potential to enhance early recognition of respiratory pathology, reduce diagnostic delays, and improve long-term respiratory health outcomes.
98178 | Continuing Professional Development Policy for Primary School In-Service Teachers: Classroom with Ethnic Minority Students Nadia Bengo, Kobe University, Japan
The inclusion of intercultural competence content in policies for training in-service primary school teachers enables them to better address the academic needs of ethnic minority students. This document analysis study examined 11 documents related to in-service teacher training, published between 2011 and 2024, with a focus on the integration of intercultural competencies in educational policies. The study reveals that current in-service teacher training policies overlook the intersectionality between using students’ native language as a tool to facilitate the acquisition of the official language and the lack of intercultural competence among teachers. As a result, these policies fail to adequately address the needs of ethnic minority students and their communities, limiting access to an education system that respects and values their daily life experiences, native language, histories, and cultures. This study fills a significant gap by examining policies for in-service primary school teachers with the aim of promoting the integration of intercultural competence in classrooms with ethnic minority students; an issue that is rarely addressed by policymakers and the mainstream school community
IICE2026 Virtual Poster Presentations
Higher Education
102234 | Executive Function, Metacognition, and Wellbeing in Academic Achievement
Damian Rivers, Future University Hakodate, Japan
Yoshihito Tsuji, Future University Hakodate, Japan
Hiroshi Yamada, Future University Hakodate, Japan
The transition from Japan’s exam-focused secondary education system to the autonomy and self-regulation expected in higher education creates substantial challenges for students. These challenges are often intensified by psychosocial stress. Together, they contribute to underperformance, attrition, and reduced wellbeing. This presentation reports a quantitative study that examined the predictive roles of executive functioning (EF), metacognition, and emotional wellbeing in relation to academic achievement among Japanese undergraduates. Participants were recruited from a public university. They completed three validated instruments: the University Executive Functioning Scale (UEF-1), the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI), and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21). Academic achievement was measured using institutional Grade Point Average (GPA). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test hypothesized pathways including a mediation of EF effects on GPA through metacognitive regulation and moderation of these relationships by emotional wellbeing. The study situates its findings within Japan’s broader educational and policy context in relation to Ministry of Education (MEXT) data showing rising withdrawal and leave-of-absence rates. The presentation highlights the importance of addressing both cognitive skills and psychological wellbeing and suggests that supporting both areas is essential for improving academic persistence, strengthening student success, and ensuring sustainable retention in Japanese higher education.
Learning Experiences,
Student Learning & Learner Diversity
95399 | Building Teacher Efficacy Through International Experiences
Emily Reeves Fyfe, Midwestern State University, United States
Christina Janise Wickard, Midwestern State University, United States
Many pre- and in-service teachers often do not feel adequately prepared to teach students from different backgrounds (Moloney & Saltmarsh, 2016). This lack of experience can result in lower teacher efficacy. Teachers aiming to succeed in their careers must build efficacy in their teaching abilities. Research suggests that experiences gained through international travel can significantly shape preservice teachers’ perspectives on education (Garmon, 2005). International partnerships offer valuable opportunities for teachers to expand their viewpoints and enhance their teaching approaches. In visual arts education, incorporating student-generated photography has shown to increase student responsibility, ownership, and the depth of their understanding (Coles-Ritchie, M., Monson, B., & Moses, C., 2015). Photography captures unique perspectives and documents meaningful experiences, fostering stronger connections and understanding among people. This study involved preservice teachers who studied in London for six weeks during the summer. While abroad, participants engaged in reflective ethnography assignments, encouraging them to observe and interpret their experiences. This practice aimed to develop their observational and analytical skills, contributing to their overall teaching efficacy. At the start of the project, participants completed the Teacher Self-Efficacy Survey (Siwatu, 2007) to establish a baseline. After finishing the program, they retook the survey to measure any changes in their self-efficacy. The pre- and post-survey results were then compared to evaluate the impact of the experience on their teaching efficacy.
Mind, Brain & Psychology: Human Emotional & Cognitive Development & Outcomes within Educational Contexts
102970 | Rest for Success: Enhancing Academic Performance Through Sleep and Stress Management Germaine Ferreira, Baylor University, United States Regine Rossi, Baylor University, United States Navpreet Kaur, Carlow University, United States Kunal Bhanot, Carlow University, United States
Sleep is influenced by both internal circadian rhythm and external factors. Students in entry-level physical therapy programs often face high stress and poor sleep, which can negatively impact their academic performance. Sleep is crucial for learning, memory, and cognitive function, but many students suffer from sleep disorders, leading to lower GPAs, reduced focus, and impaired decision-making. Stress triggers cortisol release, and sleep deprivation disrupts cortisol levels, affecting the body’s stress response. Significant sleep loss can cause irregular cortisol patterns and heightened stress, illustrating the complex relationship between sleep, stress, and cognitive performance, which varies by individual. As a profession, are we fostering a culture that promotes good sleep hygiene? Do physical therapy programs teach about sleep hygiene without fully embracing it? Stress contributes to sleep deprivation, but there are ways to manage stress in physical therapy school. With fifty percent of mental illness beginning by age 14 and seventy-five percent by age 24, the rising rates of anxiety and mental health issues among students highlight the need for educators to go beyond teaching sleep hygiene. This poster presentation will provide strategies for the cultivation of behaviors within physical therapy programs and other programs in higher education that promote good sleep hygiene, ensuring student success not only in school but as future professionals.
Professional Training, Development & Concerns in Education
102977 | Educational Challenges and Prospects for Counseling Support in Pet Loss ― Toward Training and Public Awareness
Yuka Miyazawa, Waseda University, Japan
Osamu Yoshie, Waseda University, Japan
This study explores the educational aspects of counseling support for individuals experiencing grief after the death of a companion animal (pet loss). Although pets are often considered family members, their loss is socially undervalued, and bereaved owners face difficulties in accessing appropriate emotional and educational support. To clarify these issues, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five bereaved pet owners and four certified pet-loss counselors. Qualitative analysis revealed that bereaved owners frequently experience isolation, lack of understanding from others, and uncertainty about proper mourning practices and available resources. Counselors highlighted challenges in building trustful relationships, a shortage of trained supporters, and the complexity of providing culturally sensitive care. These findings underscore the fragility of the current support system and indicate the urgent need for systematic training, supervision, and educational frameworks for counselors. Furthermore, promoting public awareness, encouraging open dialogue, and creating accessible learning opportunities for communities are essential for reducing stigma and enhancing social inclusion. From an international and educational perspective, integrating pet loss counseling into professional training curricula—such as in social work, psychology, and human-animal interaction studies—as well as community-based education programs, can strengthen support systems and broaden social recognition of grief. This study contributes to the discussion on how education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and continuous training can play a pivotal role in developing inclusive, sustainable, and compassionate counseling support for individuals affected by pet loss.
Abstracts appear as originally submitted by the author. Any spelling, grammatical, or typographical errors are those of the author.
IICAH2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
Arts - Arts Policy, Management and Advocacy
98441 | Harnessing Indigenous Arts and Youth Engagement for Peacebuilding in Northern Nigeria Mustapha Abdurrahman, Global Wealth University, Togo
This paper explores the transformative power of indigenous arts and youth-led creative initiatives as tools for peacebuilding in conflict affected communities in Northern Nigeria. Drawing on firsthand experiences from community-based interventions in Katsina and the wider Northeast region, the study highlights how traditional storytelling, music, mural painting, and drama are being revitalized to foster dialogue, resilience, and social cohesion among youths and vulnerable groups. In areas previously destabilized by banditry, insurgency, and herder-farmer conflicts, these artistic platforms have become essential mediums for reclaiming cultural identity, processing trauma, and promoting peaceful co-existence. The research adopts a participatory action research approach, incorporating interviews, field observations, and community-led workshops facilitated in collaboration with local youth organizations and cultural custodians. Findings reveal that when youth are empowered to lead and express their experiences through art, they not only challenge divisive narratives but also contribute meaningfully to sustainable peace processes. The paper concludes by recommending policy support and funding for artsbased peacebuilding as a critical strategy in post-conflict recovery in Nigeria and beyond.
Arts - Arts Theory and Criticism
97705 | Aspects of Anthropological Semiotics in Vision Created by the Aurelio Teno Teno Geanina Havârneanu, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Romania
In this work, we aim to illustrate an anthropological view of the work of the Spanish sculptor and painter Antonio Teno Teno, which reveals his almost obsessive preoccupation with the figure of the Knight Errant, a defining Cervantes character for Spanish literature, Don Quixote de la Mancha, a dreamer, also called the Knight of the Sad Figure. Teno’s artistic genius was manifested through overwhelming creations as a force of plastic expression, which impresses with the finesse and refinement of the image, with the power of suggestion that perfectly defines the characteristics of this charismatic character and the ingenuity of the use of materials, texture, and colors that contextualize precisely the character. The 2023 Exposition at the Convention Center of Córdoba is an homage to this remarkable contemporary artist, who achieved international recognition during his lifetime. A plus is the curatorial vision, which uses ancient decorative elements to illustrate Spain’s authentic historical traditions and immerses the spectator in a cathartic space. The imaging tautology is contextualized differently to highlight each work.
101979 | Feminism and Diaspora in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Zikora”
Rasha Osman Abdel Haliem, The Higher Technological Institute, Egypt
This study offers an in-depth analysis of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s short story “Zikora,” arguing that the narrative functions as a potent critique of globalized patriarchy as it is experienced by professional African women in the diaspora. This paper makes an original contribution by employing a Diaspora and Postcolonial Feminist framework to analyze how the intersection of cultural displacement and traditional gender roles intensifies societal pressures on the protagonist. The analysis focuses on Zikora, a Nigerian lawyer in Washington, D.C., as she confronts unexpected single motherhood and abandonment. This research moves beyond a simple thematic reading to examine the dialectic between Zikora’s “Western” professional ambition and the “traditional” Nigerian values embodied by her mother. This intergenerational conflict is framed not merely as a clash of cultures, but as a site where local and international patriarchal norms converge. Specifically, the paper investigates how Zikora’s experience of cultural hybridity and displacement in the U.S. is not an escape from, but a re-inscription of, gendered expectations concerning motherhood and partnership. Utilizing close reading informed by Postcolonial feminist studies, the paper’s methodology involves analyzing key narrative moments, particularly the shifts in Zikora’s perspective on her own mother, to demonstrate how the diasporic condition complicates and intensifies gender inequalities. The core argument is that “Zikora” is a crucial text in contemporary African feminist literature because it illuminates how patriarchy adapts and persists across national borders, demanding a nuanced theoretical approach to fully appreciate its critique.
Arts - Literary Arts Practices
97932 | Literary Motifs in the Artistic Work by Augusto Ferrer Dalmau
Emilio Álvarez Castaño, University of The Bahamas, Bahamas
The Spanish artist Augusto Ferrer Dalmau (1964) is considered a “painter of battles”. This presentation focuses on verifying the presence of literature in his work. Quijotada coracera and Quijotada carlista are portraits that reflect patriotic ideals. The first one, it is inspired in the cuirassiers, a regiment which participated in the Spanish War of Independence, fighting against the French invasion. The second one, it deals with Carlism, whose motto, “God. Nation. King”, points to its traditional values in the issue of succession to the throne. Miguel de Cervantes presents this author in the battle of Lepanto, which pitted the Holy League against the Ottoman Empire, and the Spanish Empire defended Catholic values. Sidi is a painting inspired in “El Cid Campeador”. In this case, the work takes as a reference a passage of Poema de Mío Cid, an epic poem freely inspired by the life of this knight, legendary figure of the Reconquista and, consequently, a national hero. The passage reflects the moment when a girl informs the hero her village cannot admit him due to an order of the king. The literary motifs in these works present characters showing serenity in situations where they defend traditional national values: in the first two, there is a landscape with a cloudy sky suggesting hard times; in the third, in the midst of the chaos of a battle; and in the last, receiving bad news. With this contribution, literature teaches that warlike ardor is not the only ingredient in national defense.
IICAH2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
Arts - Media Arts Practices: Television, Multimedia, Digital, Online and Other New Media
96850 | Beyond Medical Heroes – How “The Pitt” Revolutionizes Healthcare Television
Margaret Tally, State University of New York, United States
This presentation examines how the medical drama “The Pitt” represents a paradigm shift in healthcare television, moving beyond individual heroic narratives to deliver a comprehensive institutional critique of American healthcare systems. Unlike traditional medical dramas that present episodic challenges with neat resolutions, “The Pitt” employs innovative 24-hour formatting and narrative complexity to expose systemic dysfunction as a persistent reality rather than exceptional crisis. The presentation will analyze how the series portrays six critical institutional failures: resource scarcity as normalized condition, the problematic “metrics regime” that prioritizes quantifiable outcomes over patient care, administrative disconnection from clinical realities, insurance barriers that shape every medical decision, documentation burdens that distance providers from patients, and the resulting moral injury experienced by healthcare workers. Through visual techniques including tracking shots of overcrowded spaces and architectural metaphors of glass-walled administrative offices, the show makes structural problems viscerally apparent to viewers. Drawing on systems thinking theory and contemporary healthcare research, this analysis demonstrates how “The Pitt” achieves “structural realism” - portraying healthcare workers’ authentic experiences within dysfunctional systems while maintaining their humanity and resilience. The presentation explore how this approach creates powerful public education opportunities, validating healthcare workers’ experiences while educating audiences about systemic healthcare challenges. This research contributes to media studies scholarship on narrative complexity and medical representation, while offering insights into television’s potential role in healthcare policy discourse and public understanding of institutional healthcare problems.
Arts - Social, Political and Community Agendas in the Arts
102571 | Cloth as Power: The Shift from Divine Iconography to Human Authority in Global Textiles
Lasya Aji Silpa, Appalachian State University, United States
Manikya Sai Tejaswini Vallabhajosyula, University of North Texas, United States
Barbara Trippeer, University of North Texas, United States
This paper examines a cross-cultural transformation in textile arts and the gradual replacement of divine iconography with human figures, particularly under the pressures of colonialism and globalization. Historically, cloth served as a sacred surface, where image and ornament conveyed devotion. Indian Kalamkari painters rendered the Ramayana and Mahabharata as visual scripture, elevating cloth into theology. Warli painting depicted humans as cosmic participants in ritual life, while Chinese embroidery and silk weaving celebrated immortals, dragons, and ancestral power. In these traditions, textiles functioned as visual archives of the divine. By the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, however, these practices underwent a profound shift. Under colonial trade, global exchange, and elite patronage, the human form was no longer divine but worldly. European officers, merchants, and aristocrats began to appear where gods once presided. South Indian chintz panels displaced epic battles with scenes of European leisure, while Asian courtly silks privileged emperors and patrons over celestial beings. Ornamentation, once a medium of ritual devotion, became a vehicle of commerce, spectacle, and social hierarchy. Drawing on visual analysis of Kalamkari, chintz, Warli painting, and silk embroidery, this paper argues that the replacement of gods with humans was more than aesthetic change. It reflected deeper negotiations of power and cultural authority, where colonial and political figures appropriated reverence once reserved for the divine. Textiles thus emerge not only as art but as critical archives of cultural transformation, revealing how sacred traditions were reconfigured into secular, commodified forms that continue to shape heritage and identity today.
Arts - Teaching and Learning the Arts
96051 | Scaffolding Academic Writing in Design Education: Developing Progressive Models for Final-Year Undergraduates
Andrea Lioy, University of the Arts London - Central Saint Martins, United Kingdom
This presentation analyses the development of a progressive writing program for final-year undergraduate design students through collaborative educational leadership. Based on curriculum development in Unit 10 of Central Saint Martins’ BA Graphic Communication Design course, it demonstrates how writing can be effectively integrated as a creative practice within design education through scaffolded learning approaches.
The research examines how breaking down learning outcomes into specific writing modes (descriptive, critical, reflective) creates accessible frameworks for design students approaching significant writing projects. The study documents the evolution of teaching resources from task-oriented documents to conceptual roadmaps connecting writing lectures, academic support, and studio workshops into coherent learning journeys.
Methodologically, the research combines curriculum design analysis with qualitative assessment of student outputs and feedback data. Evidence was gathered through collaborative review sessions with tutors and students.
Findings indicate that explicit connections between writing modes and design processes significantly improved student engagement with critical writing. Roadmap approaches demonstrated measurable improvements in student understanding of assessment criteria and learning outcomes. Furthermore, collaborative staff development sessions led to more consistent teaching approaches across diverse tutor teams.
This research contributes to scholarship on writing pedagogy in art and design education by proposing transferable models for scaffolding critical academic writing development. It offers practical approaches for educational leaders seeking to integrate writing more effectively within design education while maintaining creative, practice-based learning environments.
IICAH2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
Humanities - Aesthetics/Design
101745 | From Carving to Coding: Media Affect, Embodied Reading, and Contemporary Visual Culture
Juiyi
Yen, National Taiwan University of Arts, Taiwan
This study investigates how the immediacy and superficiality of digital media reshape readability and the aesthetic structure of visual culture, introducing “media affect” as a framework that contrasts these dynamics with craft-based practices. Drawing on arts-based action research and ethnographic observation of Japanese ukiyo-e carving and letterpress printing, the paper demonstrates how the temporality, materiality, and manual labor of craft generate embodied and affective reading experiences. Findings indicate that such sensory practices not only resist the logic of technological acceleration but also address a critical gap in visual culture studies, which have largely privileged textual and semiotic analysis while overlooking sensory and embodied dimensions. By situating typography between “carving and coding,” and engaging with frameworks of post-textual reading and sensory ethics, the study shows how craft cultivates attention, cultural responsibility, and respect for material. Ultimately, the paper contributes a cross-cultural aesthetic framework that reconfigures contemporary visual culture, offering a critical and sustainable perspective for the humanities and arts education.
95174 | Appropriating Cultural Aestheticism in Urban Tourism
Lloyd
Robinson, Northumbria University, United Kingdom
As cultural tourism becomes important in policy and research, the synergy of culture, art and other built environment disciplines in urban tourism is significant and relevant in cities. While architectural and artistic structures can be listed as landmarks and cultural focal points, studies on tourism locations have largely treated heritage and ecotourism sites as prime locations in geographical terms. This paper is an empirical analysis on the current state of artistic and socio-cultural icons in African cities that examines the transformation of urban spaces within the field of urban tourism. Analysing the city of Abuja, Nigeria this paper assesses the relationship between iconic structures and the city, and the utilization of an aesthetic and cultural model for place-making. Through an ethnographic approach, this analysis is carried out in the contexts of culture, art, and history, and mediated by urban spaces. As evident from findings, the placemaking transformation of the city is driven by the need to create vibrant cultural scenes and attract both local and foreign tourists. Themes emerge that indicate tensions between cultural commodification and community empowerment, and shows that the transformation of urban spaces in Abuja is driven by a desire to create a vibrant cultural scene and attract tourists. These transformations have implications for tourism and cultural policy in Abuja and other cities in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper contributes to the understanding of cultural identity and tourism and highlights the need for inclusive and sustainable urban development that prioritizes community engagement and cultural sensitivity
Humanities - Ethnicity/Difference/Identity
100884 | Cultural Narrative Inquiry into Reconciliation, Resilience, and Inclusion: Comparing Aspects of Canadian and Finnish Curriculum Implementation
Lorna Ramsay, Douglas College, Canada
This conceptual paper is narrative inquiry into comparisons of curriculum development in my teaching practices and those that I observe during a visit to a school in Finland, particularly focusing on reconciliation, resilience, and inclusion. As an Education Faculty Lecturer in British Columbia (B.C.), Canada, I look to Smith, 2024, who refers to a “cloud of unknowing”, the belief that because I belong to a group or movement, I know the truth, and as part of the teaching community, I follow the B.C. curriculum, including impacts of the Canadian Government mandate to include First Nations Learning Principals in all lesson planning (Truth and Reconciliation, 2015). Understanding that Finland has a core curriculum but no prescribed curriculum, Finland like Canada, has an Indigenous population and students who are international, including refugees, my purpose is to consider our countries’ different approaches to inclusion. Smith, 2024, suggests ‘sensory foraging’, exploration of art(s) expressive presentations of individual and group cultural voices that I demonstrate through both lenses of reconciliation and resilience. Regarding students’ cultural histories and relationships in collaborative learning experiences, Donald, 2022, suggests students reach ‘kinship relationality’ through collaborative inquiry around cultural history awareness and identity expressions. When focusing on narrative inquiry and cultural identity, I refer to Southwick et al., 2014, who suggest resilience highlights ‘adversity’, ‘adaptation’, and ‘trauma’. By sharing teaching practices with colleagues from Finland, I open further opportunities to research outside any possible ‘cloud of unknowing’ while championing indigenous and cultural equity and pedagogy of inclusion.
Humanities - History/Historiography
98633 | The History of Debt Enforcement in Thai Society
Passakorn Yeenang, Chiang Mai University, Thailand
This study traces the evolution of debt enforcement in Thai legal history and argues that cultural norms, moral expectations, and hierarchical social structures have long influenced the characteristics of legal enforcement in Thailand today. The central hypothesis is that traditional Thai conceptions of debt as both a legal and moral obligation persist into the present, where loan debtors may still face criminal sanctions through fraud accusations, turning civil obligations into criminal matters. The research scope is limited to debt arising from loan contracts to highlight the moral foundations of credit relations. Using historical analysis, the study draws on pre-modern sources such as the Three Seals Code and the Mangraisat Law, situated within the Nakhonban legal order prior to the Civil and Commercial Code and Civil Procedure Code reforms (1923–1935). The analytical framework is based on the “morality of debt,” which views indebtedness not only as a contractual relationship but also as a moral duty, requiring debtors to remain loyal to creditors within the patron–client hierarchy. The findings show that creditors historically exercised power over both debtors’ assets and bodies, imposing punishments such as flogging, humiliation, and even self-sale into slavery. Although modern law rests on principles of contractual freedom and equality, continuities remain in contemporary judicial practice, where civil default can still be criminalized. By comparing pre-modern rules with modern case law, the study demonstrates how cultural values and historical legacies continue to influence the enforcement of debt in Thailand today.
IICAH2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
Humanities - Immigration/Refugees/Race/Nation
100854 | A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis on the Concealed Stigmatized Identity, Self-Disclosure, Social Support, and Adaptation of North Korean Defectors in South Korea
Jeong-rae Jo, Korea Educational Development Institute, South Korea
Seol-Ki Lee, University of North Korean Studies, South Korea
South Korea, the only divided country in the world, is home to approximately 30,000 North Korean defectors who exist as both immigrants and de facto refugees. Despite sharing ethnic, linguistic, and cultural commonalities with the majority population, their adaptation process in South Korean society remains fraught with challenges. While previous research has identified various contributing factors—such as pre-migration trauma, cultural dissonance, and economic hardship—this study focuses on the impact of social stigma related to their North Korean origin. Drawing upon Goffman’s (1963) stigma theory and the concept of concealed stigmatized identity (Chaudoir & Fisher, 2010), this study employs the Disclosure Processes Model (DPM) to examine how self-disclosure influences social relationships and adaptation among North Korean defectors. A qualitative meta-synthesis approach is used to integrate and interpret existing qualitative studies, with particular attention to the dialectical tension between visibility and concealment, the experience of social isolation, and the disruption or reconfiguration of interpersonal ties. Based on the findings, this study critiques the limitations of current policy frameworks supporting North Korean defectors and proposes strategic improvements aimed at fostering inclusive support systems that account for the unique psychosocial burdens borne by individuals with a concealed stigmatized identity
103021 | A Rhetorical Analysis of “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” from the Perspective of Triangle Theory
Paninya Paksa, Bangkok University, Thailand
This scholarly article provides a rhetorical analysis of How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (Lahn Mah, 2024) through Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle, which consists of Pathos, Ethos, and Logos. The study aims to investigate how the film employs rhetorical strategies to persuade audiences emotionally, ethically, and logically. The narrative of the film addresses themes of elderly care, intergenerational family relations, and filial piety in contemporary Thai-Chinese society. It not only reflects Thailand’s transition into an aging society but also functions rhetorically to foster cross-cultural understanding. Findings reveal that the film employs Pathos through emotionally charged depictions of illness, death, and intergenerational care; Ethos by presenting the grandmother as a morally credible figure and authentically portraying ThaiChinese cultural values; and Logos by constructing a coherent storyline, symbolic mise-en-scène, cinematic arts, and logical connections to broader social issues. This study concludes that the film serves not only as a family melodrama but also as a rhetorical text that shapes perception, emotion, and values within global society. Lahn Mah is indeed a good and compelling movie worth watching.
Humanities - Other Humanities
95264 | Serpent, Eve, and the Poetics of Healing in Dickinson: East–West Symbolism, Esoteric Thought, and Jungian Perspectives Li-Juan Su, National Chengchi University, Taiwan
Emily Dickinson’s exploration of death and transcendence reveals a profound kinship with global esoteric traditions. Her poetry engages with mystical frameworks, including Indian Kundalini energy, Chinese mythology, and 19th-century Western spiritualism. Rather than descending into madness, Dickinson’s visionary experiences resemble shamanic initiatory crises, where trauma catalyzes transformation and heightened perception. Her references to angels, ghosts, and unseen forces parallel shamanic guides, dissolving boundaries between life and afterlife. Like Nüwa in Chinese mythology, who shapes humanity through creation, Dickinson channels suffering into poetic revelation, positioning herself as both mystic and healer. Her engagement with theosophy—an influence in 19thcentury spiritualism—underscores her ties to energy-based healing traditions. Arthur Versluis, in The Esoteric Origins of the American Renaissance, highlights Dickinson’s affinity for mystical thought. Her family’s connection to theosophist Frances Burnett suggests possible exposure to Eastern and Western esoteric ideas. The snake—a symbol in esoteric traditions—appears in her poetry “A Narrow Fellow in the Grass” as an emblem of rebirth and transformation. This imagery aligns her with ancient mystical traditions that view suffering as a path to enlightenment. John Keats’ influence deepens Dickinson’s connection to poetry as a restorative force, echoing energy-based practices. Like Keats, she explores melancholy, supernatural encounters, and transcendence, situating her within a broader mystical lineage. The fluidity of identity in her poetry, where the self dissolves into nature and the cosmos, suggests a kinship with Eastern philosophies emphasizing impermanence. By reframing Dickinson within global esoteric traditions, this paper reveals the transnational dimensions of her poetic vision.
IICAH2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
100800 | Tracking Americans’ Beliefs in Science in the World Value Survey
Ken Cramer, University of Windsor, Canada
Paige Lord, University of Windsor, Canada
The 2029 COVID pandemic brought the world face-to-face with the stark reality of people’s confidence in vaccinations, social distancing, and empirically-grounded science. The present study tracked changes in Americans’ attitudes to science as their chief means of acquiring knowledge and information. Data were drawn from Wave-6 (2010-2013) and Wave-7 (2017-2020) of the World Values Survey (total sample = 4401 respondents, with an even split by sex). Respondent age was subdivided into three equal groups: younger (18-36 years), middle (37-56), and older (57-93). A random sample of American respondents completed a large battery of test items, comprised chiefly of social and political questions (including demographic information on income, education, marital status, and parental status). The principal criteria variables were divided into: a) seven items tapping respondents’ confidence in the enterprise of science, and b) five items tapping degree of religious conviction. Science endorsement was higher in Wave-7, among older adults, among the more educated, and those without children. Whereas a significant interaction showed no difference in science confidence between childless men and women, men with children endorsed science more than mothers. A stepwise regression model explained 30% of variance in science endorsement, where higher endorsement was generally associated with respondents who: were male, were childless, reported lower religiosity, had more education, were older, and were surveyed later (between 2017-2020). Findings highlight demographic factors influencing science endorsement, suggesting implications for science education and literacy efforts. Future research should explore the long-term trends in science attitudes post-pandemic.
Humanities - Political Science/Politics
103023 | Proposing a Process Evaluation Methodology for Territorial Value Co-creation Activities in Local Revitalization Policies
Mutsuko Muramoto, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Japan
Mitsuru Ikeda, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Japan
Conventional evaluations of the contributions of regional policies aimed at revitalization tend to prioritize short-term, quantitative indicators, often overlooking long-term value such as the cultivation of cultural capital, the fostering of cultural value, and the formation of regional identity. This paper proposes a process evaluation methodology for the long-term territorial value co-creation activities that persist after such initiatives have concluded. To this end, we have developed the “Territorial Value Co-creation Activity (TVCA) model” to analyze this process. This model takes an approach that assesses the qualitative nature of activities that enhance regional value— such as stakeholder collaboration and the fostering of community attachment—with a particular focus on shifts in their sustainability We have developed a specific, graduated rubric table corresponding to the model to systematically judge the degree of sustainability for post-project, value-enhancement activities, and the utility of this evaluation is demonstrated through a case study of the “Book Town Hachinohe” initiative in Aomori, Japan. This model is not limited to the Japanese context; it can contribute as a framework for evaluating sustainable value creation in culture-led regeneration, addressing a common challenge faced by communities worldwide.
Humanities - Science, Environment and the Humanities
100408 | Linguistic and Civic Pathways to Sustainability: A Transdisciplinary Model for Transformative Higher Education
M. Dolores Ramirez-Verdugo, University of National Distance Education, Spain
As global challenges such as climate change, social inequality, and democratic fragility intensify, there is a growing need for transdisciplinary educational approaches that bridge science, society, and the humanities. This paper presents a transformative model developed within the CIVIS European University Alliance, integrating applied linguistics, civic engagement, and sustainability education in higher education. The model fosters collaboration between universities and local communities through challenge-based learning formats, where students co-design responses to real-world sustainability issues. These projects, implemented in hybrid or virtual formats, involve transnational, multilingual teams and are grounded in inclusive, participatory processes. At the core of this initiative lies a critical exploration of how language shapes environmental narratives, mediates intercultural collaboration, and drives civic innovation. Drawing on applied linguistics, particularly discourse analysis, multilingual communication, and intercultural pragmatics, the model enhances key competencies such as critical thinking, ethical awareness, and active citizenship. It also aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including quality education (SDG 4), sustainable communities (SDG 11), responsible consumption (SDG 12), and climate action (SDG 13). The project creates spaces for dialogue across disciplines and cultures, empowering students as agents of ecological and democratic transformation. It positions language not merely as a medium of communication but as a dynamic resource for reimagining the relationship between knowledge, society, and the planet. Ultimately, it offers a replicable framework for universities seeking to connect linguistic and civic practices to broader efforts toward sustainability and social justice.
iicahhawaii.iafor.org/programme
IICAH2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
100655 | Exploring the Sustainable Development of Contemporary Tainan from the Perspective of Tainan Prefecture Urban Development During the Japanese Colonial Period
Li-Yueh Chen, Weixin Shengjiao College, Taiwan
Kuo-Ching Shih, Weixin Shengjiao College, Taiwan
Chi-Lin Chang, Weixin Shengjiao College, Taiwan
Kuo-Ying Yang, Weixin Shengjiao College, Taiwan
Shih-Tsung Lai, Weixin Shengjiao College, Taiwan
Che-Chung Yang, Weixin Shengjiao College, Taiwan
Taiwan was under Japanese colonial rule from 1895 to 1945. This 50-year period significantly influenced Taiwan’s subsequent development in humanities, economy, politics, education, and infrastructure. This paper focuses on Tainan Prefecture during the Japanese colonial period. The Governor-General of Taiwan promulgated the Tainan City Improvement Plan in 1911 (Meiji 44), transforming the city’s street network from the Qing Dynasty. Subsequent urban planning initiatives in 1929 and 1941 further expanded the city’s boundaries and laid the foundation for the core area of modern-day Tainan. This paper explores the roots of the city’s vitality by examining Tainan’s geographical environment and urban development from the Japanese colonial period to the present through a fieldwork methodology grounded in the “phenomenon–hypothesis–verification” research approach. Furthermore, it investigates how government agencies promote sustainable urban development, and how they collaborate with local organizations to leverage local and human resources through placemaking initiatives to seek sustainable development. This research seeks to integrate these diverse perspectives to offer a more comprehensive understanding of the city’s evolution and to provide valuable insights for those working towards sustainable urban development worldwide.
Humanities - Teaching and Learning
98629 | AI as a Dialogic Partner in Project-Based Language Learning: Empowering Young Learners Through Digital Literacy and Global Citizenship
Ese Emmanuel Uwosomah, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
This study examines the potential of generative AI to enrich technology-enhanced project-based language learning (TEPBLL) in primary classrooms through international telecollaboration. The TEPBLL framework is grounded in the socially responsive pedagogy advocated by Dooly et al (2021), the project involved Elementary school pupils in Spain working with Nigerian peers to co-create digital campaigns addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). A customized ChatGPT-4 interface supported students in navigating multilingual communication, content creation, and intercultural exchange. Qualitative content analysis of classroom discourse and AI-mediated interactions revealed three central functions of AI within the PBLL environment: enabling authentic language use, offering immediate and individualized feedback, and facilitating the application of classroom knowledge to real-world issues. AI served as a nonevaluative partner that encouraged experimentation and sustained students’ engagement. Still, consistent teacher scaffolding, particularly in prompting, reflection, and critical evaluation, was necessary to extend interactions beyond surface-level exchanges. Findings suggest that when AI is embedded within a robust, ethically guided PBLL framework, it can serve as a dialogic scaffold that amplifies collaboration, fosters learner agency, and strengthens both linguistic and digital literacies. This research contributes practical insights for educators seeking to integrate AI into project-based designs that value authenticity, reciprocity, and socially conscious learning.
100222 | Artificial Intelligence and Legal Education Reform: Building Competencies for Digital-Age Legal Practice
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (2020-2025) has impacted the legal field in multifaceted aspects, creating urgent need for comprehensive legal education reform. This research examines the critical gap between traditional legal curricula and competencies required for AI-enhanced legal practice across diverse areas. This study employs systematic documentary analysis, examining institutional reports, policy documents, curriculum guidelines, and scholarly literature from legal education institutions worldwide. The analysis encompasses four categories: (1) strategic plans from major law schools globally; (2) professional development frameworks by legal associations; (3) recent legislative reforms regulating AI and evidential assessment patterns; and (4) empirical studies documenting AI integration in legal practice. Documents undergo thematic content analysis to identify AI legal impact patterns and skill gaps. The study maps essential AI competencies across legal specializations, analyzes pedagogical gaps, and develops guidance for comprehensive curriculum frameworks regarding different legal specializations. Particular attention also be provided to competency development for AIassisted crime detection, forensic analysis, digital evidence authentication, and algorithmic bias evaluation under well-known judicially established Daubert standards in an old case. Related to the stated curriculum development objective, this research further aims to focus on scope of formulating core legal principles guiding judicial decision-making in AI-related cases, ensuring consistent jurisprudential approaches transcending technological change.
iicahhawaii.iafor.org/programme
IICAH2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
100814 | Teaching Practices and Expectations for Sleep and Rest Time in Early Childhood Education Settings (ECES) in Aotearoa New Zealand
Joanne Alderson, Open Polytechnic, New Zealand
Jenny Malcolm, Open Polytechnic, New Zealand
Elizabeth Polley, Open Polytechnic, New Zealand
Lucy Wood, Open Polytechnic, New Zealand
This qualitative research project in Aotearoa New Zealand is currently ongoing. It aims to gather data about the practices and expectations of teachers and managers concerning children’s sleep and rest time across various early childhood education settings (ECES). The research is divided into two phases: the first phase involves a national mixed-methods survey, while the second phase consists of national focus groups. The data collection process will be completed by the end of November 2025. Building on previous research, this research seeks to explore the nuanced and subjective nature of sleep and rest time provisions, considering early childhood education teachers’ beliefs, practices, and the cultural contexts that influence these provisions for children. This research aims to further understand the contradictions that may exist between policy driven sleep and rest times in ECE services and children’s agency. Balancing children’s rights with existing policies presents contradictory situations within ECES, which may lead to compromised provisions and practices regarding sleep and rest time. This presentation will reveal early findings from the research, highlighting the cultural and contextual factors surrounding children’s sleep and rest time, as well as the successes and challenges of integrating children’s rights into practice.
102352
| The Impact of Mentoring
Doris
McEwen, City University of New York, United States
Mentoring is a powerful way to influence academic success for K-12 students and for adults in their careers. The impact on teaching and learning is shown to be positive when mentoring is done well. For this research, the concept of mentoring was examined using the framework of social, cultural, organizational, and political will. This framework has been shown to close achievement gaps in students and expand the opportunity gap as they enter their postsecondary studies and careers. A Qualitative Research method was used to obtain former high school students’ stories of how mentoring is connected to their success as adults, post-secondary. The case study is based on survey responses from high school students and career adults to determine whether their success is linked to their experiences with a mentor. These mentees are now 10+ years into their careers. When looking at how to change the achievement trajectory for students, mentoring is included in the variables to consider. During this session research from survey data will be presented, as well as interviews with former mentees. The study expands the current research on the impact of mentoring.
IICE2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
Counselling, Guidance & Adjustment in Education
100406 | Navigating Adolescent Digital Worlds: Discursive Practices, Exclusion, and Critical Literacy in Education
Maria Puertas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
In today’s hyperconnected world, adolescents construct identity, belonging, and emotional life through digital platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, and Discord. These environments, marked by immediacy and multimodality, are key to teenage socialization but also pose challenges for emotional well-being and peer inclusion. For counselling and guidance professionals, understanding these digital ecologies is essential to supporting students effectively. This presentation draws on Discourse Analysis (DA) to explore how adolescents use language in digital contexts, not only to connect but to express agency, construct identity, and navigate social dynamics. Particular attention is given to symbolic exclusion: subtle discursive acts such as silences, ironic memes, or indirect comments that marginalize peers. Though often overlooked, these forms of exclusion can deeply affect adolescents’ self-esteem, social integration, and emotional development. Grounded in qualitative inquiry, the study advocates for the integration of critical digital literacy and emotional education within counselling and guidance frameworks. It proposes that counsellors and educators must be trained to recognize and address the impact of digital discourse on students’ social and emotional lives. Pedagogies based on active listening, dialogue, and co-construction of meaning are essential in fostering inclusive and reflective school environments. This contribution highlights the vital role of educational guidance in responding to the complexities of adolescent communication in digital spaces and in promoting positive identity development, emotional well-being, and digital citizenship.
Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
100511 | Advantages and Considerations of E-Portfolios Using General-purpose Cloud Tools in Elementary School English Education
Aki Ohta, Beppu University Junior College, Japan
Shin Kurata, Nagasaki University, Japan
Emiko Izumi, Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan
This study investigates the advantages and challenges of integrating e-portfolios, built on general-purpose cloud tools, into elementary school English education. E-portfolios are recognized for fostering student-centered and reflective learning, promoting metacognition, peer interaction, and formative assessment. However, their practical implementation in primary education faces constraints such as limited time and varying technical proficiency. To explore real-world applications, we conducted semi-structured interviews with three experienced elementary school teachers who had utilized Google for Education-based e-portfolios for over a year. Qualitative data were analyzed to identify recurring themes regarding both benefits and challenges. The analysis involved the extraction and categorization of advantages and considerations from interview transcripts by the first and second authors, with all authors finalizing the themes and their descriptions. Our analysis revealed five key advantages: (1) enhanced comparative activities (with peers and past work); (2) improved teacher assessment efficiency; (3) increased opportunities for learner autonomy; (4) enriched learning outcomes (e.g., deeper reflections, higher-quality student performance); and (5) greater efficiency in managing learning processes. Conversely, four main considerations emerged: (1) varying digital literacy levels among students and teachers; (2) limited class time for e-portfolio use; (3) the need to clearly communicate e-portfolio benefits to students; and (4) constraints in providing individualized feedback. These findings suggest that while e-portfolios offer significant educational value, successful integration necessitates institutional support, technical training, and thoughtful instructional design. This study contributes to the understanding of effective digital portfolio use in elementary foreign language education and provides practical insights for future implementation.
Education, Sustainability & Society: Social Justice, Development & Political Movements
101869 | Lived Experiences of Lay Teachers in the Lasallian Mission of Education: A Phenomenological Exploration
Aldino Gonzales, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Philippines
This phenomenological research explores the lived experiences of lay teachers engaged in the Lasallian mission of education. Guided by the foundational pillars of Faith, Service, and Communion in Mission, the study delves into how lay educators embody and interpret their vocation within a historically faith-driven educational framework. Through in-depth reflections and interviews, the research reveals that lay teachers perceive their work not merely as employment but as a genuine vocation, a calling rooted in service to students and community. Their experiences are deeply intertwined with spirituality, as faith traditions and prayer life serve as sustaining forces in their professional journey. The findings also highlight the importance of professionalism, as lay educators continually seek growth in their craft, striving for excellence while balancing personal and institutional demands. Beyond personal fulfillment, many teachers recognize the Lasallian mission as a pathway toward socio-economic growth, providing stability and opportunities for advancement. A recurring theme is the presence of a strong sense of community, where solidarity, collaboration, and mutual support foster a nurturing educational environment. Finally, the research underscores the role of strong cultural expressions of the mission, wherein shared rituals, celebrations, and practices help reinforce Lasallian identity and values across diverse contexts. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the holistic experience of lay teachers who integrate vocation, spirituality, and professionalism within the Lasallian mission. It affirms their vital role in continuing a legacy of transformative education grounded in faith, service, and community
iicehawaii.iafor.org/programme
IICE2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics (including ESL/TESL/TEFL)
102961 | Negotiating Obligation: Investment, Positioning, and Identity in Duty-Based Korean Language Learning
SooJin Jung, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, United States
This study investigates how duty-based adult learners of Korean construct, negotiate, and perform learner identities in an institutional setting where language study is mandated as part of professional roles. Grounded in Positioning Theory, Gee’s distinction between discourse and Discourses, and Norton’s investment framework (Davies & Harré, 1990; Gee, 2011; Norton, 2013), multiweek reflective writings are analyzed using a transparent coding scheme spanning identity positions (self-as-competent/struggling, role conflict), motivational orientations (instrumental, integrative, resistance, reframing), ideological alignments (institutional discourse, cultural essentialism, critical awareness), and affective stances (confidence, anxiety, ambivalence, empowerment). Findings indicate persistent tensions between institutional expectations and personal agency, with investment fluctuating according to perceived relevance and opportunities for learner choice. Learners articulate agentive strategies—including media-based engagement, kinesthetic and competitive tasks, meticulous self-regulation, and deliberate participation—that reframe obligation as meaningful practice, while disclosures of neurodiversity foreground the value of multimodal, hands-on learning. Simultaneously, deficit positioning and performance pressures surface in narratives of perfectionism, introversion, and time-constrained proficiency targets, underscoring how institutional Discourses shape identities and participation. The analysis advances an equity-oriented pedagogical agenda that validates diverse identities and learning preferences, leverages interest-driven materials, and designs participation structures that distribute opportunities without reproducing deficit labels. The contribution is twofold: theoretically, by integrating positioning, Discourse, and investment to explain identity work under constraint; and pedagogically, by outlining inclusive strategies for duty-based language programs.
103001 | Culture as Competitiveness: Observations on the Global Presence of Chinese and Its Implications for Language Policy and Educational Practice
Albert R. Zhou, Musashino
University, Japan
This presentation aims to observe the global presence of the Chinese language in terms of cultural competitiveness, which is defined as the “vitality, prestige and popularity of traditional and contemporary culture associated with the language” (Gil, 2021:53). Specifically, it discusses Chinese cultural competitiveness in a global context in terms of the four indicators illustrated in Gil’s language comprehensive competitiveness framework: publications, TV and movies, Internet content, and cultural practices. These indicators are explained and expanded to depict a more comprehensive global picture of the Chinese language in terms of power and resources. Drawing on media reports, government and legislative documents, statistical compilations, and academic works, the presentation discusses some of the major developments of the Chinese language over the past decade and explores the presence and potential of Chinese as a global language. The presentation concludes that cultural competitiveness supports, to a large extent, the macroacquisition and expansion of the Chinese language worldwide, but not as much as policy, economic, and demographic competitiveness. On the other hand, China’s rising cultural influence has generated significant controversies and challenges. The presentation will also include a discussion of the implications of the global influence of Chinese for language policy and educational practice.
103010 | Equipping Educational Leaders for Linguistically and Culturally Responsive Leadership Gwendolyn Williams, Auburn University, United States
Although the construct of culturally responsive leadership has been addressed in previous research (Khalifa, 2018), it lacks a clear focus on language. Accordingly, this presentation will explore research about the competencies that an effective school leader needs to be equipped to provide leadership and instructional guidance to classroom teachers and the multilingual students that they serve. Principals wield significant influence over the resources and policies that their schools adopt to address the instruction of their multilingual students (DeMatthews & Izquierda, 2020). Linguistically responsive leadership assures compliance with regulations that address the protection, instruction or assessment of multilingual learners (Bond, 2021). Principals are also responsible for ensuring that the instructional staff receive appropriate training and resources to provide meaningful instruction for multilingual students (Buniyan & McWilliams, 2019). Finally, leaders must be outwardly focused so that they can communicate with families and community members to advocate for multilingual students and plan for their future success through seeking equitable resources and opportunities (Phillips et al. 2022). This presentation will provide research based practical strategies for each area in order to build the competencies of linguistically responsive school leaders to provide a cohesive framework of what linguistically responsive leadership entails.
100766 | Self-reflection and Online Peer-feedforward: Pre-Service EFL Teacher’s Gains in Academic Writing
Lilian Gómez Álvarez, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
Anita Ferreira Cabrera, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
This quasi-experimental study explores (n=30) Chilean pre-service EFL Teachers’ gains in L2 academic writing after a four-week intervention that used online cycles of reflective practice and peer-feedforward on academic writing skills. Participants’ performance was assessed using IELTS writing task 2 format for the pre- and the post-tests and the public version of the international test band descriptors, which measure performance in four areas, namely: Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Findings revealed statistically significant gains in all criteria, with the greatest improvement observed in Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, and Lexical Resource. The intervention proved particularly effective for lower-performing participants, highlighting the potential of integrating cycles of reflective practices and peer-feedforward into pre-service teachers’ academic writing, with important implications for teacher formation.
IICE2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
Higher Education
101006 | Evaluating the Role of Science Communication in Educating and Influencing Prospective Engineering Students
Mauryn Chika Nweke, University College London, United Kingdom
Many reports, including an article released by The Royal Academy of Engineering 2016, highlight that the past decade has seen a gradual global skills shortage in the field of engineering, with particular emphasis on the UK not producing enough engineers in specific and highly-sought-after engineering disciplines, as well as a decline in the percentage of the population taking up engineering degrees compared to the increasing need for workers in the sector (Perkins, 2019). There are many contributing factors to the engineering skills shortage reported in literature including but not limited to – misconceptions about the engineering profession (Marshall, Mcclymont and Joyce, 2007), a general lack of awareness of what engineers do (Marshall, 2019), the perception that engineering is only for men (Neave et al., 2018), among others. Science communication is seen to be having a transformative impact on the public communication and engagement with science beyond scholarly communities and is considered to be an important tool in the engagement of future engineers (Rimer and Kreuter, 2006) as a means of both educating and persuading GCSE/A-Level students (aged 16-18) on what the Engineering profession entails and to consider choosing Engineering as a degree. However, there were a number of challenges faced concerning the effective transmission of scientific knowledge to specific audiences. This literature appraisal will critically evaluate the efficacy of the use of science communication as a means of informing the praxis of recruitment strategies used in higher education for engineering students at University College London.
101009 | Improving Student Engineers’ Ability to Communicate Their Work to Non-Expert Audiences
Mauryn Chika Nweke, University College London,
United Kingdom
Over the past two decades, the work and role of an engineer has vastly evolved. Engineers of today are responsible for finding solutions to emerging global issues caused by advancements in technology and social activity (Seethamraju, 2004; Strain, 2015). These pressures have led to the emergence of new diseases and therefore the need for reformed healthcare services. They have also led to increased energy supply, food supply and housing and transportation, much to the detriment of the environment. The ever-growing importance of an engineer’s work has led to the increased importance of an engineer’s ability to communicate their work to various types of audiences, however there are a number of challenges that engineers face in trying to do this (Riemer, 2007). This review will provide a literature summation of the forms of communication used by engineers in the workplace as well as the implications of poor communication in engineering. Subsequently, the review will go on to address the challenges in how student engineers in higher education might acquire these skills through a literature evaluation of engineering curriculum in the UK. Finally, each section in this study will look to address how these challenges can be overcome and ultimately the communication of an engineer ’s work with various audiences can be improved. This literature evaluation will inform the first phase of a larger review that aims to improve the skills-based pedagogical approach offered at UCL Engineering.
102257 | AI-Supported Feedback in Higher Education: Evaluating Prompt Design and Pedagogical Potential
Irum Naz, University of Doha for Science and Technology, Qatar
Rodney Robertson, University of Doha for Science and Technology, Qatar
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming feedback practices in higher education, yet questions remain about its pedagogical reliability. This exploratory study examines the potential of AI-supported feedback in formative assessment, with a particular focus on the role of prompt design. Grounded in Sociocultural Theory, Second Language Acquisition, and Cognitive Load Theory, the research investigates how AI feedback can scaffold learning, provide comprehensible input, and reduce cognitive load for first-year undergraduates. A mixed-methods design was employed, comparing AI-generated feedback with instructor evaluations on a simulated undergraduate report and conducting qualitative analysis of feedback clarity, accuracy, and pedagogical value. Findings indicate that while AI feedback often met baseline expectations, it diverged significantly from human evaluation in higher-order dimensions such as APA citation accuracy, comparative analysis, and tailored recommendations. Iterative prompt refinement improved alignment and specificity but did not fully resolve these discrepancies. Building on these insights, the study introduces the PASTEL framework (Precision, Alignment, Structure, Tailoring, Engagement, Learning), a conceptual model for designing effective prompts to guide AI feedback. While preliminary, PASTEL provides educators with a structured approach for harnessing AI in ways that are pedagogically sound and studentcentered. By combining empirical findings with a conceptual innovation, this study contributes to ongoing debates about AI’s role in higher education, offering both practical guidance for instructors and a foundation for future research.
100723 | How Do Futurism and Land Art Approaches Affect Creativity in Visual Arts Education Within the Context of Contemporary Art?
Tuğba Uzun, Ankara University of Music and Fine Arts, Turkey
Tuğba Çelebi, Ankara University of Music and Fine Arts, Turkey
This case study aims to enhance pre-service visual arts teachers’ awareness of contemporary art approaches, foster their creative thinking skills, and facilitate their engagement with contemporary art practices, while examining the impact of this process on the development of creativity. The study focuses on how the creation of video designs that synthesize Futurism and Land Art influences the creativity of visual arts teacher candidates. The participants consisted of 11 pre-service visual arts teachers enrolled in a Visual Arts Education program in Turkey. The research examined 19-second video works created by the participants, which combined two conceptually contrasting art movements: Futurism and Land Art. The qualitative data obtained were analyzed through content analysis within the framework of an interdisciplinary art education perspective. The video works were evaluated by three experts based on the criteria of spatial use, artistic expression, thematic relevance, memorability, and originality. The video design process was observed to guide pre-service teachers through creative processes such as reconciling opposing aesthetic understandings, discovering new compositional techniques, integrating themes of technology and nature, and developing original artistic expressions. It was concluded that, regardless of technical perfection, the participants produced their video works as a result of their creative thinking skills. Both the engagement of pre-service teachers in this creative design process and the resulting unique artistic products demonstrate that integrating contemporary art techniques into education is an effective method for training creative art educators.
International Education
100213 | Institutional Autonomy as a Structural Enabler of Curriculum Internationalization: Opportunities and Challenges in Vietnam’s Higher Education
Ngoc Nguyen Thi My, Ton Duc Thang University, Vietnam
Gam Luong Thi Hong, Fulbright University Vietnam, Vietnam
Ngoc Nham Thi, Ton Duc Thang University, Vietnam
Vietnam’s higher education system is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by national reforms that grant universities greater institutional autonomy. This policy shift has created new opportunities for curriculum internationalization, enabling institutions to respond more flexibly to global academic trends and labor market demands. This paper explores how Vietnamese universities have leveraged this autonomy to implement international curriculum, while also navigating new complexities in policy implementation. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research examines leading public institutions in Vietnam through interviews with academic leaders and analysis of policy documents and curriculum frameworks. The findings reveal a dynamic interplay between national policy, institutional leadership, and curriculum change. The study further highlights how institutional autonomy has enabled universities to design innovative academic programs, diversify international partnerships, enhance students’ learning experiences, foster intercultural competence, and promote graduate employability. However, structural challenges such as, resource limitations, regulatory constraints, and and resistance within traditional academic structures highlight uneven institutional capacity. This study argues that institutional autonomy is not merely a governance reform but a structural enabler of curriculum innovation and strategic internationalization. It concludes by offering policy and practice recommendations to strengthen the role of autonomy in fostering globally competitive higher education in Vietnam.
100239 | Empathy in Action: Expanding Intercultural Pedagogy Through Experiential Learning in Japanese Higher Education
Chisato Nonaka, Kyushu University, Japan
This presentation shares findings from an ongoing study exploring how experiential learning can foster empathy and intercultural competence in international classrooms. Conducted in Japan and Hawaii, the study involves approximately 100 university students ranging from freshmen to graduate level. Using narrative analysis alongside basic quantitative measures—such as students’ prior overseas experiences, duration, and purpose—the research investigates how diverse learning environments can cultivate “intellectual empathy” (Linker, 2015). Linker’s framework is used to evaluate, operationalize, and promote intellectual empathy in classroom settings, with sample activities provided to help teacher-educators visualize and adapt them to their own contexts. Preliminary data from student reflections, educator workshops, and classroom interactions suggest that empathy-driven pedagogy can transform international classrooms into spaces of mutual understanding and growth. Instruments for measuring empathy and intercultural competence are currently in development and will be shared during the session. Ethical considerations, including informed consent for student data, are carefully observed, and limitations regarding transferability across cultural and institutional contexts are acknowledged. By integrating Kolb’s experiential learning cycle (1984) and Deardorff’s intercultural competence model (2006), this work offers practical strategies for lesson planning, assessment, and professional development. Ultimately, it invites educators to reflect on their own cultural assumptions and collaboratively build inclusive, globally engaged learning environments.
iicehawaii.iafor.org/programme
IICE2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
Language Development & Literacy
101717 | Embedding Writing Opportunities in All Subject Areas
Jill Tussey, Buena Vista University, United States
Michelle Metzger, Buena Vista University, United States
Leslie Haas, Texas A&M University, United States
This presentation will review the research-based components and benefits of writing as well as practical applications of writing skills within the elementary classroom. Writing is a life-long skill so students benefit from opportunities to write beyond just Core Writing Blocks during the academic day. Resanovich (2024) shares “the act of writing involves examining, organizing, reconsidering, and synthesizing one’s ideas” (para. 5). As educators, we are aware these skills are important in all subject areas and by providing students with opportunities to write throughout the day, they are able to work through steps multiple times. When teachers organize activities that naturally embed writing components, students no longer view writing as a separate subject. In this practitioner based presentation, presenters will share teacher-developed writing resources and activities that elementary educators can take back to their classrooms. Due to the varying backgrounds, we will share writing activities for literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies. Additionally, we will share mentor texts that can be utilized with various writing activities in multiple subject areas. Activities and mentor texts have been field-tested in elementary classrooms in the United States. Attendees will leave with knowledge, activities, and resources to implement into their own classrooms. While the target audience for this presentation is elementary educators, materials and activities can be adapted and enhanced for older grades. Attendees who work in higher education can also attend this presentation, then share the content and resources in their own classrooms with preservice educators.
96975 | Linking Context to Concept: How Different Types of Context Shape Grade 9 Mathematics Learning Nel Maboko, North-West University, South Africa
This study investigates how different types of contexts influence the learning of mathematics in a Grade 9 classroom. Framed within situated learning theory and the constructs of affordances and constraints, the research explores how various contextual approaches, namely, familiar, real, extended, contrived, and disciplinary contexts, shape learners’ engagement with mathematical concepts. Employing a qualitative teaching experiment design, the researcher assumed a dual role as teacher and observer, using purposive sampling to focus on nine learners. Data were collected through video-recorded classroom interactions and analyzed using narrative and retrospective techniques. Findings reveal that context significantly impacts how learners interpret and approach mathematical problems. While certain contexts enhance participation, understanding, and problem-solving strategies, others introduce barriers, such as linguistic complexity or unfamiliar references, that distract from conceptual comprehension. Notably, learners often struggled more with interpreting the context than with the mathematical tasks themselves. The study underscores the importance of deliberate context selection in instructional design and highlights how aligning context with learners’ experiences can facilitate deeper mathematical understanding.
101233 | An Evaluation of Athletic Leadership Development Program of National University
Reine Joshua Cruz, National University of Philippines, Philippines
Mariano Thomas S. Ramirez, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Philippines
This study explored the athletic leadership development programs at National University with the aim of evaluating their implementation, effectiveness, challenges, and areas for improvement. Using a mixed-method approach, data were gathered through questionnaires and interviews with athletes to gain both quantitative metrics and qualitative insights. The investigation was guided by four key research questions: identifying the leadership programs implemented, describing the leadership roles and skills developed, uncovering challenges faced by athletes, and proposing a suitable improvement plan.Findings showed that NU offers a comprehensive leadership program focused on core competencies such as communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution. Among these, communication emerged as the most emphasized skill. The leadership development program incorporates a combination of group coaching, one-onone mentoring, leadership workshops, and experiential learning such as team drills. These approaches are designed to strengthen both individual leadership capabilities and team cohesion. However, challenges were identified in the program’s delivery. Athletes reported difficulties balancing academic, athletic, and leadership responsibilities, often feeling fatigued and stressed. Concerns were raised about the inflexible structure of the program, the lack of emotional and psychological support, and the use of highly academic content that lacked practical application. The study proposes the NU Athlete Leadership Development Program (NALDP), a four-year cohort model that develops athletes from emotional intelligence to strategic leadership. Through camps, reflective journaling, simulations, and continuous assessments, the program integrates with athletes’ schedules and experiences to strengthen leadership in both individual and team contexts.
IICE2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
Mind, Brain & Psychology: Human Emotional & Cognitive Development & Outcomes within Educational Contexts
102355 | A Mixed-Methods Analysis of the Psychotherapy Stage Play Bond on College Students’ Well-Being
Ann Cai, Northeastern University, United States
This mixed-methods study examines the therapeutic efficacy of Bond, a psychotherapy stage play integrating narrative therapy, Adlerian psychology, and existential frameworks. Chinese college students (N = 168 matched pairs; 84% female, n=141; 16% male, n=27) completed pre/post surveys measuring anxiety, depression, and stress using 5-point scales, alongside 25 qualitative reflections from Chinese college students. Quantitative results showed significant/substantial reductions in anxiety (62.71% total improvement, t(167) = 5.64, p < .001, d = 0.43), depression (62.15%, t(167) = 4.87, p < .001, d = 0.38), and stress (69.49%, t(167) = 6.10, p < .001, d = 0.47). Thematic analysis revealed character identification (Han/June=61.58%, r=.59 for anxiety reduction; Bai/April=58.19%, r=.51 for relationship insights) and aesthetic synergy (dialogue=54.8%, performances=Han 47.46%/Bai 46.33%, music=40.11%, lighting transition = 33.33%) as key mechanisms. Cross-cultural feedback from American students (n=15) highlighted Bond’s universal themes. Findings support aesthetic fluency theory (Chatterjee & Vartanian, 2016) and narrative catharsis (Goldstein, 2009), demonstrating theater’s potential as powerful tools for mental health intervention.
100396 | Exploring the Association Between Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Optimistic Thinking in Nepalese University Students Aneesah Nishaat, Higashi Nippon International University, Japan
Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) traits have been extensively studied in developed countries, but research remains limited in developing regions like Nepal. This study explored the relationship between Realistic Optimism and HSP traits among Nepalese university students. A total of 327 students aged 17–23 participated. Realistic Optimism was assessed using the Realistic Optimism Scale (Nishaat, 2021), comprising Future Orientation, Flexibility, and Will/Courage. HSP traits were measured using the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (Pluess et al., 2023), which includes Aesthetic Sensitivity (AES), Low Sensory Threshold (LST), and Ease of Excitation (EOE). Pearson correlation analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between total optimism score and HSP traits (r = –.22, p < .001). Among HSP dimensions, EOE showed the strongest negative correlation with optimism (r = –.32, p < .001), followed by LST (r = –.12, p < .05). Among optimism subscales, Will/Courage had the strongest negative correlation with HSP (r = –.24, p < .001), while Future Orientation and Flexibility showed moderate negative associations. The results suggest that high sensitivity hinders optimistic thinking. Highly sensitive individuals tend to perceive the world more intensely, making it harder to maintain positive expectations about the future. EOE, reflecting emotional overstimulation, had the strongest negative correlation with optimism, indicating that frequent overwhelm can undermine confidence and resilience. Will and courage are particularly affected by sensitivity suggesting that heightened emotional reactivity may make challenges feel more daunting, reducing determination and resolve.
Professional Training, Development & Concerns in Education
100917 | Adapting Differentiated Instruction Strategies for Infants and Toddlers: A Framework for Inclusive Early Learning
Vaisesika Navarro, 4C Florida, United States
This action research project focuses on the adaptation of established Differentiated Instruction (DI) strategies—Choice Boards, Task Cards based on the Depth and Complexity framework, and Hexagonal Thinking—for use with infants and toddlers (ages 0–3) in inclusive Early Head Start classrooms in Florida. Differentiated Instruction, as defined by Carol Ann Tomlinson, emphasizes proactively modifying content, process, product, and learning environment to meet diverse student needs. While these strategies are widely used in older age groups, there is a notable gap in resources and examples tailored for early childhood, particularly in the 0–3 age range. The project addressed this gap by modifying these strategies to align with the developmental stages of very young learners, ensuring they were sensory-rich, play-based, and culturally responsive. Adaptations included simplifying visual design, using concrete manipulatives, and embedding language support for multilingual environments. Data collected through classroom observations and educator interviews indicated that these adapted DI strategies increased student engagement, supported individualized learning pathways, and enhanced teacher confidence in managing developmental diversity. This work contributes to early childhood education by offering a replicable approach to adapting evidence-based DI tools for the youngest learners. It demonstrates that with intentional modification, strategies like Choice Boards, Depth and Complexity Task Cards, and Hexagonal Thinking can foster equity, inclusion, and responsive teaching from the earliest years.
IICE2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
102090 | Examining the Personality Characteristics that Support Well-being and Professionalism Among Medical Professionals
LaConda Fanning, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Old Dominion University, United States Cory Gerwe, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Old Dominion University, United States Agatha Parks Savage, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Old Dominion University, United States Heather Newton, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Old Dominion University, United States
The well-being of medical professionals is integral to their ability to maintain impeccable job performance. It is well documented that the medical profession is associated with increased stress and burnout with up to 94% of medical students and 44.8% of medical residents and fellows reporting a perceived high level of stress. Additionally, the academic environment surrounding graduate medical education can enhance these increased stress levels. Due to the breadth of physiological and psychological impacts of stress, medical professional’s well-being is integral to their performance. The California Psychological Inventory (CPI) captures personality strengths in certain areas (e.g., personal characteristics (PC) and work-related measures (WRM)) and measured participants overall level of well-being (i.e., level of emotional stability when handling stress). How characteristics of medical professionals, specifically PC and WRM, impacts well-being remains understudied. Therefore, the current study utilized the CPI to gain a better understanding of specific personality characteristics that may impact well-being. Specifically, (aim 1) the PC insightfulness (i.e., the ability to understand others’ behaviors and motivations) and flexibility (i.e., individuals’ adaptability in thinking and behavior) were examined as predictors of wellbeing. Additionally, (aim 2) the WRMs, managerial potential (MP) (i.e., individuals’ level of decision-making skills, responsibility, and interpersonal awareness), work orientation (WO) (i.e., individuals’ approach to tasks and enforced standards), leadership (i.e., individuals’ ability to motivate, foster cooperation, and guide others intrinsically), and law enforcement orientation (LEO) (i.e., individuals’ inclination towards maintaining structure and responsibility based upon work-place standards) were examined as predictors of well-being and professionalism.
102298 | Attitude, Involvement and Capability Towards Librarianship Among Librarians in BRLC
Jose Leandro III Lanuzo, Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology, Philippines
The findings revealed that the librarians of Bicol had a very positive attitude towards librarianship with an average weighted mean of 3.71. For the respondents’ level of involvement, librarians had a very high level of involvement in librarianship with an average weighted mean of 3.57 and the librarians had a ‘’very high’’ level of capability in librarianship with an average weighted mean of 3.60. There was a significant difference in the respondents’ level of involvement in librarianship when grouped according to educational attainment (x2 =12.440; p=0.002 < 0.05). And there was a significant difference in the respondents’ level of capability in librarianship when grouped according to length of service (F=3.101; p=0.033 < 0.05). In addition, there was a significant relationship between respondents’ attitude and level of involvement in librarianship as shown by r value of 0.520 (moderate correlation) and the p-value of 0.000, which is less than the 0.01 level of significance. Also there was a significant relationship between respondents’ level of involvement and level of capability in librarianship as shown by r value of 0.638 (moderate correlation) and the p-value of 0.000, which is less than the 0.01 level of significance. The research study concluded that the more positive the attitude of the respondents toward librarianship, the higher their level of involvement in it. The higher the level of involvement in librarianship, the higher the level of capability in it. This further suggests that the more actively engaged someone is in the field of librarianship (involvement), the more skilled and knowledgeable they become
Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
97045 | Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Language Education: Pedagogical Strategies for a Transformative Era Hanjiaxin Bao, Defense Langauge Institute Foreign Language Center, United States Duoduo Xu, Defense Language Institute Foreign Langauge Center, United States
The integration of AI into language education represents a transformative shift in pedagogy, offering new possibilities for personalized, efficient, and adaptive instruction. When used strategically, AI tools can support learner-centered instructions that foster autonomy and contextualized learning with enhanced authentic language use and dynamic interaction. It also increases teaching efficiency, streamlining material development, and inspiring innovative lesson plans. As digital literacy becomes integral to teaching, the ability to ethically and effectively integrate AI into the classroom is essential for advancing both educator growth and student success. This presentation will offer practical strategies for leveraging AI to enhance both instructional delivery and material development. Presenters will explore ideas of using various AI tools to generate and adapt level-appropriate authentic materials aligned with specific learning objectives and support students’ mastery of genre, tone, register, and communicative modes. Additionally, the presentation will showcase techniques for designing interactive, proficiency-driven lessons in speaking, listening, and reading.
iicehawaii.iafor.org/programme
IICE2026 Pre-Recorded Virtual Presentations
100707 | Embodied Empathy: Language, Identity, and Pedagogical Reception in a Hispanic-Serving Institution
Petra Baruca, Texas A & M University, United States
Elizabeth Olaoye, Texas A & M University, United States
In this presentation, we critically reflect on our teaching practices as multilingual instructors and how our linguistic and cultural identities (as second-language speakers of English) inform what scholars have described as empathetic pedagogy. Situated within the sociocultural context of Texas A&M University–San Antonio, a Hispanic-Serving Institution where our First-Year Composition supports this work by valuing linguistic diversity, validating students’ language practices and privileging cultural knowledge, we explore how our experiences as transnational educators, one from Slovenia in Europe and the other from sub-Saharan Africa, shape our orientation toward teaching, relationality, and classroom dynamics. Drawing on theories of culturally responsive pedagogy and teacher identity, we examine how our linguistic and cultural backgrounds predispose us toward fostering inclusive and empathetic learning environments, particularly for students from historically marginalized linguistic and ethnic backgrounds. However, we also interrogate the reception of this pedagogy by analyzing patterns in student evaluations over the past two semesters. These reflections reveal not only the advantages of an empathetic, identity-aware pedagogy, but also the tensions that emerge when pedagogical intent meets diverse student expectations and institutional norms. We argue that our translingual and transcultural identities offer distinctive pedagogical affordances that can enhance student engagement and classroom belonging. At the same time, these identities complicate the reception and interpretation of our teaching practices in a Hispanic-serving institutional context. This presentation contributes to broader conversations about linguistic diversity among faculty, pedagogical equity, and the affective labor involved in teaching across cultural and linguistic boundaries.
102952 | “More Than Love”: Critical Caring in the Pedagogy of a Transmigrant, Refugee-Background Teacher
Jeong Yeon Park, California State University, Fullerton, United States
This qualitative study, using a single case design grounded in narrative inquiry and a life history approach, examines the pedagogical becoming of Maya (pseudonym), a Pa’O refugee-background transmigrant preservice teacher in the U.S. Rather than positioning Maya as a subject of research, this study centers her as a co-theorist of pedagogy whose lived experiences of refugeehood, racialization, and transnational marginalization offer critical insight into “critical caring” as a decolonial pedagogical stance. Data were generated through life history interviews, photo-elicitation, drawing prompts, and teaching artifacts—methods chosen to support multimodal meaning-making and honor epistemic justice. In line with decolonial scholarship, the research resists extractive methodologies and instead emphasizes co-constructed knowledge. This study illuminates how Maya enacts care not as sentimentality, but as politically and historically situated praxis. Her story disrupts dominant discourses of teaching as neutral and challenges Eurocentric ways of knowing and being. It also reveals how pedagogy can emerge from survival, resistance, and intergenerational knowledge rooted in Metta (a Buddhist ethic of deep love and selflessness). Ultimately, this work invites educators and researchers to reimagine caring as a critical, justice-oriented practice in teacher education, shaped by the lived experiences of those teaching from the margins.
Reviewers
IAFOR depends on the assistance of a large number of international academics and practitioners who contribute in a variety of ways to our shared mission of promoting international exchange, facilitating intercultural awareness, encouraging interdisciplinary discussion, and generating and sharing new knowledge. Our academic events would not be what they are without a commitment to ensuring that international norms of peer review are observed for our presentation abstracts. With thousands of abstracts submitted each year for presentation at our conferences, IAFOR relies on academics around the world to ensure a fair and timely peer review process in keeping with established international norms of double-blind peer review.
We are grateful for the time, effort, and expertise donated by all our contributors.
IICAH2026 Review Committee
Professor Xiaofan Gong, Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, China
Professor Yi-ting Kuo, Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Taiwan
Dr Yuk Yee Lee, University of Wollongong Hong Kong (UOWCHK), Hong Kong
Dr Maria Lupas, Sophia University Junior College Division, Japan
Dr Mónica María Martinez Sariego, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Dr Rasha Osman Abdel Haliem, The Higher Technological Institute & AMIDEAST, Egypt
Professor Michael Owen, Brock University, Canada
Dr D. Christina Sagaya Mary, Loyola College, Chennai, India
Dr Gloria Sauti, University of South Africa, South Africa
Dr Zainor Izat Zainal, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia
Dr Xixi Zhang, Osaka University, Japan
IICAH2026 Senior Reviewers
Dr Orsolya Varkonyi, Molloy University and Columbia University, United States
Professor Qixin Shi, Anhui Institute of Information Technology, China
Dr Laila Al Salmi, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman
Professor Geanina Havârneanu, "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University in Iași, Romania
Dr Matt Chiu, Nanyang Academy of Fine Art, University of Arts Singapore, Singapore
Professor Catalino Mendoza, University of the East Manila and Baliwag Polytechnic College, Philippines
Dr Ying Chen, University of Wisconsin, Stout, United States
Dr Nicole Schlaack, University of Hawaii, United States
Dr Ken Cramer, University of Windsor, Canada
Dr Nicholas Isaac Mukwana, Kyambogo University, Uganda
Dr Chona Navarro, Pampanga State University, Philippines
IICAH2026 Reviewers
Dr Anna Leahy, Chapman University, United States
Dr Saleem Abu Jaber, Kaye Academic College of Education, Israel
Dr Yingying Han, City University of Macau, China
Dr Tomoe Nishio, University of North Georgia, United States
Dr Christopher Cameron, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, United States
Professor Shih-wei Chou, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan
Professor Carlos De Oro, Southwestern University, United States
Dr Austin Oting Har, Michigan State University, United States
Dr Ling-lang Huang, Mackay Medical University, Taiwan
Dr Ran Kamiyama, Toyo University, Japan
Dr Showan Khurshid, None, Iraq
Dr Indah Lestari, Universitas Gunadarma, Indonesia
Dr Doris Mcewen, City University of New York (Retired), United States
Dr Sharon Mirchandani, Westminster Choir College of Rider University, United States
Professor Barbara Mitchell, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Dr Md. Omar Faruque Munshi, Uttara University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Dr Beatrice Ngulube, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
Dr Shinji Okumura, Bunkyo University, Japan
Dr Leslie Ponciano, Fielding Graduate University, United States
Dr Joseph Richard Iii Renta, Asian Social Institute, San Beda College Alabang, Philippines
Professor John "rio" Riofrio, College of William and Mary, United States
Professor Aelita Skarzauskiene, Vilnius Gediminas Technical university, Lithuania
Dr Michelle Tubilan, Cebu Normal University, Philippines
Dr Dmitry Usenco, none, United Kingdom
Dr Neal Utterback, Juniata College/Texas Tech, United States
Dr Todd West, Kishwaukee College, United States
Dr Andrew Wister, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Dr Mark Yakich, Loyola University New Orleans, United States
Professor Tseng Yu-chuan, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan
Dr Emilio Álvarez Castaño, University of The Bahamas, Bahamas
Dr Simone Gause, Coastal Carolina University, United States
Dr Rongxin Li, Jinan University, China
IICE2026 Review Committee
Dr Marianne Andrada, University of Baguio, Philippines
Professor Mohamed Askar, Southern Utah University, United States
Dr Ramona Baima, Aurora University (Aurora, Illinois), United States
Dr Gladie Natherine Cabanizas, Tarlac State University, Philippines
Professor Petra Cajnko, University of Maribor, Slovenia
Dr Yung-huei Chen, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan
Dr Joanie Crandall, University of Northern British Columbia, Canada
Dr Germaine Ferreira, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States
Dr Rayna Fujii, University of Hawai'i Manoa, United States
Professor Heeseon Jang, Pyeongtaek University, South Korea
Dr Mi-young Kim, University of British Columbia, Canada
Dr Jisook Kim, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, United States
Dr Erick Kong, California State University East Bay, United States
Dr Laura McNeill, University of Alabama, United States
Dr Laura Mendoza, University of Texas at El Paso, United States
Dr Wafaa Metwalli, Misr International University, Egypt
Dr Matthew Motyka, University of San Francisco, United States
Dr Shankar Naskar, University of Virginia's College at Wise, United States
Dr Jaclyn Rivard, National Louis University, United States
Dr Robbie Lee Sabnani, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Dr Aman Deep Singh, Nirma University, India
Dr Wilfried Swoboda, University College of Teacher Education Vienna, Austria
Dr Yvonne Ualesi, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
Dr Orsolya Varkonyi, Molloy University and Columbia University, United States
Dr Alice Wabule, Cavendish University Uganda, Uganda
Dr Gwendolyn Williams, Auburn University, United States
Dr Yifeng Yuan, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Dr Jacqueline Zammit, University of Malta, Malta
Professor Alexander Zureck, FOM University of Applied Sciences, Germany
IICE2026 Senior Reviewers
Dr Mohammed Hassan Alshaikhi, Tabuk University, Saudi Arabia
Dr Kari Stunell, Université de Bordeaux, France
Dr Marion Cresencio, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines
Dr Stephanie Bartlett, University of Calgary, Canada
Dr Minh Bui Thi Hong, Hanoi Metropolitan University, Vietnam
Dr Fernando Enad, San Agustin National High School, Philippines
Dr Natasha Everett, Rowan University, United States
Dr Jaegeun Kim, Daegu National University of Education, South Korea
Dr William Makoyiisaaminaa, Western Washington University, United States
Dr Ngoc Nguyen Thi My, Ton Duc Thang University, Vietnam
Dr Mauryn Chika Nweke, University College London, United Kingdom
Dr Jimford Tabuyo, De La Salle University Dasmarinas, Philippines
Dr Cindy De Jesus, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, Philippines
Dr Andi Kaharuddin, Universitas Muhammadiyah Kendari, Indonesia
Dr Pin Chen Huang, National University of Tainan, Taiwan
Dr Shendah Benoit, University of Northern British Columbia, Canada
Dr Georgann Cope Watson, Yorkville University, Canada
Dr Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Hanoi University, Vietnam
IICE2026 Reviewers
Dr Kevin O'Connor, Mount Royal University, Canada
Dr Rey Magora, Bayan College, Oman
Dr Jill Ranucci, Educational Consultant, United States
Dr Kinley Seden, Samtse College of Education, Bhutan
Professor Guy Trainin, university of Nebraska-Lincoln, United States
Dr Sherif Abdelhamid, Virginia Military Institute, United States
Dr Ainur Abdina, Astana IT University, Kazakhstan
Dr David Aline, Kanagawa University, Japan
Dr Ahmed Alsharif, Utah Valley University, United States
Dr Yunita Anwar, Shenandoah University, United States
Dr Takao Asai, Kobe University, Japan
Dr Wai-leung Chan, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong
Dr Emily Reeves Fyfe, Midwestern State University, United States
Dr Holly Hansen-Thomas, Texas Woman's University, United States
Dr Jia He, Augusta University, United States
Dr Kristal Hebert, Arc of St. Mary, United States
Dr Yuri Hosoda, Kanagawa University, Japan
Dr Shunsuke Inagaki, University of Yamanashi, Japan
Professor Tomohiro Inagaki, Hiroshima University, Japan
Dr Richard Javier, University of the Philippines, Philippines
Dr Eriko Kamei, Kanagawa University, Japan
Professor Haydar Koban, Al-Bayan University, Iraq
Dr Emilio Landolfi, University of the Fraser Valley, Canada
Dr Yajie Liu, Southern Utah University, United States
Dr Rickey Lu, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Dr Laura Morrison, Ontario Tech University, Canada
Dr Yuko Murakami, Hiroshima University, Japan
Professor Jeong Yeon Park, California State University, Fullerton, United States
Professor John Pavlik, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, United States
Dr Khila Nath Sapkota, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Dr Julie Schmal, The University of Texas at Austin, United States
Dr Paul Sevigny, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan
Professor Brent Shea, Sweet Briar College, United States
Dr Kotomi Shiota, Waseda University, Japan
Dr Daniel Teodorescu, Clark Atlanta University, United States
Dr Najah Md Alwi, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia
Dr Yong-jik Lee, Changwon National University, South Korea
Dr Lisel Murdock-perriera, Sonoma State University, United States
Dr Narasimha Shashidhar, Sam Houston State University, United States
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