JALTCALL 2024

When : May 17-18-19 2024
Where: Meijo University Dome Mae Campus, Nagoya
Theme: The Impact of AI in Language Education
Keynote speakers: Takako Aikawa & Joel Tetreault
Conference site: https://events.jalt.org/e/jaltcall2024

Book of abstracts
Please click here to download the 2024 book of abstracts.
Poster gallery
Please click here to see the 2024 posters.

The call for papers is now closed. Thank you.

• The call is open to both JALT and non-JALT members, in Japan or overseas;
• Proposals should reflect the aims of the conference and be related to the particular interests of the JALT Computer-Assisted Language Learning special interest group (CALL SIG). (For more information check the JALT page at https://jaltcall.org/); 
• Abstracts regarding research items or projects which are still incomplete at the time of submission may also be accepted;
• We encourage first-time presenters: JALT’s Writers’ Peer Support Group are offering their support to those that request assistance (see: https://jalt-publications.org/psg); 
• We accept submissions in English and Japanese. *Submissions in other languages are welcome and will be reviewed on a best-effort basis.* 

Presentation

Note: All presentations will be in person at the Meijo University Nagoya Dome Mae Campus facility

When you submit your proposal, please select one of the following options:

1.  Research-based presentation 

Includes empirical studies in a given CALL environment, theoretical discussion of an issue relevant to the field of CALL, evaluative studies of courseware in use, discussion of policies or strategies at an institutional, regional, or national level or assessment of the potential of technological advances in the delivery of language learning materials.

Length:  30 minutes including Q&A 

2. Practice-based presentation

Descriptions of a given language learning environment, piece of software, courseware or practical application still in the developmental stage. There is less expectation regarding evaluation or research issues associated with the environment than in a paper presentation.

Length: 30 minutes including Q&A 

3. Poster presentation 
   As an alternative to oral presentations, submissions may also be presented as poster presentations. Poster presentations provide opportunities for extended and informal discussion with other researchers.   
   

Length: 60 minutes 

It will be a face-to-face event with selected sessions made available for online viewing. JALTCALL 2024 welcomes CALL presentations of all kinds, but focuses on the burgeoning field of AI in Education and Language Teaching.

The conference will be using the Indico platform. You must register on Indico, but this login will be valid for other JALT Conferences.

Prices

	Full price
Member-in-person	15,000 yen
Non-Member-in-person	17,000 yen
Student–in-person	7,000 yen

Conference Schedule

Friday May 17th: Start 18:00-20:00

Saturday May 18th : 9:00- 17:30

Sunday May 19th: 9:10- 13:10

AGM: Sunday after closing

About the venue

The conference will be held at Meijo University Nagoya Dome-Mae Campus.

Transportation: The Nagoya Dome-Mae Campus is conveniently located just as few minutes from the Nagoya Dome-Mae Yada subway station (M13) on the Meijo Line.

Downtown Nagoya:

About the theme

JALTCALL 2024 promises to be a groundbreaking event, focusing on the theme of “The Impact of AI in Language Education” This theme is particularly timely, as advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning are revolutionizing the landscape of Computer-Assisted Language Learning. The conference will serve as an open platform for educators, researchers, and technologists to explore a wide array of topics, from AI-human hybrid learning models to ethical considerations in AI and CALL. JALTCALL is also excited to welcome presentations and topics from across the whole spectrum of CALL. Whether your interest lies in Learning Management Systems, Assistive Technologies, or Virtual Reality, there’s a place for you to share your insights and learn from others. We invite you to be part of this exciting dialogue that aims to shape the future of language education in the age of AI.

Artificial Intelligence in Language Education
Machine Learning in Language Education
AI-Human Hybrid Learning
Language Learning Models (LLMs)
Learning Management Systems (LMS)
Ethical Issues in AI
User Experience in CALL
Materials Design in CALL
Computer Literacy in Language Education
Assistive Technologies in Language Learning
Evaluation and Assessment with AI
Policy and Government Regulation in CALL
Professional Development in CALL
Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)
Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)
Software Development in CALL
Exploratory Research in AI and CALL
Student/Teacher Experience in CALL
Equity and Inclusion in AI and CALL
Virtual/Augmented Reality
Game-based Learning
Lifelong Learning in CALL
AI in Informal Learning Contexts

Submitting a proposal

Presentation Proposals may be submitted from November 26th, 2023, by registering here: JALTCALL 2024 by providing the information below.  All participants will need to join the JALT Events Platform. If you already have an account from previous JALT events managed through this website, you may use that same one for JALTCALL 2024.

• PRESENTER INFORMATION: Name, affiliation (academic institution or workplace), email address, and telephone number of every speaker;
• TITLE: No more than 75 characters, including spaces;
• FORMAT: Research-based presentation (30 minutes), Poster session (60 Minutes including Q and A), or Workshop ( 60 Minutes); 
• ABSTRACT: No more than 300 words in English, 400 Japanese characters. This will be used for vetting in the selection process as well as appearing in the conference handbook. Submissions that have fewer than 150 words may be declined for acceptance.  All submissions will be through the online conference platform.
• KEYWORDS: Please list 2-4 keywords to classify your presentation.
• NOTES: Please indicate any special requests you have for your presentation. (Speakers must supply their own digital devices and any needed adapters.)

Number of presentation

Each person may only submit one proposal as lead presenter/author.   Each person may present in a maximum of two presentations or forums. Excess submissions will be deleted. Since the whole proposal, not simply one presenter, will be eliminated, this will result in co-presenters being eliminated as well, even if they have not exceeded the limit for proposals.

Deadline

Proposals must be submitted by Extended to January 31st 2024 Sunday, January 14th, 2024 at 11:59 pm JST. Responses regarding your submissions will be sent via email from the end of March 2024. Those who are requested to revise their submissions will be notified in mid-March, with a revision deadline to be announced. 

Attention ALL participants Registration by May 1st guarantees entrance to the Networking Reception. (**Late registrants cannot be guaranteed entrance to the networking reception)

Keynote speakers

Takako Aikawa (MIT, Senior Lecturer in Japanese)

AI-Enhanced Language Learning: Cultivating New Perspectives

Before joining MIT’s Global Languages in 2013, Takako Aikawa honed her expertise in machine translation and natural language processing at Microsoft Research. At MIT she is responsible for directing the Japanese language program while  utilizing technology for language learning. 

This talk explores the potential of using generative AI for language education, emphasizing the evolving roles and responsibilities of language teachers.  It encompasses several key areas of research.  The initial focus is on developing strategies for prompt engineering that facilitate the creation of language teaching and learning materials.  I will showcase various prompts for content generation that align with individual learners’ needs, interests, and proficiency levels.  Second, the pedagogical efficacy of AI-driven language pedagogy will be investigated.  This involves understanding the teacher’s evolving role and how language teachers can best utilize AI as a co-teaching tool.  I will discuss the importance of harnessing teachers’ prompt writing skills and AI literacy.  I will also share practical use case scenarios of generative AI based on my own teaching experiences.  Last, I will address some critical issues that arise from the use of generative AI for language instruction.  I will raise questions such as: What is the role of language teachers in the age of AI?  How should the language curriculum be adapted to incorporate generative AI?  What are the ethical and pedagogical implications of using generative AI for language learning?  I will provide anecdotal answers to such questions.  I conclude my talk by arguing that we need to cultivate “perspective shifts” that enable generative AI to optimize our future language education.  The imperative now is not to resist but to adapt.  

Joel Tetreault (Dataminr, VP of Research)

Revolutionizing Language Learning: The Impact and Evolution of Large Language Models

Joel Tetreault is VP of Research at Dataminr, a company that provides updates on breaking events across the world in real-time. His background is in AI, specifically Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning, and using techniques from those fields to solve real-world problems such as automatic essay scoring, grammatical error correction, hate speech detection, real-time event detection, and dialogue systems, AI for Good, among others. Prior to joining Dataminr, he led research groups at Grammarly, Nuance, and Educational Testing Service, and was a Senior Research Scientist at Yahoo Labs. Joel was one of the program chairs of ACL 2020 and also one of the longest-serving members of the NAACL Board where he was Treasurer for six years.  Additionally, he was a long-time organizer of the Building Educational Application workshop series (10+ years) and organized workshops on Generation, AI for Social Good, Abusive Language, Metaphor, and Event Detection.  His book “Automated Grammatical Error Detection for Language Learners” has been a must-read for the field over the last decade. [virtual] 

Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and its siblings have not only marked a sea change in AI research and development, but also had a major ripple effect on fields that may have used AI minimally.  In this presentation, I will first provide a brief history of Natural Language Processing, the field that has developed LLMs, and then delve into the foundational aspects of LLMs, providing an overview of their basic mechanisms, functionalities, and limitations. Next, I will survey how this technology is impacting, and in some cases revolutionizing, language learning applications.  Finally, I will conclude with thoughts on what we may expect as these technologies evolve.

Friday evening workshop

1. Technical background on deep learning and LLMs (Robert Swier) 
2. Pragmatics, generative AI, and language classroom practices (Jim Ronald) 
3. Game-based learning and “Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes” (Michael Hofmeyr)
4. How to make your own GPT (Gary Ross) 

Conference grants

Conference grants – NOW CLOSED – Successful applicants have been contacted by email

A limited number of grants are available from JALTCALL SIG to cover travel expenses for presenters and waive conference fees. Only applicants who have no (or very limited) access to research funding (e.g., institutional research or travel funds, a Kaken grant, etc.) are eligible for the conference grant. Furthermore, applicants who accept a grant offer will be expected to (1) be a JALTCALL SIG member at the time of the conference, (2) deliver a presentation at the conference, and (3) submit a paragraph for the post-conference issue of the C@lling Japan newsletter explaining how attending the conference changed your thinking or otherwise helped you develop professionally.

Grant offers will be made to successful applicants after the application deadline has passed. The selection criteria will include the quality of the abstract submitted and the financial need of the applicant. Successful grant applications will receive ￥20,000 and a conference waiver which includes the Saturday networking dinner. A total of five grants will be awarded.  The grant money will be sent electronically after the conference and the post-conference write-up for the newsletter is received  If you would like to apply for a JALTCALL 2024 grant please make the appropriate selection on the proposal submission form and submit a short paragraph to explain your circumstances, making clear how the grant would help you to present at the conference.

Social networking reception

The social network reception will be held on-site at the M Patio.
Attention ALL participants Registration by May 1st guarantees entrance to the Networking Reception. (**Late registrants cannot be guaranteed entrance to the networking reception)

Conference team and contact information

Site chair

Conference chair

Contact:conference@jaltcall.org

The Vetting Chairs, Geoff Carr and Robert Remmerswaal would like to extend a special mention to our review team and all the work they put into reviewing the abstracts this year. Thank you to:

Anthony Brian Gallagher
Bill Pellowe
Jeng-yih Tim Hsu
Lara Promnitz-Hayashi
Larry Xethakis
Luc Gougeon
Mark Brierley
Mark Howarth
Martin Spivey
Michael Phillips
Rob Hirschel
Robert Dykes
Robert Swier
Tom Gorham