Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Digital Age of Higher Education: Harnessing the Power of AI for Self-Directed Learning

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Session Description

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming self-directed learning in higher education.

Grounded in constructivist learning theory and inductive learning strategies, this session explores the role of AI tools in empowering learners to navigate academic challenges independently and effectively. Through in-depth analysis, we examine technologies like ChatGPT, Grammarly, Research Rabbit, Perplexity, NotebookLM, and Gamma, which enable learners to construct knowledge, streamline workflows, and achieve personalized learning outcomes.

The session also addresses critical challenges such as ethical considerations and data privacy, providing strategies for the responsible and effective integration of AI tools into academic environments. By offering actionable insights, this session/paper equips educators and policymakers with practical steps to foster the ethical use of AI while maximizing its transformative potential in higher education.

Presenter(s)

Alannah Roberson
California State University Fullerton
Upland, CA, USA

Alannah Roberson has worked in educational technology since 2014 and currently serves as an Instructional Technology Assistant at Rialto Unified School District in Rialto, California, where she has supported teachers and students for the past nine years. She is in the final stages of her M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology at CSU Fullerton and expects to graduate in Summer 2025. Her research interests focus on adult learning and the role of generative AI in education.

Enhancing Intercultural Competence through Virtual Reality for Elementary Students

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Session Description

This study proposal investigates the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (iVR) in developing intercultural competence (IC) among elementary school students in Japan and Hawaii. Despite increasing emphasis on IC in global education, many Japanese elementary schools face challenges in implementing effective intercultural education due to geographic isolation and limited resources. Through a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design, this study would compare the impact of 360° video-based iVR technology versus traditional 2D video on students' IC development. Participants (ages 10-12) will engage in an eight-week virtual exchange program, with the experimental group using Samsung Gear VR headsets and the control group using standard 2D video displays. Data collection would include pre and post-tests using Fantini's Assessment of Intercultural Competence (AIC) and Witmer's Presence Questionnaire, supplemented by semi-structured interviews. The study would explore three research questions examining: (1) the comparative impact of iVR versus 2D video on IC development, (2) the relationship between sense of presence and IC, and (3) student perceptions of iVR for IC development. This research aims to contribute to understanding how VR-based experiences can be effectively designed and implemented to enhance intercultural learning for younger learners, particularly in geographically isolated contexts, potentially informing future curriculum development and pedagogical strategies in intercultural education.

Presenter(s)

Joseph Peters
University of Hawaii at Manoa
HI, USA

Joseph is a PhD student in the UHM: LTEC Department. He has experience teaching at all levels of education in both public and private sectors with both local and international students.

In addition, he has experience developing online courses (synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid). He has worked with faculty, instructors, students, and other stakeholders to foster positive learning environments with empathy for users’ experience. He currently helps support education and knowledge development in japan at Fukui University of Technology.

A Longitudinal Study: Understanding Nursing Student Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Generative AI in Higher Education

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Session Description

This presentation explores nursing students' and faculty perceptions of generative AI (GAI) tools, focusing on their use in education and healthcare. Surveys conducted at UH Mānoa from 2023 to 2024 gathered insights into students' and faculty's attitudes and practices regarding GAI usage, while also evaluating the effectiveness of a school-wide GAI guidance document. Findings revealed that over half of the students understood the school's policies on GAI, and the majority valued GAI for generating ideas, tutoring, and generating practice questions for an exam. Faculty and students aligned in identifying these activities as most beneficial. However, gaps in the guidance document underscore the need to address popular student uses of GAI, such as tutoring and test preparation. These insights will guide revisions to policies, faculty training, and strategies for responsibly integrating GAI into nursing education, ensuring students are prepared for AI-enhanced professional environments.

Presenter(s)

James Callahan
UH Mānoa SONDH
Honolulu, HI, USA

James Callahan is a Senior Instructional Designer at the Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing at the University of Hawai’i (UH) at Mānoa. He also received his MEd in Educational Technology at UH Mānoa. Has worked in Higher Education Instructional Technology and Online learning for more than 20 years. His research interests are in online learning, online mentoring and technology adoption life cycles.

Avree Ito-Fujita
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Honolulu, HI, USA

Avree Ito-Fujita is an instructional designer for the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges. As a doctoral student in the English Department at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, her research interests include online and community writing center pedagogies with a focus on multimodal tutoring and composition methods.

Shayna Katz
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Honolulu, HI, USA

Education, course design, and language learning have always been and continue to be Shayna’s passion which she has delved into through teaching, instructional design, research and professional development. She earned an MA in Spanish with a focus on pedagogy at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Second Language Studies in Spanish Applied Linguistics, and a certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Shayna is currently an instructional designer with Hawai'i Pacific University, as well as a PhD student in Learning Design and Technology at the University of Hawai‘i. Her primary research interests lie at the intersection of multimodal expression and social presence in online courses.

NextGen Inc. Thanks You for Learning: Critical Narratives of AI and Education’s Future

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Session Description

In this session, participants will experience “NextGen Inc. Thanks You for Learning,” an original speculative audio story that critically explores the intersections of artificial intelligence (AI), education, and neoliberalism. Set in a future where AI systems govern learning, the story raises thought-provoking questions about agency, equity, and the role of educators and students in technology-driven environments.

As AI tools promise efficiency, personalization, and innovation, what underlying narratives guide their implementation in education systems? Whose needs are prioritized, and whose are overlooked? This session invites participants to critically reflect on the opportunities, challenges, and ethical considerations surrounding AI in education.

After listening to the 17-minute audio story, participants will engage in a facilitated critical discussion to unpack the story’s themes and their real-world implications. The goal is to collaboratively reflect on how educators, students, and institutions can approach AI integration with a balance of innovation, equity, and human-centered values.

This session is ideal for educators, researchers, and administrators interested in critically examining emerging technologies and exploring their ethical and transformative impacts in education.

Presenter(s)

Brodie Robbins
Tampere University of Applied Sciences
Squamish, BC, Canada

Session Time

 

April 24th
at 10:00 HST

Find the time at your
location by following
this link.

 

Assessing Student Learning Using Portfolios: Seeking Evidence of Authentic Development and Reflective Practice

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Session Description

Online portfolios offer a comprehensive view of student learning, capturing authentic evidence of academic progress and skill development. They allow students to showcase their work in context, demonstrating understanding and applying acquired knowledge in real-world situations. Asking students to create and curate a portfolio facilitates the development of critical skills valuable to their academic and professional growth. Reflecting on artifacts engages students in metacognitive processes, enhances self-awareness, and strengthens evaluation skills. Reflective practice supports lifelong learning skills and a growth mindset.

However, implementing an effective system requires careful planning, clear assessment criteria, and ongoing support from various stakeholders. The presentation discusses the implementation of an online portfolio assessment for the last five years, focusing on the rationale, components, challenges, and opportunities for engaging students. Portfolio assessment is considered a significant tool for capturing complex and deep learning in online, blended, or digital contexts. The presentation provides information on designing, developing, and implementing an online portfolio in assessing student learning.

Presenter(s)

Danilo M. Baylen
University of West Georgia
Carrollton, Georgia, USA

Danilo Madayag Baylen is a tenured instructional technology, media, and design professor at the University of West Georgia (USA). He teaches, researches, and publishes about technology integration practices, multiliteracies, and learning experience design. As a scholar-practitioner, Dr. Baylen served as lead editor of Essentials of Teaching and Integrating Visual and Media Literacy and received the Association for Educational Communications and Technology's James W. Brown publication award. Also, he co-authored and, co-edited several publications focused on technology-supported initiatives, LIS in the Asia-Pacific region, and visual and media literacy. Before pursuing graduate studies in the U.S., he taught English to Indochinese refugees for an international non-government organization and served as a project officer in the Philippine government. He received honors as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar to the Philippines (2023) and Outstanding Alumni for Education by the West Visayas State University (2023). The University of Alabama recognized him as a Centennial Scholar (2024) and Outstanding Alumni for Library and Information Studies (2025).

Pre-service Teachers’ Discussion on ChatGPT: Using the LIWC

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Session Description

As the development of Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has rapidly increased in education (Prahani et al., 2022), teachers are expected to adopt AI tools for effective teaching and learning. Acknowledging that early exposure to AI helps pre-service teachers apply AI to their teaching practice, we examined pre-service teachers’ perceptions and experiences of AI through linguistic features.

The study involved 54 pre-service teachers from a Southeastern university in the US. They engaged in asynchronous online courses and participated in weekly discussions. In this proposal, a class of eleven students’ discussion posts and comments were analyzed, and the full data will be presented in the paper. We uploaded a total of 428 sentences into the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software for linguistic analysis.

When asked about expectations and perceptions of AI in the first week, students used slightly more negative emotional expressions than positive ones. In the following week, they were requested to report any issues, challenges, or difficulties related to the AI-generated content. They seemed to assess the responses from ChatGPT positively based on the higher percentages of positive emotional expressions. Additionally, they used authentic language the most this week. In the third week, students explored effective strategies to use ChatGPT for task completion or problem-solving. As they approached this topic critically and logically, the use of emotional expressions was lower than in the other three weeks, while analytic language use was the highest. In the last week, they were asked to report any issues or concerns about AI ethics. They showed slightly more negative emotional language use than positive and linguistic language use the most. Overall, students used more analytical language than emotional expressions in their online discussion posts across the week. This study offers insights into the application of LIWC in online discourse analysis.

Presenter(s)

Jaesung Hur
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida, USA

Jaesung Hur is a PhD candidate in Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies in the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems at Florida State University. Her research focuses on enhancing engagement in online learning through technology integration and inclusive course design.

Haesol Bae
University at Albany, State University of New York
Albany, NY, USA

Jaesung Park
University at Albany, State University of New York
Albany, NY, USA

Gi Woong Choi
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH, USA

Jewoong Moon
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

The CARE2 Model: An Action Research Study Exploring Multicultural Experiences in an International Higher Education Classroom

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Session Description

This study explores the development of the CARE2 model, an instructional design framework aimed at enhancing curriculum engagement and performance for international learners in higher education. Grounded in action research, the study was conducted at a private business college in Copenhagen, Denmark, where 240 first-year marketing students from Nepal, Bangladesh, and India engaged with a U.K.-based curriculum. Using qualitative methods such as formative assessments, classroom observations, and student feedback via Kahoot and Padlet, researchers identified four key challenges: technological literacy gaps, low engagement, unfamiliarity with U.K. brand cases, and varied communication proficiency levels. Using a design-based research approach enabled iterative revisions to the U.K.-based curriculum through changes to instructional strategies, content, and activities, resulting in increased student engagement, improved technological literacy, and higher academic performance. Thematic analysis highlighted core instructional constructs, including culture, collaboration, agency, agility, relevance, repetition, engagement, and evaluation. Quantitative results revealed significant performance improvements in the CARE2 intervention group. In Semester 1, the intervention group scored 15-16% higher than the control groups (p < 0.0001), and in Semester 2, it scored 21.13% higher than Control 1 and 10.79% higher than Control 2 (p < 0.0001). These findings suggest that culturally relevant content, collaborative learning opportunities, and instructor adaptability play critical roles in learner satisfaction and success. The study led to the creation of the CARE2 model, a framework for instructional designers to develop relevant learning experiences for international students. Limitations include challenges in asynchronous settings, as the model was tested in a fully in-person environment. Further research is needed to explore the model's applicability across different educational contexts. The study concludes by demonstrating how the CARE2 model fosters culturally responsive and co-created learning experiences.

Presenter(s)

Karen Fujii
Niels Brock Copenhagen Business College
Copenhagen, Denmark

Karen Fujii, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Niels Brock Copenhagen Business College in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is an MBA module leader who teaches international students cross-cultural management and other marketing programs. Her background is in global marketing, communications, and multimedia, having worked in broadcasting, non-profits, corporate, and higher education institutions in Europe and North America.

Natalie Perez
USA

Dr. Natalie Perez works as a Senior Research Scientist. She has a unique interdisciplinary background that integrates educational technology, retention support services, instructional design, and organizational psychology with an emphasis on mixed methods and design-based research within higher education and corporate environments. Her secondary line of research focuses on qualitative methodologies and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), including its use and application, particularly within the context of unstructured text data and qualitative analysis.

Power Up Game-Based Learning (GBL) With A.I.: Creating Fun Learning Opportunities with Speed Through the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence

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Session Description

The goal of this workshop is to complete the initial design of simple card game with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) with Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) as your game design assistant. You will learn how to transition an academic problem into an interactive learning experience, the A.I. tools for creating in real life (IRL) games, and some of the rules for ensuring your A.I. generated content is compliant with content-related laws. By the end of the workshop, you will have a plan of action for your game idea that may lead to designing your game completely with A.I.

To maximize your workshop experience, consider these three factors for your game-based learning idea:

  1. Problem to Address: When designing a game with a focus on learning, the main objective is to teach or train through game mechanics to move the learner through the Four Stages of Competence
  2. Modeling: Consider which card-based games interest you that may be used for inspiration
  3. Player Avatar: Think through the demographics of your intended learning (ex. age, gender, education level, etc.) as these factors may influence your game design decisions

At the conclusion of the workshop, you will have both custom-engineered prompts for ChatGPT to design your game through the program and a mind map to visualize your game design journey. Resources will be supplied at the end of the session to further aid in completing not just this game, but for games in the future. Your participation in this session also helps in the design of a curriculum for an upcoming game designing program for K-12 educating entrepreneurs.

Presenter(s)

Timothy D. Craggette
NAASBI
Rockville, MD, USA

Timothy D. Craggette is an entrepreneur with over 15+ years as an educator and consultant for small business entrepreneurship, public relations, and marketing. He has trained budding business owners within the Washington, DC Metro Area as well as globally through his online coaching, training programs, live events, private masterminds, and “The Swift Kick Show” on WERA 96.7 FM..DC’s #1 Radio Show for Online Small Business. As the Executive Producer for “The Swift Kick Show”, Timothy invites today’s industry leaders in small business and discusses their unique business models. For close to four years, he’s aired his show to over 291,000,000 people with more than 12,000 hours on-air. The show can be heard in over 116 countries worldwide. As a member of the National Business Educators Association, he has spoken at the University of Maryland, the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and on stages nationally on the topics of online business and health. As the Chairman for the Entrepreneurship Committee for The Yleana Leadership Foundation, he serves as an advisor for entrepreneurship curriculum and mentorship to teenagers in underserved communities. Timothy also serves as the Founder and Chief Education Officer for the small business association, NAASBI – The National Association for the Advancement of Small Business Innovation. He is also a 6x award-winning, best-selling information product creator and audio engineer/recordist with over nine figures in sales. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Education.

Supporting Older Online Learners: Employer and Institution Collaborations

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Session Description

The Lumina Foundation states the following facts about working adults in 2024: “64% of college students work, 40% work full time”. Older learners, those who fall into the age group of 25 years and above, typically work a full time job while attending school. This is partly due to sustaining a household, fulfilling other financial obligations, taking classes for career advancement or are stopped out learners - those who attended college but took a break to return at a later time. Many employers and educational institutions are unaware on how to best support this demographic because they are complex, the traditional college student is between the ages of 18-25, and they attend in the classroom. The panel discussion will highlight ways employers and institutions are collaborating to empower and support older working learners who attend online. The audience will hear from four individuals: an employer, an institution, a student, and an instructor, who will share the methods they are using to ensure their older working learners are successful.

Presenter(s)

Ashley Boyd
California State University Fullerton
Los Angeles, CA, USA

Ashley Boyd, aPHR, is a student in the Instructional Design and Technology Program at California State University - Fullerton. As a Learning Representative for a national grocery retailer, she helps develop and facilitate training programs that foster a culture of continuous growth for store employees, whether they hold entry level or managerial roles. Demonstrating a steadfast commitment to lifelong learning and professional excellence, Ashley has earned certifications in Business Essentials, Retail Management, and Human Resource Management from Cerritos College. Her exceptional contributions to employee training and development have garnered her recognition as a “2024 Top Women in Grocery: Rising Star” Honoree, an accolade celebrating her outstanding achievements in advancing workforce education and leadership.

During her panel discussion, "Supporting Older Online Learners: Employer and Institution Collaborations," Ashley will facilitate a conversation that highlights strategies and methodologies used to foster the success of this demographic.