Faculty Publications and Conference Presentations

要　旨 　

　科学技術の発展が教育に与える影響は大きい。Online授業やe-Learningの発展など教育のデジタル化は目覚ましい。ここ数年、「生成AIの教育における活用」について活発に議論されてきている。もう生成AIは生活の一部になりつつあり、誰もが容易に使うことができるようになってきている。 　

　この発表では、まず、日本語教育において生成AIはどのような役割を担っているのかについて考察をする。生成AIは学習ツールであり、いくら開発が進んで優秀な性能を得たとしても教員にとって代わるというものでもない。そこで、我々教員の役割がどのように変容していくのかについて考察をしたと考えている。 　

　最後に、変わっていくべきことと、教育の本質として変わるべきではないことが整理できれば、また、その視点について意見交流ができればと考えている。

キーワード

ファシリテーター、教員の役割、生成AIの役割

　この要旨は「第１４回国際日本語教育・日本研究シンポジウム」における発表要旨である。

２０２５年１１月２２日、２３日開催

This training was an invaluable opportunity, allowing me to undergo a 10-day intensive program to systematically review the phonetic knowledge of Putonghua.

Under the guidance of the instructors, I revisited the pronunciation techniques and points of articulation for Putonghua initials and finals, enhanced my perception of tones, and learned to identify common phonetic errors and defects. Additionally, I engaged in extensive daily listening practice to sharpen my auditory sensitivity. Ultimately, I successfully passed the examination and became a certified Putonghua Proficiency Test (PSC) Examiner.

Looking ahead, I am eager to contribute to the CLE after this training. I hope to provide sustained and more targeted support to CLE's Putonghua programs in a more systematic manner by continuing to teach the PSC courses during the winter and summer terms, participating in the grading of the Putonghua Proficiency Test, and dedicating my efforts to other Putonghua-related projects.

In May, I joined the AHKLC 2025 symposium, and it was one of those events that really made me stop and think about where we’re heading as language teachers. The theme “Repositioning Language Education in the Age of AI” couldn’t have been more timely. With all the talk about ChatGPT, translation bots and AI writing tools, the big question really resonated with me was: what exactly is the role of a language educator now?

We’re No Longer Just “Language Experts”

One of the keynote speakers said something that stuck with me: “Our students can already generate perfect English sentences with AI, but can they tell which ones actually sound human?” That line summed up a lot of what the symposium was about. AI can handle grammar and vocabulary faster than any of us. But what it can’t do is teach empathy, context, or cultural awareness. That’s where we come in, not as walking dictionaries, but as mentors who help students think critically and communicate meaningfully.

Teaching Students to Work with AI

Several talks showed examples of how teachers are using AI in classrooms, and not just as a gimmick. Some ask students to compare their own writing with AI-generated drafts; others use AI feedback as a discussion starter. The goal isn’t to ban the tools, but to teach students how to use them wisely, to ask, “Is this tone appropriate?” or “Does this really express what I mean?” It reminded me that part of our job now is to build AI literacy: helping learners understand what these tools can and can’t do, and how to keep their own voice in the process.

Rethinking Assessment

One lively panel discussion focused on assessment. If AI can help write essays, how do we still measure learning fairly? The suggestion was to look at the process of “how students plan, edit, and reflect”  rather than just the final product. It’s about valuing learning transparency instead of just “originality.”

I liked that idea. It means encouraging students to show how they used AI and what decisions they made, rather than pretending they didn’t touch it.

Keeping the Human Heart in Language Learning

Even with all the technology talk, the message throughout the symposium was clear that language learning is still about people. The most memorable lessons often come from laughter, misunderstanding, or sharing stories but not from perfect grammar. Our human connection, empathy, and curiosity are what keep the classroom alive.
So as we move deeper into this AI era, I see our role evolving but not disappearing. We’re becoming more a co-learners, designers, and guides who help students find their authentic voices while navigating new digital tools.

Walking out of the symposium, I didn’t feel replaced by AI; instead I felt re-energized. The future of language education isn’t about competing with technology; it’s about bringing the human touch that technology can never replicate.
 

1) Which Conference it is

The 14th International Symposium on Japanese Language Education and Japanese Studies

Japanese Language Education and Japanese Studies in the Ara of Generative AI

- Recapturing their History and Essence

The University of Hong Kong, School of Professional and Continuing Education / Society of Japanese Language Education Hong Kong / The University of Hong Kong

2) How the conference relates to what do in term of teaching and learning or the professional work at the CLE

Hong Kong has a long history and tradition in Japanese language education. This symposium is held every two years and is an international symposium related to "Japanese Language Education and Japanese Studies," providing a valuable opportunity to meet instructors and researchers involved in Japanese language education and Japanese Studies. Additionally, this year’s theme is "Gen AI," which is also relevant to EYE, and I believe there is much to learn from it.

3) Purpose of your review

- As a presenter, I would like to report on the use of Gen AI Chatbot in the classroom, gather feedback from participants, and deepen my research perspective.

- To widen the perspective on Japanese language education more and more contributes to the development of Japanese language courses and iLang activities in CLE as the 3rd Language.

- I would like to connect and widen the network of practitioners and researchers.

4) What the review is about e.g. themes, organizers, speakers etc. including overall effectiveness of the conference.

 In the current report on Japanese language education, I was able to learn about the initiatives led by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology regarding the shortage of teachers and the improvement of their qualifications. Additionally, I got a glimpse of practices in areas with a high population of foreigners, such as the 23 wards of Tokyo, from the presenters. On the other hand, I felt that the focus on improving the qualifications of Japanese language teachers was primarily centered on Japan, and I would like to see more in-depth consideration of the qualifications of Japanese language teachers working abroad. Furthermore, there seems to be an emphasis on qualifications, and I wonder if there has been sufficient research and consideration of the needs of foreign universities for those working abroad.

5)Your overall experience i.e. if you'd recommend this conference (to whom and why)

This symposium is held every two years and is primarily organized by researchers from Hong Kong. Researchers from all over Asia are likely to join and share their discoveries. It serves as a gateway for Japanese language education and Japanese studies in Asia, offering many learning opportunities. Moreover, since it is held every two years, it is easier to establish connections with fellow researchers in Asia. So, every Japanese teacher has a good chance to have a stimulations from teachers joining the symposium.

This paper presents findings from a reflective pedagogy group at a language centre in a Hong Kong university, initiated by seven teachers to evaluate a new first-year English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course. The group engaged in individual reflections and collaborative dialogues two to three times each semester. A pivotal moment occurred during a dialogue when the teachers recognized the value of integrating student reflections from the course's three units, which provided insights into student learning and challenges. This realization led to a focus on using these reflections to inform teacher discussions aimed at enhancing course design and delivery. The study employs thematic coding based on course learning outcomes—Effective Learning, Spoken Language, and Written Language. Findings indicate teachers' concerns regarding the pedagogical approach and time constraints, while students expressed mixed feelings about Spoken Language but positive feedback on Written Language. The paper advocates for a reflective pedagogy approach that incorporates both teacher and student perspectives to improve EAP outcomes.

This study compares formative feedback from ChatGPT-3 and human teachers on student essays, evaluating language, coherence, and content/argumentation in writing. ChatGPT primarily addressed surface-level issues like typos, citations, and sentence length, even when prompts targeted deeper aspects such as thesis development, argumentation, and structural coherence. In contrast, experienced teachers provided higher-quality feedback, offering nuanced insights into metacognitive processes, such as synthesising information, extrapolating and inferring from evidence and stance-taking. While ChatGPT’s feedback remained conservative and unchanged despite revised prompts, teachers identified subtle areas for improvement to guide students toward more sophisticated writing. These findings suggest that as of now ChatGPT is useful for proofreading and addressing mechanical language accuracy issues but lacks the depth to support advanced writing development. Consequently, Generative AI can be used as a supplementary tool for feedback in conjunction with critical comments from skilled educators in fostering deeper writing competencies. <br/>Is this a duty-visit?<br/>

This paper evaluates the implementation of a chatbot in an elementary Japanese language course at a tertiary institution, examining its benefits and challenges through detailed student feedback. Utilising a mixed-methods approach that incorporates both qualitative and quantitative research methods, data was collected over several months from 40 students enrolled in a zero-beginner Japanese course at a university. The chatbot, designed to function as a private tutor, assisted students with vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation and provided an interactive and personalised learning environment. Student feedback was systematically categorised and analysed to identify trends and patterns in usage and satisfaction. The results indicate that while chatbots offer personalised and interactive learning experiences, their effectiveness is contingent on the accuracy of responses and their ability to adapt to the evolving needs of students as their proficiency increases. The study underscores the need for enhanced features, such as improved contextual understanding and accuracy, to support students’ progress in language learning. The study identifies several challenges, such as ensuring the accuracy of chatbot responses by constantly monitoring the information provided in relation to learners’ proficiency levels. These challenges highlight areas for future improvement and research.