Assoc. Prof. Chei Sian Lee, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

 

Dr. Chei Sian Lee is currently an Associate Professor at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, where she is also the Associate Chair (Faculty). She is actively involved in research on issues related to everyday user-information interaction at work, school or play. Specifically, her research focuses on how digital and emerging technologies can be designed to facilitate everyday user-information exchanges and be used to change social behaviors, benefit communities, and create social good. More recently, she has been investigating the deepfakes phenomena from an information-oriented perspective. Dr Lee is on the editorial board for Computers and Education, Online Information Review, The Electronic Library and Journal for STEM Education Research. Dr Lee received her B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Computer and Information Sciences from the National University of Singapore and her PhD in Management Information Systems from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Liautaud Graduate School of Business.

 

Title: Learning with Digital Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract: Digital and emerging technologies present both opportunities and challenges for learning. This presentation will showcase two projects leveraging digital and emerging technologies in the educational context. The first project examines the concept of searching as learning and how everyday digital technologies and generative artificial intelligence can be leveraged for learners searching for information during an educational transition. The second project explores the affordances of video conference technologies on learning. The future prospects and broader impacts of digital and emerging technologies on learning will also be discussed.

 

 

 

Prof. Jie Liu, Western Oregon University, USA

 

Dr. Jie Liu is a tenured full professor in the Computer Science Division at Western Oregon University (WOU), bringing over more than three decades of experience to the academic realm. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Oregon State University in 1993, specializing in Parallel Processing.

Outside of academia, Dr. Liu has shared his expertise with various government agencies and renowned enterprises such as Microsoft, HP, and HollySys, just to name a few. In roles ranging from consultant to senior Software Engineer/Data Engineer and web architect, he has cultivated a diverse skill set. Recent projects at HPI have focused on Mobile, ETL, and Big Data, and AI, showcasing his proficiency across emerging technological domains.

As a prolific researcher, Dr. Liu has made significant contributions to the academic landscape, publishing over 50 peer-reviewed papers covering topics such as big data security, networks, data processing, and parallel processing. Recognized for his expertise in Blockchain and Big Data, he has been invited to author a series of articles for China's Financial News and provide specialized Blockchain training to HollySys, demonstrating a commitment to advancing knowledge dissemination and industry application.  Dr. Liu became interested in Computer Science education recently, especially with the recent introduction and popularity of Generative AI.

Dr. Liu has delivered over 200 invited talks at various universities and organizations in both the USA and China. He currently serves as a visiting professor at Beijing Jiaotong University and Xuchang University.

 

Title: Analyzing AI's Impact on Shaping College Students' Decision to Major in Computer Science

Abstract: Since the introduction of ChatGPT, the discourse surrounding Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has reached a crescendo, fueled by projections of its potential impact on software engineering job markets. This study delves into the intriguing question: to what extent does this media narrative shape the decisions of students when considering a major in Computer Science? Additionally, we explore the nuanced aspect of pronouns, investigating if and how they contribute to this decision-making process.

Our investigation unfolds within the framework of a 100-level online course titled "Introduction to Computer Science Non-Majors." This course is meticulously crafted to introduce fundamental Computer Science concepts and basic coding skills to students pursuing degrees outside the purview of Computer Science. Amid a spectrum of assignments, our focus narrows in on two of five discussion questions, each designed to elicit insights into the students' technological inclinations and, crucially, their perceptions of majoring in Computer Science, if they were to make that decision again.

The journey begins with the inaugural discussion question, assigned in the first week, prompting students to introduce themselves and share their favored technologies or frequently used tools. Since the question sample contains their instructor’s pronouns, coupled with students' names, we have a window into the diverse pronouns employed by students. The crux of our exploration lies in the fourth discussion question posed during weeks seven and eight. By then students have learned topics such as the History and Basics of computer science, Hardware and Software, The Internet and Web, Operating Systems, Computer Applications, Web/Mobile Apps, Privacy, and coding with branches and loops. Then, students are candidly asked whether, given the chance to choose a major again, they would opt for Computer Science and, crucially, the rationale behind their decisions. The richness of their responses, preserved over the past five years of teaching, forms the basis of our nuanced analysis.

Through this investigation, we aim to discern patterns in students' choices by examining the intersectionality of pronouns and potential major in Computer Science preferences. By comparing aggregate data before and after 2023, we seek to unveil trends that could be indicative of the influence of GenAI discourse, particularly against the backdrop of widespread layoffs in the United States.

Respecting the privacy of our participants, we employ internal keys to anonymize responses during data collection and analysis. The findings will be presented in an aggregated format to ensure confidentiality while shedding light on the intersection of GenAI publicity and students' decisions to major in Computer Science.

In presenting our insights, we hope to contribute valuable perspectives to the ongoing dialogue on the evolving landscape of technology education, unraveling the intricate factors that influence students' academic choices.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science Major, Pronouns, Technology Education

 

 

 

Assoc. Prof. Chew Fong Pen, University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia

 

Associate Professor Dr. Chew Fong Peng is the Chair of the Centre for Research in Language Education (CRiLE), Faculty of Education, University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia. She teaches Malay Language Education, Chinese Language Education, and early childhood education programs. She has presented approximately 180 working papers in international and international seminars and conferences in Malaysia and foreign countries, published 9 books, 148 articles published in journals, 74 papers in conference proceedings, 45 chapters in books, 21 translated books including creative writings, 14 edited books, and edited creative writings. She is the book editor of Taylor & Francis, editor for Malaysian Year 4, 5, and 6 History textbooks, and Year 1 Arts and Music Education textbooks. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chew has completed 31 research projects, 10 of which were led by Chew. She won many medals in the academy and innovative expo, besides being listed in Marquis Who's Who in the World 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Chew is an article reviewer for established international journals on the Web of Science and Scopus, such as Frontiers in Psychology, Frontiers in Education, Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, Asia Pacific Journal of Education, SAGE Open, Educational Research and Reviews (ERR), Pertanika: Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, GEMA Online, etc.  Associate Professor Dr. Chew is also a member of the editorial board of many national and international journals including the Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, Review of Educational Theory, GATR Global Journal for Business & Social Science Review, and Advisory of International Research and Development Center for Publication (IRDCP). She was invited as a visiting professor at Peking University, China from October 2011 to June 2012.

 

Title: Malay Language Performance of the Candidate in the Malaysia Certificate of Education in a Decade

Abstract: Malay is the national language in Malaysia by Article 152 of the Constitution of Malaysia and became the sole official language. Those applying for government jobs in Malaysia must pass the Malaysia Certificate of Education (MCE) or O-Level Malay Language without exception. The Malay language is accepted by those who are looking to enter public universities and services. Thus passing the MCE Malay Language is of utmost importance for secondary school students. This study analyzes the questions of the MCE Malay Language to find out the format of the examination papers and the trend of performance of the Form V candidate in the MCE ranging from 2011 to 2019. The analysis indicated that the questions for MCE Malay Language covered all the levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. The difficulty level for Paper I is at a high level because it involves creation in parallel with the cognitive domains as described in Bloom's Taxonomy. In Paper II, the majority of items consisted of medium-level items followed by low-level items and high-level items. The results of the comparison MCE results for Malay language subjects from 2011 to 2019 showed a similar pattern which is the percentage of candidates who obtained distinction grades were higher than excellent, passed, and failed. Therefore, secondary school candidates must keep up efforts to learn and master the Malay language to guarantee them a good prospect in the future.

 

 

Assoc. Prof. Jennifer Stokes

University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia

 

Assoc. Prof. Jennifer Stokes is the Associate Director of the Teaching Innovation Unit and a Senior Lecturer in Education Futures. She currently coordinates courses in Digital Literacy and Future Ideas. she employs innovative teaching approaches to build student engagement, with a focus on technology, equity, interactivity and digital learning. She was received a 2018 Australian Award for University Teaching and a 2016 UniSA Teaching Citation for my work in enabling pedagogy, and a 2017 Digital Learning Citation with Rebecca Godwin and Cameron McTernan for 'leadership in digital learning through innovative course design which empowers students as digital citizens and producers'. In 2017-2018 she coordinated and developed the UniSA Online core course Critical Approaches to Online Learning with OCF Lucy Andrew, leading to a team nomination as finalists for a UO Award. In recent years, her research has focused on digital learning and enabling pedagogy. she has published on policy and enabling programs and presented nationally and internationally on these themes. She has also published on digital media, diversity, and enabling pedagogies. She served as Deputy Chair of the National Association of Enabling Educators of Australia from 2017 to 2018 and the Executive Board until March 2019. Her current work examines the intersection between digital learning, authentic assessment and enabling pedagogies. She regularly publishes and present research. Earlier academic publications focused on media and student engagement. She has worked at the University of South Australia since 2001, teaching across a range of subject areas in the School of Creative Industries (Previously: Communication, International Studies and Languages), including Film and Television, Media Arts, Foundation Studies and Cultural Studies courses. In her "spare" time, she produced the micro-budget indie film 'Justice Squad' with director Daniel Lawrance. The film was released in 2012 and screened in Australia and the USA.

 

Title: Adept and Enabled: An Australian Case Study of Enabling Pedagogy as Innovative Educational Practice to Support Students from Underrepresented Backgrounds at University

Abstract: As developed nations investigate how to best prepare for emerging challenges and upskill individuals as knowledge workers, there is an increased focus on tertiary attainment. In Australia, enabling programs are an educational intervention designed to provide a pathway to university for students from underrepresented backgrounds, wherein they gain academic literacies, build learner identities, and earn a score for undergraduate application. This paper investigates pedagogical innovation via these programs to determine why enabling pedagogy produces strong learning outcomes for new students and provide insights applicable to university education more broadly. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten undergraduate students who entered university via the enabling program pathway. Through thematic analysis [1], informed by the ADEPT framework for enabling pedagogy [2], their reflections provide deep insight into the student experience and outcomes. Responses focus on the role of enabling educators, inclusive attitudes, and clear expectations which work to support the development of effective learning strategies and a ‘tool kit’ for success at undergraduate and beyond. This research offers insight into the lived experience of university students from underrepresented backgrounds, while also identifying strategies which support transformative learning outcomes.

 

Keywords—enabling pedagogy, enabling programs, ADEPT framework, Australia, university, FEE-Free Uni Ready