Prof. Jon Dron

Associate Dean, Learning & Assessment

Athabasca University, Canada

 

Dr. Jon Dron is a full professor in the School of Computing and Information Systems and member of the Technology Enhanced Knowledge Research Institute (TEKRI) at Athabasca University, Canada. Until 2007 he was a principal lecturer at the University of Brighton, UK, where he remains an Honorary Faculty Fellow working with the Centre for Learning and Teaching. Straddling the technology/education divide, his research interests broadly centre around social and structural aspects of learning technologies, with a particular emphasis on discovering, designing and employing methods and technologies to enable learners to help one another to learn. He is the author of the book Control & Constraint in E-Learning: Choosing When to Choose. He has been a keynote speaker at many international workshops and conferences, is author of scores of articles in journals, books and conference proceedings, several of which have received top paper awards at international conferences. His most recently published book, co-written with Terry Anderson, is Teaching Crowds: Learning & Social Media. His next book, How Education Works: Teaching, Technology, and Technique is under review.

 

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Dr. HASIDA Koiti

Director, Artificial Intelligence in Society Research Group

RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Japan

 

Koiti Hasida finished his doctoral study at the Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo in 1986, obtaining the degree of Doctor of Science. He was affiliated with Electrotechnical Laboratory for 1986-2001 (seconded to the Institute for New Generation Computer Technology for 1988-1992), with National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology for 2001-2013, and with Social ICT Research Center, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo for 2013-2024. He has been in the present position at RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP) since 2017. His research themes encompass natural-language processing, artificial intelligence, and cognitive science, among others, and he served as President of the Association for Natural Language Processing and President of the Japanese Cognitive Science Society. He has proposed technologies and business models for value creation through decentralized management of personal data, and is promoting the spread of these models in collaboration with public and private sectors.

 

Title: Graph Documents, AI, and Critical Thinking

Abstract: TBA

 

 

Prof. Kuan-Chou Chen

Purdue University Northwest, United States

 

Dr. Chen currently serves as the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Interim Director of the White Lodging School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, and holds the Thomas M. McDermott Sr. Endowed Chair Professor in Economic Development, Professor of Management Information Systems in College of Business at Purdue University Northwest. His academic expertise spans a wide range of areas, including computer programming, system simulation, project management, decision support systems, data mining, systems dynamics, e-business strategy and applications, supply chain management, network design and security, AI in business management, and the information economy.
Dr. Chen has authored over 100 scholarly publications, primarily in peer-reviewed journals. He actively contributes to several professional journals and serves on the editorial boards of three as a reviewer. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of e-Education, e-Business, e-Management and e-Learning. He has been invited as a keynote speaker at numerous international conferences, where he has delivered presentations on artificial intelligence, e-learning, and e-business. In addition, he has facilitated workshops focused on technology management and its applications in academic and professional settings. His scholarly contributions have earned him multiple nominations for the Outstanding Scholar Award, and he was honored with the Teacher of the Year Award at Purdue University Northwest. In recognition of his outstanding administrative service, he has been awarded with the “Outstanding Administrative Leadership award.”

 

Title: Pedagogical Strategies for Assignment Design in The Generative AI Landscape

Abstract: As generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT become widely accessible, their impact on student learning and academic integrity is increasingly evident. While these technologies offer powerful support for information generation, they also risk reducing education to a shortcut-driven task, stripping away the essential processes of inquiry, reflection, and critical thinking. This presentation proposes a pedagogical framework to respond constructively to the rise of AI in academic settings. Rather than banning AI, educators are encouraged to redesign assignments, assessments, and classroom culture to foster transparency, personal engagement, and intellectual rigor. Through process-oriented assignment structures, explanation-based assessment methods, and a culture that treats AI as a learning assistant rather than a replacement for thought, teachers can transform AI from a threat into a catalyst for deeper learning. By emphasizing metacognition, authenticity, and iterative thinking, this guide offers actionable strategies for educators seeking to preserve—and elevate—the soul of education in the age of artificial intelligence.

 

 

Prof. Hirozumi Yamaguchi

The University of Osaka, Japan

 

Hirozumi Yamaguchi is a full professor at The University of Osaka (Osaka University), where he leads the Mobile Computing Laboratory. He received his Ph.D. in Engineering from Osaka University in 1998. His research focuses on cyber-physical systems, mobile and pervasive computing, particularly in smart cities and smart living. He has led several national projects, including JST CREST and NICT, and serves in editorial roles for reputable journals such as Elsevier Ad Hoc Networks and Elsevier Pervasive and Mobile Computing, as well as a chair/member for major wireless and mobile IEEE conferences such as IEEE PerCom, WoWMoM, MASS, and SmartComp. He has also served as General Chair for international conferences including EAI Mobiquitous and ICDCN. He received the Minister of Education’s Commendation for Science and Technology in 2018 and is an IEEE Senior Member. Since April 2024, he has also headed the Large-Scale Digital Twin Research Team at RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS) as the team principal.

 

Title: Capturing the Real World: Sensing and AI for Future Education

Abstract: Advances in human sensing and behavior modeling have long driven progress in mobile and pervasive computing, enabling precise detection of human location, activity, and interaction. Over the past decade, our research has explored the integration of human sensing and AI to deepen our understanding of human behavior in everyday and smart environments. This talk extends these foundations into the educational domain, illustrating how sensing and AI technologies can be applied to support learning processes. In particular, we highlight the potential of multimodal foundation models to capture subtle micro-actions that reflect student engagement in collaborative settings. While our studies show promising directions, they also reveal ongoing challenges in interpretability, scalability, and privacy. By bridging human sensing and educational AI, this talk envisions future classrooms where sensing and intelligence work together to understand and enhance human learning.