This is the graduate student showcase for Temple University, Japan Campus.

This is the graduate student showcase for Macquarie University.

This is the graduate student showcase for Akita International University.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been problematic for self-access and social language learning spaces where community, interaction, and proximity are central to our mission. Moves to remote or hybrid learning and the need for social distancing have forced us to rethink our practices. This forum explores how these initiatives have led to greater choice for learners and even some surprising benefits. There will be two mini-presentations, followed by discussion time.

This is the graduate student showcase for Tsuda University.

This is the graduate student showcase for Tsuda University.

This is the graduate student showcase for Tsuda University.

Peer review can be an effective tool for involving students in the assessment process; however, the sudden switch to online learning last year introduced new challenges to effective implementation. This workshop will provide an overview of peer review and adaptations the presenter made to continue the activity in an exclusively online university writing course. Then, after examining the effects and consequences, it will reflect on how the modified procedures might inform the practice moving forward.

This presentation examines the results of a survey on self-reported academic dishonesty among English language learners (ELLs) across nine Japanese universities. The study includes the domains of cheating on tests, plagiarism, falsehoods in assignments, and dishonest acts committed in English language classes. An analysis shows the prevalence of cheating and the most frequent behaviors. The presenter concludes that by knowing the common traps in which students fall, educators can proactively work to increase academic integrity.

For many second language learners, study abroad presents an opportunity for both cultural immersion and L2 language development. However, the necessity of social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic has greatly impacted the study abroad experience for many learners. This presentation reports on a cohort of Japanese university students who studied abroad in 2020, including the problems they encountered and the solutions they adopted to maximize their experiences.

This presentation outlines a study investigating members’ identification with a student-led learning community within a university self-access centre. Interview data from members suggested members’ identities within the community were connected to the comfortable learning environment, an international, imagined English community, and the negotiation of certain sociocultural norms. This presentation will also address practical implications based on the findings of this study for SAC staff aiming to cultivate and support student-led learning communities.

Student volunteers are vital to running a conference successfully, and volunteer feedback can be used as a tool to improve the conference experience for both volunteers and attendees. This presentation will give a brief overview of the student volunteer process, from initial recruitment to final training, and will share the results of a mixed-method survey in which student volunteers reflect on their experience. Suggestions on how to improve the volunteer experience will be discussed.