Abstract Summary
English language-learning in most Asian countries is stagnating despite large investments by governments. This is reflected in the results of major standardized proficiency tests such as the EF English Proficiency Index. There are other disturbing signs too. Other languages everywhere may be similarly affected. Responsibility for this situation must rest, at least in part, on the teaching and learning systems currently in place. Developing CALL support should help improve the situation. However, this is not a straightforward process. There is a confluence of social, technological, and pedagogical factors that is likely to hinder this process and we seem to be at a turning point in the history of language education and CALL: it is truly a critical time for both. With this in mind, the presentation will briefly re-examine the state of the language learning enterprise and its connection to the research field of CALL past, present and future. It will review some promising research directions and make suggestions for a more robust, adaptable, sustainable and successful future. Short demonstrations will accompany the presentation as appropriate.
And no, there is no typo in the presentation title. The word is in fact "Retprospective".

Biography
Professor Dr Andrew Lian, Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand; Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Vietnam; Professor Emeritus, University of Canberra, Australia. He specializes in developing frameworks for learning foreign/second languages and has had a special and ongoing interest in the uses of modern technology to enhance language learning since the late 1970s. He is one of the pioneers of modern Technology-Enhanced Language-Learning in Australia. He has been Professor and Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at Western Illinois University, USA, Professor of Humanities and Director of the Center for the Study of Languages at Rice University, USA, and Professor and Head of the School of Languages and International Education at the University of Canberra in Australia. He has held further Professorial leadership positions in James Cook University and Bond University, Australia. His current research interests include neuroscience, perception and cerebral lateralization as they relate to language learning as well as self-adjusting and self-organizing (language/culture-)learning systems based on rhizomatic principles (including the generation of personalized learning environments). These approaches necessarily rely on modern technology, including multimodal systems and personalized feedback mechanisms. More details can be found at https://andrewlian.com/new and https://andrewlian.com. He is the current President of AsiaCALL (the Asia Association of Computer-Assisted Language Learning) and he may be reached at: andrew.lian@andrewlian.com.

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Authors:
Andrew Lian, Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand; Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Vietnam; University of Canberra, Australia

About the Presenter(s)
Professor Dr Andrew Lian specializes in developing frameworks for learning foreign/second languages and has had a special and ongoing interest in the uses of modern technology to enhance language learning since the late 1970s.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Friday Schedule

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