Dr. Dayu Jiang, Associate Professor

Department of English, School of Foreign Languages and Literature, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

Biography

Dr. Dayu Jiang is an associate professor and Ph.D supervisor in Wuhan University, China. His research interests include cognitive load theory, instructional design, and applied linguistics. He published his monograph Cognitive Load Theory and Foreign Language Listening Comprehension with Springer Nature in August 2024. His recent publications appear in Educational Psychology Review, Computers and Education, British Journal of Educational Psychology, Educational Psychology, Computer Assisted Language Learning, among other Journals. He serves as a peer reviewer for a number of SSCI journals.

Topic

Why Do We Need to Consider Cognitive Load in Mobile-Mediated Collaborative Learning?

Abstract

Learners in computer or mobile-assisted collaborative learning environments could remain anonymous or unfamiliar, as educators might not provide explicit socializing activities with the assumption that effective interactions could happen naturally in these situations. However, from the perspectives of social presence, it was hypothesized that for learners who were unfamiliar to their peers in online collaborative learning environments, performing explicit socializing activities prior to learning phases would help them have better learning performance, experience lower levels of working memory load, and experience higher levels of social presence than performing implicit socializing activities. This research was conducted to test the hypotheses with 60 participants. The results showed that providing explicit socializing activities to unfamiliar learners in mobile-assisted collaborative learning environments increased the level of social presence, facilitated their acquisition of complex cognitive skills such as EFL argument essay writing skills, and reduced the level of cognitive load in learning. These results are discussed in light of human cognitive architecture and the social presence theory.

Dr. Martin Woesler, Professor

Jean Monnet Research Centre of Excellence, Foreign Studies College, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China

Biography

Professor Martin Woesler studied Chinese Studies and early engaged in University Pedagogy Studies and Internet Technology. After his PhD at Bochum University, he was invited for two years to conduct research and to teach extracurricular courses at Harvard University. He held tenure-track and tenured professorship positions in the USA, Germany, Italy, Poland and China. Currently he is Director of the EU Jean Monnet Research Centre of Excellence for the "Digitalization of University Teaching" at Hunan Normal University, China. He conducts research, teaches and publishes in German, English, Chinese (and French). He is Academian of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, Salzburg, PhD supervisor, Xiaoxiang Scholar, Winner of the 2020 Chinese Friendship Award (Chinese Government), 2023 Friend of Chinese Literature Award (Writers‘ Association), 2024 Outstanding Foreign Translator Award (Translators' Association).

Topic

Navigating Education into the New Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Global Perspective

Abstract

Globalization has significantly accelerated the development of transformative technologies such as blockchain, quantum communication, generative artificial intelligence (AI), and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR). The recent decision by the United States to restrict China's access to generative AI technologies has reshaped the competitive landscape, reminiscent of previous challenges faced by China with the Huawei operating system. Despite setbacks, China is rapidly advancing its own AI capabilities, striving to reclaim its position as a global leader in this field. This keynote will explore how decoupling influences competition and the risks of creating an imbalanced global development landscape. In particular, the education sector is undergoing a profound transformation due to generative AI. Students increasingly rely on AI to enhance their performance, complicating traditional assessment methods for educational institutions. However, the integration of AR, VR, and AI in teaching presents new opportunities, as demonstrated by large-scale research projects in China that aim to redefine the educational experience (Baxter 2022, Lecqulerc 2023, Günthner 2023). Examples of these innovations will be presented, highlighting their potential impacts on the future of schooling and higher education, ultimately illustrating how technology can reshape learning environments and pedagogical practices (Baxter 2022, Lecqulerc 2023, Günthner 2023). The keynote includes preliminary results of ongoing field work within high school classrooms and Chinese and EU universities, conducted by the EU Jean Monnet Research Centre of Excellence on the Digitalization of University Teaching in China and the EU (2023-2026).