While Web 2.0 tools have been around for several years, these types of technology are still considered to be novel in most rural nations, such as American Samoa. There are a myriad of tools that can be used for educational purposes, but one goal is to determine if they can be used to promote collaboration, as this is a facet of most classroom instruction. Specifically, in American Samoa, one of the Department of Education’s objectives is to teach students to be more proficient in technology, and in order to do so, Web 2.0 tools need to be integrated efficiently.

Hence, this dissertation study explored the use of three Web 2.0 tools, Google Docs, Blogger, and Wikidot, to determine the influence they had while the students.

In response to the global pandemic, there is an increased need for tools that can support independent learning. To scaffold learning English vocabulary words, a word counting module was implemented into an online translation (OT) system to generate personalized word lists tailored to the interest/specialization of each OT user. After inputting 50 articles in English and translating 25 Korean articles (into English) with content related to Artificial Intelligence, we generated two lists based on the inputted and translated text. The lists included the 100 most frequent words ranked from the highest to lowest frequency with individual word count. The lists had low word overlap with other widely used academic word lists and contained highly specific words (e.g., proper nouns, abbreviations, trending words, common area terminologies) aligned with the topic of interest (AI). By generating and referring to personalized word lists, English language learners will be able to select useful words to review with online flashcards (e.g., Quizlet) and dictionaries (e.g., WordReference, Linguee), and independently work towards developing their specialized vocabulary knowledge.

There have been studies done on digital storytelling as an educational approach, its usage in the classroom, and how it can be integrated with traditional storytelling methods. However, there are very few research studies about the use of digital storytelling to improve writing skills for ELL students, especially ELL students in the Pacific region where oral storytelling traditions are common.  It is important to understand how digital storytelling might be used for educational purposes to develop and improve ELL writing skills. Considering that poor writing amongst American Samoan ELL students has been a major problem in the primary classroom, it is the focus and purpose of this qualitative case study to examine the use of digital storytelling as a way to enhance writing skills of fifth grade ELL students in one classroom in American Samoa. The results of this study could help identify how digital storytelling influences ELL students’ writing and may be used by teachers and instructional designers to create effective strategies for using digital storytelling with ELL students to enhance their writing skills.

This presentation gives the rationale in the development of a digital learning object to support struggling second language learners.  The digital module adheres to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and modified Specifically designed academic instruction in English (SDAIE) strategies to aid all learning modalities. Research shows that adolescent learners improve when motivation is supported within the module. Researchers state that second language learners benefit from assessment with meaningful feedback to correct any misconceptions.  Second language learners improve their proficiency with the second language moving to fluency when they engage with the language frequently. Research shows that middle school students engage with learning opportunities more often when gamification is incorporated in digital learning.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our lives in many ways, but it also offers the opportunity to chart alternative courses and connect with others in new ways. In this session, the presenter will share the experience of moving an international graduate student research conference online and ways the participants were engaged and interacted in virtual spaces. The East-West Center International Graduate Student Conference (IGSC) is situated in Hawai‘i and Oceania, involving graduate students and young professionals from around the world who present their works relating to the Asia Pacific region. The presentation will address how we apply key Pacific Islands concepts such as inclusivity, interdisciplinarity, reciprocity, sense of place, and community voices into the conference, and restore balance to the Asia-Pacific framework.

Results of a survey in the first wave of Covid-19 (Spring 2020) showed that 55% of Saudi students were dissatisfied with distance learning (DL), online communication with instructors, had difficulty understanding the course material, and showed low self-efficacy. The instructors reported low student engagement and motivation in the DL environment. Many students were demotivated, not enthusiastic,  uninterested in online learning, in doing assignments, and refused to give oral presentations.  Students’ main concern was passing exams with high grades. Instructors and students had problems with the platform and complained of slow internet and inadequate technical support. In the second wave of Covid-19 (Fall 2020), Saudi universities have taken numerous steps towards solving platform problems, improving internet connection, setting new online exam procedures and standards, and offering training workshops.  Results of survey in Fall 2020 showed that numerous language and translation instructors went beyond using a PPT in DL, and started to use online activities for increasing students’ engagement such as integrating participation goals, using task-based, project-based, and problem-solving tasks, debates, inviting specialized guest speakers and integrating apps such as Kahoot, Padlet and ConnectYard.  The study will compare DL in the first and second waves of Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia, and report examples of activities  that engage students in DL and students' views.

Myron B. Thompson Academy is a public charter school established in 2001 in the state of Hawai’i. The school's model for teaching and learning for middle and high school students includes hybrid courses for Oahu students while neighbor island students learn completely online. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all teaching and learning shifted online for the Fourth Quarter of the 19-20 School Year and for the first month of the 20-21 School Year. To assess the robustness of the school's instructional model, historical rates of credits earned by Middle and High school students in Math, English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science courses were compared with the rates during COVID-19.

The year 2020 was a full year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We as educators adapted to online teaching via multiple platforms to adjust to a new way of teaching. Many changes including student, peer, teacher interaction, or learning different technology, adjusting to each school’s online system become a big challenge for many teachers especially in the ESL area. Language teaching wasn't the same as before, especially for college professors and instructors. During the pandemic era, the education format has changed and shifted toward online learning. This will still remain as a main educational system during the 2021 year. Is it possible to make language learning meaningful and educational for the students and the teachers? This presentation will introduce how a semester of teaching ESL students through multiple online platforms can enhance their learning abilities and guide the audience how to structure the videos for meaningful language learning.

Keiki Coding programs teach youth to create video games based on Hawaiian culture. These online classes inspire creativity, teach technology skills, enhance problem-solving and collaboration skills, foster innovation, and prepare students for real-world experiences.

COVID-19 has had a profound effect on how we perform our jobs. Due to lockdowns and social distancing requirements most teachers globally have been forced to step out of the classroom and sit behind the computer screen. This sudden pivot to online learning has brought the teaching community into unchartered territory with ICT (Information and Communication Technology) suddenly the main means by which we delivered our classes.

One impact of using ICT is technostress, a form of stress derived from using ICT. This presentation will explore the results of a case study of English teachers at a university in Tokyo. In this study, qualitative and quantitative data collection was used to collect data regarding teachers' technostress creators, inhibitors and the role of leadership. This presentation will explore their experiences of technostress and the main contributing factors to this, strategies they developed to cope and how leadership has and should assist teachers in managing technostress. As educational institutions may continue to operate online or blended models in the future, an understanding of technostress is important in assisting teachers and maintaining optimum occupational health.