Paper short abstract:

Technology-integrated courses that improve of individuals to produce knowledge in contemporary world. In this sense, revealing whether the teacher in a foreign language teaching has the appropriate knowledge to perform an effective course with instructional technology is one of the crucial topic.

Paper long abstract:

Technology-integrated courses that also improve the ability of individuals to produce knowledge in contemporary society have been becoming indispensable nowadays. In order to succeed an effective technology-integrated courses, not only technological equipment but also qualitatively equipped teachers are essentially required. In this sense, it is significant to explore whether teachers in a specific area have the required knowledge and background to deliver effective courses with instructional technology.

Japanese language teaching has also been transforming in terms of educational materials, teaching methodologies, evaluation processes, and content. Teachers are expected to be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to catch up with changes and train students to keep up with the contemporary world. Hence, Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model developed by Koehler and Mishra (2005) was set out to assess whether teachers have the content, pedagogy, and technology knowledge to teach the content using appropriate pedagogical methods and technologies (Schmidt et al., 2009).

The aim of this paper is simply to answer two research questions:

RQ1: To what extent do Japanese language teachers in Turkiye have adequate technological and pedagogical knowledge to develop a Japanese language course?

RQ2: Are teachers are capable of determining and using proper technology-integrated teaching materials?

A qualitative research (interview) model with a stratified sampling method was adopted and implicated to provide detailed responses to those research questions. Eight Japanese language teachers were interviewed online between the November 8-27, 2022. The interviews were recorded and transcript afterward for content analysis.

The results indicate that, teachers' TPACK tended to have deficiencies in general. Additionally, experience and institutional capacity regarding technological infrastructure were important factors in determining and using proper technology-integrated teaching materials. Contrary to general assumption, experienced (relatively older) teachers had higher levels of technological and pedagogical knowledge than less experienced (relatively younger) teachers.

This study provides insights into Japanese language teachers' TPACK and their ability to use appropriate technology-integrated teaching materials. The findings let us consider the way to establish development programs specific to Japanese language teaching that should be implemented to enhance teachers' technological and pedagogical knowledge to ensure the effectiveness of technology-integrated courses.

Paper short abstract:

The new education policy of liberal adult education issued by the Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland requires teachers to focus on competence-based education. This study examines language teachers´ perspectives of implementing competence-based education in liberal adult education.

Paper long abstract:

The education policy of liberal adult education changes in Finland. The Ministry of Education and Culture has set the goal of recognizing studies acquired in liberal adult education as a part of the Finnish education system. Liberal adult education is a non-formal educational institute and previously provided neither qualifications nor study credits. However, the new education policy recognizes the competence acquired in liberal adult education as study credits, and its data are saved in the national data repository that contains study credits, degrees and qualifications. The current status and the curriculum of liberal adult education change, and the new education policy creates a more supportive environment for learning advancements. Recognizing language skills as national credits increases opportunities in educational participation and social inclusion. In light of the educational transformation, the new education policy requires teachers to focus on competence-based education: to measure courses as credits and assess students´ learning in a way that are transferable to degrees. In light of this policy, the assessment has become an important aspect of identification and recognition of the acquired skills.

In this presentation, the author describes language teachers´ perspectives of implementing competence-based education in liberal adult education: how Japanese language teachers implemented competence-based teaching in classrooms. The presentation demonstrates challenges surrounding the competence-based approach and assessment in liberal adult education. The study employs explanatory sequential mixed methods, which analyze the quantitative data of the questionnaires and the follow-up qualitative semi-structured interviews.

Keywords: liberal adult education, competence-based education, language teachers´ perspectives

Paper short abstract:

Japanese language education in Brazil changed from training Japanese to Japanese as a foreign language. This study was conducted through an interview survey and reports the transformation of five Brazilian Japanese language teachers' attitudes toward Japanese language education.

Paper long abstract:

Japanese language education for Japanese children began along with Japanese immigration to Brazil in the early 1900s. At first, Japanese language education was offered under the assumption that the children would return to Japan, however as the second and third generations of Japanese immigrants were born in Brazil, the awareness of permanent residence gradually grew among the Japanese immigrants. With this change, language education for Japanese individuals in Brazil changed from training Japanese to Japanese as a foreign language.

Therefore, this study reports the transformation of five Brazilian Japanese language teachers' attitudes toward Japanese language education. This study was conducted through an interview survey via a web conferencing system to approach and clarify the methods and attitudes of the Japanese language teachers. SCAT was used as a qualitative analysis method and KH Coder as a quantitative text analysis. The results of both analyses were integrated and discussed. The subjects of the survey were a non-native mid-career Japanese language teachers who have been teaching in Brazil for more than 5 years and who work for Japanese organizations or language schools.

With the marked increase in opportunities for contact with foreign languages and cultures, the need to establish one's own identity in the international community, and the spread of Japanese culture and Japanese pop culture, Brazilian Japanese language teachers should not focus on the practice of Japanese language accuracy or the cultivation of the Japanese spirit, but rather on the transmission of Japanese culture and cross-cultural understanding. It was suggested that the education of the Brazilian people should be based on the awareness of the inheritance of Japanese culture and cross-cultural understanding. This is especially true in Brazilian society, where opportunities for the inheritance of Japanese language and culture are diminishing in Nikkei families, and Japanese culture is being reevaluated in Brazilian society. Additionally, Japanese language education is not limited to the education of young children or learners of Japanese descent, but is being practiced by all Brazilian learners, and transcends language barriers.