Synchronous (Onsite) Other Issues Poster Presentation (120 mins)
Collaborative ‘kaizen’ practice for better space/material design in a Japanese SAC
Self-Access Centers (SACs) are environments designed to promote learners’ autonomy, and they have been playing an important role in language education worldwide. Supporting SAC users’ needs requires continuous effort and collaboration among stakeholders. Our SAC, situated in Japan, implements a continuous improvement (‘kaizen’) practice between learning advisors, administrative staff, and student staff in managing spaces and materials. In this poster presentation, we illustrate the process by sharing a recent, on-going project where the above-mentioned stakeholders take part in discussing ideas and implementing action plans. These ideas are related to some of the currently prominent themes in language education, such as technology use/online materials, inclusiveness, and multilingualism. Practical insights we share would provide educators developing and working in learning spaces beyond the classroom with possible ways to collaborate with their partners, as well as some of the themes that might be significant to meet the diverse needs of their learners.
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Haruka Ubukata is a learning advisor and a resource coordinator at the Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) at Kanda University of International Studies in Japan. She holds an M.S.Ed in TESOL from Temple University, Japan Campus. She has experience in teaching at an English conversation school in Japan, as well as serving as a school manager. Her research interests include learner autonomy, advising, and resources in self-access centers.
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Emily Marzin worked for 10 years as a professor teaching pre-service teachers, as well as a French and Spanish teacher and a co-coordinator of a Self-Access Language Center at the University of Guanajuato, in Mexico. She completed her Master's degree in Didactics of languages and cultures at Universite Jean Monnet and her EdD at Open University. She is now a learning advisor at Kanda University of Interculticultural Studies. Her interests are learner autonomy and intercultural communication. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Emily-Marzin
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Kayo Namaizawa is an administrative staff at the Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) at Kanda Universtity of Internaitonal Studies in Chiba, Japan. She has exprience in working and helping to start up a self access center at a universtiy in Kumamoto, Japan.