I imagine many of you have started your winter break, but have you finished your work for the year? It is always difficult for researchers to manage their time around this period… I have been flooded with requests to review papers and international conference submissions… even though I would like to work on my own papers and conference manuscripts.

Now, as members of the Japan Society for Educational Technology have already been notified via newsletters and other channels, starting this fiscal year, the JSET National Conference will be held twice a year, with both an autumn and a spring conference. This will be the first spring conference. The venue is Shinshu University, Nagano Campus (Education). The deadline for presentation applications is 17:00 on January 8, 2020, and the deadline for registration for non-presenters is January 29, 2020 (presenters must register by 17:00 on January 15, 2020).

JSET 2020 Spring National Conference https://www.jset.gr.jp/s-taikai01/

I have been working with the Spring Conference Planning Committee and the Local Organizing Committee to discuss the program content. We are also starting new initiatives with the future of JSET in mind. First of all, at the Shinshu University conference…

1. We will live-stream the symposium. This was a request from Shinshu University, and the symposium will provide an overview of Shinshu University’s initiatives—which have achieved significant results and continue to progress—regarding the informatization of education and teacher training. We will also have discussions with comments from experts in related SIGs. Since the content is highly relevant to teachers in primary and secondary education and members of boards of education, we have decided to live-stream it on a trial basis. Those who wish to attend only the symposium at Shinshu University can register for March 1st for 1,000 yen. As this is a trial initiative, please understand that there is a possibility of connection issues.
2. We will hold self-organized sessions (applications are now closed). In considering the content of the spring conference, we explored ways to support research. As part of this, since Educational Technology is a research field focused on solving problems and issues in actual education and learning, I wanted to create a space to disseminate the results of KAKENHI-funded research. Therefore, we have decided to trial sessions where you can self-organize symposiums or workshops regarding research and its findings promoted by public research grants such as KAKENHI or foundation grants. Although there is a fee, you can conduct a program regarding research findings funded by your KAKENHI or other research grants in one of these 80-minute sessions. You are welcome to hold a symposium as a self-organized session, or perhaps a workshop to promote the use of a system you have developed.
3. We are starting student sessions. This also begins with this spring conference. We are implementing this on a trial basis as part of our efforts to foster young researchers and encourage young research that will carry on the research and practice of Educational Technology. This was also held in a poster format at this year’s JSiSE National Conference, and it was very lively. If students select “Student Session” or “Either” when applying for a general session, we will reflect that preference in the program. While we are accepting submissions based on SIG themes, please be aware that depending on the number of submissions, there is a possibility that some may be integrated with other SIGs.
4. Finally, for this spring national conference only, we will invite Mr. Kazunori Sato from Google LLC to hold a luncheon seminar titled “AI for Beginners: Google’s Vision for Machine Learning Accessible to Everyone.” Lunch and tea will be provided to the first 150 attendees. I believe this will be a very valuable opportunity, so please do join us.

So, with the new initiatives that the JSET executive office, the future planning committee, and the directors and councilors have been discussing since the end of last year, I hope we can hold a fulfilling spring national conference. This is very important information: the manuscript deadline is 17:00 on January 8, 2020. Please note that there will be no opportunity to replace manuscripts. We look forward to your participation and presentation applications!!