Looking back: See our PanSIG 2023 Plenary Sessions photos on Flickr.

Looking ahead: PanSIG is proud to announce the names of our two plenary speakers for PanSIG 2024:

• Daniel R. Isbell (Assistant Professor, Department of Second Language Studies, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa)
• Yui Suzukida / 鈴木田優衣 (Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Juntendo University in Tokyo)

Daniel R. Isbell

Assistant Professor, Department of Second Language Studies, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa

Hype and High-Tech Language Tests: Staying Grounded with Language Assessment Fundamentals

AI, Automated scoring, chatbots, computer adaptive test delivery, remote proctoring: Technology has transformed language testing, accelerated in recent years by both necessity and major advances in capabilities. While advanced technology is often associated with large-scale, high-stakes tests (e.g., Isbell & Kremmel, 2020), technology is also expanding possibilities for local testing programs (e.g., Green & Lung, 2021) and classroom-based, learning-oriented assessment (e.g., Jeon, 2023). Technology in assessment is exciting and comes with grand promises from developers, but it is also overwhelming – how can language professionals, most of whom are not programmers or machine learning engineers, keep up with every new development?

Fortunately, evaluating and responsibly using high-tech tests and other types of assessments does not require expertise in computer science. Rather, practitioners can draw on basic, fundamental concepts in assessment, including validity, fairness, practicality, and justice, to make informed decisions. In this talk, I will discuss major technological advances in language assessment, ranging from automated scoring for speaking to AI-assisted remote proctoring, and what information to look for and expect from test developers and technology providers. By reaffirming assessment fundamentals, teachers can cut through the hype and develop a grounded perspective on high-tech assessments.

Daniel R. Isbell, Assistant Professor in the Department of Second Language Studies at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, is an expert in language assessment and testing, and serves on the editorial boards of TESOL Quarterly and Language Testing.

Links: Twitter: @Daniel_R_Isbell | ResearchGate | Website

Yui Suzukida (鈴木田優衣)

Yui Suzukida, Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at Juntendo University in Tokyo, is an expert in L2 pronunciation and speech production and perception. 

Links: Twitter: @Szkda89 | ResearchMap | ResearchGate