Review of JASAL Online Student Forum 2020 and a Reflection

Abstract

This short report is a review of and my reflections on the Japan Association for Self-Access Learning (JASAL) online student forum which was held on Saturday, July 4, 2020 on Zoom. The conference was held online due to COVID-19. I participated in the forum as a user and student staff member representing Maximum English Learning Together (MELT), which is the social language learning space at Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University in Japan. At the event, students shared ideas and initiatives for online events at each of their university’s language learning spaces (LLS) or centers. In the discussion groups that I joined, we talked about two focus points, which were the connection between each center and students, and the tactical use of SNS to promote our LLS to students. I will give a summary of the discussions and also make some suggestions for enhancing students’ study motivation and participation in events, even in remote learning / online situations.