PSC hosts 11th International ELT Symposium

The Preparatory Studies Center (PSC) at UTAS-Shinas organized the 11th International ELT Symposium with the theme "Promoting Academic Excellence: Teaching, Innovation, Research, and Integrity" held on May 9, 2024, via MS Teams.
The conference brought together educators, academics, researchers, and teacher trainees from around the world to examine the most recent trends and breakthroughs in education and research. It also featured diverse speakers and presenters from various countries and backgrounds.
Professor Ali Al-Issa, a doyen of Critical Applied Linguistics, ELT Education and Research from Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, and Dr. Muhibul Haq from the University of Huddersfield, UK, were invited as plenary speakers.
At three concurrent sessions, 19 research papers and articles were presented by scholars from 8 countries, including Oman. There were 423 teaching professionals across the globe who registered and 330 participants for the symposium.
The symposium covered a wide range of topics related to education, innovation, teaching, and academic integrity. Some of the key topics discussed included:
1.​The Critical Qualitative Research Situation in Oman 
2.​Transforming Speaking Assessment for EFL Omani Students: Action Research for Enhanced Language Proficiency Evaluation 
3.​Developing Academics’ Skills in Utilising Generative Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Future Skills among Students.
4.​Revolutionizing Education: Cutting-Edge Teaching Strategies for Academic Excellence.
5.​Pending Feedback: An Exploration in Action Research.
6.​Essential Aspects of Developing CPD Plan for Research Writing in English.
7.​Enhancing students' idea generation and critical thinking through focused freewriting. 
8.​Upholding Academic Integrity in the Digital Age: Ensuring Fairness in Online Assessments.
9.​The impact of mind mapping strategy and worksheets in enhancing writing skills accuracy. 
 10.​Promoting Excellence in Higher Education Pedagogy Through Meta Cognitive Knowledge and Ability Development For Achieving New Age Skills. 
11.​Educators, professional development, What is Next? 
12.​The Impact of Eclectic Blended Through Call Application In Critical Reading Course In Higher Education Setting.
13.​Exploring the Effects of Digital Storytelling in Omani EFL Students' Self-Directed Learning and Motivation.
14.​Enriching Computing Skills Through Project-Based Learning as an Active Learning Approach: An Actual Classroom Experience.
15. Navigating Teacher Identity Facets Struggles: Why Our ELT Pedagogical Realizations Shift in the Virtual Classroom. 
16. The Effectiveness of Using Duolingo Application in Improving Foundation Students' Vocabulary at UTAS-Rustaq.
17. Innovative Teaching Strategies for Excellence.
18. Investigating Students' Perceptions Towards Artificial Intelligence in Education. 
19. Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Empowering Educators and Students.
20. Can a Lesson Study Develop Novice Teachers at UTAS Preparatory Studies Centers? Navigating Possibilities and Challenges!
21. Publishing from Your PhD Thesis.

Overall, the symposium offered excellent insights into the most recent trends and breakthroughs in education, research, and academic integrity earning a very high satisfaction rating among the participants.