[ACLA-CAAL] Fall Conference in Halifax NS October 11-12

[Christine Doe]

Dear colleagues,

We invite you to participate in the CALA 2024 Fall Conference, October 11-12, in Halifax, NS. Please see the attached poster or text below. We are also excited to announce Ramsey L. Cardwell, Duolingo, as the keynote speaker for the conference. The details about the talk are in the attached poster and below.

We invite abstracts focused on empirical studies or classroom practice. The abstracts should be no more than 150 words, excluding title and references.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, September 6, 2024. As part of the submission process, you will be asked to rank your preference for conference participation: presentation, poster, or works-in-progress.

1.     Paper presentations
These presentation slots are 20 minutes in length, followed by a 10-minute discussion.

2.    Posters
Posters will be displayed during the timetabled session in the program, where presenters need to be present, discuss their work, and answer questions from the audience.

3.    Works-in-Progress (WIPs)
Researchers engaged in ongoing projects can submit them as work-in-progress presentations. This format provides good opportunities to showcase research that is either in progress or in the planning stages. Presenters will discuss their projects with small groups of participants, receiving feedback and suggestions on how to best to move forward.

Submit your abstract here – CALA/ACEL Abstract Submission  <https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=cF4Z0V-78UOJAks_bPxJxi2cpFvQWDdFomeLokAG0lpUMTdGSFNKSU9SUEJIWERPMUdEWkZORDlLWS4u>

For more information, email christine.doe at msvu.ca<mailto:christine.doe at msvu.ca>

Important Dates:
Deadline for proposals:                    September 6, 2024 (Anywhere on Earth)
Proposals notifications:                   September  13, 2024
Registration opens:                            September 16, 2024

Conference Details
Workshops for NS K-12 teachers (October 11)

  *   Free for members Non-members ($30 per workshop)
  *   Certificates of completion for PD

Conference (October 12)

  *   Member price ($50)
  *   Non-member price ($75)

Membership Fees

  *   Students ($15)
  *   Teachers or other professionals ($30)
  *   Professors ($50)


Keynote Speaker
October 12, 2024
11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Title: Advancing Language Assessment With Human-in-the-Loop AI
Presenter: Ramsey L. Cardwell, Duolingo

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI), when used responsibly, present significant opportunities to enhance the quality and accessibility of assessments. This keynote will discuss the transformative potential of AI in high-stakes language testing through its applications in test development, administration, scoring, and security. A central theme of this presentation is the concept of human-in-the-loop AI, which underscores the importance of involving educators, experts, and students in the development and implementation of AI technologies. Keeping humans involved throughout the development and application of AI tools enhances, rather than replaces, the critical contribution of human judgment in the testing process.

Using the Duolingo English Test (DET)  for illustration, we will explore frameworks such as the DET’s "item factory," which merges human expertise with AI-based automated item generation to create a scalable, efficient, and high-quality item development process. This framework adapts principles of intelligent automation from manufacturing to streamline test item creation​. Comparative studies indicate that AI-generated items can achieve psychometric properties comparable to those crafted by human experts. As a result, this offers a scalable solution to the intensive process of human item writing. AI applications in test administration, scoring, and proctoring will also be presented.

The talk will address broader trends in responsible AI, emphasizing the need for ethical considerations and transparency in the deployment of these technologies. By situating innovations on the DET within the wider context of language assessment research, this keynote aims to demonstrate how to implement AI advancements consistent with best practices in high-stakes testing, and to inspire collaboration among researchers, educators, and policymakers.


Warmest regards,
Christine Doe


Christine Doe, PhD
Associate Professor

Mount Saint Vincent University, Faculty of Education
Seton 475 | 166 Bedford Hwy | Halifax, NS, Canada| B3M 2J6
MSVU is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People.

President
Canadian Association of Language Assessment/
Présidente
Association canadienne pour l'évaluation des langues (ACÉL)
Canadian Association of Language Assessment / L’association canadienne pour l’évaluation des langues (cala-acel.org)<https://www.cala-acel.org/>





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