Insightful Pre-Workshop Briefing Ignites Readiness of AsiaCALL 2025 Student Presenters
Cirebon, October 11, 2025 — Lala Bumela Sudimantara, Ph.D., Director of International Office of UIN Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon (UIN SSC), led an inspiring briefing session for student presenters ahead of the hybrid workshop titled “Voicing Critical Perspectives: AI Research Workshop and Public Speaking Bootcamp for AsiaCALL 2025 Student Presenters.” Held at the International Office, 5th floor of the Cyber Building, UIN SSC, the event was attended by members of the Global Engagement Team (GET) and several students from Faculty of Da’wah and Islamic Communication or Fakultas Dakwah dan Komunikasi Islam (FDKI), both online and onsite. The workshop featured Miss Emma Schuberg, Ph.D., from Charles Darwin University, Australia, as the keynote speaker for the first session (online), and Miss Sirniawati, S.Pd.I, M.A., from Universitas Muhammadiyah Cirebon, as the keynote speaker for the second session (onsite). “This workshop is an important step to prepare you as global learners that should always be confident,” Lala Bumela stated at the beginning of the briefing.
During the session, Lala Bumela, Ph.D. explained that the presentation held that day was not merely an academic requirement, but also an essential investment in the students’ personal and professional growth. He emphasized that such academic experiences provide valuable opportunities for students to strengthen their confidence and communication skills, which are crucial for their future careers. According to him, presenting research in a scholarly setting allows pre-service teachers to practice articulating ideas clearly and responding critically to feedback. These skills, he added, are highly aligned with the demands of the 21st century, where adaptability and collaboration are as important as academic knowledge. Through this reminder, he encouraged all participants to see every academic event as a meaningful step toward developing their identity as future educators and researchers.
He continued by discussing the central theme that connects all AsiaCALL research projects, emphasizing the shared values that form the foundation of the conference’s vision. “The red thread of your research for AsiaCALL is education, technology, and agency,” he stated, pointing out how these three dimensions guide every study presented under the AsiaCALL framework. Lala Bumela Ph.D. explained that these pillars ensure that each research project contributes not only to academic discourse but also to the broader effort of empowering learners in digital contexts. By integrating these principles, researchers are encouraged to design studies that address real educational challenges through innovative and human-centered approaches. This thematic unity, he concluded, strengthens the identity of AsiaCALL as a community that celebrates diversity while working toward a shared mission of transformative education.
In addition, Lala Bumela, Ph.D. highlighted that the ultimate purpose of education is to develop internal coherence, or the ability to connect knowledge, reflection, and personal meaning into a unified understanding. He noted that this kind of deep learning cannot be achieved instantly but requires patience, introspection, and continuous effort over time. Learning, he said, should therefore be viewed as an ongoing process that extends beyond classrooms and formal assessments. As future educators in the 21st century, he urged the students to internalize this mindset and embody it in their teaching practices, research designs, and lifelong learning attitudes. By doing so, they would not only enhance their academic competence but also nurture the intellectual humility and curiosity necessary for sustainable professional growth.
The briefing also included a focused review session, in which the abstracts of seven student presenters were examined and discussed in detail. During this stage, Lala Bumela, Ph.D. offered constructive feedback aimed at refining the clarity, focus, and originality of each research idea. He emphasized the importance of identifying a strong disturbance, a central tension or problem that anchors the study and drives its analytical depth. According to him, this element helps ensure that research remains purposeful and contributes meaningfully to existing academic discussions. Through his detailed guidance, the student presenters were able to gain clearer direction in developing their research papers for the upcoming AsiaCALL 2025 workshop.
Concluding the session, Lala Bumela, Ph.D. delivered an inspiring message that encouraged all participants to conduct their research with creativity, clarity, and a sense of purpose. “Presenters must be visionary in conducting research,” he said firmly, reminding them that scholarly inquiry should always be grounded in a clear awareness of contemporary educational issues. He explained that every research idea must aim to contribute solutions or new perspectives that lead to meaningful change in the field of education. His closing words sparked enthusiasm among the participants, who felt more confident and inspired to refine their studies for presentation. The session ended on a hopeful note, leaving the student presenters motivated and intellectually prepared to take part in the AsiaCALL 2025 workshop with renewed passion and confidence.
Author: Salsabilla