RTECONF
Past Speakers
Dr. Slav Gratchev
Professor of Spanish at Marshall University, The United States
Title:
Unlocking Potential: The Impact of Idea Exchange on Research and Practice in Education
Dr. Slav Gratchev, MBA, PhD is Professor of Spanish at Marshall University and the recipient of the Distinguished Artists and Scholars Award (2019) as well as the Distinguished Marshall Scholar Award (2023). He is the author/or editor of twelve books, including the Historical novel Three Steps to Freedom published in 2024 in Kiev, Ukraine.
His research interests are extremely broad: from Spanish Literature of the Golden Age to Russian Avant-garde; from Mikhail Bakhtin to female friendship in Literature and Art; from translation studies to advanced methods in teaching foreign languages.
His new book Advanced Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages: The New Development on Teaching Methodology in Today’s World published by Bloomsbury Academic, is forthcoming in 2025.
Dr. Susan Gottlöber
Associate Professor at Maynooth University, Ireland
Title:
Transformative Assessment: Strategies for Boosting Self-Efficacy and Meaningful Learning Across Subjects
She has been teaching since 2009. She earned her PhD in philosophy from the Technical University Dresden. Her primary research focuses on philosophical anthropology, value theory, and the concept and history of toleration. At Maynooth University, she has held the position of Dean for Teaching and Learning and is currently serving as the Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. She has received funding from QQI Ireland for a project investigating the impact of UDL-designed assessment on academic integrity. Her current research in education is centred on finding ways to inspire students to uphold academic integrity.
Dr. Nuray Okumus Ceylan
Nuray Okumuş CEYLAN received her BA and PhD degree in Department of English Language Teaching from Gazi University and MA from Bilkent University MATEFL program. She started teaching English at a state elementary school in 1999. She worked at Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Obligatory English Preparatory School between 2000-2012. She also worked at Kocaeli University Foreign Languages College between 2012-2015. She has worked as an Associate Professor in Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University English Language and Literature Department between 2015-2020. Now she is the Head of English Language Teaching Department at the same university. She is interested in learner/ teacher motivation, learner autonomy, language learning mindsets, emotion regulation and academic writing.
Prof. Elaosi Vhurumuku
Elaosi Vhurumuku is Associate Professor of Science Education and an experienced Chemistry Teacher Educator in the School of Education, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. His research interests are in the areas of understanding and developing teachers’ knowledge and practices of inquiry, pedagogy in Chemistry, and education for sustainable development.
Dr. Lori Simons
Simons is a Professor of Psychology, Co-Director of the University's Academic Service-Learning Faculty Development Program, and Coordinator of the Psychology Department's Practicum/Internship Program. She teaches courses in Educational Psychology, Multicultural Psychology, Careers in Psychology, and Counseling Psychology. Dr. Simons is also a Distinguished University Professor, an Assessment Coordinator for the Office of Civic Engagement, President of the Pennsylvania Certification Board, and a Licensed Professional Counselor. Her research focuses on pedagogical impacts and student learning. Dr. Simons has published over 60 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters about the impact from academic service-learning, diversity strategies, and other high impact practices on student learning. She has presented her scholarship on student learning outcomes at over 70 international and national conferences. In fact, she was a keynote speaker at an International Teleconference in which she described the cost-effectiveness of a Practicum/Internship program and student success outcomes. Her work at another International Teleconference on high impact practices and transformational learning before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic garnished recognition as the best presentation at this conference. In addition, over 60 undergraduate students have co-presented and co-authored manuscripts with her. She also has sponsored over 50 student presentations. Students have presented their work at local and national conferences.
Mr. Zhaoding Ye
Zhaoding Ye is a master’s student in Education at King’s College London, specializing in Social Justice and Education Policy. He has won several national awards in translation, including the First Prize in the "Understanding Contemporary China" Multilingual International Translation Competition and the English-to-Chinese category of the "LSCAT" Cup Translation Competition. With a solid foundation in English language studies, Ye’s research focuses on promoting equitable and accessible education, particularly through language learning strategies and policy reform.
Ms. Kubra Alhawamdeh
Kubra Alhawamdeh is a PhD student at the University of Leeds, School of Education. Kubra holds a BA in Early Childhood Education from Dumlupınar University, Turkey, and an MA from the University of Sheffield, UK. Her academic interests include cultural diversity in early education, teachers' practical experiences, and curriculum frameworks responsive to children's diverse backgrounds. Kubra's doctoral thesis, "Bridging Theory and Practice: Minority Teachers' Experiences Implementing Funds of Knowledge in Yorkshire's Multicultural Early Years Classrooms ". She was awarded a fully funded scholarship by the Turkish Ministry of Education for her postgraduate studies in the UK.
Mr. Sefa Emre Öncü
Sefa Emre Öncü has been an officer at Anadolu University's Open Education Faculty since 2011, focusing on research and development, particularly integrating artificial intelligence into student support services. Moreover, he has worked on course exemptions and credit transfers, contributing to digital transformation by automating various services. In 2024, he earned his master's in Higher Education Management from the Institute of Educational Sciences at Eskişehir Osmangazi University. His research areas include generative AI, chatbots, and support systems.
Ms. Vienne Lin
Vienne Lin is a Research Associate at the Centre for Learning Enhancement And Research at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her research interests include pedagogic research, research methods, willingness to communicate, and class participation. Vienne is also a doctoral researcher in the Department of Education at the University of Bath. She received the Doctoral Recognition Award - Student Award in 2023 and 2024.
Ms. Aline Michelle Dib
She is PhD student in Education at the University of São Paulo (FE-USP), holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the Federal University of Uberlândia (FAGEN-UFU) and a Master's degree in Public Policy Planning and Analysis from the São Paulo State University (FCHS-UNESP). She is also a Specialist in Didactic-Pedagogical Training for Distance Education from UNIVESP, with three MBAs: in School Management and Marketing from ESALQ-USP, and in Project Management from Unialphaville. Additionally, she holds a teaching degree in Portuguese from Faculdade Anhanguera, with expertise in public policy and education.
Mr. Samuel Oppong Boampong
He is a Ghanaian citizen but a permanent resident of the United States of America. He holds a Master's Degree from Atlantic International University in Honolulu, USA. He is a Researcher and Businessman. He has conducted a lot of research and presented them at various conferences notably among them are: IRED, IASTEM, RESEARCHWORLD, ISER and GCBME. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Oppong Boampong Ventures, Sambeak Company Ltd, Boampong & Haunexuan in Malaysia. At an Iastem meeting in New York, USA in 2018, his paper was adjudged the Best Research and Best Presentation.
Ms. Rahaf Jamal Al-Attal
Rahaf Jamal Al-Attal, a Researcher and Writer in The Early Childhood Development at the British Research Council / University of Cambridge, holds a BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Jordan with a distinction A level. A fresh Master's degree holder with honors from the University of Leeds - Business School, MSc.Management and International Business Policies. She is also a part of cambridge center for social innovation group. Her work which has been titled as “Biophilic architecture in Learning Environment: filling the gap between traditional learning and innovative spaces” has been rehabilitated for the social venture projects at Cambridge Judge Business School for young entrepreneurs.
Ms. Anara Dyussenova
Anara Dyussenova holds a degree in MA in TESOL from the University of Nottingham (the United Kingdom). She is currently employed in the position of Expert in educational assessment in “Center for pedagogical measurements”, which is a branch of the autonomous educational organisation “Nazarbayev Intellectual schools” (NIS), Kazakhstan. Her research interests include language acquisition and multilingual education. She has been recognized for her excellence at work by the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan and twice by the Chair of NIS.
Ms. Diana Sartauova
Diana Sartauova is the Deputy Director of the "Center for Pedagogical Measurements" at AEO "Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools" and holds a Master of Arts in Education (University of Sheffield). With over 10 years of experience in student assessment, she developed a system for monitoring academic achievements in second languages across Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools. Diana's expertise includes designing evaluation strategies aligned with the CEFR, ensuring high standards in language assessment. Her research focuses on sociolinguistics, language policy, and language choice, examining how these factors influence language learning. She has significantly contributed to improving language education and assessment quality within the school system.
Ms. Fariza Khamza
Fariza Khamza holds an MSc in Educational Leadership from Nazarbayev University. Currently, she is the Head of Department at the Center for Pedagogical Measurements under AEO Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, bringing over 10 years of experience in coordinating external summative assessment of students. Fariza is particularly interested in advancing the field of educational assessment, especially in multicultural and international contexts. Her extensive experience in designing data-driven evaluation tools, monitoring educational achievements, and conducting final assessments of student learning outcomes make her a valuable contributor to the field.
Ms. Josephine Ebejer Grech
Josephine Ebejer Grech is a biology teacher at a post-secondary school in Malta. She holds a Bachelor in Education with Honours from the University of Malta (2000) and pursued a Post-Graduate Diploma in Applied Educational Leadership at the Institute for Education in Malta. Her academic journey continued with a Master’s in Business Administration in Educational Leadership from the Central Mediterranean Business School (Malta) and Coventry University London. Currently, Josephine is dedicated to her Doctorate in Business Administration at Idea College in Malta. Beyond academia, she enjoys singing and presenting shows. She produced and presented various educational programmes for local television and radio stations.
Ms. Adeosun Kehinde
Kehinde is a seasoned communication expert and educator with a strong academic background. She holds a B.A (Ed.) in English Studies from Olabisi Onabanjo University, both MSc and PhD degrees in Communication Development and Communication Studies from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Her research and teaching expertise lies in Language and Communication, Conflict Resolution, and Gender Issues. A member of prestigious academic bodies, including the National Association of Teachers and Researchers in English as a Second Language (NATRESL) and English Scholars Association of Nigeria (ESAN), Kehinde has published extensively in local and international journals, such as the Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences (JETEMS).
Ms. Ingriddy Moreira
At the Faculty of Education of the Universidade de São Paulo (FE-USP), she is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Scientific, Mathematical, and Technological Education, and previously earned a degree in Biological Sciences and a M.S. in Science Education from the Federal University of Ouro Preto. Currently works as a consultant for museums, exhibitions, and science-cultural spaces. She has experience in teaching at the lower secondary, technical, and higher education levels, as well as roles as a mediator and science communicator. Research interests encompass both initial and ongoing teacher training in Science, scientific communication, museum education, and learning experiences, with a particular emphasis on ethnic-racial relations.
Ms. Oshin Danish
Oshin Danish is an English Language Lecturer and Teacher Trainer at INTERLINK Institutes at Al Yamamah University. A Doctorate candidate at UCAM, Spain, her area of research interests are a SLA, impact of Intercultural communications on L1 and L2 and academic reading strategies and writing.
Ms. Pak Wai Shan
An experienced former English teacher with 25 years of dedicated service at a primary school in Hong Kong. Throughout her teaching career, she has been committed to fostering a positive learning environment for my students. Currently, she is pursuing a master’s degree in education at Taiwan's National Chengchi University. Her studies focus on experiential schools and empowering students, areas that she believes are crucial for modern educational success. Passionate about lifelong learning, she is dedicated to advancing her knowledge and expertise in innovative educational methods to better support and inspire future generations.
Mr. Khalid Fethi
He is a Moroccan educator and the founder of High Up Academy for English & Leadership. He's currently developing the FLEND approach, which integrates digital and leadership skills with human values in English language classes. As a Flipped Learning Trainer and a member of the Flipped Learning Global Initiative, he has presented at various conferences, both in-person and online, across the USA, Spain, Egypt, and Morocco. My publications include Flipping Movies for Dynamic Engagement (2018) and FLEND Your Class for Better Student Engagement (2023).
Prof. Dr. Budsaba Kanoksilapatham
Professor of English at the Faculty of Management Science at Silpakorn University, Thailand
Title: Enhancing scholarly writing: Using genre analysis to demystify the conclusion section
Prof. Dr. Choon-Sig LEE
Professor in the Department of Practical Science Education at Gyeongin University of Education, where he serves as a graduate major advisor
Title: How to apply the PBL (Project-Based Learning) approach to increase the potential of 21st century students?
Prof. Rumi Tobita
Rumi Tobita, from Ashikaga University, Japan, specializes in Engineering Education. Professor Tobita, a doctoral candidate in Educational Technology at International Christian University, Tokyo, holds a Master's in Audio-Visual Education. Her research focuses on ESP, teaching methodologies, course design, and Cognitive Science. Tobita is also a committee member of The Japan Association for Language Education and Technology.
Dr. Anka Jurčević Lozančić
She teaches at the Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb, in the department of Early and preschool education. She has published three books, more than seventy scientific papers, and is the manager of several scientific projects. She is the recipient of several awards and recognitions for achieving significant improvements and innovations in teaching, teaching organization, i.e., in raising the level of students' knowledge and activities.
Dr. Fatima Zohara Es-Saadouni
She is a seasoned Marketing Specialist at Dar Al Nokhba Exhibition Organization in Dubai, UAE. Holding a PhD in Management Sciences from Morocco, her profound knowledge is backed by extensive field experience. Dr. Fatima's expertise stands testament to her exemplary background in the realm of management
Dr. Kathryn Watson
Kathryn Watson is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Iowa. She obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs in Education Leadership, Research, and Policy. Her research focuses on reducing equity gaps in K-12 schools in the United States.
Dr. Alicia Greenbank
Senior lecturer and head of the Special Education Department at the Givat Washington Academic College of Education in Israel. Worked for many years as an educational consultant. Main research areas: partnership between parents of students with disabilities and educational teams, inclusion, family of children with disabilities, parental involvement in special education, multi-professional teamwork.
Dr. Daniela Menzin
Academic director of the Eilat Campus at Levinsky College of Education in Israel and coordinator of the unique programs at the college. Daniela is a teacher educator and a special education researcher. Main research areas: families of children with special needs - parenting and motherhood, coping styles, social support, inclusion, exclusion and self-advocacy of people with special needs.
Dr. Albert Poater
Dr. Albert Poater is a Serra Húnter Associate Professor at the University of Girona, and awarded ICREA Acadèmia 2019. He has been visiting Professor at KAUST in Saudi Arabia, at LCC-CNRS in Toulouse and at University of Salerno. As a computational chemist, mainly in in sustainable catalysis, he has published over 300 papers, collecting over 13000 citations (H = 64).
Ms. Sonali Singh
PhD Senior Research Fellow from Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. She is a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Degree holder with research in English Language Teaching which is also her area of interest for PhD. She specialized in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics as part of Master’ course and wish to continue contributing to the field via her research.
Ms. Heather Woodward
She taught in China and Vietnam before joining Rikkyo University, a private university in Tokyo, Japan, as an adjunct lecturer. Her academic interests include computer-assisted language learning and language testing and assessment.
Ms. Zeynep Yadigar TOSUN
Zeynep Yadigar TOSUN is an EFL instructor at Eskisehir Technical University, Turkiye. She holds a bachelor's degree in English Language Teaching from Gazi University and a master's degree in the same field from Anadolu University. Her research interests include second/foreign language reading, extensive reading, and the effective integration of technology into teaching methodologies.
Ms. Jiangxia Luo
She received the Master degree from Yunnan University, P.R. China.Now,She studies PHD in College of edcation,major in educational technology,Srinakharinwirot University.Thailand.She work in Yunnan University of Finance and Economics, China ,assistant.She research interest include Research and Development of Educational Technology,Information and communication technology ,Teaching design and education management.
Ms. Zylfije Tahiri
Zylfije Tahiri is a highly accomplished academic pursuing her Doctorate at South East European University in North Macedonia, specializing in English Language and Literature. She excels in English pedagogy, curriculum development, and academic research, and is recognized for her notable publications. Tahiri has been honored with the prestigious Book Authority accolade for her contributions to Distance Learning.
Ms. Taniya Shekhawat
Currently in her second year of studying Interaction Design at the United World Institute of Design in Gujarat. Originally from the vibrant city of Jaipur, Rajasthan, She's deeply passionate about leveraging design to elevate user experiences. Her journey is fueled by a genuine desire to empathize with people and creatively solve problems. She's committed to making a positive impact in the field of design through innovation and dedication.
Assoc. Prof. Nagla Ali
An expert in Emirates College for Advanced Education in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Title: Shaping the Future of Education: Leveraging Technology and Innovative Pedagogies for Empowered Learning
Assoc. Prof. Nagla Ali is an education expert who has a wealth of teaching and research experience in USA, Egypt and UAE. She is known for developing innovative technological solutions to enhance the learning experience in schools. She has taught a variety of courses and supervised master’s students through their research. Dr. Ali has served as the College’s Practicum and Internship Coordinator and was also tasked with developing an entire Cycle 2 program to graduate teachers to teach Math and Science in Cycle 2 and 3 schools in the UAE. As an expert in providing technology learning solutions to faculty members and school teachers, Dr. Ali used her ADEK research grant to train 500 students and 20 teachers in the implementation of a large-scale project involving the integration of 3D printing in schools. The project provided schools with 3D printers. In addition, she and her team trained teachers in the northern emirates in the integration of Robotics in teaching and learning. Dr. Ali has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented her work at international conferences. She has served as a reviewer for conferences and journals. She currently serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Computers in Human Behavior. Dr. Ali earned her Master and Ph.D in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Florida where she also worked as a Research and Teaching Assistant and later as an Adjunct Professor at the College of Education.
Prof. Dr. Soumendra Sahoo
He is currently the Director, Centre for transformative Learning (CTL) at Manipal University College Malaysia. He also heads the department of Ophthalmology. He has done PhD in nanomedicine & Fellowship in medical education at CMCL-FAIMER institute. He is an academic leader, Lecturer, clinician, and researcher with 30+ years of experience in teaching the courses in both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Dr. Rashmirekha Sahoo
She is currently the Director of the Centre for Foundation and General Studies at Manipal University College Malaysia. She had a PhD in chemistry (nanotechnology) as well as a fellowship in leadership in interprofessional education from the MAHE-FAIMER Institute. She has been in a leadership position for more than ten years, and as a researcher, her areas of interest are health professional education and nanotechnology.
Dr. Waleed Alanzi
Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum and Teaching Methodology, Kuwait University. Holds MA in Creative Teaching of “Learning through Play” theory, USA. Holds PhD in Instructional Technology, Middle Tennessee State University, USA, 2016 Participated and lectured in many international and local scientific conferences in the field of education and instructional technology.
Dr. Neslihan KÖSE
Dr. Neslihan KOSE is an assistant professor of Curriculum Design & Instruction at the Lifelong Learning Department of the Faculty of Education at Bartın University. Her research interests include comparative analysis of curricula. She is also engaged in different international projects and delivers pedagogy courses at the faculty of education.
Dr. Anson Wong
Anson Wong is a teaching fellow of the School of Accounting and Finance at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She received her Ph.D. in finance from The City University of Hong Kong. She is also a Certified Practicing Accountants (CPA Australia). Her teaching areas include Corporate Finance, Business Finance and International Finance. In addition to teaching, Dr. Wong is also a keen researcher. The main focus of her research is the empirical and theoretical studies about the corporate finance, venture capital investment and financial markets. Her studies are published at the pioneering industry journals e.g., financial research Letters.
Ms. Florencia Yaque
Florencia Yaque is a secondary and tertiary level teacher in Uruguay and has been working for ten years as a classroom teacher in public education. She has written articles related to practical activities and experiences in the Ceibal en Inglés program’s classroom called “Conversation Class”, she has got a Master on Education Institutions Management, a diploma on the subject and another in Economy.
Dr. Meryem Akçayoglu
Meryem Akçayoglu has a PhD in English as Foreign Language Education from University of Cukurova. She has a broad experience in teaching English to students at both undergraduate and post graduate levels and is interested in research on Applied Linguistics, teacher education, critical thinking, culture and multiculturalism. She has offered English classes to students both at the School of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Engineering and Medicine Faculty at Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey. She also has taught at in- service teacher training courses, organized by the Turkish Ministry of National Education for the teachers of English and science at primary, secondary and high schools levels in Adana and Tarsus. She served as Vice President of the International Office, and Erasmus+ Departmental Coordinator, Cukurova University. Dr Akcayoglu is currently a lecturer at the English Language Teaching Department, Faculty of Education, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
Ms. Josée Landriault
Josée Landriault is Principal of École secondaire Gaétan-Gervais, a state middle and secondary school under the French-language school board Viamonde, in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Prior to this role, she was both a Principal and a Vice-Principal for schools in the Greater Toronto Area. Josée holds a Master of Education degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Supervisory Officer’s Certificate from the Ontario Public Supervisory Officers’ Association. Josée read history (BA Hons) at the University of Toronto and completed her PGCE at the University of Durham in the UK. Josée is a member of the Board of Directors of Special Olympics Ontario and an executive member of the Milton Special Olympics and Autism Canada. She is also a member of the planning team for Wilfrid Laurier University’s Educator and Leadership Institute in Haiti (ELI Haiti). Josée has served as a Roster Panellist for the Discipline and Fitness to Practise Committees of the Ontario College of Teachers and was the recipient of the Innovator - Administrator Award at the Connect Conference in 2018.
Ms. Eszter Pázmándi
Eszter Pázmándi is a Conductive Education teacher and Rehabilitationist currently working on her PhD at Semmelweis University Doctoral School. As a lecturer, she is involved in training future teachers and her doctoral research is focused on the renewal of the training of young teachers. Her aim is to develop more effective, evidence-based education for children with special educational needs.
Ms. Alessandra Marfoglia
Alessandra Marfoglia is PhD student in Education, cultural heritage and territories, and collaborates with the research group led by Professor Catia Giaconi at the Research center of Teaching and learning, Inclusion, Disability, and Educational Technology, Macerata University (Italy). In 2023, with the same research group, she won the REN prize presenting the research ‘‘Exploratory study on the use of haptic feedback for graphomotricity enhancement’’.
Ms. Maryam Khalid
She recently did her Masters in English Language and Linguistics from National university of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Lahore. Currently, she is working as Parents Relation Officer In O/A levels Academy and her areas of Interest is Discourse Analysis, Corpus linguistics, socio-linguistics and Computational linguistics.
Ms. Melek Yolcu
Melek Yolcu is an English language instructor at Adana Alparslan Türkeş Science and Technology University's School of Foreign Languages in Turkey. She holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in English Language Teaching (ELT). Currently, she is actively working on her doctoral studies in ELT at Çukurova University in Adana. With over 11 years of experience, she has been dedicated to student-centred and innovative teaching methods in English language instruction. Her academic interests focus on Postmodern Pedagogy, applying cultural and sociocultural approaches to language learning, collaborative learning, intercultural communicative competence, digital literacy, using digital platforms in ELT, and Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
