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Contents
5

1. Introduction

6

2. “It doesn’t look the same everywhere”

7

3. How do we counter hostility and exclusion
to create a peaceful coexistence?
3.1 Empathy and human-centric education
3.2 Educational reforms concerning curricula and policies
3.3 The role of governments

94. What are the limitations to these solutions?
4.1 Doing good can be seen as wanting attention or recognition
for the younger generations
4.2 Generational gap
4.3 Alternative teaching methods and contents are hard to add
to existing curricula
4.4 Civic education is a paradox

12

5. How do we move forward?
5.1 The essence: Empowering access to education
5.2 The outlook: Dialogue and interdisciplinarity for social andacademic advancement

14

SEACE2024 Key Statistics

17

Conference Photographs

SEACE2024

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4

SEACE2024

March 2024

Created by The International Academic Forum (IAFOR)

Introduction
The 4th Southeast Asian Conference on Education (SEACE2024) held in Chiang Mai,
Thailand, focused its discussions around how to achieve a peaceful and harmonious
coexistence within a society that is becoming increasingly diverse and polarised. While
there are many facets to this global issue, one lens with which to observe the recent
rise in violence, marginalisation, and exclusion is an arena that may very well become
this issue’s remedy - Education.
From hidden school violence to cultural bias, structural and political exclusion, andvulnerability in the face of natural disasters, all keynote speakers and panel presenters
have highlighted how these issues can be attributed to educational deficiencies,
whether agency-wise, structural, cultural, or political in nature, but at the same time,
how Education itself can change human behaviour and agency, increase resilience,enhance social cohesion, reduce political polarisation, foster sustainability, and abolishcultural bias.

SEACE2024

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"It doesn't look the same everywhere"
Hostility, exclusion, and inequality take different forms in different settings. Issues in
Education can sometimes be structural, cultural, political, or even psychological on
an individual level, with each of these forms being found only within certain contexts,
and sometimes in combination. The issue of violence is a complex interplay of manyfactors, which requires careful tailoring to each country and culture.
The opening keynote speech by Professor Adisorn Juntrasook titled “Invisible Threatsin Education: Addressing Hidden School Violence” emphasises the fact that violencecomes in different shapes, both in how it is expressed and what it expresses. While itcan come in the form of physical, psychological, sexual, cultural, structural, or symbolic
violence, it can happen anywhere from school grounds to the way to/from school tocyberspace, and it looks different depending on the socio-cultural context.
The same underpinning thought ran through Professor Brendan Howe’s presentation
on “Education for Resilience and Self-Reliance in Southeast Asia”, where he described
how the lack of education and training of social capital affects a society’s resilience tonatural disasters. Both Myanmar and the Philippines experienced great human loss
during natural disasters that occurred in 2008 and 2013 due to improper training andutilisation of human capital, but this lack took different forms in both countries. While in
Myanmar, a severely distorted budget allocation towards military dominance ushered
in low institutional trust, in the Philippines, the government did not enforce properdisaster preparedness and management education.
Political polarisation can also look differently in different countries, according toProfessor Aurel Croissant. In his panel presentation titled “Civic Education and Political
Polarisation - Germany, South Korea, and Thailand”, he explained that the level andtype of polarisation is different in each country based on its socio-political and culturalcontext, its contested narratives, and how well-developed civil society is in terms ofcivic understanding, civic skills, values, and action.

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SEACE2024

How do we counter hostility andexclusion to create a peacefulcoexistence?
Within an increasingly polarised and diverse setting that is growing more and more
intolerant of the “other”, what can be done to create a culture of respect, empathy,
and inclusivity? The answer is not a “one-size-fits-all”. Different socio-cultural contexts
and different institutional structures create different forms of violence and hostility.
This means that solutions to the problem of violence also differ greatly from country tocountry. However, social capital and human agency follow similar behavioural patterns
in almost all societies that can be educated. The solutions lie therein.

1. Empathy and human-centric educationa. In most cases of violence at schools, 85% of students are passive bystanders.
Converting passive observers into active defenders is the key to preventing violence.
This can be achieved by raising awareness within school curricula, conducting skillbuilding workshops (i.e., conflict resolution, communication skills), developing peer
support programmes, or creating an anonymous reporting system. Involving students
in initiatives against violence can foster a sense of community and responsibility. We
should strive to empower them to become part of the solution.
b. Developing human-centric teaching models and methods from the design-thinking
perspective to enhance interpersonal skills and human interactions in communicationand decision-making among faculty members. There are various models which canbe implemented such as the ones presented by Dr Ari Eichelberger and Dr Shamila
Janakiraman. The first model follows a structured approach: Empathise (deepunderstanding of the issue), Define the problem, Ideate solutions, Prototype, andfinally, Test. Another model, ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate),
has proven to be effective for designing tailored instructions aimed at individual needs..
c. Emerging technologies, notably AI, can make the learning and teaching process
impersonal and monotone. Dr Chih-Pu Dai suggests developing a ‘human-centred AI’,in which the human is included in the loop of AI creation for relevancy to the learners
or users, and to create engaging, personal, meaningful learning experiences.

2. Educational reforms concerning curriculaand policies
a. To counter political polarisation, Civic Education can help socialise students andcreate citizens well-versed in the mechanism of democratic judgement and preference
formation. It can educate about how democratic legitimacy is created/eroded andabout the fundamental values of a democratic society. Civic Education involves criticalthinking and media literacy, encouraging dialogue, promoting active citizenship,teaching conflict resolution skills, and building social cohesion.

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b. Incorporate “Sustainability” Education into school and higher education curricula
to create a sense of understanding and responsibility for future generations. In her
presentation on “Sustainability Education: Case of Inter-University Collaboration forExperiential Learning”, Professor Hannah Jun discussed how education should not
only focus on knowledge and learning, but also on how to change one’s behavioural
patterns (e.g. sustainable consumption patterns). She further urged institutions todevelop intra- and inter-university collaborations on Sustainability Education.
c. Incorporate Peace Education into school curricula using victims as agents andteachers. As demonstrated in an experimental programme titled “Learning from theVictims” presented by Dr Hyukmin Kang during his presentation on “Victims as Agentsfor Peace Education in Post-Conflict Societies”, victims of violence and war shared
their stories to students as a way to teach the concept of “peace”, and students andvictims alike reported higher levels of critical thinking, awareness of social emotions,and social acceptance and resilience.
d. To counter the unequal access to education, different solutions apply to different
contexts. To make educational access more inclusive in Hawaii, for example, Dr Daniel
Hoffman suggests focusing on resilience, defined as the ability for people to acquirebasic needs by themselves. The lack of computer engineering teachers can prompt the
introduction of computer science courses into local teachers’ professional practice. To
tackle the program of a geographically dispersed population in Hawaii, Dr Peter Leongsuggests introducing online courses and learning experiences, online new student
orientations, and virtual graduations. In the case of Thailand, Dr Sahawarat Polahan’spanel discusses how educators and experts should also be factored in to contributeto a better educational structure, allowing them to contribute their expertise to fill
the gaps in promoting a seamless education experience. A decentralised, informal
education structure can encourage teachers to connect to their values, passions, andbeliefs to bring out the highest capacity within themselves.

3. The role of governments
a. Governments are obligated to protect their citizens from any type of human security
crisis, provide basic human needs and build capacity and agency. According toProfessor Howe, more focus should be placed on the vulnerable and marginalised.
b. On the other hand, Professor Howe also urges governments to build resilience ofsocial capital. Citizens must be trained to acquire basic human needs by themselvesin times of crisis.

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SEACE2024

What are the limitations to thesesolutions?
Creating a peaceful and harmonious society on the foundations of empathy andrespect requires time. Solutions to hostility are not an easy fix: they are but long-term
endeavours. As such, there are several limitations to the aforementioned solutions.

1.

Doing good can be seen as wanting attention
or recognition for the younger generations
As a response to an audience member’s question on how we can solve the problem ofviolence, Professor Juntrasook makes a note of this interesting generational differencein values. The societal pattern of “doing good for attention” is mostly seen among
Gen Z, wherein doing good is often seen as attention-seeking behaviour and can leadto good-doers becoming victims themselves. This may stem from years of a positive/
negative reinforcement type of parenting that has been observed in the past two
decades. How to navigate through generational values remains a crucial point.

2.

Generational gap
Dr Hyukmin Kang also reflects on this gap in values and relatedness between various
generations. Stories of victims from a few decades ago that occurred during a different
societal setting may not be relatable for the younger generations. Comparisons need
to be made and an understanding of the younger generation’s values is necessary.

Dr Hyukmin Kang, Ewha Womans University, South Korea

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3.

Alternative teaching methods and contents
are hard to add to existing curricula
Newly emerging subjects such as Peace Education and Sustainability Education require
knowledge and teaching methods that have not yet been used in classrooms. Most
teachers are not experts in sustainability or peacebuilding, while teaching tools andmethods may differ from the traditional textbook-learning or lecture-giving methods.
In the case of using victims’ stories as a teaching method, for example, the quality
and content depends highly on how victims tell their stories. This cannot always
be rehearsed or evaluated beforehand. An innovation of educational methods andpractices is needed.

4.

Civic education is a paradox
Political polarisation can be countered by teaching civic education. A certain degreeof political polarisation is healthy within a democratic environment: we need differing
views and opinions to have political dialogue. The problem arises when we view our
opponent as an enemy and not as a competitor. So, civic education should foster asense of neutrality. However, civic education, by definition, is a product of democraticvalues. No political or democratic way can be truly neutral, as it assumes a certain
positioning by definition. Exactly how we can counter political polarisation in apolitically/democratically “neutral way” remains a paradox to be solved.

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SEACE2024

“The discussions revealed ashared commitment to holistic
approaches, emphasising notjust discipline but also thewell-being and inclusivity ofeducational environments…
This exchange of ideas at
SEACE2024 underscored thesymbiotic relationship between
global insights and local
practices.”1.
- Dr Adisorn Juntrasook

2.

SEACE2024

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How do we move forward?
The essence: empowering access to education
Professor Howe offers insight on empowering access to education as the key takeaway
from SEACE2024. The conference sessions identified traditional and non-traditional
challenges, such as the marginalised groups, gender bias, and other forms of
discrimination, as the key obstacles to equal access to education. Despite numerous
challenges, solutions offered by the panellists and delegates in efforts to develop new
types of distance learning and education delivery provide an optimistic outlook on
access to education at the global, national, and local levels.
Dr Juntrasook highlights the role of technology in addressing contemporary challenges
in education. The holistic, innovative, and inclusive approach to cater to the learner’s
dynamic needs is essential in creating an inclusive and resilient education environment.
The discussion at the conference underscored the symbiotic relationship between
global insights and local practices. The focus on Thailand, Asia, and the Pacific offersa fresh perspective on Thailand’s unique education challenges, as well as a chance for
Thailand to contribute to the global academic community in addressing educational
challenges and enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes.

The outlook: dialogue and interdisciplinarity
for social and academic advancement
Dr Juntrasook views the need for continuous dialogue and research on key issues suchas multiculturalism, accessibility, and the integration of technology as the current trend
for academic discussions on education. The importance of interdisciplinary and crosscultural collaboration in advancing education research and practice will create theopportunity for further exploration of how traditional educational models can adapt to
the rapidly changing global landscape, ensuring that learners are equipped with theskills and knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of the 21st century.
Dr Howe emphasises the importance of interdisciplinarity as a trend of further discussion
in the field of education. Future discussions on the contribution of education science toother fields in social sciences and vice versa will yield robustness in academic discussion
and discover solutions to the current issues in societies across all levels. Potential
outlook includes the importance of education in increasing resiliency, the protectionof human rights, and strengthening democracy. Likewise, the field of education could
also benefit from the social sciences, such as the contribution of SDGs to education
as the governance prescription for more education at the local, national, and global
levels.
SEACE2024 reflected upon a promising solution: for educators and policymakers to be
more empathetic and resilient towards their learners and co-workers. This will help in
identifying problems and suitable solutions tailored to the needs of the students in thelocal contexts to develop and improve for better learning and teaching experiences.

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“The way that I see going forward
is the way education can contributeto advancing progress in other areasof social sciences,... it increases
resilience, it increases the protectionof human rights, it strengthens
democracy… The other area is how
the other aspects of social sciences
can contribute to the promotionof education… at the global level,
national level, and local level.”

1.

- Dr Brendan Howe

2.

SEACE2024

13

Bridging international and local collaboration:
LSEd Thammasat University joined the IAFOR
Global Partnership Programme
The MoU signing ceremony between LSEd Thammasat University and IAFOR took
place at SEACE2024, expanding a symbolic and practical partnership within theSoutheast Asia region.
In promotion of international collaboration as one of IAFOR’s core values, Dr Joseph
Haldane, Chairman and CEO of IAFOR, signed an MoU with the Faculty of Learning
Sciences and Education (LSEd) at Thammasat University, represented by the faculty’s
dean, Dr Adisorn Juntrasook, on February 16, 2024. The importance of including
local universities is crucial in building collaboration for education development andacademic advancement at both the local and international levels. This is evidenced
in the delivered keynote (“Invisible Threats in Education: Addressing Hidden School
Violence”) and panel (“Seamless Education in Thailand”) presented by the Thai
panellists in bringing local perspectives into the international conference, offering an
opportunity for sharing knowledge, raising awareness, and identifying solutions forcontemporary issues in global education.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the delegates attending The 4th Southeast
Asian Conference on Education (SEACE2024), together with Professor Michael
Menchaca of the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States, and editor for the
IAFOR Journal of Education, and Dr Brendan Howe, Dean and Professor of the
Graduate School of International Studies, Ewha Womans University, South Korea.
To learn more about the IAFOR Global Partnership Programme, please visit our
website at https://iafor.org/about/partners/

From left to right: Dr Sahawarat Polahan, Deputy Dean, LSEd Thammasat University; Dr Adisorn Juntrasook, Dean, LSEd Thammasat University,
Dr Joseph Haldane, Chairman & CEO, IAFOR; Professor Michael Menchaca, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States; and Dr Brendan
Howe, Dean and Professor of the Graduate School of International Studies, Ewha Womans University, South Korea

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SEACE2024
Key Statistics

international
interculturalinterdisciplinary

Date of creation: May 6, 2024

225 DELEGATESFROM 38 COUNTRIES
55

110

OnsitePresentations

20%
60%

Occupation

7%

149

OnlinePresentations

University Faculty 60%
Doctoral Student 20%
Primary/Secondary Education 7%
Postgraduate Student 5%
Other 5%
Postdoctoral Fellow/Instructor 2%
Business Owner/Executive 1%

Institutions andOrganisations

60%

34%

60% Doctoral Degree
40% Masters Degree
6% Bachelors Degree

Education

6%

Top Five Streams

1. Higher Education (21)
2. Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis (20)
3. Learning Experiences, Student Learning & Learner Diversity (18)
4. Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics (including
ESL/TESL/TEFL) (14)5. Innovation & Technology (10)2120Top Five Countriesof Delegates

1. Japan (18%)
2. Philippines (14%)
3. United States (11%)
4. Thailand (7%)
5. Indonesia (5%)

18%

18

14%

14

11%

10

7%

5%

Multiple Authored vs.
Single Authored Submissions

165

Total
Presentations

58

Hours ofContent

49%

51%

international | intercultural | interdisciplinaryConference
Photographs

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2404-I
ISSN: 2759-4939
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