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Pre-Conference Workshops |
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Bertha Du-Babcock Dr. Bertha Du-Babcock is Associate Professor at City University of Hong Kong. She currently serves as the Vice President of Asia - Pacific Region of the Association for Business Communication (ABC). She was the recipient of the Distinguished Member Award in 2010; the Kitty O Locker Outstanding Researcher in 2008; and the Meada Gibbs Outstanding Teaching Award in 2004. She also received the Outstanding Article Award for the Journal of Business Communication in 2007 and the Outstanding Article Award for the Business Communication Quarterly in 2001. Du-Babcock is co-author of Asia Edition of Essentials of Business Communication. Her work has been published in numerous refereed journals. She is serving as Guest Editor of a Special Issue for the Journal of Business and Technical Communication on Business and Professional Communication in Asia Pacific. She is also an editorial review board member for MCQ, JBC, BCQ, and GABC, and the ATTW book series. |
Research Methods to Study Business Communication in Asia: From Research to Publication The primary objective of the workshop is to help business communication professionals to develop research knowledge and skills in studying Asian business communication. Associated objectives are to allow participants to identify (a) research and publication possibilities and (b) colleagues for joint research projects. Workshop topics include: (a) barriers to writing and submission for publication; (b) approaches to writing for publication; (c) guidelines for submission to journals/ publishers; (d) effective response to editors’ and reviewers’ comments; and (e) strategic issues in academic publishing for non-native English speakers. The workshop will be useful for both novices and experienced researchers. Novices will have an opportunity to explore areas that are new to them; whereas, experienced researchers will share knowledge about their research work. In this interactive workshop, participants will work in small groups to identify researchable topics. The small groups will develop their research topics within the basic principles and examples of research design set forward by the workshop leader. The groups will then share their discussions with other groups. The structure for the workshop
consists of three parts: |
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Tim Craig hails from Indiana, USA, but has also lived for many years in Canada and Japan. He holds a Ph.D. in International Business & Business Strategy (University of Washington) and a Masters degree in International Management (Thunderbird). He has 15 years’ experience teaching ESL, including Business English, in Japanese companies and universities, and 16 years experience as a professor (teaching, research, curriculum design, MBA Director) at the Faculty of Business of University of Victoria, Canada. His publication record includes two books and numerous articles in academic and popular outlets, on topics ranging from business management to Japanese pop culture. He is currently a professor in Doshisha Business School’s Global MBA Program, where he heads a new specialization area called “Culture and Creativity.” |
Task-based Learning in the Business English Classroom: Learn Business English the Fun Way by Creating Your Own Company Tim Craig describes and demonstrates a task-based learning approach to Business English that he has developed and used successfully in Japanese university ESL classes. Working in teams, students create their own “virtual” companies and jobs, which become a platform for carrying out a series of tasks that mirrors what businesspeople do in the real world of building and working in companies. The approach is built on four principles: (1) learning by doing, (2) personalization, (3) unlocking student creativity, and (4) integrated practice of business concepts, skills, and language.
Learning is highly personalized and taps into student creativity. Students
create their own companies and jobs, which reflect and express their
individual interests, ideas, and career goals. As managers of their
companies, they create logos, taglines, and mission statements; design
business cards; network at a trade show; decide how to price and market
their products or services; conduct market research; and write and perform
TV commercials. More advanced classes may include job interviews; making
pitches to investors for financing; trading stocks or currencies;
“greening” their businesses; and hosting foreign visitors. This all makes
for a lively, student-centered classroom and a learning experience that is
highly interactive, practical, and enjoyable for both student and teacher. |
Tim
Craig
