Prior to the conference registration, we will hold three parallel workshops (24 August 9am-12). 

These workshops offer hands-on engagement with emerging and practical themes in second language interaction research. Participants can explore the intersection of Conversation Analysis and Artificial Intelligence (Brandt & Hazel), learn techniques for visualizing complex video data for diverse audiences (Schümchen-Schram), and delve into the analysis of multimodal interactions in digital environments (Oittinen). While these workshops are especially valuable for early-career researchers seeking methodological insight and collaborative discussion, researchers of all levels of experience are encouraged to attend. 

Delegates can attend one workshop for a fee of £60, payable upon registration. 

Workshop 1: Hands-on workshop on visualization of video data for different audiences

In this workshop, we regard the benefits of data visualization as a tool to make one’s data more accessible to others. We discuss different audiences’ and communicative needs before the workshop participants can try their hand at visualizing short data snippets using low-tech equipment such as pen and paper and simple computer software. The workshop is particularly useful for researchers with materially and spatially complex data and those who often address practitioners, more general audiences, and non-CA collaborators.

Workshop Facilitator: Nathalie Schümchen-Schram

Workshop 2: Analysing interactions in digital spaces

This workshop focuses on ways to analyse verbal, embodied and material actions in data that come from digital (e.g., video-mediated) second language environments. We will discuss the complexities of these environments in the examination of participants’ multimodal conduct and interactional competence, paying attention to the most prevalent issues (e.g., spatial, technological and situational constraints). The workshop has two parts: 1) it starts with the identification of key concepts and concerns related to CA analysis in digital spaces and 2) continues with hands-on practice where we analyse examples from diverse L2 contexts. The workshop gives newcomers to CA an opportunity to engage in low-threshold methodological discussion and present examples from their own data.

Workshop Facilitator: Tuire Oittinen (University of Jyväskylä)

Workshop 3: CA and Conversational AI

AI agents, including chatbots, large language models (e.g. ChatGPT), and virtual assistants (such as Alexa and Siri), are becoming increasingly embedded in our social world. Such agents are designed to mimic social conduct hitherto only produced by humans. This fundamental change to our social world calls for closer empirical attention, to both understand and inform how these technologies are designed and engaged with. 
In this workshop, we will explore the intersection of Conversation Analysis and conversational AI. This will entail considering: (1) the theoretical and methodological challenges that come with analysing human-AI interaction with CA, and (2) the ways in which CA findings and principles might be applied in the design of conversational AI agents. Throughout the workshop, we will explore these issues through the lens of L2 interaction.

Workshop Facilitators: Adam Brandt and Spencer Hazel (Newcastle University):