The 17th Annual Conference of the Asia-Pacific Network for Moral Education
Conference Theme:
The Challenges Facing Moral Education in our Future Society: The Future of the Asia-Pacific Region and Moral Education
17th Annual Conference
June 2 (Friday) to June 6 (Tuesday), 2023
Joetsu University of Education, Joetsu, Japan
- Conference Theme and Description:
The Challenges Facing Moral Education in our Future Society:
The Future of the Asia-Pacific Region and Moral Education
Our recent technological innovations, such as AI robots and self-driving cars, are remarkable. It has been said that such innovations will eliminate several occupations in the near future. This technological progress has changed our lives and also brought about changes in the social system itself. Under these circumstances, aren’t morality and moral education also changing? In the Asia-Pacific region, the importance of moral values has been understood in every culture and society since ancient times. Moral values themselves may not have changed so much; however, their specific meaning or content may be beginning to change along with the above-mentioned technological innovations and social changes. For example, who is responsible for traffic accidents caused by self-driving cars? Considering these kinds of problems, it seems that moral education in the future will have to play a leading role in our society, and also may need to change as the society itself changes. Based upon the aims of the APNME, this conference welcomes participants whose papers or presentations will be concerned with the following issues and questions.
1. What will moral education be or become in our future society? How does innovation relate to moral education? What is now, and perhaps what will be, the role of moral education in our highly computerized era?
2. Just as technology can be understood as being universal, can a universal morality really be established? Will it be possible to create a common moral education curriculum in and for the Asia-Pacific region?
3. Are cultural diversity and moral education compatible? Can we have new moral values flexible enough to help us understand different cultures? What may be the differences between moral education in the West and in the Asia-Pacific?
4. Is it possible to deal with diverse religions in the context of moral education? Can moral education help us to overcome the conflicts between and among the world’s religions?
5. How does moral education relate to career education and citizenship education?
6. What role do “minorities” play in moral education? How are moral education and human rights issues related?
Whilst priority will be given to presentations addressing these topics, any presentations that are concerned with moral and civic education will be welcomed. We sincerely welcome to our conference all those who truly care about exploring and enhancing the role of moral education, through theory and practice, in the Asia-Pacific region and in the world.
Important Dates to keep in mind:
- February 13th, 2023 – Extended Deadline for Abstract Submissions
- February 20th, 2023 – Notification of Acceptance of Abstracts
- April 15th, 2023 – Deadline for Early Bird Registration
- April 23rd, 2023 – Deadline for Registration (Note: If you register after the deadline, you may not be able to get the conference kit or conference bag.)
- May 2nd, 2023 – Suggested Last Day for Booking Accommodations
- June 2nd, - June 6th, 2023 – APNME Conference
The Conference programme will be posted on the website. It will include paper presentations, symposia, posters, the keynote speeches and roundtable discussions, and it will also allow for ample free time to see the sights of Joetsu.
- The intended conference venue:
Joetsu University of Education was founded on October 1st, 1978 as a national university that aims to promote both theoretical and practical studies. It also incorporated the Graduate School of Education, which mainly provides teachers for primary and secondary schools, giving them opportunities to do academic research and receive academic training, along with the College of Education which offers undergraduate courses to train future primary school teachers. The campus of Joetsu University of Education comprises approximately 350 km, extending to the Narita International Airport on the Shinkansen (high-speed railway) route. See the google map or the Japanese Yahoo map: https://map.yahoo.co.jp/
Please also refer to the Niigata-ken information: https://www.pref.niigata.lg.jp/sec/kokusai/en-index.html
- Accommodation options:
ART HOTEL JOETSU (http://www.art-joetsu.com/en/) is recommended. It is an average-level hotel. There are also several affordable hotels in the city. Affordable, traditional Japanese-style accommodations will also be available in the city. Joetsu City is a small city located in the countryside, so there are no luxury hotels nearby. However, you can really enjoy the natural scenery and the life of the countryside in Japan.
- Local Organizing Committee
Two academic staff members from Joetsu University of Education will constitute the Local Organizing Committee for the proposed 2023 conference. Prof. Yasunari Hayashi will be the main contact representative, and he will be working with the APNME Committee. A few colleges and graduate students will also be available during the Conference. They will be at the registration desk and will help with the upcoming sessions by checking our computers and other equipment.
- Transport Availability and Visas:
Narita International Airport has flights to and from many other international destinations in the Asia-Pacific area, and Niigata Airport has flights to and from Seoul (Incheon), Shanghai (Pudong), Harbin, Taiwan (Taoyuan), and more. From Narita Airport to Joetsu City please take the Narita Express from the airport station, change to the Hokuriku Shinkansen at Tokyo Station, and get off at Joetsu Myoko Station. It takes about 3 hours and 30 minutes, and will cost about 11,000 yen (100 USD). From Joetsu Myoko Station to the hotel, please transfer to the Tokimeki Railway and get off at Takada Station. It takes about 6 minutes and will cost 190 yen (2 USD). A visa will be needed by most overseas participants, though some nations are exempt. Therefore participants should check with their travel agent.