Beyond The Abstracts: i-Space (Revisited) - Isobel Hook (S2e6)

“I think a wonderful thing that the university did and a wonderful thing that a lot of the teachers did was to say to the students, ‘Hey - this is closing. We have a new paradigm. What do you want to get from this university?’…I think that was incredibly empowering to the students. And they also had this feeling of, ‘The university is closing. It's bigger than me, but I’m (one of) the last students here, so I'm putting my stamp on it as I leave.’” Today's guest, Isobel Hook, first featured on the show in December 2023. In this episode we revisit her story for a September 2026 update. Watch to learn the exciting details of what happened with i-Space - the self-access learning centre she started from scratch - and the 'big' social issues that came into play; like the long-term loss of women’s universities in Japan. Despite this, Isobel reveals how learners and practitioners continue to find meaning, value, and autonomy - which lends a hopeful note to the episode. Bio: Isobel Hook is an EFL/ESL educator with over a decade of teaching experience across South Korea, Australia, and Japan. As Chair of JALT's Gender Awareness in Language Education (GALE) Special Interest Group, she advocates for inclusive and equitable language learning environments. Her work focuses on learner autonomy, motivation, self-access learning, and the opportunities and challenges presented by AI in language education. In 2023, she founded the Immersion Space at Kyoto Notre Dame Women's University, transforming it into a student-led Self-Access Language Center that supports independent learning and community engagement. She currently teaches at Kwansei Gakuin University’s School of Architecture. Relevant Publication: Developing Student Autonomy through Self-Access Learning Centres and Teacher Practice - A New Endeavour. Hook, I., Learning Learning Newsletter 29(2), Nov, 2023 https://ld-sig.org/wp-content/uploads... 0:38 Self-introduction 2:00 The 2023 iSpace 4:10 Community-building 7:30 Responsibility transfer 10:40 A pivotal moment 14:25 Students respond to the 'big news' 17:20 Students go above and beyond 19:09 Material resource development? 21:05 'Active' vs 'passive' participation 24:00 Data and advocacy 28:00 Core team and passionate believers 33:45 Learning advising 35:30 Classroom-SALC integration 38:00 The school closure 42:30 Isobel's reaction 43:57 Genuine student leadership 47:20 The background to the closure 48:58 The loss of women's universities 57:17 The role of scholarships 59:40 What's next?