Storytelling and Technology: Reimagining Hindi-Urdu and South Asian Language Learning
Sai Bhatawadekar (fifth from left), Professor of Hindi-Urdu at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, organized the free, hybrid conference “Storytelling and Technology,” held December 10–12, 2025, highlighting emerging approaches to language pedagogy through artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and digital storytelling. (Photo by: Paul John M. Castillo)
HONOLULU — The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa convened an international, interdisciplinary conference titled “Storytelling and Technology: Hindi-Urdu and South Asian Language Learning Innovations” from December 10–12, 2025. Organized by Professor Sai Bhatawadekar (Hindi-Urdu), this hybrid event—free and open to all—invited educators, scholars, students, and practitioners to explore pioneering approaches to South Asian language pedagogy through the lens of storytelling and emergent technologies.
The conference reimagined language learning by placing storytelling at the center of pedagogy, extending from classical oral traditions to digital media. Key topics included storytelling as a teaching methodology, digital storytelling frameworks, philosophical and practical perspectives on language learning in the age of artificial intelligence, creative and cautious uses of AI tools in classrooms, transforming classroom practice into research, open-access resources, and immersive technologies such as virtual reality.
Sessions were held in person at the IT Center Conference Rooms and Center for Language Technology on the UH Mānoa campus, and virtually via Zoom. Presenters represented leading institutions worldwide, including the University of British Columbia, McGill University, SOAS University of London, Yale, Penn, Duke, Michigan State, Ohio State, Osaka University, and Habib University (Pakistan), among others.
Structured as a combination of keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, and interactive demonstrations, the conference fostered collaboration across disciplines and experience levels. Participants gained both theoretical insights and practical tools for integrating storytelling and technology into Hindi-Urdu and South Asian language instruction.
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