Dr LEE, Ju Seong

Ju Seong Lee (李主聖), Ph.D. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

I believe our greatest gifts—time and talent—are meant to be shared. When we use them to uplift those in need, we feel deep joy, build meaningful relationships, and strengthen communities. This belief was shaped by volunteer work across 10+ regions, including Cambodia, Mongolia, and Thailand, since 2000, where I witnessed how lifelong, lifewide, and informal learning can transform young lives.

Inspired by these experiences and the spirit of the Korean word "아이들" (aideul, meaning "children"), I introduced the concept of Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) in 2018. IDLE reimagines language learning as an intuitive, curiosity-driven journey—one where learners ask their own "why" questions, where learning and play merge, and where failure becomes a path to discovery. It offers a natural, human-centered alternative to rigid, adult-designed systems. Research across 10+ regions shows that IDLE is linked to positive outcomes in over 20 areas, from enjoyment and growth mindset to speaking confidence.

Since 2020, these findings have been translated into partnerships with Indonesian teachers to co-design and implement IDLE-based social impact projects, reaching over 2,800 students. As the world enters the post-AI era, our work continues to explore how human creativity, empathy, and digital innovation can coexist to empower learners—particularly those in under-resourced, under-studied, and marginalized communities. Through collaborations with schools, universities, NGOs, and governments across Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Global South, our goal remains constant: to nurture both language and life skills while inspiring learners to serve others—sowing seeds of hope that endure beyond our brief time on earth.