李主圣博士

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 has grown through volunteer work since 2000 across 10+ regions—including Cambodia, Mongolia, and Thailand—where I witnessed how lifelong, lifewide, and informal learning can transform young lives.

Inspired by these experiences and by the Korean word for children, aideul (아이들), I introduced the concept of Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) in 2018. IDLE reimagines language learning as an intuitive, curiosity-driven journey. It is a space where play meets purpose, questions drive progress, and mistakes become fuel for discovery. Research across 10+ regions shows that IDLE is linked to positive outcomes in over 20 areas, from enjoyment and growth mindset to speaking confidence.

Building on these insights, we have collaborated with Indonesian teachers since 2020 to co-design IDLE-based social impact projects, reaching over 2,800 students. In a post-AI era often defined by automation and isolation, our work explores how empathy, human creativity, and digital innovation can converge to empower learners—especially those in under-resourced, under-studied, and marginalized communities. Through partnerships with schools, universities, NGOs, and governments across Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Global South, we continue to ask: How can technology expand—not erode—our humanity? By integrating care, research, and service, we aim to nurture both language and life skills, inspiring learners to serve others and sow enduring seeds of hope beyond our brief time on earth.