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Project News
New LearnIT2teach YouTube Video: Exploring Flipped Learning in Adult ESL
In this seven-minute video interview with Dr. Geoff Lawrence of York University, he and Rob McBride discuss the concept of flipped learning and how it is applied in language teaching and learning. Tune in for a great summary of how flipped learning can complement blended learning. ...
https://youtu.be/TrpfTmTQmFs
Training Materials Update
The Mass Actions block is now available on Edulinc, along with support materials in the Stage 2 training and on the LearnIT2teach web portal. This block allows instructors to perform actions upon multiple resources or activities, rather than having to perform repeated actions on individual items. Supported actions include mass selection, indentation, deletion, hiding, showing, and moving ...
https://www.learnit2teach.ca/wpnew/moodle3_1_stage2/03-Course_Management_Moodle_3/09-Mass_Actions_Block-an_editing_block_for_teachers.pdf
Web News
Canada must adapt quickly to attract skilled workers, immigration minister says
Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen says Canada must be quick to adapt and innovate in order to remain a global leader in attracting skilled workers. Hussen is welcoming a new report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) which praised Canada's economic immigration system as one of the most successful in the world. It said Canada is widely seen as a "benchmark" for other countries. ...
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/economic-labour-migration-hussen-oecd-1.5244416
Robots Are Teaching Language Skills, But Are They Any Good?
... Earlier this spring, in the Review of Educational Research, three Dutch academics offered a useful survey of what we know about robot instruction on vocabulary, reading skills, grammar, and more, ... Robots potentially have two big advantages over other forms of ed tech, van den Berghe et al. note. One is that they allow learners to interact with a real-life environment (and not just a computer screen). The second is that they allow for more natural interaction than do other forms of tech because the robots are often “humanoid or in the shape of an animal.” So, what does the current research say about what these robots mean for language learning?...
https://www.educationnext.org/robots-teaching-language-skills-good/
Canada study permit: More than 1 in 3 international students rejected
Canadian immigration rejected more than half of international students admitted to undergraduate programmes in the country’s universities between January and May this year. According to Polestar, data provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada show that 53 percent of this cohort had their study permit applications denied this winter and spring. ...
https://www.studyinternational.com/news/canada-study-permit-rejection/
Language Learning Apps Like Babbel Are Popular, But Do They Work? Yale Researchers Investigate
Language learning apps have seen massive uptake in recent years. Duolingo reported it had surpassed the 300 million user mark last year. Other free options like Busuu and Memrise count their users in the tens of millions (Busuu is nearing 100 million). Babbel, which offers subscriptions to its language learning mobile and web app, announced 1 million paying customers in 2016. This popularity speaks for itself. But outside of these figures, user reviews, and personal anecdotes, few know how well these language learning apps work. ...
https://news.elearninginside.com/language-learning-apps-like-babbel-are-popular-but-do-they-work-yale-researchers-investigate/
A map of the brain could help to guess what you’re reading
A 3D map of how the brain responds to words could unlock new ways to understand and treat dyslexia and speech disorders. ... The researchers concluded that there are a lot of similarities, in terms of brain activity, between reading and listening to stories .... Until now, the assumption was that there would be clearer differences ...
https://www.technologyreview.com/f/614191/a-map-of-the-brain-could-help-to-guess-what-youre-reading/
How virtual reality is changing the game of teacher training
... New teachers learn important lessons in their first few years, but they do so sometimes to the detriment of their students. Students with disabilities, English learners and students in high-poverty areas ... What if, instead, novice teachers could work through pain points in a realistic classroom environment without impacting real students? Enter virtual reality. The technology is being used as a teacher training and professional development tool ...
https://districtadministration.com/how-virtual-reality-is-changing-the-game-of-teacher-training/
Google: Gmail's new AI spelling, grammar checks help you avoid email blunders
Google is rolling out new artificial-intelligence features in Gmail that should improve the quality of email messages rushed out under deadline pressures. The new AI spell-checking features will soon appear for business G Suite users, who will get a helping hand to write email with Gmail's spelling and grammar checks, as well as suggestions. ...
https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-gmails-new-ai-spelling-grammar-checks-help-you-avoid-email-blunders/
Students are still using tech to cheat on exams, but things are getting more advanced
In many ways, cheating on high school and college exams used to be a lot harder than it is nowadays. What used to take an elaborate plot to discreetly spread answers across a classroom can now be done with a swipe on a smartwatch. You used to have to steal the answer key or have a cheat sheet hidden around your desk. Now, smartphones can be disguised as calculators, information can be spread invisibly via the airwaves and tiny earbuds allow students to listen to content transmitted from a smartphone in their backpack across the room. ...
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2019/08/16/how-teachers-preventing-high-tech-cheating-classroom/2017389001/
Blogs
eLearning Graphic Design Best Practices
A well-designed eLearning course improves readability and helps learners to navigate through a particular course's content smoothly. Without the right graphic design, which includes images, typography, layout, and color scheme, even the best-written content would be confusing to learners. If you are new to design, below are eLearning graphic design best practices that you should consider using in your course to engage your learners...
https://elearningindustry.com/elearning-graphic-design-best-practices
Use Of Emojis And Infographics In E-Learning
... One way to add a personal touch to your online communication is by using emojis. In e-learning courses, you can use emojis for assessments, feedback pop-ups, and when learners interact with each other, or with the online teacher. Emojis are a useful tool when you want to say more with fewer words. ... Here are some reasons to use emojis in e-learning ...
https://www.vedamo.com/knowledge/emojis-infographics-e-learning/
Creative Moodle Features That Can Make Your Course Compelling to Others
... creating an online course needs expertise ... you have to design an aesthetically pleasing course and avoid long scrolling webpage syndrome. A good interface always has clarity, responsiveness, concision, efficiency and etc. And to create a course that is highly interactive, engaging and pleasing to the learners, it should have some important aspects. ...
https://www.idslogic.com/blog/2019/07/tips-for-creative-moodle-hacks-that-will-boost-your-course-performance.html
Jobs
Online ESL Teacher
Xenda Education International Inc. [Mississauga] is a leading online English speaking tutorial Company. We provide one-on-one speaking classes to East Asian students at different levels. We are currently looking for English teachers for our online platform....
https://ca.indeed.com/job/online-esl-teacher-ccf8cae2314feb41
Online English Teacher
... Labby Education (ESL Union) is glad to tell you that we have a number of online English teaching positions which we are recruiting for now. You can work from the comfort of your own home. You will use specialist software to teach English to Chinese students online, and all the teaching materials/lesson plans will be provided! ...
https://www.glassdoor.ca/job-listing/online-english-teacher-labby-education-JV_IC2281069_KO0,22_KE23,38.htm?jl=3353118668&ctt=1569871631566
Professional Development
LearnIT2teach Annotated Bibliography New Resource: Research on Mobile Learning in the English Classroom: Pedagogies, Computer developments and Teachers’ Reactions
Both PLEs and PLNs consider the importance of ongoing professional development when technology tools are being considered for teaching environments. They illustrate how tools like mobile devices and personal learning environments can add social interaction and collaboration to learning.
http://bib.learnit2teach.ca/blog/research-on-mobile-learning-in-the-english-classroom-pedagogies-computer-developments-and-teachers-reactions/
World Teachers' Day Web Conference 2019
Join IATEFL and British Council Teaching English on October 5 to celebrate World Teachers' Day with a one-day web conference, featuring 16 separate sessions on a wide range of themes and issues, including inclusive education and materials development, life skills, learning technologies, classroom tips and advice and many more. Starting at 11.00am UK time and running through until the evening, the web conference will provide useful and practical advice that you can apply to your own context, whether you are a teacher or a teacher educator. ...
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/world-teachers-day-web-conference-2019-tickets-66997026911
Creating Multiple-Choice Questions: The Dos and Don’ts
Multiple-choice questions are one of the greatest ways to test the knowledge of a learner in a given field. But, is it easy to make these kinds of questions? Most importantly, what should we be aware of when creating multiple-choice questions? ...
https://elearningindustry.com/creating-multiple-choice-questions
e-Resource Corner
Internet Polyglot
Internet Polyglot is dedicated to helping our members learn foreign languages by providing them a way to memorize words and their meanings. ... Access to all pages is free.
https://www.internetpolyglot.com/home
Lyrics Training
Learners type in missing words in lyrics as they listen to music videos by popular artists from a variety of genres. The site provides beginner, intermediate and expert levels.
https://lyricstraining.com/
English Practice Online
Our aim with this website is to provide a free and helpful way to prepare for English exams or to improve your general English. It is the combination of 4 websites ...
https://www.englishpracticeonline.com/
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