|
Project News
Our Best Wishes to Kevin O’Brien on His Retirement
Kevin O’Brien, webmaster and mentor/trainer with The Avenue Project since its launch in 2010, recently retired from the project. Kevin was one of the core five that founded what’s now the Avenue Project. He has provided expert learning technology services. Many Avenue clients will recall his excellence in solving problems and coaching instructors. New Language Solutions and the project team are very grateful for his passion and diligence.
https://avenue.ca/kevin-obrien
New Avenue Learning Leadership Course Begins on April 12th
The Avenue Leadership Training for Managers & Lead Teachers has been refreshed and remodeled into two structured courses, each spanning 8 weekly units. Designed to help participants build skills as lead teachers or managers, the program facilitates peer-to-peer learning within a community of LINC, CLIC, or Ontario ALT educators. Through videos, readings, audio podcasts, and discussion forums, participants will explore key topics such as the Avenue Standards for Technology-enhanced Language Learning (TELL), Universal Design for Learning, and the SAMR model. The course also emphasizes innovation and leadership principles, guiding educators in developing a strategic plan to enhance learning technology adoption and improve teaching and learning practices. Those who complete all units will earn an Avenue Learning Leadership Certificate, further solidifying their role as educational technology leaders.
https://avenue.ca/new-avenue-learning-leadership-course-begins-april-12-2025
Avenue Webinar
Upcoming: Creating a course template using Avenue's tools and resources March 27, 4PM ET.
The information in this webinar targets program administrators/managers, but instructors are also welcome to attend. Consider joining Margaret Stasiak for the webinar Creating a course template using Avenue's tools and resources.A template is a pre-designed framework for a course that allows instructors to quickly build new courses with a consistent structure and appearance. A well-designed template will enhance the look and feel of the course and improve student navigation. In this webinar, we will demonstrate Avenue's templates available in CourseBuilder (in the course request form) and discuss how an organizational template can be built by modifying the CourseBuilder options and customizing tools and content. We will also highlight the benefits of having a standardized template for all courses delivered by a service provider. The session will include a Q&A segment for all those who want to explore more options and ask specific questions.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfIuPDwsG-Yd_hYYedMnb7um-OnS5uAfpOUXhCT-GChr4llvQ/viewform?usp=dialogtors/managers
Recent Webinar recordings:
Help! New Avenue Support (February 20, 2025)
In this webinar, Nancy Van Dorp, John Allan & Paul Carter demonstrated features on the new Avenue online supports for instructors. This included the a new searchable knowledge base, link to live assistance, a digital suggestions box, a report an issue tool, and suggestions to acquire assistance more efficiently. The aim of this session was to assist instructors to become more autonomous with their Avenue courses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85_ZDVT5Vxs
Avenue Instructor Better Practices Video Series - Episode 2
Using Avenue's Language Companion
In this video lesson, discover how to enhance language learning with Avenue’s digital Language Companion. It is a customized support for PBLA, CLB instruction and self-directed learning. This resource explores how learners can use the flipbook-style Language Companion ebook to enhance their vocabulary, reading skills, and real-world language tasks while personalizing their learning experience with community connections. Also, learn how to navigate, integrate, and apply this tool in both online and face-to-face settings to promote independent learning.
https://youtu.be/CGqVt_O6tuM?si=yxs5V3ECmvLmqIG8
News
AI – keeping it helpful (and harmless) in education
This Australian Council for Educational Research post shares AI's potential in education with an emphasis on personalized pathways and the need for instructors to enhance their AI literacy. Ethical considerations, equity and PD events are discussed to ensure that we use AI in responsible ways.
https://www.acer.org/au/discover/article/ai-keeping-it-helpful-and-harmless-in-education
Showing AI users diversity in training data boosts perceived fairness and trust
This PennState study found that if the knowledge that an AI model was trained with diverse data can increase end users' trust in the AI model.
https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/showing-ai-users-diversity-training-data-boosts-perceived-fairness-and-trust
Studies Related to Generative AI in Education
This resource published by AI for Education curates and shares contemporary educational integration of AI research. Studies are organized into four categories. These are current AI use and perceptions in K-12 and higher education, AI's impact on teaching and learning, ethical considerations, and AI policy development. The need for continued research to inform policymaker and educators about harnessing AI to be effective while behaving ethically with these technologies.
https://www.aiforeducation.io/ai-resources/studies-related-to-generative-ai-in-education
Government of Canada's Guide on the use of generative artificial intelligence
This document provides guidance to federal institutions on their use of generative AI tools. This includes instances where federal institutions are deploying these tools. It provides an overview of generative AI, identifies challenges relating to its use, puts forward principles for using it responsibly, and offers policy considerations and best practices. Educators can consider this guide to assist them with crafting their our own AI guidelines.
https://tinyurl.com/36rdz4kd
Blogs
AI Innovations in E-Readers: 2025 Trends and Predictions
This post discusses how artificial intelligence is transforming e-readers through enhancing personalization, accessibility, and interactivity by introducing personalized reading recommendations, voice-activated controls, enhanced Text-to-Speech (TTS) capabilities, context-aware features, adaptive reading experiences and social and collaborative reading opportunities. Is this technology worth exploring in the language teaching context?
https://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/ai-innovations-in-e-readers-2025-trends-and-predictions
Voice, agency and style: what goes missing when AI chats back
We know that AI-generated text can produce comprehensible sentences, sometimes it is missing authentic voice, agency, and style produced by humans. The authors stress the value of teaching students genuine writing. They feel that is more important than AI outputs.
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/voice-agency-and-style-what-goes-missing-when-ai-chats-back
Professional Development
New in the Annotated Bibliography:
A Care Ethics Approach to Digital Literacies: Supporting Language Acquisition, Identity and Overall Well-Being of Adult EAL Learners with Refugee Experiences in Canada
This thought-provoking article examines how the pairing of a Care Ethics approach in language instruction with supports and teaching strategies related to digital literacies can support language learning, the development of critical digital literacies, and the overall well-being for adults with refugee experiences as they settle in Canada.
https://tinyurl.com/3yutur3x
TESL Canada Volume 41, Issue 2.
The latest issues of the TESL Canada journal is now online. It features four full-length empirical studies, a Perspectives article, and three book reviews. The studies, based on qualitative data, all examine aspects of supporting and understanding the experiences of language learners, particularly in relation to social, racial, and educational challenges.
https://teslcanadajournal.ca/index.php/tesl/issue/view/189
Virtual TESOL 2024 Convention & English Language Expo
Join the TESOL global community of English language professionals for the Virtual TESOL 2024 Convention & English Language Expo online! It is taking place on April 11–12. Engage with keynote speakers and access a range of prerecorded sessions. Some of these offer live Q&A opportunities.
https://www.tesol.org/virtual
Best of Electronic Village Online (EVO) 2025
The Best of EVO 2025 is a free, two-day, online event for continued professional development of English teachers around the world. The event sessions start on Sunday, March 9, 2025, presentations begin at 9:00 AM EST. Electronic Village Online (EVO) moderators and participants will showcase their five-week long EVO 2025 sessions. These sessions have explored weekly topics on integrating cutting-edge technologies.
https://tinyurl.com/53999z63
e-Resource Corner
AI Explained by CommonCraft.
Use this short video to explain how Generative AI works, what’s possible and more with your learners. This also includes: how humans and AI are different when it comes to consuming online media, why people should be cautious in using media that generative AI creates and concerns about generative AI’s use of copyrighted materials. A script is provided on the page that can be referred to for better comprehension.
https://www.commoncraft.com/video/generative-ai
Google AutoDraw
AutoDraw is a free web-based drawing tool that combines AI-powered suggestions with simple sketching tools, allowing users to drawing, and then the tool predicts what they are trying to create, offering refined shapes and icons as options. It is a great tool for language teachers and learners, especially for visualizing vocabulary, storytelling, sequencing activities, and speaking activities.
https://www.autodraw.com/
---------
New Language Solutions is based in Ottawa, Ontario. We acknowledge that our head office is on the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People. Beyond Ottawa, we have staff working in locations across Canada. New Language Solutions is grateful to have the opportunity to work as a guest in communities and territories across the country, and we honour the stewardship of the many Indigenous peoples who have resided on and cared for these lands since time immemorial.
We make our acknowledgement as a sign of respect for all Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island, past and present. We accept the true impact of the past and the pain suffered by generations of Indigenous Peoples. As an agency that works to support the integration of newcomers into Canadian society and cultures, we express our commitment to support activities that are inclusive of Indigenous Peoples. We resolve to address a history of injustice to First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples.
|
