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Project News
BigBlueButton Web Conferencing Support
Support materials on how to use Edulinc's new BigBlueButton web conferencing software can be found in the Blended Learning Development: Activity Guide 2 resource in the Stage 3 course (and on the project portal). Print and video support materials for learners are available in the Courseware Help Block on Edulinc courses.
New Edulinc Plug-ins and Training
We've recently installed several new plugins on the Edulinc site. Using a Realtime Quiz activity, teachers can now give their learners a Kahoot-like experience in their Edulinc course. Adding the upgraded LevelUp! block, instructors can easily make their course more interactive with a customizable scoreboard to help gamify their course. Training materials to support these new teaching tools are on the project portal and in the Stage 3 course (Blended Learning Development: Activity Guide 2 and the Enhancing Course Interactivity and Content with Blocks section).
PBLA Assessment Support
The LearnIT2teach team has added new training resources to better support PBLA-compatible tasks and assessments. Check the Blended Learning Development: Activity Guide 2 in Stage 3 for new help files explaining how the Assignment and Quiz tools can support PBLA.
New Report - Learning Technology Innovation Leadership: Course Evaluation & Lessons for the Settlement Training Sector
Six cohorts have now completed Part 1 of the training, and three cohorts have finished Part 2. In this report we look at the survey results from participants and the lessons for course enhancement. We also include many thoughtful quotes posted on course discussion boards by participants. For anyone interested in innovating with LINC blended learning, the report has lots of information about what LINC leaders are encountering as they try to put LINC blended learning to work in their institutions. The result we believe is a summary of important lessons for the sector about learning technology innovation.
http://learnit2teach.ca/wpnew/about-2/learnit2teach-publications/
Fall Conferences
Attend one of our sessions or visit our exhibitor booth at the upcoming ATESL, TESL Ontario and BCTEAL Interior conferences.
Is Your Course Missing the Courseware Help block
If you would like to add the Courseware help block to link to this page to your course, instruction can be found here.
http://www.learnit2teach.ca/wpnew/Learnit2teach_other_help_files/Adding_the_Courseware_Help_block_to_a_course.pdf
Web News
Ten innovations that have changed English language teaching
English language teaching is evolving all the time, particularly alongside advances in technology. But what changes have had the biggest impact on teachers in recent years? I took the question to my global PLN (personal learning network – see the third point below). Here are what appear to be the top ten innovations for teachers, in no particular order. ...
https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/ten-innovations-have-changed-english-language-teaching
How do you get people excited about augmented reality? Put it in a browser
Today you can use a smartphone to make objects appear out of thin air. Sure, the objects are virtual. And you can only see them by looking at the world around you through your smartphone, wielding it like a lens. But these augmented reality (AR) experiences can feel magical when at their best. ... Google thinks there's "vast potential" for AR on the web, ... Apple's mobile operating system iOS 12 ... includes a feature in Apple's Safari web browser — called AR Quick Look ... If you have an iPhone or iPad running iOS 12, Apple has a demo site you can visit in Safari to try it out.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/augmented-reality-ar-quick-look-webxr-apple-google-mozilla-1.4830630
How many words do you need to speak a language?
That was the question posed to BBC Radio 4's More or Less programme by one frustrated listener. … Linguists Paul Nation and John Read (who doesn't love a bit of nominative determinism?), along with their colleague Robin Goulden, came up with a test involving only 50 words. … And now Paul's free English vocabulary size test, using 100 words, is available online. …
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-44569277
Nervous to Practice a New Language? Try AI, Duolingo Says
Duolingo, the "freemium" language app that teaches you in bite-sized, game-style portions, has been working on an AI tutor and forging ahead with its quest to use language skills as a means to lift people out of poverty. Ahead of its sixth birthday this week, PCMag dropped by its Pittsburgh headquarters to learn more.. ...
https://www.pcmag.com/news/361737/nervous-to-practice-a-new-language-try-ai-duolingo-says
Fulfilling the Technological Promise
Language Magazine asks luminaries in the EdTech landscape what to expect and what we can hope for in 2018 …
https://www.languagemagazine.com/2018/06/20/fulfilling-the-technological-promise/
Blogs
4 of the Best Language-Learning Chatbot Apps
... Recently there has been interest in a more 'personal' approach to learning a new language - using chatbots. Here are four of the best language learning chat apps we've found so far.
https://blog.vsoftconsulting.com/blog/the-4-best-language-learning-chatbot-apps-of-2017
Why mobile learning will determine the future of e-learning
The most recent statistics show that there are currently more than 237 million mobile users in the US … Such a vast amount of users surely brings forth certain changes … But will it affect the way we learn new skills and obtain work-oriented knowledge? … The benefits of mobile learning give us enough reason to believe that soon e-learning is going to become more practical, approachable, and economical. …
https://www.joomlalms.com/blog/guest-posts/why-mobile-learning-will-determine-the-future-of-e-learning.html
Seven deadly sins of online course design
I took my first online course in 2004 ... Since then, I’ve helped faculty design dozens of online and hybrid courses, taught several of my own, and evaluated online courses and professional development programs from a variety institutions. ....Over the years, I’ve seen certain design issues surface again and again. ... I’d like to share with you my top seven course design sins, along with practical tips for atonement. ...
https://www.thetechedvocate.org/seven-deadly-sins-of-online-course-design/
The Tech Edvocate’s List of 86 Flipped Classroom Apps, Tools & Resources
The traditional model of teachers lecturing in the classroom and students completing practice and homework on their own is changing. Instead, students are learning on their own and using the classroom as a place to dig more deeply into what they’ve learned. This model, known as the flipped classroom, is gaining popularity thanks to the rise of EdTech. In this article, we will discuss 87 edtech tools that are perfect for the flipped classroom. ...
https://www.thetechedvocate.org/tech-edvocates-list-86-flipped-classroom-apps-tools-resources/
Jobs
Online English Teacher
The headquarter of UASK Education is located in Ottawa. With years of experiences in international education and overseas education consulting services, UASK Education is committed to promoting educational communication and cooperation between China and Canada ... Teachers are provided with teaching materials and curriculum ...
http://www.teslontario.org/node/1574563
Professional Development
Blended Learning Adoption in an ESL Context: Obstacles and Guidelines
The integration of blended learning is well underway across diverse educational settings. Along with this shift in instructional method are obstacles and accompanying research. There has been less interest, however, in examining the adoption of blended learning in English as a second language (ESL) contexts. This study investigates what factors most influence instructors to adopt blended learning in different ESL settings. ... I surveyed 48 ESL instructors from three different ESL settings, then followed up with interviews of nine Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) instructors. ...
https://teslcanadajournal.ca/index.php/tesl/article/view/1295/1125
How to help adult migrants develop work-related language skills - a quick guide
Language skills and employment are both crucial to the successful integration of adult migrants. These two enablers are related. ... migrants who arrive with limited language skills and no recognised qualifications, support to develop work-related language skills is vital. This short resource [from the European Centre for Modern Languages] offers guidance on how to provide that support. ...
https://languageforwork.ecml.at/ResourceCentre/QuickGuide/tabid/4319/language/en-GB/Default.aspx
LearnIT2teach Annotated Bibliography New Resource: Significant Predictors for Effectiveness of Blended Learning In a Language Course
This research study based in an undergraduate language course provides useful insights for adult learners in settlement language programs and for designers of blended programs in that context. The author identifies a range of factors that have an impact on the effectiveness of blended learning. These include digital literacy skills, attitudes toward blended learning, the quality of the online platform being used and face-to-face orientation and ongoing support for learners.
http://bib.learnit2teach.ca/blog/significant-predictors-for-effectiveness-of-blended-learning-in-a-language-course/
e-Resource Corner
Tube Quizard
TubeQuizard lets you create interactive listening quizzes based on subtitled Youtube videos.
http://www.tubequizard.com/
WordBooster
WordBooster enables teachers to convert an article into a learning activity with glossary and vocabulary building tasks in less than five minutes.
https://wordbooster.com
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