28 Reflection: How has working with a colleague helped you create better resources? ☐ I find materials to use and adapt for my class that others have shared on online platforms. ☐ I collaborate with colleagues online to create or adapt resources for authentic learning experiences. ☐ I regularly exchange ideas with colleagues on how to use AI tools better for teaching and learning. PI 7.3. Share online practices, resources, and research with peers. It takes courage to respond to a comment or to share an opinion, a research article, or an activity in an online community such as an Avenue forum. Whether we think that our opinions may not be worth sharing or it is just easier to keep them to ourselves, it is important to be comfortable expressing them in a respectful and responsible manner. You’d be surprised how many others share your triumphs and tribulations, appreciate your thoughts, and can offer practical strategies that you can adapt to your own context. Reflection: How did discussing a research article that you found interesting with a colleague enrich your learning? ☐ I share relevant online practices and resources with colleagues. ☐ I share thoughts and reflections about webinars and online presentations with colleagues as well as on online platforms. ☐ I review online publications such as TESL Canada Journal and provincial publications such as Contact, sharing the articles that I find interesting with colleagues. PI 7.4. Take advantage of practice-focused online professional development opportunities. Many professional development opportunities exist at the local and provincial level. Understanding the importance of the professional community in advancing teaching methods can help shape effective teaching practices. Most workplaces offer paid professional development days. This is especially important in the era of GenAI, where instructors need to learn about major changes in available tools. Some TESL affiliate conferences are government sponsored and open to instructors free of charge. Workshops offered locally at your institution or in your region may be more targeted to your community needs and are either affordable or free. Take advantage of these opportunities to attend practice-focused sessions. Attend plenary or panel sessions to learn about new research, policies, and practices. Bring back and apply what you learned in your classroom and see if it made a difference. If you are ready to take it a step further, present at your local or provincial conference. If this is your first time, try co-presenting with another colleague to hone your skills and gain confidence. Reflection: How did activities and other practices that you learned and incorporated in your class after attending a professional development event affect your teaching? ☐ I regularly take advantage of relevant online professional development opportunities. ☐ I use some of the resources and practices from online professional development sessions in CC-BY-NC-SA 2025 New Language Solutions Avenue Instructor Standards for Technology-Enhanced Language Learning, version 1.2
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzA1NjE=