73 Context The majority of newcomers to Canada entering government-sponsored language-learning programs arrive with limited computer and Internet navigation skills. When COVID-19 forced language learning online, these became must-have capabilities. At first, instructors and students coped as best they could with the many unfamiliar demands of teaching and learning a language online. It soon became clear that a more systematic approach was urgently required. For the leadership team at the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS), the answer was a three-day Digital Skills Bridging Program designed to impart basic digital navigation skills to students before they begin online ESL classes. In the hybrid (classroom and online) post-COVID learning environment, the need for computer and Internet skills remains – as does ISANS’s highly successful bridging program. In Bo’s Own Words The Digital Skills Bridging Program starts with basic computer vocabulary and concepts. What is a password? A browser? An email address? An online chat? A breakout room? Students need to understand concepts like these to learn online. Most have had some classroom experience if only a few grades of elementary school. I used that experience to help them understand parallel concepts in the virtual world. I communicated the concepts using photographs, graphics, and videos I found, created, or recorded myself. Without too much verbal commentary, I used these tools during the first few hours of class to visualize concepts and vocabulary, making the material equally accessible to people with a range of English language comprehension. I circulated within the class to provide extra help for students who were having problems with their device or any of the concepts. Learning during the remainder of the program is task-based. The objective is to help students understand the tools that will be used at their language learning level. They learn about tools that teachers will use to send and receive information and that students will use to find information, communicate with classmates, and do assignments. They learn about the tools, practice using the tools, and demonstrate their understanding by completing tests or other assessment activities. I’m a visual learner myself, so I created a simulator using Articulate Storyline. The simulator allowed students to click through screen grabs from programs they would be using. For instance, we wanted them to have Microsoft Teams on their phones. The Teams tutorial on the simulator walked them step-by-step through the process of downloading Teams to their Smartphone. Each screen modelled one step they have to perform. The step was explained using plain-language English narration, but the actions shown on the screen were understandable even to someone who had little English. I also used Flipbook to create simple tutorials that look like booklets. Students “flip through the pages” to advance through the tutorial. On each page, an action is described and demonstrated. The images in the Flipbook were created using PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator, or are captured from the Internet. Harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology changes rapidly. To keep up to date, I attend a lot of webinars on trending technology. I also watch videos on new product releases, tutorials on how to use new programs, and similar topics. I find that YouTube videos and free online tutorials work really well for me. One advantage I have is that I speak Mandarin. In addition to resources in English, I can draw from a wealth of Chinese-language tutorials. I’m particularly interested in current and future applications for AI. It is still early days, but AI has been used for some time in language assessment for such things as evaluating what students write (e.g., TOEFL iBT test), helping them with the pronunciation of written words (e.g., Poodll Read CC-BY-NC-SA 2025 New Language Solutions Avenue Instructor Standards for Technology-Enhanced Language Learning, version 1.2
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