CC-BY-NC-SA 2025 New Language Solutions Avenue Program Standards for Technology-Enhanced Language Learning, version 1.2 build up on and learn new ones. The key is to provide multi-purpose and multi-modal professional development and training opportunities for all staff with compensation. Over the years, I have learned that training needs to include general and personalized opportunities; it’s effective when it’s relevant and presented just in time and in small doses. I have also learned that I have to take responsibility for my own learning. After all, there’s so much that management and governments can do for us; the responsibility lies with each individual. Towards ESL Technology-use Guidelines and Performance Indicators Sharon has been one of Canada’s leading contributors to the development of technology-use guidelines and performance indicators for language teaching and learning. Standard 2: Infrastructure Programs acquire, maintain, and keep current the technology devices, systems, and applications necessary to fulfill their educational missions. Sharon’s current work with New Language Solutions goes back to the days of the LearnIT2teach teacher training platform and the EduLINC student learning platform. Sharon was part of the first Advisory Group that guided their development. As EduLINC became the federal government’s de facto language learning platform, Sharon urged administrators at the Ontario provincial and school board levels to use Moodle-based EduLINC as their reference model in order to support universal access to learning language materials. Consequently in 2016, in partnership with New Language Solutions and funding from the Government of Ontario, Sharon spearheaded the design and development of the Onyx learning management system. Onyx became instrumental in supporting Ontario-funded ESL and FSL learning when COVID-19 struck in early 2020. In 2023, Onyx became a part of Avenue – an updated version of EduLINC developed by New Language Solutions – to create a single language learning platform for both Ontario and federally-funded language training programs across the country. Standard 3: Preparing instructors to use technology effectively Programs offer resources and professional development that will allow instructors to meet and exceed clearly-defined expectations. Developing technology tools and guidelines is one thing. Convincing ESL teachers to adopt them is another. Early on, Sharon recognized that resistance to technology adoption is often based on lack of confidence and fear of the unknown. She understood that timely professional development is key to overcoming the barrier to learning. So, as a developer of learning platforms and computerbased instructional units, Sharon also made it her mission to demonstrate how accessible these technologies can be and how much value they add to teaching and learning. Sharon has worked in collaboration with others to develop everything from comprehensive self-paced courses on Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) to personalized face-to-face and online sessions with instructors to help them overcome barriers and learn specific skills. Sharon has also long believed that it is important to develop standards to guide instructors in their understanding and application of CALL technologies. In 2021, she was invited by New Language Solutions to participate in a standards development project along with three American giants in the field: Deborah Healey, Philip Hubbard, and Greg Kessler. The result has been a landmark set of documents entitled Avenue Instructor Standards for TELL, Avenue Program Standards for TELL, and Avenue Learner Standards for TELL that will guide ESL instructors, administrators, and learners in their use of technology for years to come. 31
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzA1NjE=