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First, a little bit about me!

I believe that exploring who I am and the experiences I have had have directly influenced how I interact with this course. I thought about this course in a very real-world way and its' connection to my job.

This is my third semester in the Master's of Education, Teaching and Learning Concentration. Prior to this, I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Health Psychology from Carleton University.

While at Carleton I was not sure what I wanted to do afterwards. I thought of doing a Master's in Occupational Therapy (OT), so I ensured I had the prerequisites to apply. I worked in a classroom for Autism Spectrum Disorder students and volunteered in Guatemala for some practical experience. While in Guatemala, I had this dilemma between OT and special education. As a former high-level athlete, I love studying the ways the body works, and interacts with the mind, and performance psychology. But, I am very passionate about delivering equitable and accessible education for all.

I chose education because it feels relevant to where I want to be. I am someone who is always looking for more information and challenges. I love putting myself in uncomfortable situations.

I believe comfortability is how humans grow, build great adaptation skills and find quick solutions to problems.

So, here I am!

Now, onto the relevance...I work for a retail company in Learning and Development, which is a branch of Human Resources. A bit of focus on my job is the use of the Learning Management System and providing workplace training. My key responsibility is creating training that is accessible to all employees.

In the retail and food production industry, there are large differences between experiences, language comprehension, and technological literacy. Although I do not teach languages, the choice of words we use is mindful of the various English language skills. This is why I selected this course!

I want to learn how to effectively integrate language learning, education, and technology.

Welcome to my humorous 6-week journey through the course!

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Before Gif with YES checkmark bouncing and person

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The first week of the course was very stressful. After carefully reading the syllabus, I made sure to mark all the assignment dates in my calendar. While doing this, I became overwhelmed by the timelines of the condensed course. Thinking "How am I going to fit all this in with work, the gym, and my other class". So, I posted looking for a partner for the CALL Assignments and started my journal notes on OneNote.

Then, moving to the Padlet, I posted promptly, but I am feeling really out of place with the large amount of teachers. Within the posts, there is a lot of focus on language comprehension and grammar - something I have no experience in and am terrible at on my own. I would say, English class was always my most difficult class...

Then, after the first reading by Chun (2016) and posting on the Padlet, I feel more at ease.

Chun's article states; "new ways of dealing with traditional texts, digital technologies also make possible new kinds of texts, allowing writing to be combined with voice, images, music, sound, and video in a single document (p. 68)". I thought to myself, this is what I do every day! This is how I create accessible training where everyone feels represented!

Further in the article, the four heuristic questions on technology integration in language learning (p. 70) allowed me to connect even further. I thought of these questions deeply within my current job:

Q1. What learning goals do I have for my students?

To work safely and provide a safe shopping experience for customers

To produce food that follows all food safety guidelines

To learn the occupational requirements of the organization

To feel included, represented, and valued

Q2. What language, culture, and instructional resources do I have available?

The languages spoken are diverse. From a quick survey, we identified the 10 most common languages spoken across the company (beyond French and English).

Utilizing the LMS's ability to translate learning content, we can provide multi-lingual training content.

Within the company, there are many cultures. But, being a small company, we outsource cultural learning content from our parent company and LMS provider.

We strive to provide a safe and welcoming work culture.

Instructional resources come from the LMS, content creation software, and team members.

Q3. How can these resources be used and combined most effectively to serve the established learning goals?

Using the experiences of team members, the programs we have, and various outsourced materials, we can work together to create and offer equitable and diverse learning experiences.

Q4. How will I assess how effective students’ use of these resources is in their attainment of the established learning goals?

This is something I am working towards. My plan in the coming weeks is to develop a solid program evaluation tool that assesses this question. My ideas are leaning towards in-person discussions, leadership seminars, and surveys.

So, I began week 1 feeling lost but started week 2 on a high note!

Chun, D. M., Smith, B., & Kern, R. (2016). Technology in language use, language teaching, and language learning. Modern Language Journal, 100, 64–80. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12302

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Oh, hello there Kasch!

It is crazy how quickly this Masters is almost halfway over. My first semester was hard. I felt out of touch with Brightspace and the whole mindset behind conducting and reviewing research literature.

In my first semester, I wrote a paper on Scaffolding Strategies for Supporting ELL Students. Last week I thought language learning was new to me, but this is my second class focusing on it!

I chose to read Kasch (2019) this week to perform a fun reflection and analysis on myself. I read the article again and summarized it to see how my perception has changed in 8 months time. Here are my thoughts:

May 2025:

Kasch aims to provide instructional design reading methods that support UDL principles within foreign language learning. Kasch explores the topics of Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulation in promoting language learning. The feelings of connectedness and repetitive structure may assist with retention and overall knowledge growth. Focusing on a multimodal approach, the findings suggest that these assistive functionalities help to support language learning, and develop confidence and intrinsic motivation.

October 2024:

In this study, Kasch combines UDL principles with CALL. His hypothesis suggests that by integrating UDL within a CALL interface, all students will benefit. Key UDL strategies highlighted in the interviews include text-to-speech (TTS) and glossing techniques. His analysis includes themes such as Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulation, Receptive Lexical Competence, and Productive Lexical Competence. The findings reinforce how UDL principles in CALL models in the EFL classroom support “both self-regulation and viable lexical competence acquisition strategies" (p. 104).

My Analysis:

Now, I do not notice a huge difference between the summaries of the article. What I did notice while reading the article again, I was much more focused on the methods of the study and what the findings suggest. This is where I think I am beginning to grow.

When I look at my October summary, I see myself trying to use new terms to summarize the article and findings without actually understanding what it means. Which makes sense, as I had never explored language learning before.

Now, I am actively trying to find ways as to how I can implement the readings into my work. What really stuck out to me was the importance of instructional design and offering multimodal approaches. For example, here are the topics that popped into my head: providing learning plans with Closed Captioning, Text-to-Speech, AI-powered automatic translations, and using accessible colour palates. This is growth because in 2024 I did not have enough experience yet with these concepts!

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One of the reasons why I love group work is that it allows you to see how classmates interpret the same material and how they integrate it into their lives. Working towards the CALL Part 1 project, my group has been adaptable and inclusive of each other’s experiences.

We want to focus on making language learning fun and supportive of teachers’ busy schedules. With my experience in Learning Management Systems (LMS), we decided to focus on a gamified approach to learning with reporting features for teachers, which fits into the two other member’s professions. We are also determined to include some sort of adaptive technology, with inspiration from the reading this week. An adaptive approach that is powered by AI is a unique and experimental task.

After reading Huang et al. (2023), I was inspired by the citation regarding Personalized Mobile Learning Systems (PLMS) (p. 119). The similarity to the LMS that I work with, called Axonify, and the similarity to our group’s proposed project, I am interested in finding the supporting resources. I have a fun link included to their advertisement video of how the system works!

Now, back to the reading – Huang et al. provide insight into the use of AI in learning. AI offers tools such as personalized learning, predictive models, and in-the-moment feedback. All these support student learning and improve educational outcomes, especially when compared to older TELL models. The study is a performance analysis of many articles and publishers up until May 2020. After the analysis was complete, they compiled a list of the advantages and disadvantages of AI applications in education. The topic of student acceptance with AI made me think.

I feel biased towards the use of AI in education. I see the value when AI is used properly and provided with the correct information. But, I had never deeply thought about learner's thoughts towards using AI. At my company, we have a disclaimer and terms of use statement when you first sign into the LMS. It states how the site gathers data and that it uses AI to generate personalized learning, and feedback, provide Closed Captioning and translations. The user has to agree to the statements to use the site.

What happens when a learner does not agree to AI usage? I am not strong in programming, but are there modern assistive devices that are not powered by AI or a smartphone? I am assuming some assistive devices, such as speech-to-text or text-to-speech have an internal word bank that allows them to work without AI or the internet.

I did a quick search which provided no immediate response. Many Reddit posts were asking the same question. Most results brought me to Google/Apple Notes offline transcription. But, this is not helpful...This shows us that we have now created student two barriers:

The student does not agree to AI:

If there is no offline assistive technology provided or a non-AI-driven platform available to the student, they may not have the same educational outcomes.

The student does not have access to assistive technology:

Students who do not have AI or disagree with its use need to rely on another source of assistive technology. Relying on a mobile device or internet access could provide a different learning experience for the students. I see this as a global issue related to educational inequality.

Both of these barriers could be explored further if they have not been already. I think it is critical to evaluate the processes for students who disagree with AI use when planning curriculums and learning expectations.

Huang, X., Zou, D., Cheng, G., Chen, X., & Xie, H. (2023). Trends, Research Issues and Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Language Education. Educational Technology & Society, 26(1), 112-131. https://doi.org/10.30191/ETS.202301_26(1).0009

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Working towards the CALL Part 2 project has been an interesting task with a lot of problem-solving! Having to adapt to focus on adult learning made me realize how much I enjoy the job I have. Additionally, the readings this week helped me to better understand MALL and when real-life assistance is needed. CALL, MALL, and RALL must not replace in-person support.

This connection with my job sticks out to me because I frequently discuss why the mobile aspect of the LMS is so valuable. But, it is easy for others to see the mobile LMS as a replacement for in-person training and learning. Although the reading by Ma & Chiu (2024) is about language learning, their findings support my efforts.

A personalized approach to learning is an experience that accommodates individual differences and ensures fair learning environments (p. 8). Tools such as IEPs or adaptive technology support personalized assessments to determine student's needs.

The use of mobile devices aids vocabulary learning (p. 11) as they provide additional access such as dictionaries and document hubs to support understanding. This idea is matched in my job as the LMS suggests that mobile devices are quick and easy to access. Additionally, the reading from Li (2024) mentions the importance of timely interactions and feedback from teachers to support learning motivation (Li, 2024, p. 11).

My job uses a similar structure to the Four Key Stages of Vocabulary Learning (Ma & Chui, 2024 p. 12) and Li's (2024) findings to assist with needs assessment, content creation, and instructional design in workplace training. As mentioned in the other weeks, we do have many languages spoken, so we try to use common language to support ELL. Let's imagine you are learning about displaying and caring for bananas:

Identify New Words

On your mobile LMS, you read a very introductory lesson about bananas. There is a large image of an individual banana. Your trainer will show you a banana.

"Bananas are a yellow fruit"

Found Their Meaning

You learn more about the banana and are provided with reasons and context as to why we sell bananas. Your manager provides you with the opportunity to try the banana.

"Bananas are a sweet and popular tropical fruit that is enjoyed all over the world. They are yellow and have a long shape."

Mapping the Meaning of The Word

On the mobile device, you open the LMS lesson to learn more about the banana. Providing more information on how it grows and where it comes from provides meaningful connections to the world. You are provided with an image of a banana tree and banana cluster in the LMS lesson. Your manager will show you the boxes of bananas and a cluster.

"Bananas grow on trees in warm counties such as Costa Rica and Guatemala. They are brought to the store in clusters and kept in boxes"

Understanding the Word

Continuing on the lesson on the LMS, you will learn about the display of bananas and how to care for them. You learn about the ripening stages and are provided with an image of them. Your manager will show you bananas at different ripeness stages and will show you the display. They will also show you how to pick up a banana.

"Bananas turn from green to yellow then to brown as they ripen. Bananas are displayed on foam steps because they are very fragile. Hold them carefully by the crown when removing them from the boxes or at home."

Although banana information is not directly language learning, the stepped approach is critical to the retention of information. Having a teacher step in and show you hands-on aspects of the lesson supports why multimedia learning increases educational outcomes (Li, 2024).

Li, R. (2024). Effects of mobile-assisted language learning on foreign language learners’ speaking skill development. Language Learning & Technology, 28(1), 1–26.

Ma, Q., & Chiu, M. M. (2024). Self-regulated and collaborative personalized vocabulary learning approach in MALL. Language Learning & Technology, 28(1), 1–28.

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So much information and so many thoughts!

After completing the research portion of the CALL Part 1 project I am feeling overwhelmed by the CALL topic. There are so many areas to explore!

The lecture for this week begins with the introduction of robots in language learning - a topic I have never considered. A portion of the narration by Cam Smith at 1 minute 43 seconds is about the shortage of teachers within robot-assisted language learning. It makes sense that teachers would require specialized education to support classrooms with RALL devices. Teachers require education to use and teach effectively with RALL. Furthermore, it is addressed in Huang & Moore (2023) that in Japan and South Korea, RALL is used where there are shortages of teachers to teach ESL.

As stated in the lecture, robot usage is relatively new to education. I think to bring RALL to life, educators need:

1. Frequent education: assistive language learning appears to be rapidly evolving with modern technology and AI. Teachers may feel overwhelmed and need to be properly trained and supported with new technology.

2. Classroom integration: in addition to being taught how to use technology, teachers need support with aligning robots into curriculums. They may need assistance with managing students' interactions with the robot.

3. Open-mindedness: RALL shows us how quickly a teacher may need to change pedagogical approaches. Teachers must be adaptable and interact with professional development when provided.

Huang, X., Zou, D., Cheng, G., Chen, X., & Xie, H. (2023). Trends, research issues and applications of artificial intelligence in language education. Educational Technology & Society, 26(1), 112-131.

https://uottawa.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/508036/Home?itemIdentifier=D2L.LE.Content.ContentObject.ModuleCO-6737858

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As this busy course comes to a close I wish it was longer! We just touched the surface of many great topics that I would like to investigate further. This also makes me question my retention of content when in a condensed course format.

Flipped learning is a pedagogy that I have experienced but was not aware of its name or benefits. Most recently I was enrolled in EDU5113 which was a flipped learning course. We used a website called Perusall where we were required to read the articles before the lesson and interact with our group by thoughtfully commenting on the article. This offered the dynamic atmosphere Zou et al. speak of in their 2022 article. With this method, students show up to class prepared as the curriculum is set up in a student-centered approach (p.1812). Now that I look back on EDU5113 I feel like I retained a lot of information that I now apply to my everyday life. This format supported self-regulated learning and was interactive with typical social media commenting strategies that kept me engaged.

That brings me to this course! I decided that I needed to be really on top of the assignments and readings to survive the fast pace. For future EDU5148 students, I recommend that they are reminded to keep a journal or notes every week. I have found that this method of content and self-reflection, even if informal, is helpful for understanding and application. Although I did not use it, Cam Smith's recommendation for screenshots is also beneficial. I find that my experiences with these methods are similar to the findings on flipped approaches. I felt "the positive effects of integrating these theoretical concepts or elements into the design and implementation of flipped classrooms (p. 1827)."

As for the implications of flipped classrooms. In my experience with Perusall, I did feel that the site was difficult to use at times as it would not interact with the PDFs. The environment did not feel friendly in this regard as it was difficult to interact with other students (p. 1830). Zou states that students may not interact well with flipped classrooms if they are used to a teacher-centred approach (p. 1830). But, contrary to this, I think a flipped method in an asynchronous Masters program is effective as students may have higher self-regulation and motivation than other student groups.

Zou, D., Luo, S., Xie, H., & Hwang, G. J. (2020). A systematic review of research on flipped language classrooms: Theoretical foundations, learning activities, tools, research topics and findings. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 35(8), 1811–1837.

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Wow - 6 weeks flew by!

When I started this project I respected the decision to evaluate course understanding in different submission methods. The ability to creatively express my understanding through problem-solving allows me to visualize my thought processes.

This course was hard for me as I did not have that much knowledge of language learning. I would say most of my understanding has come to me in the last year. Although I do not see myself pursuing education in language learning, taking the information I have learned and applying it to my areas of interest is how I best see my future! Who knows, maybe one day I will have the inspiration to teach EFL...

The biggest takeaways for me are:

1. Ensuring in-person support: regardless of the curriculum delivery method, there need to be check-ins and places for teachers to step in to support students.

2. Technology does not replace teachers: expanding on the above; teachers will always be needed and required. With the unknowns and unpredictability of AI generations, there is currently no need to replace all teacher functions with AI.

3. AI is not bad: AI can help teachers make curriculums, summarize text, create lesson plans, and more! It is a helpful LLM tool that should be explored as it only gets smarter with the information provided to it.

4. Modern education will be influenced by technology: Due to the prevalence of technology in our world, I think there will always be technological influences in the classroom. The amount of access students have to knowledge on devices allows for an educational experience that did not historically exist. Success in new pedagogical areas will be determined based on the way we adapt to emerging technology.

5. Equality in education: educational poverty is a real problem. The world does not have equal access to technological or assistive devices. It is important to consider the different methods of technology integration schools require. Finding ways to continuously support equality in education is required.

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How Axonify uses AI and Machine Learning to Train Your Frontline Workforce—At Scale