Event Programme
Key: Sesson Types
6th Friday Programme
Opening & Welcome
Plenary - Sustainability in the Language Teaching Context
How does the language teaching profession adapt to teaching and learning in the climate emergency? Do we continue business as usual, or should we embed education for sustainable development (ESD) so our students are better prepared for the necessary transitions which economies, societies and individuals will need to make? Language learning is by its very nature preparation for the future, so as a field, we need to help learners prepare for a future which involves the challenges of overcoming the climate emergency, and increased demands in society for eco-literacy skills.
I will draw on my experience from efforts I have made since 2008 to embed environmental matters into language lessons, designing materials for ELTsustainable and other organisations, creating and delivering online teacher development courses, embedding ESD into the operations of institutions and into syllabuses, curriculums, and programme outcomes in both a general language teaching context and a language teaching for academic purposes context.
In this presentation I will make a case for embedding ESD in language teaching. I also aim for you to feel that you are able to create your own roadmap to embed sustainability into your work whether you are a teacher, a materials, syllabus or curriculum designer, or in educational institution management.
Break
Teaching Efficacy: why it is important and how to achieve it?
A teaching team is not a homogenous mass, it is a vibrant mix of personalities, skills and passions. While we embrace this diversity, teaching efficacy has been shown to be a vital contributor to student outcomes.
In this talk we will briefly review research and define what we mean by teacher efficacy. We will then share some of the processes we have developed to promote consistency across our schools and make some suggestions of how to embrace diversity while achieving a degree of consistency.
English-medium Instruction: Empowering Academics with AI-Assisted Course Design
This presentation aims to explore innovative practices in employing artificial intelligence (AI) to support course design for English-Medium Instruction (EMI) in higher education. Recognizing the challenges faced by university academics transitioning to EMI practices, we have leveraged the capabilities of AI, specifically OpenAI’s language model, to aid in constructing well-aligned learning outcomes, assessment methods, and instructional activities grounded in Bloom’s Taxonomy.
This AI-assisted approach has focused on enhancing lecture planning and execution skills of academics and facilitating the successful application of practical assessment methods that align with set learning outcomes. By reporting on the efficacy of AI in the creation of course content tailored to EMI practices, I will aim to contribute to the discourse on pedagogical innovation in the era of digital transformation.
The presentation will intend to stimulate dialogue on potential opportunities and challenges brought about by AI in the context of higher education. It will highlight practical examples, share insights gained, and discuss future directions for integrating AI in instructional design and delivery, ultimately enhancing disciplinary learning for students in EMI environments.
Getting a Language Centre Green and off the Grid
While always an environmentally conscious company doing our best to raise awareness and put measures in place to make our school a sustainable one, local circumstances pushed us beyond our usual green initiatives of Waste Management, Energy Saving, Water Saving, and Behavioural Change to include moving our school off municipal water and energy grids. We will discuss all the measures we have taken to reduce our impact on the environment and, most recently, to find our own sustainable water and electricity supply. Join us to hear what we have been able to achieve at Good Hope Studies, from our washing liquid to our solar roof panels.
Design Thinking and Student Experience Design (SDX)
Design thinking in education is a relatively new, holistic, multidisciplinary and integrative management mindset. Designing more useful, usable and desirable SDX should be on top of all higher-education leaders’ agenda. This session introduces the basics of design thinking and SDX design. This session presents a practical use of design thinking principles, research methods (participant self-ethnographic approaches, etc.) and tools (value mapping, persona, touch-point management, etc.) in service improvement for any educational contexts. Design thinking helps higher-education institutions see their services from students’ perspective. It is an approach to designing services aiming to create seamless and quality service experiences. Design thinking brings a creative, human-centred process to service improvement and designing new services. Design thinking helps institutions gain true, end-to-end understanding of their services, enabling holistic and meaningful improvements. Academics and administrative unit leaders who are involved in service innovation and improvement efforts of their institutions will benefit from the theoretical and practical insights to be delivered in this session.
This session will start with a comprehensive explanation of the links between why higher-education leaders should adapt a customer-oriented service innovation and improvement mind-set into their educational context. Then, the basic terminology behind the customer experience design and management (value proposition, empathizing, micro-moments, touch-points, moments-of-truth, etc.) will be introduced. Later, the design thinking and fundamental principles of it (human-centered, evidence-based, holistic, iterative, sequential, etc.) will be presented backed with their rationale. Finally, the design thinking processes (Research, define, ideate, prototype, launch and scale), and tools (persona, empathy mapping, system mapping, prototyping, business model canvas, etc.) will be introduced.
The Dawn of AI: A New Era in English Language Teaching
In this fast-paced, technologically-driven world, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has proven to be a disruptive force in numerous sectors, and English Language Teaching (ELT) is no exception. This presentation delves into the profound impact and potential of AI in reshaping the ELT spectrum.
I will explore how AI-powered platforms are aiding both teachers and learners by providing personalized learning experiences, instant feedback, and varied teaching approaches. In addition, I’ll look into the ways AI supports improved learning outcomes and widens access to resources, particularly in underserved regions.
Further, I’ll navigate the potential future of AI in ELT, examining how emerging technologies can continue to revolutionize the field. This includes predicting language learning trends, empowering teachers, and providing even more tailored educational experiences.
This presentation promises to be a comprehensive insight into the revolutionary role of AI in ELT, providing participants with tangible, forward-thinking strategies to incorporate into their own institutions. It will also serve as a platform for wider discussion on the responsible and effective use of AI in education.
Walk the talk and teach it.
With busy schools to run, deadlines to meet, and daily stresses to overcome, it can be easy for language school managers to push environmental action down the road. But real action is becoming increasingly urgent.
As author Elizabeth Kolbert says: the choices that we are making right now, will determine the future of life for our children and their children, and all other species on earth for generations to come.
Fortunately, there are dozens of steps we can all take. We can reduce, repair, reuse, recycle and rethink how we are operating. And Green Standard Schools, a not-for-profit association that already has accredited members from ten different countries, can help guide language schools along this path to a more sustainable future.
But in addition to walking the talk, we also need to teach it. As educators we have a unique opportunity to raise awareness of the environmental crisis we are facing with our learners. And we can discuss these issues more frequently, not just when the subject appears in our course books, while simultaneously achieving the same learning outcomes.
This talk will outline how Green Standard Schools can help your school walk the talk, and teach it.
Lunch
What’s the point? Maintaining motivation for long term language learners.
Together, we’ll discuss how the challenges facing the modern language student impact motivation levels and how we might best respond to this, examining case studies and sharing practical tips and advice. As providers of English language education, we have the pleasure of meeting a great many language students. These students stay with us for anywhere between 2 weeks and 24 months – but we noticed that those staying longer saw dwindling motivation levels over time as they juggled the complexities of attending class with managing the challenges of daily life in a new country.
Though directed especially towards long-term students, the solutions we propose will allow you to better support all your learners, that they might get the very most out of their language learning journey within the international education system – no matter how long their stay.
In search of a win-win solution
Teachers will soon be replaced by AI. Noone will see the need to use our expertise and services because AI will be able to provide individualised solutions for language learners faster and cheaper. Sounds familiar? And yet, we have more and more evidence that the best learning happens when language learners have access to not only expertise in the form of facts and logical conclusions (this is easily provided by AI) but more importantly, to empathy and understanding that communication is unpredictable in a deeply human way. Another condition is learners being able to tap into other people’s experience of what learning means on the deepest psychological levels. Teaching empathy to humans is a challenge. How easy is it going to be for AI to master it? In this presentation I will look at the reasons why the arrival of AI does not have to be a win-lose situation for language teachers.
Global Citizens for Life: Everything starts in Kindergarten.
There has been growing recognition of the importance of integrating sustainable development goals (SDGs) into educational curricula, in order to foster a more sustainable and equitable future. As there is a gap in the implementation of SDGs in early childhood education we will explore the impact of a cross-curricular approach to teaching SDGs on Kindergarten student learning outcomes, as well as the challenges and opportunities that emerged during the implementation process in Doukas School, Athens Greece.
The cross-curricular approach was effective in engaging students into meaningful learning experiences that were connected to their everyday lives. Students demonstrated increased knowledge and understanding of the SDGs, as well as positive attitudes towards sustainability issues. The playful reporting to parents also provided a unique opportunity for students to share their learning with their families and build family and community connections.
However, there were several challenges associated with the implementation of the cross-curricular approach. These included limited time for teacher training and a need for specialised resources, as well as ongoing support and collaboration between educators. Therefore, the importance of contextualizing the SDGs to the local context and culture, in order to ensure relevance and authenticity will be highlighted.
Harnessing Assessment as a Powerful Learning Tool
Sometimes we think of assessment as the ‘end point’ in a unit, language program, or general teaching strategy. This session will focus on looking at assessment as a powerful tool in your teaching and learning toolkit. Explore aligning curricular objectives and assessment strategies, how assessment can promote further learning, and what makes a ‘good’ assessment.
Is the college essay dead? Exploring the skills of GenAI in teaching writing
The launch of ChatGPT on December 2, 2022 has initiated extensive discussions regarding its implications for higher education. As the academic writing skills coordinator for an ESP course at an international university, I started a research study in January 2023 to explore the capabilities of ChatGPT and leverage the findings to enhance existing writing assessments.
This conference proposal aims to present the outcomes of this recent research study, which specifically investigates the skills and potential of AI text generators, focusing on ChatGPT, in generating a particular writing assignment aligned with the assessment criteria. Student participants were tasked with utilizing ChatGPT to complete their writing assignments, followed by comprehensive interviews to assess their experiences and the tool’s utility as both a reading and writing aid.
The research study addressed the following key questions:
- To what extent are the texts generated by ChatGPT successful in meeting the assignment criteria?
- How can writing assessment and pedagogy adapt to effectively utilize ChatGPT in teaching academic writing?
Furthermore, the study seeks to develop recommendations and instruments for alternative assessments that seamlessly integrate with this emerging AI reality. By contributing to the ongoing dialogue on AI in education, this presentation aims to provide valuable insights into the incorporation of AI tools in academic writing assessment and pedagogy.
Practices of Embedding Sustainability in EAP contexts
The purpose of the current presentation is to provide current practices and present possible learning outcomes on sustainability embedded English 101 and English 102 courses at Özyeğin University in Istanbul-Turkey where the medium of instruction is English. They are part of the department curriculum consisting of ENG 101 and ENG 102 as Özyeğin University prioritizes sustainability and sustainable development in and out of campus. While ENG 101 is mainly a writing course embedding sustainability and necessitates writing response papers and learning about in-text citations, ENG 102 is mainly a speaking course in which learners are supposed to come up with a group project and learn about the steps of writing a research paper to pursue their studies as a part interdisciplinary approach adopted by the university. Additionally, these courses equip learners to become independent learners to deal with the requirements of an English-medium university and expand their knowledge on the current issues surrounding or awaiting them. Both courses are delivered in English based on Sustainable Development Goals and sustainable development rather than regarding English as a single content area. Rather than a single discipline, sustainability has a place in English courses at higher educational institutions.
7th Saturday Programme
Opening & Welcome
Plenary - AI: the Future of Teaching and Learning?
Artificial Intelligence has been the talk of the town lately. But what does it mean for educators and administrators? We’ll look at what AI is and isn’t and we’ll analyse its positive and negative aspects. We’ll explore what can be done through available tools by analysing how to interact with AI and write effective prompts that will deliver the desired results. I’ll showcase how it can help teachers to reduce their workload and how it can be used with learners.
Break
Learning Outcomes - Who thought fudge was important for lesson planning!
Writing Learning Outcomes – the what, the why and the how.
Do you feel that your lesson aims could be clearer sometimes? You know what you want to teach, and you already know the basics about lesson aims writing, but could do with another perspective and ideas? Did you know fudge helps with lesson planning? J If you feel these questions speak to you, then come along to this webinar to revisit and experiment with the what, the why and the how of writing learning outcomes. We will try and answer these questions in a practical way so be ready for lots of action!
AI in English Language Teaching: Looking ahead
In this talk, I will present the results of a specifically commissioned research paper into AI in English Language Teaching (ELT). This research paper is part of a larger project on AI in ELT, commissioned by the British Council. First, I will briefly review the key issues that emerge from the literature on AI and the teaching of English in education systems globally, drawing from existing research and evidence in the field.
Then, I will highlight the potential role of AI in ELT and teacher professional development. We will attempt to look ahead and examine key opportunities and challenges, incorporating a series of stakeholder voices ranging from teachers to government representatives, higher education, private language schools, and ELT and EdTech sector experts.
Finally, we will identify areas for further enquiry that have emerged from the research, such as the need for industry-specific ethics statements or examples of best practice. The talk will end with some direction or areas for further consideration in future research or activities.
Practical ideas for integrating metacognition into class
This presentation will focus on how to integrate metacognition into class, so that we can encourage learners to not only be more reflective about their learning, but also to know which learning strategies could work best for them to ultimately help them become better learners.
I’ll share practical metacognitive strategies we have tried out in class to help learners with writing, speaking, grammar and vocabulary, look at the ‘plan, monitor, evaluate’ model and offer reflections from both students and teachers.
Critical Thinking Enhancement within UDL Framework
The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework is dedicated to promoting inclusivity and enhancing teaching and learning through engagement, representation, and action/expression. This presentation examines the practical application of critical thinking (CT) in intense English immersion programs at a university in Turkey. Through a qualitative case study involving actively working EFL instructors, we investigated the integration of CT into the core syllabus and the impact of these approaches on effective CT teaching and learning.
The findings of this study highlight the centralization of learning experiences under a consciously chosen framework, personalized and knowledge-based content as crucial elements for fostering student agency and enhancing CT skills. Classroom examples structured around problem-solving, discussion-based, and phenomena-based lessons will be provided to illustrate how the principles of UDL and the enhancement of CT can be applied in practice. These examples are designed to align with the specific teaching contexts of instructors and institutions, offering an adaptable and inclusive learning experience.
By exploring the relationship between UDL and CT, this presentation offers insights into effective pedagogical approaches for enhancing critical thinking skills in diverse educational settings. The findings contribute to the broader conversation on inclusive education and provide practical strategies for educators seeking to promote student agency and develop CT abilities.
Artificial intelligence and the international student experience: Upholding academic integrity
Research consistently identifies inclusivity as a key issue in third-level education and, as higher education has become internationalised, this issue has become more acute and raises significant challenges for the non-first-language user. A lack of appropriate, coherent supports for such learners (including language [assessment] and pastoral supports) can significantly compromise the ability of the learner to cope and to engage in learning with integrity. This talk will focus on developments in this area – in particular, on the impact of advances in generative artificial intelligence for non-first-language learners.
The key messages of this talk are:
- Typical challenges experienced by international students in a non-first-language educational environment.
- The threats posed by generative AI for vulnerable international students.
- How education providers can mitigate these threats through the provision of adequate and appropriate supports.
- Case studies highlighting successful international higher education institutional practice.
- Recommendations for key stakeholders.
Managing with Artificial Intelligence
The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly impacted various aspects of our lives, including the way we perform daily tasks. With its rapid development and constant feature upgrades, it is expected that AI will soon revolutionize the way managers handle school management operations. This online presentation aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the recent developments and features of AI in school management and offer participants a fresh perspective on their daily routines. The session will encompass the use of AI in managing staff and student data, school documents, quality issues, feedback, and automated tasks. Upon completion of the session, attendees will have a better understanding of their needs and the potential benefits of incorporating AI into their management practices.
Lunch
Building Learning Communities: Practical Examples of Google Sites in Action
This presentation will illustrate practical examples of the effective use of Google Sites to foster community building and collaboration within the classroom. Participants will gain applicable ideas to implement Google Sites as a powerful tool for enhancing a learning community, encouraging collaboration, and maximizing learning outcomes in their own teaching context.
Enhancing Academic Writing: Leveraging the Power of AI
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the field of academic writing in English for university students. In this session, we explore the potential of AI technology to improve various aspects of the writing process and empower scholars, researchers, and students.
When it comes to written communication, especially with such complex tasks as integrated writing, AI has a lot to offer to both teachers and learners, from creating texts on specific topics and rubrics for evaluation, to corrections and feedback. In our session, we will highlight the challenges faced by scholars and academic writers, such as time constraints, language proficiency, the need for impeccable formatting and referencing, and writer’s block. Some practical ideas on how to harness the power of AI as a game-changer will also be shared, offering powerful tools and techniques to address these challenges and to enhance teacher and student experience in academic writing.
The session will firstly investigate the impact of AI tools on education, then will look at how these tools can benefit teachers and leverage learner autonomy in academic writing. The speakers will also discuss the ethical considerations of AI in academic writing, emphasizing the importance of maintaining originality, intellectual integrity, and responsible use of AI tools.
Enhancing Blended Foreign Language Learning With An Online Platform
This presentation aims to elucidate the pedagogical implications of Blended Learning, specifically focusing on the use of online learning platforms such as the one Altissia offers. By examining its inherent features and functionalities, we aim to shed light on the opportunities and assets it offers to foreign language learners.
We will emphasise that the aim of using a platform in a blended learning setting is not to seek to supplant the role of teachers or traditional instructional methods; rather, a platform should serve as a supplementary toolset, augmenting the learning experience. Through the Altissia platform, students gain access to supplementary learning resources, thereby enriching the input they receive and cultivating their capacity for self-directed and self-paced learning. Furthermore, this blended approach fosters a heightened awareness of their individual learning processes, empowering students to develop metacognitive skills and facilitating personalized language acquisition. By synergistically harnessing technology with established teaching methodologies, this presentation explores how a learning platform can act as a catalyst for transformative language learning experiences.
Discussion Group A - AI in Education
The discussion group is an opportunity for Eaquals members to discuss AI in Education from their own viewpoint and context. They will also outline what their experience has been and how other members of their institution are approaching this as well as within the larger community.
Discussion Group B - Sustainability & Climate Impact
The discussion group is an opportunity for Eaquals members to discuss Sustainability & Climate Impact from their own viewpoint and context. They will also outline what their experience has been and how other members of their institution are approaching this as well as within the larger community.
