ESL Canvas Course

Tools: Canvas, Quizlet, Flipgrid, Seesaw, EDpuzzle, ActivelyLearn, Google Slides, Google Docs, Google Forms, Screencast-o-matic, Smore, Badgr, Camera app, Apple Screen Recorder

Audience: Beginner-level adult English Language Learners (ELLs) of an online English as a Second Language (ESL) class with access to only mobile devices

Challenge

This was a 1-week pilot program and most learners only had access to smartphones. The project entailed developing necessary course aids to support online learners and one module of English learning material with digital components to engage the learners.

Solution

I created two modules for this program--an orientation module and an English-learning module--in a Canvas course. I developed bilingual course aids to support my beginner-level ELLs onboarding into the online classroom. Bilingual course aids included a Canvas scavenger hunt, academic honesty & guidelines, netiquette policy, success tips for online learners, and course syllabus.

Results

Our ESL program now has a set of core bilingual learning aids to support ESL online learners to use in future courses. One participant mentioned that the visual aids to assist in submitting the assignments were sometimes distracting from the actual activities, so I am looking at consolidating help resources into one location for the next course. Through this pilot course and other feedback, I found using multiple apps is not ideal for an online course, so I would look at embedding activities (e.g., Quizlet, Flipgrid) for computer users and adding an alternative website link to serve the smartphone users in future iterations of the course.