Lifelong Learning @ UNB
UNB College of Extended Learning

---

It has been a year of development and growth in the world of education. With many programs switching to remote learning in 2020, we at the UNB English Language Programme took the opportunity in the paradigm shift to expand our English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) research, curriculum development, and delivery of programming introducing an expanded and new suite of Virtual ELP courses, which is already proving to be a success.

We have delivered virtual courses, combining synchronous and asynchronous learning, to English Language Learners from New Brunswick, other parts of Canada, and the rest of the world. From business professionals and graduate students to high school and undergraduate students, many have taken advantage of the opportunity to enrich their English language skills with Virtual ELP.

Many considerations were necessary as we transitioned into a 100% remote learning model of delivery, including:

• Maintaining quality instruction and delivery
• Time zones
• Digital literacy
• Balancing course load and life pieces
• Cross-cultural communication
• Creating processes to make the transition as seamless and rewarding as possible

Highlighting two Virtual Field Schools (VFS) in July, we were pleased to continue our collaboration with the province of New Brunswick’s newcomer population, as well as Shandong University of Finance and Economics (SDUFE).

Working alongside Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD), Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour (PETL), Immigrant Settlement Agencies (ISAs) around the province, and the Multicultural Council of NB, we accepted 20 students, aged 17-29, to the third year of the province’s Pathway to Employment and Post-Secondary Bursary Program, which was offered for the first time in a virtual format. Students took part in a comprehensive 4-week program combining interactive face-to-face classes (through Microsoft Teams) and asynchronous coursework (on D2L Brightspace), all with a focus on labour market training, post-secondary academic preparation, and digital literacy.

We have been part of the Long-Term Integration Strategy Committee for New Brunswick for several years and continue to work with partners in a complementary approach to programming for Newcomers. With a large focus on population growth in the province, we look forward to continuing to support NB’s vision.

We were also delighted to continue our collaboration with graduate students from Shandong University of Finance and Economics (SDUFE)—a university in Jinan, China—who we have been working with for many years. As a pathway into UNB’s graduate studies in Economics, SDUFE students took part in a 1-month intensive academic course combining both synchronous and asynchronous classes. Studying remotely from China in the early evenings, students practiced their speaking and listening skills through Microsoft Teams, while focusing on academic technical writing, reading comprehension, and vocabulary building on their own schedule via D2L.

In our experience, the decision to take remote courses has been exceptionally positive for many of our international students, helping to relieve some of the many stressors caused by the pandemic itself (in addition to the worry about how to continue their academic studies). Many students enjoyed the convenience of being able to study from the comfort of their homes, no matter the country or time zone.

The combination of synchronous and asynchronous components in online learning creates a well-rounded approach that accommodates different types of learners—from students who feel less shy to express themselves through a computer screen to students who benefit by making their own work schedules. It also creates an opportunity that once was not there for some. One student, a stay-at-home mother, was thrilled to be able to participate in a program that she normally would not have been able to attend in a physical environment. For two hours every morning, she practiced her English and built connections with fellow students, all with her children on the other side of a closed door.

The transition to remote learning has been, and continues to be, an all-encompassing endeavour with many hours dedicated to academic development, content research, and hundreds of hours of synchronous and asynchronous delivery.

With the fuel of having received very positive feedback from students in the variety of formats, this exciting new programming for ELP will serve as a complement to format offerings in the future, the Program of Academic English Preparation Pathway (PAEP), as well as Academic English as a Second Language (AESL), to name a few.

There is no doubt that there will be more growth and development in the rest of our suite of virtual courses. It will be exciting to see the evolution of remote learning and see what the future brings in this ever-changing educational landscape.