Symposium Program - Friday, May 23rd

Please note: Registration, the symposium opening and keynote speaker will be held in 4th Floor Lounge, Education Centre North Room 4-110, which can be reached by taking the elevators in Ed North up to the 4th Floor. Coffee, tea and light snacks will be available.

All Sessions after the break will be held in Education South on the 2nd Floor in the following rooms:

Digital Technology - Room 254

Literacy - Room 262

Curriculum - Room 255

Assessments - Room 255

Lightning Talks - Room 265

Please see below for a full session breakdown and downloadable program.

Symposium Schedule

SCHEDULE
Time
8:00 - 9:00 Education North 4th Floor Lounge	Registration & Morning Coffee
9:00 -10:30	Opening and Keynote Speaker	Jeff Kuntz - Generative AI in EAL: Tensions, Possibilities, and a Path Forward
10:30 - 10:45	Break
Education South 2nd Floor	Digital Technology - Room 254	Literacy - Room 262	Curriculum - Room 255	Assessments - Room 255	LightningTalks - Room 265	Lightning Talks - Room 265
10:45 - 11:30 - Session 1	The Avenue Standards for TELL (Technology-Enhanced Language Learning	Enhanncing CLB 1L-2L Listening		Empowering Education Through Compliance
11:30 - 12:00 - Lightning Talks					Peer Observations: A Path to Reflective Teaching and Professional Growth	Unleashing Language Potential: Lessons in Dog Training
12:00 - 1:00 - LUNCH
1:00 - 1:45 - Session 2	The Roles of AI in English Learning	Enhancing Literacy with Phonics	Unlocking the Potential of Grammar Consciousness-Raising Tasks
2:00 - 2:45 Session 3	The Transformative Potential of ChatGPT in EAL Writing Instruction	A Social Model of Learning that Thrives	Strategies for Teaching Multilevel Classes
3:00 - 3:45 Session 4		Supporting Emerging EAL Learners In Vocabulary Development	Simon Says, "Engage!"
			Building Writing Fluency Using Pre-Writing Activities

See downloadable Program and Session information below:

Keynote Speaker

Jeff Kuntz - Generative AI in EAL: Tensions, Possibilities, and a Path Forward

The emergence of Generative AI has ignited curiosity, concern, and creativity across the English as an Additional Language (EAL) teaching community. As tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot become more accessible, they are beginning to shape how we teach, how students learn, and how we all communicate. But with this shift comes a host of complex questions. Can AI-generated text still support authentic language learning? What are the risks of over-reliance, and how do we guide students in using these tools responsibly? What boundaries do we need to draw—and what new opportunities might we be missing? How might the role of the teacher be changing?

In this presentation Jeff will open up space to explore these tensions and possibilities together. We’ll consider both the challenges and the potential of integrating GenAI into language teaching—from issues of academic integrity, ambiguous policy, and digital dependency to opportunities for personalized practice, multilingual support, and critical digital literacy.

This session will invite you to consider and reflect on real classroom scenarios. Drawing on insights from our ongoing research we will see what can be learned from professional collaboration, classroom experimentation, and student and educator reflections. Together, we’ll consider how to move forward with purpose: setting boundaries, building frameworks for responsible use, and co-creating learning experiences that support both linguistic development and learner agency. Whether you’re excited, uncertain, or just curious, this session will offer practical insights and honest dialogue about how to teach—and learn—with GenAI.

Bio: Jeff Kuntz

Jeff Kuntz is a compulsive learner who holds a Ph.D. in Secondary Education (Instructional Leadership). Like many college educators, Jeff is intrigued, concerned and excited about the possibilities found in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). Dr. Kuntz is the NorQuest lead for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Together with a powerful team of NorQuest faculty, Jeff is currently overseeing two SoTL studies that examine the impact of GenAI upon college teaching and learning environments (ethical boundaries and pedagogical possibilities). The first study, conducted in June of 2024, surveyed student and instructor attitudes towards GenAI. The second study, which is now in the data analysis phase, asked ten instructors and their students to strategically incorporate GenAI tools (ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot) as teaching supports. Their experiences and insights are providing a bit of a roadmap for where we go next with GenAI.

Jeff has been an educator for over 40 years and began as a junior/senior high English teacher in small Christian schools. His educational journey has been exciting and eventful with opportunities to champion school improvement, conduct educational research, participate in international projects, and support teachers at every level (Kindergarten to Grad Studies). Jeff currently works at NorQuest College as an educational developer in Applied Research where he supports faculty and students to integrate research components into assignments (Authentic Assessment!). Jeff is a proud father and grandfather, a Shakespeare buff, a die-hard Bruins fan, and he shares his life and wife with two busy border collies.