Program Description
The online ESL course incorporates exceptionally rich multimedia lessons and provides students with an interactive learning experience that simulates a wide variety of everyday communication situations.
Our project-based learning will connect and mobilize students to work as a group of 4-6 members on current issues affecting us globally with a strong focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations (UN) – a universal call to action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership, to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace, equality, and prosperity. Our team can also work with you to design a project-based learning experience that fits your students’ learning goals.
With projects implemented with different paths such as research-based approach, experiential approach, and hybrid approach (both research-based and experiential approaches), the students’ tasks involve gathering of information, discussion of the information, oral or written reporting, and displaying their findings in an interactive and visual way that people can meaningfully understand, share, and learn from.
Two facilitators will be working with students throughout the entire project to provide driving questions, build the culture, give feedback, and coach in the live sessions. Students will be equipped with knowledge, skills, and digital tools that help them to excel their project planning, implementation and management. During the project over 14 weeks, the teams will probe and investigate a real-world issue with its connecting factors and come up with tangible and actionable ideas that will create an impact on a specific community and contribute to the SDGs achievement.
This Course is Right for Students Who:
- Are looking for integrating different language skills into a real-world situation
- Want to gain experience in researching and providing solutions to real-world problems that stretch your critical thinking, collaboration, digital fluency,project management, and strategic problem-solving skills.
- Care about the future and are eager to be the change, help to end poverty, reduce inequalities, to tackle climate change, and build a thriving planet for us and our future generations.
- Are willing to challenge yourself for a high-impact career.
Testimonials
Saki Tanimasu
Student at Kansai Gaidai University, one of the winning team members in the ESL project-based learning course, Fall 2021
"Through the Humber ESL project-based learning program, I was able to gain really valuable things such as experiences that I cannot get in my regular student life such as new skills, new friendships, and great courage to take a step forward. It was a semester-long program, and to be honest, there were times when I felt overwhelmed, but with the help of my team members and kind teachers, I was able to keep going until the end. In the end, I was really honored to receive the Biggest Impact prize as a representative of the participants. I'm really happy that the things we put so much effort into and the courage of the five of us were recognized tangibly.
Lastly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone creating this fruitful opportunity, connecting students from Kansai Gaidai University, Japan with professors from Humber College, Canada."
Reiko Hiromoto
Executive Director, Center for International Education, Kansai Gaidai University
"The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges, especially in the field of international exchange. With borders closed, we had to cease all in-bound and out-bound study abroad programs for almost two years. During these times, we have been tested in how we cope with these unprecedented challenges.
The ESL Project-based Learning Program that was launched in cooperation with Humber College has been one of the most effective and successful solutions.
Many of our students are studying/majoring in English and are looking for study abroad opportunities. In thinking about ways to support them while they remained on campus, we knew that we could organize some online English lessons. Yet, we wanted more than language study.
Upon sharing our wish about providing our students with first-hand experience in project-based learning in addition to English studies, Humber immediately responded to our needs and created the ESL Project-based Learning Program. It was indeed amazing how quickly the program was put together with all the details that would maximize our students’ abilities.
Throughout this program, our students were exposed to high-level English instruction, well-guided project-based activities, and exciting presentation opportunities. We were very pleased to see that our students met and interacted with people in our community to learn more about social problems in the community. This program enabled them to actually “take action” to address the social issues and present sustainable solutions.
We are extremely grateful to Dr. Stephen Allen, Ms. Kimmy Do, and all other colleagues who taught and supported our students throughout this program. It has become a wonderful showcase of what we can do by being creative and enthusiastic about student growth and learning."
The ESL with Project-based learning course is our initiative to integrate learning English with experiential learning to boost learners’ transferable skills for career readiness.
14 weeks
ESL Course
Project-based
learning
32 self-directed
hours +
7 live-interactive
sessions
7 live-interactive
sessions
Individualized
support
Group of 4-5
student
Complete at
their own pace
Experiential
learning