Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics at Sumy State University, Iryna Liashenko, has completed a crucial stage of the project funded by the Regional English Language Office at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. This project, spanning five intensive weeks, was part of the TESOL-Ukraine Institute program, "Teaching in a Time of Crisis: Innovative Tools, Strategies, and Approaches to Improving English Learning for Ukrainians."
Key aspects of the conference:
• Innovation Unleashed: Participants had the privilege of viewing outstanding courses created by participants from prominent Ukrainian universities. These projects went beyond ordinary education; they were a testament to innovation and impact.
• Meet the Minds Behind the Courses: The showcase featured creative teams from nine universities, each presenting their innovative and courses.
This project aims to equip university teachers with tools, techniques, and strategies effective in designing online and blended courses. Considering the challenges posed by the Russia-Ukraine war, the project focused on providing teachers with steps to design courses that are adaptable to varying contexts. It aimed to smooth the transition between teaching formats, ensuring a professional and careful approach to students' needs.

It is important to note that this project was innovative in its nature, as it not only armed the participants with the theoretical aspects of course design learned in Krakow, at the first stage of the project, but also imparted invaluable practical skills on how to create their own courses that can be practically implemented into the learning process at their universities. The course was challenging and time-pressuring, while, at the same time, immensely rewarding with the achievements the participants could gain.
The heart of the conference was the presentation segment, where educators from participating universities presented their innovative courses, each developed during the Canvas Course Design program.
Among the presenters were:
• Sumy State University: Lyudmyla Hnapovska explored "The Pains and Gains of 'GOING INTERNATIONAL'."
• Bohdan Khmelnytskyi National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine: Oksana Komarnytska and Maiia Karpushyna showcased "Features of Creating ESP Course for Distance Learning on Canvas Platforms for Future Border Guards."
• National University "Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic": Tetiana Korol shared insights on "Canvas Online Course Development: Sharing Findings and Failures."
• Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University: Iryna Charikova presented "Canvas for English Performance Course: English for Exam Success."
• Zhytomyr Ivan Franko State University: Yuliia Klymovych unfolded an "Effective Learning Journey with Canvas LMS."
• Kharkiv National University of Urban Economy named after O. Beketov: Olha Hnatysheva enlightened the audience with "Academic and Scientific Online Course for Masters Degree Students."
• Zaporizhzhia National University: Larysa Mosiyevych discussed "Course design challenges."
• Kyiv National Linguistic University: Lyubov Bobchynets presented the "Canvas Course 'Spanish, English and Ukrainian Idioms: Translation Studies.'"
• Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University: Nataliia Pyliachyk addressed "Challenges in Creating Online Course on Canvas." And Iryna Malyshivska shared experiences on "Canvas in Action: First Steps in Course Designing."
• Ivan Franko National University of Lviv: Nataliya Hrynya and Anetta Artsyshevska discussed "TOLES (Legal English)" and "Creating EVI course by embracing mishaps and celebrating successes" respectively.
• National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute": Oksana Chugai share her insights when preparing her EVI course with the presentation “Creating EVI course by embracing mishaps and celebrating successes”

This event was moderated by TESOL Ukraine Institute and Iryna Liashenko, Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics at Sumy State University who was a developer and a facilitator of the course funded by US Department of State through the English Language Alumni Program and featured Jen MacArthur, Regional English Language Officer, Alyona Sukhinina, RELO Assistant, U.S. Embassy, and Stuart Carroll, Teaching Methodology Course Speaker.
The course wasn't designed just to impart knowledge on how to create a course. Instead, it was packed with an array of collaboration features, aiming to make the course not a complete substitute for real-life communication but at least to bring it closer to a face-to-face class. Drawing on the feedback from the exit survey after completing the Canvas course, where almost all of the participants highlighted collaboration as the best idea, the presenters once again demonstrated that collaboration is the bedrock of any learning process, which enabled them to recognize the needs and challenges for students.
Another goal of this course was to foster critical thinking and inclusivity. It wasn't taught in a traditional sense but rather facilitated. Each participant of the course had the opportunity to take it and utilize all the sources and instructions in a way that best suited their course design.
Since this project has received positive reviews, TESOL Ukraine has decided to continue this project idea and evolve it into a further cascading event on course design, which will help the educators to master Canvas course design, which proves its sustainability.