Brian Strong Receives Teaching Achievement Award
Congratulations to Brian Strong! Brian received a Teaching Achievement Award from the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) for his project, titled “The Pedagogical Flight Simulator: AI-Powered Practice for ESL Teacher Training.”
The purpose of the Teaching Achievement Award is to enhance the teaching of the recipients and the quality of instruction at Carleton University.
Strong’s project is exploring a new way to help university students who are training to become English as a Second Language teachers.
“Because it is getting harder for these students to get enough practice in real classrooms, I am building a teaching simulator,” Strong shares. “Think of it like a flight simulator for pilots, but for teachers.”
“The goal is to use AI to create digital students that future teachers can talk to. These AI students are designed to make the same kinds of mistakes real language learners make. This allows our students to practice explaining difficult grammar or answering tricky questions in a safe, private space. If a lesson doesn’t go well, they can simply try again. By testing this tool, we hope to give future teachers more confidence and a new way to learn from their mistakes before they start their professional careers.”
Please join us in congratulating Brian and the recipients of the 2026 Achievement Awards!