Editorial

Abstract

We welcome you to Volume 4, Issue 1 of Relay Journal. Undoubtedly, all of us, whether as educators, advisors, other professionals, or learners, have continued to experience great change in our work or learning over the past year or more. During times of change, in order for the change to be developmental, an individual must be able to reach a sense of equilibrium (Zittoun, 2006, Zittoun et al., 2013). This concept of equilibrium is also referred to by Damasio (2019, p. 6) as a sense of “homeostasis” to which all living beings constantly are driven to in order to feel fulfilled and satisfied. Through change and the subsequent restructuring of how we function in our teaching or learning in order to reach a new stability, our umwelt (see Uexüell, 1987; Zittoun, 2006), i.e., our own semiotic world, can also be altered. In the context of language learning, going through changes, finding balance, and undergoing a transformation of perspectives are all experiences that learners and teachers alike face. Engaging in reflection can help students to cope with these transitions and ultimately better understand and benefit from the process (Kato & Mynard, 2016). It is also through reflective practice that educators are likewise able to successfully handle and grow from potentially difficult times of transformation or development (Argyris & Schön 1974; Farrell, 2015, 2019). In this issue, we are happy to present a collection of papers which represent examples of such reflections. Readers can get a closer look at various aspects of advising in language learning through analytic accounts of its implementation by educators. Additionally, valuable insights into the learning journey may be gained from reflections on topics such as self-directed collaborative learning among undergraduate students or the evolution of a distance learner’s identity while engaging in graduate studies. Finally, those who are interested in the intersection of technology and self-directed learning will find something valuable in these articles as well.