„Language Teaching and Artificial Intelligence“ Workshop in Nancy

In collaboration with the French association RANACLES, CercleS organized a workshop on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education language teaching. From June 11 to 14, 2024, over 30 language teachers from many European countries met at the University of Lorraine to explore whether and how AI should support university-level foreign language learning.

While some higher education institutions already have sophisticated AI strategies, many others have only non-binding recommendations or no guidelines at all. Consequently, the experiences of the participating teachers ranged from beginners to experts.

The workshop provided essential background knowledge on students' prior knowledge and expectations, potential use cases, as well as the opportunities and risks of AI. Current research findings on these topics were presented and discussed in lectures. Six practical workshops allowed participants to test various AI systems themselves and evaluate their potential benefits for their own language teaching.

Some focal points of these workshops included the correction of written work and the creation of texts, tasks, and instructions. These materials are expected to be diverse, engaging, and challenging, while also meeting high standards regarding level appropriateness and academic content.

Productive breaks and a varied evening program offered additional opportunities for exchange and networking. The cohesion of the participants and the positive working atmosphere were enhanced by successful evening events such as joint dinners and city tours. Special thanks for making all this possible go to the team around Marc Schirès (Université de Lorraine) and to Tom Grainger (President of RANACLES). During the closing plenary, participants expressed great interest in more events of this kind, even at the national level.

Contact: Steffen Skowronek

Published on June 19, 2024