A Teacher’s Unique Role in Contextualizing Student Foreign Language Learning in the Days of AI

21G.505
Global Languages (Course 21G)
Faculty/Instructor
Takako Aikawa
Digital Innovations & Tools
Blended Learning & Flipped Classroom
Online Assessments & Rapid Feedback

With technology such as AI changing the future of language learning, Professor Takako Aikawa considers the unique contribution of the human teacher. In her Japanese language class, natural language processing allowed for grammar quizzes to be auto-generated. Yet to ensure students came to class with basic knowledge, Professor Aikawa created her own grammar videos. The videos included a review of grammar and Kanji along with her personalized explanations and animations. Simple yet effective, Explain Everything enabled Professor Aikawa to rehearse and prepare these videos that provided students with context. Technology already automated quizzes, but linking the language to the students lives and prior knowledge occurred via the teacher’s guidance.

Watch Takako Aikawa's video here. 

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