Generative AI and the Future of Language Education

A non-credit professional seminar in Fall 2024
for UW-Madison language educators

“Our profession is truly at an inflection point. In the face of technologies that seem to provide the support people need to function reasonably well in another language, we urgently need to articulate and communicate the value of language study in a social context, identify what technology offers that is positive for language education, rethink how we organize our teaching in light of technology’s affordances, and be clear about what technology cannot do” (Kern, 2024, p. 516).

Description

This semester-long non-credit seminar will be a forum to engage in shared learning about the potential impact of generative AI on language teaching and learning. The seminar will focus on questions such as: What is generative AI, and how is it related to other language technologies? What are potential affordances–and potential pitfalls– of the use of generative AI in language instruction and assessment? What are ways that instruction might be (re)organized to leverage AI to empower language students, and to enhance and improve their learning? What are ethical issues and policy implications related to using AI-powered technologies that language educators need to take into consideration? More broadly, what does it mean to be a human language teacher in a time of rapid technologization?

The seminar will include readings, guest speakers, and discussion. Participants in the seminar will co-facilitate some discussions, and commit to completing readings in advance and to actively participating in all seminar meetings at the dates and times below.

Participants will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the seminar.

Participants will be eligible to apply for a small Language Institute grant to pilot an instructional activity or develop instructional learning materials using generative AI.

Dates and times

Seminar participants will meet four times during the Fall 2024 semester, on Fridays from 3:00-4:15 pm, and attend (or review the recording of) at least one guest lecture.

Guest lectures and hands-on workshop 

• Twenty-First Century Technology and Language Education: Thinking Together About Some Existential Questions, Rick Kern, University of California, Berkeley, 2:30-3:30 pm, Friday, September 20, online (recording). Sponsored by the Language Institute.
• Generative AI and its Applications in Language Learning: A Duolingo Perspective, Parker Henry, Duolingo, 4:30 pm, October 23, 8417 Social Science Building, in-person. Sponsored by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.
• Hands-on workshop, title TBD, facilitated by Lauren Rosen, UW Collaborative Language Program, and Kate Grocvergrys, Madison College, 2:00-4:00 pm, Friday, February 7, 1418 Van Hise Hall. Sponsored by the Language Institute.

Seminar meetings (both in-person and online)

• 3:00-4:15 pm, Friday, October 4, in-person in 1418 Van Hise Hall
• 3:00-4:15 pm, Friday, November 1, on Zoom
• 3:00-4:15 pm, Friday, November 15, on Zoom
• 3:00-4:15 pm, Friday, December 6, in-person in 1418 Van Hise Hall

Eligibility

UW-Madison faculty, academic staff, and graduate students who teach language courses, or direct or otherwise support UW-Madison language programs are eligible to apply to participate in the seminar.

Participation will be limited! Participants will be selected based on the applicant’s commitment to full participation in the seminar on all dates, the relevance of the seminar to the applicant’s teaching or research interests, and on the language(s) they teach (to include as many languages as possible).

Facilitator: Dianna Murphy, Director, Language Institute