Exploring the potential of ChatGPT for foreign language education at the university level

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to explore students' attitudes and perceived usefulness of using ChatGPT for learning a foreign language to reveal how this new trend tool affects its end-users.

Methods

The authors conducted qualitative research by using a questionnaire survey based on hands-on experience by university students.

Results

The findings reveal that students are fascinated, satisfied, and stimulated to use this technology despite some of their reservations and potential threats. The authors of this study also list pedagogical implications, including specific activities, while using ChatGPT.

Discussion

Although ChatGPT can be very beneficial for teachers and help them in their preparation, it sets a challenging task for them to change the existing teaching approaches and assessments to boost students' cognitive, creative, and critical thinking skills. In addition, both teachers and students will have to upskill their competencies to handle the current advancements in AI technology, such as ChatGPT.

Assessing the Usability of ChatGPT for Formal English Language Learning

Recently, the emerging technologies have been constantly shaping the education domain, especially the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for language learning, which has attracted significant attention. Many of the AI tools are being used for learning foreign languages, in both formal and informal ways. There are many studies that have explored the potential of the recent technology "ChatGPT" for education and learning languages, but none of the existing studies have conducted any exploratory study for assessing the usability of ChatGPT. This paper conducts an assessment for usability of ChatGPT for formal English language learning. The study uses a standard questionnaire-based approach to ask participants about their feedback for usefulness and effectiveness of ChatGPT. The participants were asked for their feedback after performing series of tasks related to formal English language learning with ChatGPT. A variety of student participants were selected for this study with diverse English language proficiency levels, education levels, and nationalities. The quantitative analysis of the participant responses shed light on their experience with regards to the usability of ChatGPT for performing different English language learning tasks such as conversation, writing, grammar, and vocabulary. The findings from this study are quite promising and indicate that ChatGPT is an effective tool to be used for formal English language learning. Overall, this study contributes to the fast-growing research domain on using emerging technologies for formal English language learning by conducting in-depth assessment of usability for ChatGPT in formal English language learning.

Cognitive Gain in Digital Foreign Language Learning

This systematic review examines the potential of digital language learning in contributing to students' cognitive gains. The study reviews existing research on the relationship between digital language learning and cognitive benefits, with a focus on enhanced problem-solving skills, memory, and multitasking ability. The research questions explored in this study are (1) does digital language learning contribute to cognitive gains in foreign language education? and (2) what are the pedagogical implications for cognitive improvement in digital foreign language education? The study employs the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology to identify and analyze relevant research articles. The results of the review suggest that working with printed texts may be more effective for cognitive gains compared to electronic texts. Additionally, implementing more senses through digital language education appears to be beneficial for cognitive gains. Thus, several pedagogical implications emerge for promoting cognitive improvement in digital foreign language education. Firstly, it is crucial to implement techniques and strategies that best align with students' language needs in a digital learning environment, whether it involves pen-and-paper activities or a flipped classroom approach. Secondly, exposing students to a variety of techniques that engage multiple senses can have a positive impact on cognitive gains. Finally, providing students with feedback is essential to maintain their motivation and foster continued progress in their foreign language studies.

A Comparative Analysis of Perceived Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Learning

The use of electronic media has increased dramatically in the past decade due to the general increase in digitization of global societies. This trend has been recently enhanced by the COVID-19 occurrence and following forced implementation of various forms of eLearning into university curricula, including all forms of second language (L2) acquisition. The present study focuses on the evaluation of perceived advantages and disadvantages of online L2 acquisition via electronic media by university students of the Czech Republic (n = 114) and Poland (n = 121). The research methodology was an online questionnaire asking the users of digital media for L2 acquisition about their perceived advantages and disadvantages regarding the use of print and digital media and their potential impact on their L2 acquisition. To understand their evaluation is crucial as it could lead to increased motivation or demotivation to learn a foreign language. The results clearly show that the students realize the drawbacks of digital media and this could lead to their dissatisfaction and frustration when they have to use these media excessively. The implications of the findings could be helpful and necessary for various course designers, curricula makers, and course tutors as they are responsible for the smooth implementation of various digital tools into the educational process.

Potential pitfalls of online foreign language teaching from the perspective of the university teachers

In the past two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly all universities had to conduct the courses online, including foreign language learning (FLL) classes. Pre-COVID-19 research into the possibilities of digital FLL seemed very optimistic and promising; however, when real life brought the challenges of online classes, the situation was different. This research focuses on the experience of university foreign language teachers from the Czech Republic and Iraq with their online foreign language classes during the past two years. It attempts to analyse their experience and brings together all major issues and concerns they were able to realise. The methodology is qualitative and the number of participants was 42 university teachers from two countries where guided semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data. The results clearly show that despite the overoptimistic earlier research - the respondents in both countries were very dissatisfied with the way the classes were conducted for various reasons, such as the lack of adequate training, insufficient methodologies for FLL, the lack of motivation in students, dramatically increased screen time of both students and teachers, etc. The most important suggestions call for an adequate methodology for online foreign language learning and necessary professional training so that the instructors are able to keep pace with unprecedentedly fast development in information technology used in various forms of digital learning.

Ethical issues of the use of AI-driven mobile apps for education

Nowadays, artificial intelligence (AI) affects our lives every single day and brings with it both benefits and risks for all spheres of human activities, including education. Out of these risks, the most striking seems to be ethical issues of the use of AI, such as misuse of private data or surveillance of people's lives. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to describe the key ethical issues related to the use of AI-driven mobile apps in education, as well as to list some of the implications based on the identified studies associated with this research topic. The methodology of this review study was based on the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The results indicate four key ethical principles that should be followed, out of which the principle of algorithmovigilance should be considered in order to monitor, understand and prevent the adverse effects of algorithms in the use of AI in education. Furthermore, all stakeholders should be identified, as well as their joint engagement and collaboration to guarantee the ethical use of AI in education. Thus, the contribution of this study consists in emphasizing the need for joint cooperation and research of all stakeholders when using AI-driven mobile technologies in education with special attention to the ethical issues since the present research based on the review studies is scarce and neglected in this respect.

What I know, what I want to know, what I learned: Activating EFL college students' cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement through structured feedback in an online environment

Given the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, online classes have received special attention worldwide. Since teachers have a lasting effect on the students, the teacher-student relationship is a pivotal factor in language learning classes. Students will not be engaged in class activities if they are not sufficiently challenged by them or if they do not find them interesting, especially in online classes. From this point of view, motivating, engaging, and testing techniques in online classes are highly important. The present study attempts to demonstrate a correlation between structured feedback and three types of engagement in an online class: cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement. The structured feedback, which is used at the end of each lesson lets the students express what they know, what they want to know, and what they learned. The sample of the study consists of 114 EFL third-year college students. The study's findings reveal positive and significant correlations between the three types of engagement; cognitive, behavioral, and emotional, and the use of structured feedback in online classes. In a nutshell, some academic implications and recommendations are provided.

Competency categorization and roles of online teachers from the perspective of university students

The teaching and learning process is facing many unprecedented challenges that require innovative solutions in the short life of knowledge and the abrupt development of technology. Some of these challenges are the new roles of teachers who are the main constituents in the online teaching process. The main aim of this study revolved around determining and analyzing university students' priorities concerning the competency categorization and roles of online teachers. The research was based on Moodle and Google classroom to validate the competency elements with the final aim of improving teaching and learning processes. The data were collected by using an online questionnaire that evaluated eight dimensions of competencies and roles of online teachers. The research sample consisted of 430 participants (aged between 19 and 30) from Iraq and Oman. The results obtained from these two countries were very similar as the respondents highlighted professional, pedagogical and social competencies in their teachers. It further shows that though the applications used in the two contexts were different (Google classroom with Google Meet or Moodle), it did not affect the final results gained. The results of this survey could be important for further analysis of online teaching practice and bring several important insights regarding the possibilities of online teaching.

The quantitative evaluation of subjective satisfaction with digital media in L2 acquisition in younger adults: A study from Europe, Asia, and Latin America

Foreign language learning has recently been transferred into an online or hybrid mode and this has brought many challenges for both the teachers and the students. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore students' subjective satisfaction with the use of digital media in their L2 acquisition conducted online, as well as to provide specific recommendations for meeting students' needs in digital media L2 instruction. This is large-scale comparative research conducted in the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Iraq, and Malaysia. The data were collected through an online questionnaire in May, June, and July 2021 in the given countries. The findings reveal that students' subjective satisfaction that is related to students' attitudes toward the online learning process, the general usefulness of language, the role of the teacher, and the matters that affect the general process of teaching and learning all gained the positive answers. Whereas the items that are related to students' subjective satisfaction toward language skills, digital-based reading, the effectiveness of online education over face-to-face, and communicating with teachers and peers via social media are all gained negative results. These results need further analysis but they can be an impetus for much larger research and further implications to optimize L2 acquisition.

Psychosocial Rehabilitation Through Intervention by Second Language Acquisition in Older Adults

The paper deals with a possibility of foreign language learning (FLL) intervention in older adults as a psychosocial rehabilitation method to improve the quality of life (QoL) in this age segment, i.e. the people who are over 55 years. FLL has been researched as a successful tool to maintain or even enhance cognitive functions in older age along with other intentional activities, such as engagement in any physical activity. FLL cannot dramatically improve memory and cognitive deterioration of older adults, however, it can improve QoL by increasing subjective happiness that is connected to improved wellbeing. The research was conducted in two groups of seniors who are engaged in FLL, specifically in the Czech Republic and Poland. The major premise of the research was based on the positive psychology concept, i.e., the subjective happiness leads to improved levels of QoL. Both groups consisted of about a hundred respondents whose opinions were researched by an online questionnaire. The major focus of this questionnaire was to evaluate the level of subjective happiness and then compare the results obtained from the respondents from these two geographically different regions. The findings clearly showed that those who had engaged in FLL had reached high levels of subjective happiness, therefore, their subjective wellbeing could be improved. These results might be important for psychosocial rehabilitation practices because they can create a framework for further non-pharmacological intervention to maintain healthy aging. FLL can thus be a very efficient tool for any psychosocial rehabilitation in older healthy adults who do not suffer from any cognitive pathological development but who are just experiencing negative side effects of natural aging process. The research into this topic is very scarce, and therefore, this paper could be an inspiration for further and larger-scale research.

A Comparative Psycholinguistic Study on the Subjective Feelings of Well-Being Outcomes of Foreign Language Learning in Older Adults From the Czech Republic and Poland

Positive psychology has recently seen unprecedented rise and has reached vast achievements in the area of quality of life (QoL) improvement. The purpose of this study is to show that there are different aspects of well-being that make healthy older people motivated to learn a foreign language at a later age. The research was conducted in the Czech Republic and Poland in two groups of learners aged 55 years and more. The experimental group consisted of 105 Czech respondents who were targeted with an online questionnaire with the aim to determine the level of FLL outcomes connected to QoL in healthy older adults in their L2 acquisition. The second experimental group (n = 100) was established of Polish seniors who attended similar language courses. The findings of the research clearly show that FLL has an irreplaceable role as one of several non-pharmacological strategies utilized to improve the aging process and reduce drawbacks of aging. The results indicate that seniors' overall satisfaction and subjective feelings of well-being are enormously high when attending foreign language classes at older age. FLL, therefore, creates an environment that can enhance QoL of older adults that can be supplemented by other means such as well-balanced diet, other social activities, sport and physical activity, music, or computer games. All these intervention methods can significantly improve QoL of older adults and the parties engaged and/or responsible for taking care of older generation should take it into serious consideration.

The use of technology in the learning environment for business communication: applied linguistics of business communication from the positive psychology perspective

The paper deals with implementation of a smart learning environment, namely Blackboard, into the course of business communication. The new approach was implemented into the course and the research was conducted into the subjective satisfaction of the users of the environment. The first research was conducted in 2018 into the users´ satisfaction with the course which was taught using traditional methods, and the second research was conducted in 2019 into the users´ satisfaction with the new online course. The idea of the creator of the online course was to keep the contents and the scope of the subject as much similar as possible to create two groups of users, i.e. the first, using the traditional approaches, and the second with the modern technology-enabled class. With this intention, the Blackboard class was created, and the users were taught by using blended learning methodology. The research focused merely on personal satisfaction with the course within the intention of positive psychology, i.e. focusing on potential issues regarding personal satisfaction. It did not focus on the differences in the performance of the students as there is a lot of research into this aspect. However, it focused on the individual satisfaction and personal feelings of the users while using blended learning platforms in the context of ubiquitous computing. The findings are that the users expressed their satisfaction regarding easily accessible materials and varied learning environment; however, the dissatisfaction was created by increased screen time and reduces social contacts. The findings are very important for educators who use various mobile platforms and eLearning environments as they should be aware of the reservations of the users of these tools.

Intelligent information processing for language education: The use of artificial intelligence in language learning apps

This paper attempts to bring new ideas regarding the use of artificial intelligence in language learning apps. Artificial intelligence has seen a dramatic increase and its utilization in various aspects of data science, information science and various platforms is unprecedented. Its ubiquitousness is evident in smart cities, in online marketing, and data mining, however, its utilization in language learning apps is still somehow neglected. There are a few questions, such as why it is so, etc., this paper attempts to address. The research focuses on several most used language learning apps and the presence of artificial intelligence in them. The findings of the paper are as follows: basically none of the analysed apps uses any kind of machine learning, artificial intelligence or deep learning, and they are mostly based on predefined algorithms that do not utilize the full potential of the computational power we have currently available. The paper also suggests possible solutions and brings practical advice on how to implement artificial intelligence in these apps. The paper is important for any education innovation at the beginning of the 21 century. Without his innovative approach, education will lack sustainability and competitiveness, which will present a serious threat to the whole educational system.

Current Research on the Impact of Foreign Language Learning Among Healthy Seniors on Their Cognitive Functions From a Positive Psychology Perspective-A Systematic Review

The purpose of this review study is to explore the existing research focusing on the impact of foreign language learning among healthy seniors on their cognitive functions from the positive psychology perspective. The methods are based on a literature review of available sources found on the research topic in two acknowledged databases: Web of Science and Scopus. The search period was not limited by any time period since there are not many studies on this topic. Altogether seven original studies were detected. The findings of this review study thus reveal that foreign language learning (FLL) has a positive impact on the maintenance and/or enhancement of cognitive abilities irrespective of age. In addition, the FLL courses seem to offer new opportunities for healthy seniors in the area of socializing and integration into society, which consequently may positively affect their overall well-being. Furthermore, the research shows that it is partly through the stimulation of social well-being that the cognitive effects of FLL might be observed. Cognitive aspects of older age are to be further investigated, including the importance of learning a foreign language, as basically all research conducted proves at least some maintenance or even improvement of cognitive functions of older people when starting intensive language training.