Today we take a tour of all the free, nearly free and paid-for tools that can help language teachers create lessons and materials while also helping students become more independent learners. We talk about ways in which we can work more efficiently, but also actively boost learning gains in the process.

The discussion covers practical uses of AI for generating lesson materials, and tools like Mizou for practising conversation. Also, what is ChatGPT up to these days? We get into what makes an effective prompt, and how to navigate the limitations and opportunities of free and paid-for AI tools. This episode is a must-listen for language teachers looking to explore AI technologies to improve classroom and preparatory activities.

The conversation touches on a range of online tools, all of which are listed below:

Immersive Reader https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/use-immersive-reader-in-word-a857949f-c91e-4c97-977c-a4efcaf9b3c1

ChatGPT https://chatgpt.com

Wordwall https://wordwall.net

Learning Apps https://learningapps.org

Diffit https://app.diffit.me

MultilingProfiler https://www.multilingprofiler.net

Photoscan https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9nblggh4s87w?hl=en-gb&gl=CL

Padlet https://padlet.com

Perplexity AI https://www.perplexity.ai

Claude https://claude.ai

Mizou https://mizou.com

AudioPen https://audiopen.ai

Magic School https://www.magicschool.ai

TurboScribe https://turboscribe.ai

Adobe Firefly https://www.adobe.com/products/firefly.html

Dan Fitzpatrick’s resource page https://www.theaieducator.io

Joe’s Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/languageteachingwithai

Guest profile

Joe Dale is an independent languages consultant from the UK who works with a range of organisations such as Network for Languages, ALL, The British Council, the BBC, Skype, Microsoft and The Guardian. He was host of the TES MFL forum for six years, former SSAT Languages Lead Practitioner, a regular conference speaker and recognised expert on technology and language learning. He has spoken at conferences and run training courses in Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, the Far East and Australasia. He was a member of the Ministerial Steering Group on languages for the UK coalition government and advised on the Linguanet Worldwide project for The Language Company. He created ICT activities for the new Institut Français, ALL and Network for Languages Primary French Project Niveau Bleu, Blanc and Rouge courses and was short-listed for a NAACE Impact Award in 2013 too. Joe supported the Erasmus Plus project Conflict to Cooperation with 5 European countries and the Erasmus Plus Project Learning to think and live outside the box. He recently organised and co-hosted a 10 part series of webinars Saturday Tech-Talk in collaboration with the British Council in Indonesia and iTELL and worked on the Nusantara Go project for the British Council in Indonesia and PearTree Languages in 2022. He also worked on the Supporting Schools Reform in Algeria project through the British Council 2019-2020. He is currently working on the Stories on the Move project with the University of Reading. He was recently described in a Guardian article as an 'MFL guru' and 'the man behind the #mfltwitterati.'. Joe’s new Facebook group ‘Language Teaching with AI' already has over 5,300 members.

What is the role of a learning technologist in modern higher education? What are the career paths available, what skills do you need, and what does a typical working day look like? Today we’re joined by Lilian Joy from the University of York and Sita from the University of Sheffield: both learning technologists at different stages of their careers, who are able to offer their own answers to some of these questions.

We get into accessibility, working with SMEs, the importance of pedagogical knowledge, how to keep your skill set current, and a range of other topics. This episode will be of interest to anyone thinking of switching career lanes, starting a new role in learning tech, or who simply wants to hear how seasoned practitioners go about their work.

Lilian Joy is the Digital Accessibility Manager (previously Digital Education Manager) at the University of York, who is passionate about staff development and the 'learning' in technology-enhanced learning. She has over 30 years' experience as a teacher, trainer, e-learning manager and consultant in vocational education, higher education and the private sector. Her current research interests include accessible maths, the experience of disabled staff and students and appreciative inquiry as a model for development.

This is the second in our SoTL spin off series where we move the focus from technology to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Today we are joined by lecturers Jess Hargreaves, who teaches in data science, and Yaprak Tavman from the Department of Economics. We talk about how teaching works in their fields and how they’ve incorporated scholarly teaching into their own practice. They discuss their backgrounds, motivations, and current projects, including problem-based learning and technology-enhanced active learning. The conversation touches on the importance of collaboration, dissemination of scholarly work, and the challenges of navigating educational literature. We look at the distinctive features of the two fields when it comes to teaching, and look at how teachers across disciplines can keep their teaching practice current and get moving towards publication.

Dr Jess Hargreaves is a Lecturer in Data Science in the Department of Mathematics. Her research interests include: time series analysis; the application of statistical methods and tools to sport; and teaching and learning pedagogy.

Yaprak Tavman joined the Department of Economics and Related Studies at the University of York in January 2022. Prior to that, she worked as an Assistant Professor in Economics at Newcastle University, and at Northeastern University - London. Yaprak is a fellow of Advance HE. Her areas of interest in scholarship of teaching and learning include active and problem-based learning, technology-enhanced teaching, and diversity and inclusion.

Further reading

Healey, M, and Healey, R,. (2023). Searching the Literature on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL): An Academic Literacies Perspective Part 1. Teaching & Learning Inquiry, 11. Available at: https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.11.4

Nidhi Sachdeva from the University of Toronto talks about the science of learning, myth-busting educational misconceptions, and the role of technology in teaching. We get into cognitive load theory, explicit instruction, and question the efficacy of demanding reading loads in higher education. Nidhi shares her expertise on structured teaching methods, the importance of factual knowledge in the age of AI, and her efforts to simplify educational research for teachers. We tackle the perennial question of why most academic writing sucks, and talk about the best ways for practitioners to get started on their own research.

Dr. Nidhi Sachdeva is based at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). She is interested in designing and integrating evidence-informed instructional practices. Recently, she has been researching this through the notion of microlearning and cognitive science. She developed a range of microlearning content using the science of learning as guidelines. You can find some of her work in the video series on How Learning Happens. She also developed the microlearning video series for peerScholar.

Nidhi’s substack, which she co authors with Jim Hewitt, is called The Science of Learning and is available at https://scienceoflearning.substack.com/. Nidhi and Jim have also appeared on the Chalk and Talk podcast, and Nidhi was a recent guest on the Progressively Incorrect podcast.

Further reading

• Kirschner, P. A., and Hendrick, C. (2020). How learning happens: Seminal works in educational psychology and what they mean in practice. Abingdon: Routledge.
• Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63(2), 81–97. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/h0043158
• Rosenshine, B. (2010), Principles of Instruction: Research-Based Strategies that All Teachers Should Know. American Educator, 36 (1), 12-19.
• Sweller, J., Ayres, P. and Kauyga, S. (2011). Cognitive Load Theory (Explorations in the Learning Sciences, Instructional Systems and Performance Technologies Book 1). London: Springer.
• Willingham, D. (2024). Professor of Psychology Daniel Willingham Speaks to UVA's Class of 2024. [Video]. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEhallt7ZCA [Accessed 20th October 2024].

This is the first of a series of conversations recorded last year with teachers from a range of disciplines who share an interest in applying scholarship to their own teaching, and conducting their own scholarly projects.

Today Lucy Turner-Voakes from the Academic Practice team and I sit down with Jeremy Moulton from Politics and Clément Moissard from Physics at the University of York. They explore how they integrate scholarship, teaching, and learning into their disciplines. Starting with their career journeys and projects, the discussion compares the teaching methodologies and the use of interdisciplinary practices to enhance their students' engagement. We talk about how to deal with awkward silences in seminars, the challenges and institutional support required for effective teaching scholarship, and many other topics.

Clement Moissard is a Teaching & Scholarship Associate Lecturer at the University of York's Plasma Institute where he teaches subjects ranging from Laser-Plasma interactions to Astrobiology.

Jeremy Moulton is a lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Relations. His primary interests are environmental politics, the European Union, and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Pauldy Otermans and Stephanie Baines return to TELSIG to talk about the research and course design they've been carrying out at Brunel University. Building on the webinar they delivered back in May, Pauldy and Stephanie talk in detail about the challenges and triumphs of building an academic skills course that teaches students how to harness AI tools. As well as the practical applications and the importance of critical thinking, we discuss the collaborative efforts among faculty, and the evolving landscape of educational assessments.

View Stephanie and Pauldy's TELSIG webinar: https://youtu.be/jGjBms0m8Ks

Dr Pauldy Otermans is a Senior Lecturer (Education) in Psychology at Brunel and a female tech leader in the UK. She is a neuroscientist and psychologist by academic background and a female leader of AI technology. She is the Director of the Education Hub, Deputy Division Lead for Psychology, and Employability Lead for the Faculty. Dr Otermans’ research focuses on using AI in Education, Innovative Teaching & Learning in Higher Education.

Pauldy.Otermans@brunel.ac.uk

Dr Stephanie Baines is a Senior Lecturer (Education) in Psychology at Brunel. She is Associate Dean Quality Assurance and former Psychology UG Programme Lead. Previously she worked as a Lecturer in Psychology at Bangor University and the University of Manchester and as a Teaching Fellow at University College London. Dr Baines’ research focuses on Innovation in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education; Using AI in Education; Graduate outcomes & Employability; Student Engagement and Experience; EDI and Student Success; and Assessment and Feedback.

Stephanie.Baines@brunel.ac.uk

Today I'm talking to Dr Zoe Handley about her research on English tutors' knowledge and beliefs about the use of AI in language teaching. Zoe shares her background, starting as a language learner using technology, and details the evolution of speech and language technologies over the past 20 years. We elaborate on the potential of AI technologies in language learning apps like Duolingo and the ethical and practical challenges these technologies bring to assessment and pedagogy. The conversation also explores the gap between research and classroom practice and the exciting opportunities AI can offer in education, particularly in literacy and personalized learning.

Dr Zoe Handley is an applied linguist specialising in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) with experience in the speech AI industry. Her research explores how the affordances of digital technologies might be harnessed to create the conditions and engage learners in the processes we know promote language learning. Her most highly cited publications include a systematic review of the evidence for the use of technology to support (English) language learning and a tool for measuring teachers' knowledge of technology to support (English) language learning. She has also carried out a number of evaluations of specific technologies including collaborative writing platforms and chat applications.

Further reading Handley, Z. (2024). Has artificial intelligence rendered language teaching obsolete?. The Modern Language Journal.

I'm joined today by Dev Aditya of OIAI by Otermans Institute. We discuss the innovative use of small language models in education, the development and deployment of an AI teacher, and how AI can help to upscale marginalized communities. Dev shares insights into the challenges and opportunities of AI in education, the effectiveness of small language models, and the future of AI-integrated learning environments. He also touches on societal impacts, the balance between screen time and human interaction, and the fast-paced landscape of AI technology.

Dev Aditya is an AI expert from London, UK. He is currently the AI product lead and CEO at Otermans Institute, where he led the team that built the first Digital Human AI teacher (OIAI). He has conducted research in AI and HCI with The Alan Turing Institute and Brunel University London.

Watch Dev and Pauldy’s TELSIG webinar: https://youtu.be/Y5QcTg6cfj8

Register for trial access to the OIAI teacher showcased in the talk: https://forms.gle/J9t2hMijGCbJwzZz5

Contact details:

• Email: info@oiedu.co.uk
• Website: https://www.portfolio.oiedu.co.uk
• LinkedIn: / oiedu
• X: / otermans_edu
• Instagram: / oiedu19
• Medium: / beatricefromoiai