In a World of SMART Technology, Why Learn Another Language?
The rapid developments today in artificial intelligence (AI), supported by massive language data collection, are resulting in ever better digital language assistance/translation. Advances in the capabilities of intelligent services lead naturally to envisioning a future where there might be a quite...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
International Forum of Educational Technology & Society
2019-04-01
|
| Series: | Educational Technology & Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sites.google.com/view/journalets/collection/published-issues/22_2?authuser=2#h.jxvwb23by0ke |
| _version_ | 1811195430479855616 |
|---|---|
| author | Robert Godwin-Jones |
| author_facet | Robert Godwin-Jones |
| author_sort | Robert Godwin-Jones |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The rapid developments today in artificial intelligence (AI), supported by massive language data collection, are resulting in ever better digital language assistance/translation. Advances in the capabilities of intelligent services lead naturally to envisioning a future where there might be a quite different context for second language (L2) use and therefore for second language acquisition (SLA). A central aspect of that future will be the respective contributions of formal, institutional language learning and informal, largely autonomous language development. While a number of future scenarios can be imagined, I will be arguing here in favor of a framework of “structured unpredictability” (Little & Thorne, 2017) as the optimal future pathway for L2 development, with the guidance and self-reflective possibilities of formal instruction (face-to-face or online) combined with the cultural and pragmatic learning available from online encounters and exchanges. In such a vision, SMART tech (intelligent, networked devices operating autonomously and synching continuously) will enhance individual learning but is not likely to replace the essentially human character of person-to-person communication. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:42:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bad57731d3da4e6095b7e7b6c81fbb07 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1176-3647 1436-4522 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:42:03Z |
| publishDate | 2019-04-01 |
| publisher | International Forum of Educational Technology & Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Educational Technology & Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-bad57731d3da4e6095b7e7b6c81fbb072022-12-22T03:54:58ZengInternational Forum of Educational Technology & SocietyEducational Technology & Society1176-36471436-45222019-04-01222413In a World of SMART Technology, Why Learn Another Language? Robert Godwin-Jones0Virginia Commonwealth University, USA The rapid developments today in artificial intelligence (AI), supported by massive language data collection, are resulting in ever better digital language assistance/translation. Advances in the capabilities of intelligent services lead naturally to envisioning a future where there might be a quite different context for second language (L2) use and therefore for second language acquisition (SLA). A central aspect of that future will be the respective contributions of formal, institutional language learning and informal, largely autonomous language development. While a number of future scenarios can be imagined, I will be arguing here in favor of a framework of “structured unpredictability” (Little & Thorne, 2017) as the optimal future pathway for L2 development, with the guidance and self-reflective possibilities of formal instruction (face-to-face or online) combined with the cultural and pragmatic learning available from online encounters and exchanges. In such a vision, SMART tech (intelligent, networked devices operating autonomously and synching continuously) will enhance individual learning but is not likely to replace the essentially human character of person-to-person communication.https://sites.google.com/view/journalets/collection/published-issues/22_2?authuser=2#h.jxvwb23by0keinformal language learningsecond language acquisitionsmart technologyartificial intelligence |
| spellingShingle | Robert Godwin-Jones In a World of SMART Technology, Why Learn Another Language? Educational Technology & Society informal language learning second language acquisition smart technology artificial intelligence |
| title | In a World of SMART Technology, Why Learn Another Language? |
| title_full | In a World of SMART Technology, Why Learn Another Language? |
| title_fullStr | In a World of SMART Technology, Why Learn Another Language? |
| title_full_unstemmed | In a World of SMART Technology, Why Learn Another Language? |
| title_short | In a World of SMART Technology, Why Learn Another Language? |
| title_sort | in a world of smart technology why learn another language |
| topic | informal language learning second language acquisition smart technology artificial intelligence |
| url | https://sites.google.com/view/journalets/collection/published-issues/22_2?authuser=2#h.jxvwb23by0ke |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT robertgodwinjones inaworldofsmarttechnologywhylearnanotherlanguage |