Tackling the elephant in the language classroom: introducing machine translation literacy in a Swiss language centre

IF 0.7 Q3 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Language Learning in Higher Education Pub Date : 2023-05-01 DOI:10.1515/cercles-2023-2015

Sara Cotelli Kureth, Elana Summers

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Abstract

Abstract University students, especially language learners, have increasingly been using machine translation (MT) systems in the last decade and for all kinds of texts, including homework, assignments and exams. This ubiquity does not translate into visibility as few teachers address the subject in class. Several researchers have shown that MT systems, while technically very easy to access and use, are not always employed in a critical manner. They have therefore suggested that users should develop MT literacy skills. As part of a larger Swiss project on digital literacy in university contexts (DigLit), an action research project at the University of Neuchâtel Language Centre (UniNE LC) seeks to investigate whether delivering a 20-min presentation about machine translation in all L2 classes (French, German, English) at the beginning of the semester was sufficient to foster minimal MT literacy in language learners. All LC students were surveyed at the end of the semester. These survey results were compared with those from a survey of Swiss university students carried out in spring 2021 as part of the DigLit project. These results have allowed us to monitor and enhance the teaching of MT literacy skills in our LC.

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在语言课堂上解决大象问题：在瑞士语言中心引入机器翻译知识

摘要在过去的十年里，大学生，尤其是语言学习者，越来越多地使用机器翻译系统来处理各种文本，包括家庭作业、作业和考试。这种普遍性并没有转化为可见性，因为很少有老师在课堂上谈论这个主题。几位研究人员已经表明，虽然MT系统在技术上非常容易访问和使用，但并不总是以关键的方式使用。因此，他们建议用户应该培养MT识字技能。作为瑞士一个更大的大学数字扫盲项目（DigLit）的一部分，Neuchâtel大学语言中心（UniNE LC）的一个行动研究项目旨在调查在学期初在所有二语课程（法语、德语、英语）中进行20分钟的机器翻译演示是否足以培养语言学习者的最低MT素养。所有LC学生都在学期末接受了调查。这些调查结果与2021年春季作为DigLit项目的一部分对瑞士大学生进行的调查结果进行了比较。这些结果使我们能够监督和加强LC的MT识字技能教学。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Language Learning in Higher Education EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-

CiteScore

1.00

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Language Learning in Higher Education deals with the most relevant aspects of language acquisition at university. The CercleS journal presents the outcomes of research on language teaching, blended learning and autonomous learning, language assessment as well as aspects of professional development, quality assurance and university language policy. Its aim is to increase the quality of language teaching and learning programmes offered by university language centers and other providers in higher education by presenting new models and by disseminating the best results of research activities carried out at language centers and in other higher education departments.