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