Diagnostic Language Assessment and Evaluation with an Artificial Intelligence Virtual Trainer
Résumé
More than ever, plurilingual communication skills are important and highly appreciated by employers in our very mobile and globalized societies. At the secondary and tertiary level, it is vital to encourage the development of these linguistic and cultural skills, since future job candidates who possess them will be more open to mobility and likely to participate in educational programs abroad, such as ERASMUS.
For the European economy, this is very beneficial since it encourages mobility, exchange and professional networking, all of which are fundamental and part of the soft skills and features that prospective employers value in this very competitive and rapidly changing job market. As we boldly venture into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIR), the job market is evolving rapidly and the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues in our private and professional lives. As a result of this, some job candidates may perhaps require career conversions. Accelerated language learning, coupled with diagnostic assessment and evaluation through human and machine interaction could serve as a potential solution.
Two decades of Information technology (IT) development has yielded many different types of pedagogic tools and resources, for language learning and teaching; however, some may argue that these tools remain tedious, limited, dispersed or partitioned in terms of language learning. In contrast, AI offers a single entry point into a world of technological opportunities for objective language assessment and evaluation of all five language skills. This standard multimodal presentation proposes to introduce an innovative project which will focus on human interaction with artificial intelligence, in order to provide standardized diagnostic assessment and evaluation of language learners. This research project which focuses on tertiary level or higher education (HE) students, can also be adapted to suit language learners of any age (primary and secondary levels as well)."