Chinese students are often seen using real-time AI translation tools during live lectures, seminars and tutorials. Some of these tools also record the lecture in Chinese and produce a transcript and/or make lecture notes. Students do this to understand the content in real-time, overcoming language barriers which allows them to participate in classes taught in English. Students typically access this functionality through AI tools on their smartphones or computers and tablets, enabling them to listen to the lecture while seeing a simultaneous translation on their screen or listening to the lecture translated into Chinese in real-time. This ongoing research at a Scottish university explores the motivations, usage patterns, and impact of AI translation tools among postgraduate students. The aim of the research is to understand how, why and when Chinese students use these real-time translation tools and how it affects their comprehension and participation in class. The research employs a qualitative exploratory design, using a combination of short surveys, semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. Adopting an interpretivist paradigm, the focus is to gain deep insights into students’ experiences. Some recent studies have shown that using speech-enabled translation tools have a positive effect on learning achievement and these studies will be briefly discussed in the paper. By analysing students’ experiences, this research aims to inform university educators on best practices for integrating AI translation in academic settings while also providing recommendations for technology developers to enhance these tools for educational use.

Authors:
Sadia Ali, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Sadia Ali is currently a lecturer at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Her research interests include technology-enhanced learning, decolonisation of higher education, and intersections of identity, culture, and feminism in education.

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