PROMISING DIRECTIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE APPLICATION IN FOREIGN STUDENTS’ LANGUAGE TRAINING
In a state of a full-scale war, educational institutions in Ukraine were forced to switch to distance learning. This transformation of the educational space contributed to the rapid introduction of digital technologies, which are actively integrated into the educational process, and therefore have significantly changed the methodological approaches and techniques used to provide language training to foreign students at the initial stage of learning. For quite some time now, information and communication technologies have been part of the educational process, having improved and diversified to the point that in any Ukrainian higher education institution, preparatory departments and faculties have been using all available equipment (from a light projector to a multimedia board), software (from simple editors integrated into MS Office to multifunctional MLS like hot potatoes and Moodle), various Internet resources (e.g. virtual boards, live worksheets) and educational game platforms (like Kahoot!, Quizzes etc.) to ensure the basic principles of learning – systematicity, consistency and visualization – to increase its efficiency and effectiveness, as well as the students’ motivation. However, in the early 2020s, a new trend in the development of technologies took place, which was marked by the emergence and lightning-fast spread of Generative Artificial Intelligence (otherwise known as GenAI). This article focuses on its role in education and everyday life, during which the authors will try to prove the effectiveness, feasibility and advantages of using AI in language training for foreign citizens at the initial stage of learning. After all, although the use of artificial intelligence in the educational system is a relatively new direction, it has significant potential. To truly understand its capabilities, it is important to understand the essence of artificial intelligence and the principles of its operation, as well as to be capable of working with it. Accordingly, this article considers the key definitions of artificial intelligence and its philosophical interpretations. The areas of this advanced technology application are also to be discussed. Particular attention is paid to promising aspects of using artificial intelligence in language education, in particular USL (Ukraininan as a Second Language) training, such as personalized and adaptive learning, knowledge assessment, intermediate testing, the use of gaming technologies (or gamification of the educational process), the development of other innovative approaches using programs and applications that are powered by artificial intelligence algorithms, significantly simplifying the learning process for both teachers and students. Key words: artificial intelligence, automated assessment, chat-bot, educational space, gamification, generative AI, personalization.
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