As with any new technology, a knowledge gap between early adopters and those “left behind” quickly appears. These books aims to narrow that divide and become the first book that language teachers in Japan will reach for when considering AI in their classrooms. We envision a book that is useful not only for educators new to the world of AI, but also for more advanced and knowledgeable users, who will benefit from exposure to alternative perspectives and new use cases for such a powerful tool. This book will serve as a primer for what AI is in our educational context, as well as the concerns it brings, how to use it as a beneficial tool, and where it’s headed. It will clarify for those new to the field what Large Language Models (LLM) and neural networks are and the ways in which they produce data, before delving deeper into the world of AI and providing resources for those more versed in AI use such as guides on the creation and use of custom LLMs or Chatbots for use in a language classroom. Those involved in language teaching in Japan should have a basic understanding of AI and the ethical implications for both learning and teaching. Therefore, we envision a very broad potential audience for this book, including teachers, researchers, and educational policymakers.
Who are your audiences?
high level of knowledge, low level of awareness,
elementary to university
language teachers, researchers, as well as administration / policymakers
How will your proposed book benefit these audiences?
introduction to academic debates surrounding AI in Japan / language teaching in Japan (Volume 1)
Useful for: Policy makers, raising teacher awareness
practical application of AI in language classrooms
useful for: providing teachers with practical ways to utilize AI in their language classes.
What pre-existing knowledge and expertise should your target audience have?
We are targeting an audience with a range of knowledge.
Vol. 2 part 2 is aimed at advanced users; however, many proposed chapters include foundational and introductory knowledge for those new to the area.