We find ourselves at a pivotal moment where the role of generative AI and other technological tools is reshaping the way we teach and learn languages. The question that lies before us is not whether these innovations will shape the future, but rather how we, as educators, will harness their potential to create meaningful and effective language instruction.
The title of our conference, No Fate: The Future is Not Set, underscores our belief that the future is not predetermined. We hope that our conference will serve both as a platform for collaboration and a catalyst for change as it is via the collective effort of educators, researchers, and innovators that the trajectory of language teaching and learning will be determined. By fostering collaboration, sharing insights, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible, we can shape the future of language education.
Artificial Intelligence has begun to play a significantly expanded role in higher education in recent years. The present study aims to explore faculty members’ perceptions of AI and those factors that may influence the potential adoption of AI in their teaching practice. The study used Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DIT) as its primary framework to design the questionnaire and interpret the results. A Likert-style questionnaire of 15 questions was designed to collect data from 36 faculty members. The results revealed that most educators positively perceive AI, but a lack of guidance and institutional support hinders its adoption. A further factor that influences AI adoption appears to be social influence, and it is therefore argued that more significant interaction with peers could potentially expand the usage of AI in higher education. Moreover, training and guidance from institutions and the organisation of a platform to share practices could further promote AI adoption in higher education.
