School of Languages at XJTLU Conference 2024

The emergence of generative AI has shaken the field of language education, exciting some and worrying others. Traditional methods of assessment are being called into serious question, leaving educators scrambling to respond. This panel aims to foster a discussion on how the intersection of generative AI and language assessment is presenting challenges and creating opportunities for the School of Languages. To be specific, our discussion will focus mainly on the following: how generative AI is already being incorporated within existing assessment practices at the SoL; how tools such as ChatGPT are affecting our established marking processes; and how the resultant redevelopment of assessments is set to impact our EAP curricula in the coming years. Such changes are also likely to affect assessment literacy, so the panel will discuss the extent to which they believe EAP practitioners will need to become “AI-literate” if they wish to minimize the risks and maximize the opportunities of using generative AI for assessment purposes. The ability to critically evaluate generative AI responses is an emerging in-class activity, and its feasibility as an approach to assessment will also be considered. Finally, the panel will reflect on how their own preconceptions of generative AI may have shifted now that it is quickly establishing itself as a major influence on EAP assessment practices.