Using Google Translate for Academic English Writing Instruction

2021 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00656
• Research Institution: The University of Aizu
• Principal Investigator: Heo Younghyon 会津大学, コンピュータ理工学部, 上級准教授 (10631476)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): Perkins Jeremy 会津大学, コンピュータ理工学部, 上級准教授 (30725635) ; Paik Incheon 会津大学, コンピュータ理工学部, 教授 (70336478)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Machine Translation / L2 writing

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

In 2021, we planned to introduce students enrolled in a Thesis Writing section how to use Google Translate effectively. The sections on sentence types (length and structure) and not using idiomatic expressions have been completed, but our team concluded that the material needs to be more developed. In 2021, there was not enough time for us to develop it by the time we start offering the Thesis Writing classes. It was mainly due to the unexpected additional work we had to do because of the changes we had to make under the current COVID situation. We came to a conclusion that it is better for us to further develop the material and teach them in our English classes in 2022. So we extended this project to 2022. In 2022, we are hoping that we can introduce the material we developed and the student feedback of teaching how to use Google Translate properly at a domestic and an international conference.

Current Status of Research Progress

4: Progress in research has been delayed.

Reason

We officially extended the current project to 2022 as our team thinks it is necessary to further develop the material. Unfortunately under the current COVID situation, our school had to make some adjustments to teaching and TOEIC-related administrative work, and time didn't allow us to finish our project by the time we offer Thesis Writing class where we planned to introduce our material. Also, we originally planned to introduce our work at an international conference, but we were not able to travel abroad under the current situation.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

As we officially extended this project to 2022, we will finish up this project by introducing our material to the students enrolled in our English class in 2022 (fall semester). Students enrolled in an English Thesis Writing class will be provided with a material advising them how to use Google Translated properly. Student feedback will be collected and analyzed for the effectiveness of the teaching material we developed. After modifying them following the feedback from our students, we will share the material with students enrolled in some of other regular English classes (Intermediate English 1 and 2) in 2023 and onward. The result of this study will be presented at a domestic and an international conference for more feedback on our study.

Causes of Carryover

We hoped to attend international conferences in 2021 but couldn't due to the current COVID situation. In 2022, my co-PI and I are planning to attend one and we are hoping that this budget can cover it.