Language learning with a smartphone app topic of Nov. 29 lecture

November 27, 2017 | Events, UToday, Arts and Letters
By Ashley Diel



“Developing an Intelligent Smartphone Application for Language Learning: Progress and Challenges” will be discussed Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 1 p.m. in Memorial Field House Room 2420.

Dr. Kasumi Yamazaki, assistant professor of Japanese, will deliver the lecture hosted by the Department of Foreign Languages.

Yamazaki

Her presentation will showcase the new intelligent smartphone application called KAI, which she developed in collaboration with Honda Research Institute Japan Co. Ltd.

KAI helps people in their advancement of fluency in another language by collecting real-time interactions at social occasions and allowing users to share their interactions in order to receive corrective feedback from language experts.

“I believe the session will be a showcase of what could be accomplished by the university-industry collaboration,” Yamazaki said. “The session will also provide an example of potential opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange and to develop new research ideas in different fields.”

The lecture will include a demonstration of KAI, discussions of its advantages and challenges, and recommendations for future studies.

Research has shown that learning another language creates a positive relationship between second language motivation and global competence, has far-reaching academic and cognitive benefits, increases social and communication skills, and expands employment opportunities.

“Students have a firsthand opportunity to see the smartphone application KAI and its features, exploring the behind-the-scenes process of how to turn our ideas into reality,” Yamazaki said. “Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the research topic, this lecture is applicable to a wide range of students and faculty.”

For more information on the free, public lecture, contact Yamazaki at kasumi.yamazaki@utoledo.edu.

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