Chunhui Lecture | Cai Jigang: Generative AI Empowers Foreign Language Teachers - An Example of ChatGPT-based Essay Writing

This Friday afternoon, Cai Jigang, a professor from the College of Foreign Languages and Literature of Fudan University was invited to the Chunhui Lecture of the School of Foreign Languages. His lecture was well-received, drawing an audience of over 100 faculty members, core teachers, and students pursuing foreign language studies at the undergraduate and graduate levels. 

The session was presided over by Vice Dean Liu Jiaji.

Professor Cai, using the generation of research papers by ChatGPT as a case study,  delved into the ways in which such AI technologies can be harnessed to empower the teachers in research and teaching.

With the rise of AI, the higher education in China is inevitably being reshaped by the influence of tools like ChatGPT. ChatGPT, as a powerful generative language model, poses a considerable challenge to conventional writing and translation practices. Human-computer collaborative writing stands out as superior in several aspects, including the provision of information, the expansion of thought processes, and the richness of language semantics. This approach used to guide student writing not only boosts efficiency but also fundamentally changes the way students learn, thereby effectively enhancing their information literacy, critical thinking abilities, and academic literacy.

Professor Cai Jigang delivered a lecture that was both insightful and stimulating, holding the rapt attention of teachers and students who were fully engaged in taking notes. 

In the Q&A session, the participants enjoyed a cordial and lively discussion with Professor Cai, fostering a meaningful dialogue.