Nov. 24 - Principled AI: From AI Affordances to Purposeful Language Learning

Join the Departments of East Asian Studies and Modern Languages and Cultural Studies on Tuesday, November 24 from 1:30-3 p.m. in Pembina 3-58 for "Principled AI: From AI Affordances to Purposeful Language Learning", a talk by Dr. Wei Cai.

While generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) offers affordances for language learning, the expanding range of possibilities can overwhelm teachers and learners without a clear sense of purpose and guiding principles. This talk connects second language acquisition theories and language teaching methodologies with GenAI affordances and presents principles for purposeful language learning with GenAI. Through concrete examples, it illustrates how these principles inform activity design, guide pedagogical decisions, and support learners in using GenAI purposefully. The talk offers a theoretically grounded, practical approach to integrating GenAI and invites participants to consider how its use can serve learning goals and engage learners in processes that facilitate language development.

Wei Cai is a Professor in the School of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures and Cultures at the University of Calgary, Canada. She previously served as the Director of the Graduate Program in Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Chair of the Division of Chinese Studies and Japanese Studies, Director of the Language Research Centre, and President of the Chinese Language Teaching and Research Association. Her main research interests include second language listening, second language acquisition, artificial intelligence in language learning and teaching, and teacher education. She received the Robert Roy Award from the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers (CASLT) in 2023, and the Leadership and Mentorship Award from the Faculty of Arts in 2025. Her book Teaching and Researching Chinese Second Language Listening was published by Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group) in 2022. The edited volume Researching and Teaching the Chinese Language: Voices from Canada was published by Springer in 2024. Her book, Using Artificial Intelligence in Language Education: Principles and Prompting Activities, was published by Bloomsbury in 2026.

Light refreshments will be served.