<![CDATA[Opening AI for Language Learning]]> https://PantaRhei.press/OAILL Aimed at language educators seeking clarity, practical insights, and critical reflections in the rapidly changing AI landscape, the Opening AI for Language Learning (OAILL) podcast explores the evolving intersection of linguistics, pedagogy, and AI in language teaching and learning. Initiated by the Language and Applied Research Center at San Diego State University (SDSU-LARC), it features hosts Mat Schulze, Professor of German and Director of SDSU-LARC, and Phil Hubbard, Senior Lecturer Emeritus at the Stanford University Language Center, longtime colleagues with decades of experience in technology for language education. In place of the all-too-common hype surrounding AI, they offer conversations in which they and occasional guests share their research and practice-informed perspectives, commentaries on others’ work, and their own professional and personal AI experiences.

We are grateful for the support for Opening AI for Language Learning by the Language and Applied Research Center at San Diego State University and the Southern Area International Languages Network – SAILN – which is part of the California World Languages Project.

Our producer and editor is Chris Brown. Mari Ocando Finol is the production coordinator of OAILL. Our music was composed by Tillmann Spiegl. Live conversations are moderated and the podcast is promoted by Shahnaz Ahmadeian.

Episodes drop on Tuesday every 2 weeks.

And remember: Artificial intelligence is no substitute for natural ignorance.

Links:

Phil Hubbard: https://web.stanford.edu/~efs/phil/

Mat Schulze: https://pantarhei.press/mat/

The PantaRhei.press blog about OAILL: https://pantarhei.press/oaill/

The SAILN website about OAILL: https://larc.sdsu.edu/oaill/

]]> RSS.com 2026.721.95756 Thu, 13 Aug 2026 23:37:32 GMT en befdf24a-1ee3-57dd-a8f0-09d37cf02b10 https://media.rss.com/oaill/20260318_080321_ee37c8da4afb367070c86df56dedca3b.jpg Opening AI for Language Learning https://PantaRhei.press/OAILL yes Schulze & Hubbard, 2026 Mathias Schulze, Philip Hubbard Mathias Schulze, Philip Hubbard false episodic podcast San Diego, San Diego, San Diego County, California, 92101, USA <![CDATA[CALICO 2026 in Oxford (part 1)]]> What are researchers learning about the role of generative AI in language teaching and learning? Recorded live at the 2026 CALICO Conference, Mat and Phil interview Robert Godwin-Jones, Jeffrey Maloney, Mingjun Tang, Kimberly Vinall, and Emily Hellmich about AI for language learning, teacher education, digital literacies, pragmatics, and professional development. The guests discuss both the opportunities and the limitations of AI, sharing practical insights for language educators grounded in their current research.

In this episode:

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/oaill/3026211 86a2e0b8-b529-47ff-9a47-90bc4f8c0f84 1987 full 11 11 Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:11:00 GMT false false Miami University, Slant Walk, Oxford, Butler County, Ohio, 45056, USA <![CDATA[What have you GenAI-SIP(pe)D lately?]]> Mat and Phil reflect on what their own Sustained Integrated Professional Development around GenAI looks like in practice. They discuss books, podcasts, courses, tools, and the conversations that are shaping their own learning as they navigate challenges around time, motivation, curiosity, and staying grounded in fast times. They also share what bothers, intimidates, and overwhelms them when they have been learning about and working with GenAI.

In this episode:

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/oaill/2654784 d5f1240a-1c4f-4c6e-a8da-d469e20a4474 1498 full 10 10 Tue, 21 Jul 2026 07:10:00 GMT false false <![CDATA[AI as the Imitation Game]]> What does it really mean for a machine to "think"? In this episode, Mat and Phil explore the life and legacy of pioneering mathematician Alan Turing, whose work laid the foundation for modern computing and artificial intelligence. From the origins of the Turing Test to whether ChatGPT has truly passed it, the hosts unpack how Turing's ideas provide a valuable framework for thinking critically about GenAI, human communication, and language learning. They also encourage educators to experiment with GenAI tools, reflect on their own interactions with them, and consider both their capabilities and limitations.

In this episode:

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/oaill/2886423 796c55bb-d46f-48c5-9cb1-c458908fe747 1815 full 9 9 Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:09:00 GMT false <![CDATA[To AI or Not to AI?]]> Exploring two contrasting perspectives on AI in education by Andreas Horn and Emily Bender, Mat and Phil reflect on AI’s promises and pitfalls, what artificial intelligence really means, and how language educators can respond thoughtfully to a technology that is already shaping education.

In this episode:

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/oaill/2654783 d2e46417-536d-4a61-a003-fb192f666664 1805 full 8 8 Tue, 23 Jun 2026 07:08:00 GMT false false <![CDATA[OAILL in Hong Kong]]> Mat and Phil welcome their first-ever guest, Glenn Stockwell, to discuss professional development, learner training, and the ethical, legal, and policy challenges of generative AI in language education. The conversation also explores AI literacy, academic publishing, the Gartner Hype Cycle, and emerging research on AI's impact on language learning.

In this episode:

Glenn's papers:

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/oaill/2886413 ba770ddf-9858-4c68-a2d6-bd1bd27c700b 1933 full 7 7 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:07:00 GMT false false <![CDATA[TESOL goes AI]]> In this episode, Phil reports to Mat on his adventures at the TESOL 2026 Convention in Salt Lake City, March 24-27. Phil talked with exhibitors and attended as many AI-focused presentations, panels, and posters as he could to get a sense of how AI, especially GenAI, is being presented by and to professional English language teachers. Mat comments on the value of panels and the conversations at conferences that take place during breaks and in the evening.

  • General themes
  • Two standout presentations (among many!)
    • Miriam Moore (University of North Georgia): four-part critical AI literacy framework. She recommends building a personal ethical checklist and conducting a privacy audit of AI platforms you use. https://submissions.mirasmart.com/TESOL2026/Itinerary/EventsAAG.aspx
    • Jane Freeman (University of Toronto). Using a puppet-puppeteer analogy, she discusses the difference between cognitive offloading (for learners, AI as a shortcut to task completion—human is the puppet) and distributed cognition (AI as a collaborative partner—human is the puppeteer). She also noted (correctly) that “None of us are AI literate.” https://submissions.mirasmart.com/TESOL2026/Itinerary/EventsAAG.aspx
  • Exhibitors
    • Flowspeak: Semi-structured scenarios where ESL students interact with an AI to move from B1 to B2 to C1 CEF levels. https://www.flowspeak.io/
    • PangeaChat: Text or audio chat with others with AI support; also has an option for independent interaction with a chatbot. https://pangea.chat/
    • Unicorn Tutor AI: Transforms an institutional curriculum into AI lessons supporting interactive practice. https://unicorntutor.com/
    • ESLVideo’s Chattybots: Activities such as conversations, role plays, picture descriptions conducted with an AI chatbot. https://eslvideo.com/
  • TESOL publications on AI
    • Christina Kitson. AI Zip Guide
    • Samaneh Eslamdoost. AI Enhanced ELT: Innovative Strategies to Transform your Classroom
    • William Newman. AI No-Prep Activity Cards

See https://submissions.mirasmart.com/TESOL2026/Itinerary/EventsAAG.aspx for the full convention program.

And: https://www.TESOL.org/

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/oaill/2850353 a7371cff-6ea1-4d68-af2a-d337cf7f7cb2 2193 full 6 6 Tue, 26 May 2026 07:05:00 GMT false false <![CDATA[AI and professional development according to Glenn Stockwell]]> In this episode, Mat and Phil discuss a book chapter by Glenn Stockwell, in which he writes about professional development and learner training for AI, highlighting the importance of ongoing reflection, learning training, and documenting professional growth. Glenn is the editor in chief of the journal Computer Assisted Language Learning and a professor of Applied Linguistics at the Education University of Hong Kong.

In this episode:

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/oaill/2654782 20ccc2b6-c2ea-4f06-999a-59186edcc149 1948 full 5 5 Tue, 12 May 2026 07:05:00 GMT false false <![CDATA[Welcome to Sustained Integrated Professional Development]]> Language teachers can build their AI competence through the seven guiding principles of Sustained Integrated Professional Development. From starting small to taking a learner’s perspective, from reflecting critically to working with students and peers, as AI continues to evolve.

In this episode:

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/oaill/2654778 99108ed0-fd93-4759-8588-2f71f058e3ab 1856 full 4 4 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 07:04:00 GMT false false <![CDATA[GenAI Stuff you need to know now (part 2)]]> Mat and Phil return with six additional knowledge areas and skills that language teachers need to navigate AI thoughtfully, including course and lesson creation, assessment, and student misconduct, highlighting the importance of teacher awareness, transparency, and professional judgment in a rapidly evolving landscape.

In this episode:

Hubbard and Schulze (2025). AI and the future of language teaching: Motivating Sustained Integrated Professional Development. International Journal for Computer Assisted Language Learning and Teaching https://www.igi-global.com/gateway/article/full-text-html/378304

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/oaill/2643130 ff52a1e0-1f77-4ff9-8e44-7c857cc41fda 2680 full 3 3 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:03:00 GMT false <![CDATA[GenAI stuff you need to know now (part 1)]]> Learning about GenAI? Mat and Phil talk about the first four (of ten) knowledge areas and skills language teachers should aim to have now: prompting, ethics, chatbots, and translation. Combining practical examples with theoretical insights, they discuss these knowledge areas and skills in more detail than they could give in their paper: AI and the future of language teaching: Motivating Sustained Integrated Professional Development (SIPD). This is the second episode of the series and also the second discussion of the position paper on SIPD; episode 1 looked at the technical underpinnings of GenAI.

In this episode:

Additional reading:

Ohashi L. & Hubbard P. (2025). Generative AI ethics: Emerging principles for language teachers. In Ohashi L., Hills M., & Dykes R. (Eds.), Artificial intelligence in our language learning classrooms. Candlin & Mynard. https://www.candlinandmynard.com/uploads/1/2/5/0/12502105/chapter_5_open_access.pdf https://www.candlinandmynard.com/genai1.html

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/oaill/2640356 9459a1ad-9c57-488c-aa32-783b230ab802 2164 full 2 2 Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:02:00 GMT false <![CDATA[What the LLM?]]> What is a large language model (LLM), actually? How do these systems work? Why can they feel like human conversation partners, and why is that perception misleading? Mat and Phil open the podcast by answering these questions, and discussing the key implications for language teaching and learning.

In this episode:

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/oaill/2637391 7f8bdde4-cfde-4d0e-8b26-8177f6142556 2409 full 1 1 Tue, 17 Mar 2026 20:58:43 GMT false