Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

English Language & Literature Department, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

This quantitative study aimed to investigate Iranian EFL student teachers’ perceptions on the use of Machine Translation (MT) for foreign language learning in academic context. To this end, 107 EFL student teachers from a women-only state university in Tehran, Iran, completed a recently developed and validated questionnaire in the field. The findings revealed that most participants were familiar with digital technology including MT and its different types such as Google Translate (GT). Satisfied with MT output, the majority of the participants in the study installed MT apps on their smartphones or used its website on their computers to complete assignments or to translate from Persian to English and vice versa. However, they were neutral about whether their instructors confirmed their MT use, or whether they preferred their teachers know they use MT or not. They were also not sure whether consulting MT was against the regulations. The results showed that authorities in the field of foreign language teaching are required to take a positive stand on this emerging technology; in addition, considering the importance of training for both instructors and learners, they should hold workshops for more responsible and effective MT implementation. 

Keywords

Main Subjects

Alhaisoni, E., & Alhaysony, M. (2017). An Investigation of Saudi EFL University Students’ Attitudes towards the Use of Google Translate. International Journal of English Language Education, 5(1), 72-82.
Anderson, D. D. (1995). Machine translation as a tool in second language learning. CALICO journal, 68-97.
Ata, M., & Debreli, E. (2021). Machine Translation in the Language Classroom: Turkish EFL Learners' and Instructors' Perceptions and Use. IAFOR Journal of Education, 9(4).
Bahri, H., & Mahadi, T. (2016). Google Translate as a Supplementary Tool for Learning Malay: A Case Study at Universiti Sains Malaysia. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 7(3), 161-167.
Bin Dahmash, N. (2020). I Can't Live Without Google Translate: A Close Look at the Use of Google Translate App by Second Language Learners in Saudi Arabia. Arab World English Journal, 11(3), 226-240.
Briggs, N. (2018). Neural machine translation tools in the language learning classroom: Students' use, perceptions, and analyses. JALT CALL Journal, 14(1), 3-24.
Cancino, M., & Panes, J. (2021). The impact of Google Translate on L2 writing quality measures: Evidence from Chilean EFL high school learners. System, 98(102464).
Case, M. (2015). Machine Translation and the Disruption of Foreign Language Learning Activities. eLearning Papers, 45, 4-16.
Chang, L. C. (2022). Chinese language learners evaluating machine translation accuracy. JALT CALL Journal, 18(1), 110-136.
Clifford, J., Merschel, L., & Joan, M. (2013). Surveying the Landscape: What is the Role of Machine Translation in Language Learning? Atic, 10, 108-121.
Darancik, Y. (2016). The Effect of Data-Based Translation Program Used in Foreign Language Education on the Correct Use of Language. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET, 15(4), 88-106.
Ducar, C., & Schocket, D. H. (2018). Machine translation and the L2 classroom: Pedagogical solutions for making peace with Google translate. Foreign Language Annals, 51(4), 779-795.
European Association for Machine Translation (2022). What is Machine Translation?. Retrieved from: https://eamt.org/what-is-machine-translation.html
Fredholm, K. (2019). Effects of Google translate on lexical diversity: vocabulary development among learners of Spanish as a foreign language. Revista Nebrija de Lingüística Aplicada a la Enseñanza de Lenguas, 13(26), 98-117.
Garcia, I., & Pena, M. (2011). Machine translation-assisted language learning: writing for beginners. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 24(5), 471-487.
Groves, M., & Mundt, K. (2021). A ghostwriter in the machine? Attitudes of academic staff towards machine translation use in internationalized Higher Education. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 50(100957).
Jolley J. and Maimone, L. (2015). Free Online Machine Translation: Use and Perceptions by Spanish Students and Instructors. Proceedings of the Conference Learn Languages Explore Cultures Transform Lives.
Kannan, J., & Munday, P. (2018). New trends in second language learning and teaching through the lens of ICT, networked learning, and artificial intelligence. In Fernández Juncal, C., & Hernández Muñoz, N. (Eds.), Vías de transformación en la enseñanza de lenguas con mediación tecnológica (pp. 13–30), Círculo de Lingüística Aplicada a la Comunicación, 76.
Karnal, A. R., & Pereira, V. W. (2015). Reading strategies in a L2: A study on machine translation. The Reading Matrix.
Kelly, R., & Hou, H. (2021). Empowering learners of English as an additional language: translanguaging with machine translation. Language and Education, 1(16).
Kol, S., Schcolnik, M., & Spector-Cohen, E. (2018). Google Translate in Academic Writing Courses? The EUROCALL Review, 26(2), 50-57.
Knowles, C. L. (2016). Investigating instructor perceptions of online machine translation and second language acquisition within most commonly taught language courses [Doctoral dissertation, The University of Memphis]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Lee, S.M. (2020). The impact of using machine translation on EFL students’ writing. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 33(3), 157-175.
Macias, L. Ramos, M. and Rico, C. (2020). Study on the Usefulness of Machine Translation in the Migratory Context: Analysis of Translators’ Perceptions. Open Linguistics, 6(1). 125-135.
Maghsoudi & Mirzaeian (2020). Machine versus human translation outputs: Which one results in better reading comprehension among EFL learners? [Article]. JALT CALL Journal, 16(2), 69-84.
Merschel, L., & Munné, J. (2022). Perceptions and Practices of Machine Translation Among 6th-12th Grade World Language Teachers. L2 Journal, 14(1).
Mirzaeian, V. (2020). Machine translation output assessment and its impact on reading comprehension. Technology of Education Journal (TEJ), 14(2), 393-404.
Mirzaeian (2021). The effect of editing techniques on machine translation-informed academic foreign language writing. The Euro CALL Review, 29(2), 33-43.
Mirzaeian (2022). Scientific study of the application of Machine Translation in language teaching and meta-analysis of its effect. Technology of Education Journal (TEJ).
Nino, A. (2008). Evaluating the use of machine translation post-editing in the foreign language class. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 21(1), 29–49.
Niño, A. (2009). Machine translation in foreign language learning: Language learners' and tutors' perceptions of its advantages and disadvantages. ReCALL, 21(2), 241-258.
Niño, A. (2015). Language Learners Perceptions and Experiences on the Use of Mobile Applications for Independent Language Learning in Higher Education. IAFOR Journal of Education.
Nino, A. (2020). Exploring the use of online machine translation for independent language learning. Research in learning technology, 28.
Organ, A. (2022). Attitudes to the use of Google Translate for L2 production: analysis of chatroom discussions among UK secondary school students. The Language Learning Journal, 1-16.
Parsons, J. (1996). Educational Technology in Language Learning 6: Machine Assisted Translation in Language Learning. ReCALL, 8(1), 31-33.
Rossi, C. (2019). Uses and perceptions of machine translation at the European Commission. The Journal of Specialized Translation. 31, 177-200.
Rowe, L. W. (2022). Google Translate and Biliterate Composing: Second‐Graders' Use of Digital Translation Tools to Support Bilingual Writing. TESOL Quarterly.
Ryu, J., Kim, Y., Park, S., Eum, S., Chun, S., & Yang, S. (2022). Exploring Foreign Language Students’ Perceptions of the Guided Use of Machine Translation (GUMT) Model for Korean Writing. L2 Journal, 14(1).
Shei, C.C. (2002). Teaching MT through pre-editing: Three case studies. In Proceedings of the 6th EAMT Workshop on Teaching Machine Translation (pp. 89-98), Manchester, United Kingdom.
Stapleton, P., & Kin, B. (2019). Assessing the accuracy and teachers’ impressions of Google Translate: A study of primary L2 writers in Hong Kong. English for Specific Purposes, 56, 18-34.
Tsai, S.-C. (2019). Using google translate in EFL drafts: a preliminary investigation. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 32(5-6), 510-526.
Tsai, S.-C. (2020). Chinese students’ perceptions of using Google Translate as a translingual CALL tool in EFL writing. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 1-23.
Urlaub, P., & Dessein, E. (2022). From Disrupted Classrooms to Human-Machine Collaboration? The Pocket Calculator, Google Translate, and the Future of Language Education. L2 Journal, 14(1), 45-59.
Van Lieshout, C., & Cardoso, W. (2022). Google Translate as a tool for self-directed language learning. Language Learning & Technology, 26(1), 1–19.
Wang B. and Ping, Y. (2020). Perceptions of Machine Translation and Computer-Aided Translation by Professionals and the General Public: A Survey Study Based on Articles in Professional Journals and in the Media. International Journal of Translation, Interpretation, and Applied Linguistics. IJTIAL, 2(2) 701-721.
White, K. D., & Heidrich, E. (2013). Our policies, their text: German language students' strategies with and beliefs about web‐based machine translation. Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German, 46(2), 230-250.
Xu, J. (2022). Proficiency and the Use of Machine Translation: A Case Study of Four Japanese Learners. L2 Journal, 14(1), 77-104.