Deelnemers van de kick-off van 'Spreekmotivatie verhogen met AI'.
Deelnemers van de kick-off van 'Spreekmotivatie verhogen met AI'.

Co-Creation Project “Boosting Speaking Motivation with AI” Launched: “ChatGPT Doesn’t Laugh at Me”

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Being able to truly speak a foreign language gives students a tremendous boost. For many, it’s a key reason to choose a subject like French or German. Sometimes, however, they experience speaking anxiety when practicing conversation skills. The A. Roland Holst College in Hilversum is changing that and recently launched the co-creation project “Boosting Speaking Motivation with AI”, in which a chatbot serves as a smart virtual conversation partner.

The kick-off meeting attracted a diverse group of participants. In addition to the core project members, colleagues from other schools within the Gooise Scholen Federatie joined, and a lively, enthusiastic discussion quickly emerged.

AI Lowers the Barrier to Speak


Project leader Paul Halma, a German teacher at A. Roland Holst College, explained how the school approached NOLAI with its request for support. “Students can take our elective module ‘Learning Languages with ChatGPT,’ and interest is growing. Last year, twelve students participated; this year, already twenty-seven,” he said. Many students find it intimidating to practice a foreign language with another person. A chatbot makes that step easier. Paul: “We hear students say: ‘ChatGPT doesn’t laugh at me.’ Talking to a smart application significantly lowers the speaking barrier.”

Paul Halma spreekt de deelnemers van de kick-off voor 'Spreekmotivatie verhogen met AI' toe.

In the module, students use the VoiceWave extension for ChatGPT, among others. However, it soon became clear that this general AI tool does not optimally fit language education. An audio recording of a student-chatbot conversation revealed that the voice sounds mechanical and responses are slow. “There’s also little conversational strategy. With a few simple words, students can easily get by. Plus, the chatbot often takes the lead in the conversation, whereas more initiative should come from the student.”

Involving Students in Development

The goal of the co-creation project is therefore to develop an AI-based speech bot specifically designed for practicing a modern foreign language. The bot should engage in conversations at levels and in scenarios created by teachers. “We’re not only exploring how to develop such a speech bot but also how to use it effectively in the classroom,” Paul explained. “It’s an iterative process of building, testing, and redesigning. We involve students at every stage.”

Projectleden 'Spreekmotivatie verhogen met AI'.

That involvement is no problem. “When we asked in class who wanted to contribute ideas, ten hands shot up immediately,” Paul said. “We start with a simple bot and then ask students what they think and what features they miss. This way, we align as closely as possible with their needs. The challenge is to create a bot that encourages more than just ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers.”

The school collaborates with developers from Nxt Phase AI, and researchers from the Leren met ICT research group at HAN and the UvA. Want to learn more about this co-creation project? Visit the project page for ‘Spreekmotivatie verhogen met AI’.

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Organizational unit
National Education Lab AI (NOLAI)
Theme
Artificial intelligence (AI), Education