TEACHING AND LEARNING LEGAL ENGLISH WITH AI: A CASE STUDY ON STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN AN ESAP COURSE

Bianca Doris BRETAN

doi:10.24193/subbphilo.2024.4.07

Authors

Bianca Doris BRETAN Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Email: bianca.bretan@ubbcluj.ro. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9898-5877

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24193/subbphilo.2024.4.07

Keywords:

ESAP, AI, Legal English, higher education, student engagement, digitalization

Abstract

Teaching and Learning Legal English with AI: A Case Study on Student Engagement in an ESAP Course. Educators recognize that 2020 was a pivotal year for the advancement of digital teaching methods. A significant aspect of this development is the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) platforms grounded in large language models (LLMs), which are viewed by many as potentially transformative for education. Concerns have arisen regarding how these tools could affect academic integrity and the originality of student writing. Many people question the assumption that such technologies could support student learning. This study aims to explore this topic further by investigating the following question: How can the incorporation of AI improve student engagement in English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) classes? The answer is provided through small-scale research conducted on a group of first-year Law students who took part in a Legal English ESAP course. Quantitative and qualitative data provided by two questionnaires, an interview and a class observation protocol are analyzed to show students’ learning engagement with AI tools. The research highlights the benefits offered by AI to Legal English instruction.

REZUMAT. Predarea și învățarea limbii engleze pentru domeniul juridic cu ajutorul inteligenței artificiale: studiu de caz asupra gradului de implicare al studenților care urmează un curs de engleză specializată la nivel universitar. Specialiștii în educație admit că anul 2020 a marcat o cotitură in învățământ datorită adoptării pedagogiei digitale. Un subiect la fel de recent și actual este cel al folosirii platformelor dedicate inteligenței artificiale bazată pe modele lingvistice pre-definite în educație. Acest fapt a fost perceput ca îngrijorător mai ales din punct de vedere al integrității academice în ceea ce privește autenticitatea produsului final. S-a pus chiar problema utilității acestui tip de instrument în predare-învățare. Studiul de față dorește să discute acest din urmă aspect răspunzând la următoarea întrebare: cum ar putea fi utilizată inteligența artificială pentru a impulsiona implicarea studenților în cadrul unui curs de limbaj de specialitate? Articolul de față își propune să răspundă întrebării instrumentând un studiu de caz de mici dimensiuni, bazat pe un eșantion format din studenți din anul întâi de la Facultatea de Drept. Colectarea de date s-a făcut prin utilizarea de chestionare, interviuri și un protocol de observare la clasă. Studiul dorește să evidențieze avantajele oferite de utilizarea inteligenței artificiale.

Cuvinte-cheie: ESAP, AI, engleză juridică, învățământ superior, motivare, digitalizare

Article history: Received 24 February 2024; Revised 5 July 2024; Accepted 15 October 2024; Available online 10 December 2024; Available print 30 December 2024.

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