Speaker
Description
As translation students increasingly use AI tools, unstructured use may encourage overdependence and weaken learners’ analytical, evaluative, and decision-making abilities. In response, this study reports the development and classroom implementation of a specialized GPT-based chatbot, “Legal Translation Tutor EN↔VI”, designed to support English–Vietnamese legal translation training. The chatbot provides four main functions: legal glossary explanation, glossary-based quizzes, translation practice, and translation revision with feedback. It was integrated into an advanced tertiary translation course in Vietnam over six weeks, during which students practised translating legal and administrative texts. Student reflections were collected four times to explore their evaluation of the chatbot and its perceived usefulness. The findings indicate that students mainly used the chatbot for revision and terminology explanation. They generally expressed satisfaction because the chatbot helped accelerate the translation process, suggested revisions, explained legal terms, and provided clear, structured feedback. However, their satisfaction was conditional. Students viewed the chatbot as a useful support and reference tool rather than a replacement for human translation judgement. They stressed the need to verify AI-generated suggestions, particularly in legal translation, where terminological accuracy and contextual appropriateness are crucial. The study suggests that a specialized chatbot can serve as an academic learning assistant in translation classrooms by supporting revision and justification of translation choices. However, effective integration requires explicit guidance on prompting, evaluating AI feedback, verifying terminology, and maintaining critical thinking. Such pedagogical scaffolding is essential to ensure that chatbot use develops translation competence rather than passive dependence on AI outputs.
Biography
Huong Nguyen is a senior lecturer and a Vice Dean of the Faculty of English, at the University of Foreign Language Studies - the University of Da Nang (UFLS-UD). She holds an MA in TESOL and a PhD in Applied Linguistics and Translation Studies from the University of Queensland, Australia. She is deeply engaged in language and translation teaching as well as teacher education. As an active participant in interdisciplinary research teams in Australia and Vietnam, she has published extensively on linguistics, translation, and educational technologies. With her expertise, experience, and dedication, she mentors postgraduate and undergraduate students in their theses and research projects. Additionally, she possesses skills in student administration, international cooperation, language learning material development, and testing and assessment.
Associate Professor Dr. Vo Thi Kim Anh holds two Master’s degrees in English Language and Language Teaching Methodology, and a PhD in Teaching English as a Second Language. With extensive experience in higher education, she specializes in applying innovative and advanced pedagogical approaches to language teaching and learning. Her research interests focus on enhancing instructional effectiveness, assessment and evaluation practices, and curriculum development in language education. She has been actively involved in teacher training, academic program development, and research supervision, contributing significantly to the improvement of English language education in both academic and professional contexts.
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