The twelfth lecture of the “Shangyan Forum” was successfully held on April 13 in Room 210 of Building 7 at BinhaiCentral Campus, TUST. Associate Professor Lai Chun from the Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong was invited to give a lecture hosted by Song Sainantitled “Overview of Technology-Assisted Language Teaching Research and Its Teaching Implications”with faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduates in attendance.

Professor Lai first reviewed the development history of technology-assisted language teaching, pointing out that the integration of technology into language teaching is both a positive force for language teaching and an inevitable trend. Then, from the perspectives of technology’s instrumentality, mediacyand spatiality, she provided a reasoned analysis of what technology can bring to traditional classrooms, supported by numerous concrete and vivid application cases and related research findings. Finally, during the analysis, she guided attendees to reflect on traditional teacher identities, responsibilities, and various conventional teaching concepts, encouraging them to actively rethink about the advantages and roles of teachers in facing the challenges posed by technology.

Professor Lai believes that in today’s era of digital literacy, teachers should effectively utilize the dual-edged sword of technology-assisted language teaching according to teaching objectives and students’ individual needs, creatively leveraging technology to encourage, guide and support students in continuously enhancing their ability for autonomous language learning outside the classroom.

Finally, the attending faculty and students got engaged in an in-depth exchange of views with Professor Lai regarding the challenges encountered in the use of technology-assisted language teaching.