Machine Translation in German Language Teaching and Learning: A Survey of Use and Views Among University Students

The use of machine translation is becoming increasingly popular among language learners. Artificial intelligence tools, such as the online service Google Tranlate and the chatbot ChatGPT have the potencial to transform language teaching and learning. This paper examines how students use machine translation and their attitudes towards the application of these tools in the teaching and learning of German language. The participants of this study were students from the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš who are learning German as a foreign language at levels A2.1 and B1.1. The objectives of this research are to gain fundamental insights into the use of machine translation in teaching German at the tertiary level, to provide guidelines for further research and discussion, and to offer practical advice for German language instruction. The results confirm the assumptions that students use machine translation and have positive attitudes towards its application. Respondents mainly use these tools as dictionaries, but also for checking and correcting independently written texts and for writing assignments. Almost all students believe that these tools aid in learning German, and the majority of students state that they should be used in German language teaching and learning.