Digital competence of a future foreign language teacher in using artificial intelligence technologies: A content and technological aspect

The relevance this article is defined by the processes of transformation of foreign language pedagogical education, involving the problems of formation and development of digital competence of future foreign language teachers. The aim of this article is the analysis, summary of foreign and local experience on the integration of artificial intelligence technologies into the structure of digital competence of a future foreign language teacher and the development of content and structure of this competence. To reach the aim of the study, the authors solved the following tasks: identified the linguodidactic potential of artificial intelligence technologies, outlined typological features and models of artificial intelligence, defined the concepts “artificial intelligence technologies” and “digital competence of a future foreign language teacher in using artificial intelligence technologies”, reviewed the component composition of digital competence of a future foreign language teacher, as well as types of knowledge in correlation with the objects of control. Drawing on the analysis of scientific literature, the authors note the ambiguity of approaches, which revealed numerous contradictions among the academic community regarding the prospects of integrating artificial intelligence technologies into the process of teacher training. The authors characterize in detail three artificial intelligence technologies that are traditionally recognized in the scientific literature, namely: technology of perception, processing and generation of natural language; technology of computer vision; technology of processing large data sets, pointing out their advantages and disadvantages. Special attention is paid to the technology of perception, processing and generation of natural language, viewed through the prism of the selected models and their functional features. The authors also described the limitations associated with the integration of artificial intelligence: psychological, pedagogical, sociocultural, technicaltechnological, ethical, legal, linguodidactic. The article presents the results of a survey carried out to identify students’ attitude to artificial intelligence and the prospects of its use in the professional sphere. Thus, it can be concluded that while maintaining a balance between traditional digital tools used in foreign language teaching and innovative ones, as well as taking into account the main advantages and limitations associated with the use of artificial intelligence technologies, the development of digital competence in the use of AI technologies is a necessary condition for future foreign language teachers for effective professional functioning in the existing information and educational environment. The obtained data correlate with the results of foreign and Russian researchers and confirm the general comprehension of the component composition of a foreign language teacher’s digital competence.