Machine Translation as a Learning Tool : Enhancing Student Translation Skills

The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly influenced various fields, including English education. This study explores the pedagogical potential of machine translation (MT) as a learning tool in enhancing students’ translation skills. While the debate regarding the role of AI in education is ongoing, this study adopts an affirmative stance, implementing MT-assisted translation activities in a university-level translation practicum. Through structured engagement with Google Translate, DeepL Translate, and ChatGPT, students were asked to revise their independent translations by comparing them with MT outputs. These revisions were then categorized as modifications of vocabulary or grammar, with results indicating that MT supports vocabulary acquisition and syntactic awareness. However, students also encountered challenges in evaluating MT-generated content, underscoring the importance of considering users’ English proficiency while using MT. A postcourse questionnaire revealed that students gained confidence in translation and developed generally positive perceptions of MT’s efficiency and potential as a learning tool, although concerns about its reliability and tendency to hallucinate persisted. These findings suggest that MT can be an effective tool for translation practice when used strategically and reflectively. When thoughtfully integrated, MT can foster meaningful learning experiences and equip students with essential MT-literacy skills.