Things to Do in the Translation Class When Technologies Change: The Case of Generative AI

The rapid evolution of translation technologies, especially the emergence of generative artificial intelligence, presents major pedagogical challenges to the extent that stable knowledge and skills are in flux. This makes it difficult to know what to teach and how to teach it. These challenges can be addressed through student-led discovery activities, the fostering of a critical comparative attitude towards technologies, awareness of an extended range of aids, and emphasizing both foundational skills and AI literacy. Some 18 group activities have been developed on those bases and are presented here. All are designed to engage students in a dynamic learning process. Some activities involve making comparisons between unaided human translation, AI-generated text, and post-edited outputs; others venture into pre-editing, different workflows, and literary translation. These activities aim to cultivate an understanding of the strengths and limitations of various technologies while promoting critical thinking and practical translation skills.