MIT Global Languages

Takako

Aikawa

Senior Lecturer in Japanese

taikawa@mit.edu

14N-314

617-324-5074

Website

http://aikawa.mit.edu/

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Bio

As a Senior Lecturer in Japanese, I am leading the Japanese language program at MIT. I am responsible for shaping the future direction of MIT's Japanese language curricula and am tackling challenging questions such as how to integrate technology into MIT’s Japanese language curricula. I have a long history of teaching Japanese at various universities both in the United States and in Japan.

Also, I am developing innovative language learning applications using augmented reality and virtual reality technologies, in collaboration with the Media Lab at MIT.

My research interests include: technology in language education; language pedagogy; Japanese linguistics; use of corpus data for language learning; Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs); and natural language processing (NLP). Prior to MIT, I worked for Machine Translation team and NLP group at Microsoft Research.

Research Areas / Expertise: Japanese linguistics and pedagogy, technology in language education, natural language processing, MOOCs, use of corpus data for language learning.

Education:
1993 Ph.D. Ohio State University
1982 M.A. Ohio State University
1980 B.A. Tsuda College, Japan

Research

Language learning in a shared virtual space (aka: JaJan): JaJan is a state-of-the-art language learning application that can provide a virtual study abroad experience. The project is the collaboration work among Global Studies and Languages, the Media Lab, and Kanda University of International Studies, Japan.
The AI (artificial intelligence) Teacher project: AI Teacher is an innovative online language learning tool for learners of Japanese. AI Teacher is “interactive” in that it can catch users’ mistake(s) automatically and provide instructive feedback for their mistakes in real time.
VR(virtual realty)/MR (mixed reality) based Language Learning: VR/MR-technologies provide teachers and students with unique learning environments, and they have great potential for language learning. This project explores various kinds of language learning applications using VR/MR technologies and develop prototypes in collaboration with the Media Lab.

Mixed Reality and Serendipitous Language Learning

This project aims to explore how technology can support “serendipitous learning,” a novel learning concept where a learner can acquire linguistic knowledge through serendipitous instances that overlap with their daily activities.

JaJan

JaJan is an educational technology that connects learners across distances and puts them in a so-called “shared virtual space.” JaJan’s shared virtual space is a simulated reality and it lets learners have a study-abroad experience.

AI Teacher

AI Teacher project aims to explore how we can utilize language technology (e.g., natural language processing) for language learning. The AI Teacher is an innovative online language learning tool for learners of Japanese (especially, for beginning~intermediate levels).

Publications

Aikawa, T. (2016), “Language Learning in a Shared Virtual Space: JaJan, an Application of the Next Generation,” The Proceedings of the 20th Japanese Language Education in Europe (AJE), Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy.
Aikawa, T. (2016) “Variance in Error Correction among Language Teachers,” The Proceedings of Canadian Association of Japanese Language Education (CAJLE) Annual Conference 2016, Niagara Falls, Canada.
Takahashi, T. and T. Aikawa (2016) “A system to build corpus data to support Japanese language learning,” The Proceedings of the Association for Natural Language Processing, Tohoku University, Japan.
Aikawa, T. (2016) “Development of AI (Artificial Intelligence) Tutor for Learners of Japanese,” The Proceedings of the 26th Conference of Central Association of Teachers of Japanese (CATJ), University of Michigan, MI (https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/catj26/).
Aikawa, T. (2014) “A Preliminary Report of the Use of Piazza for a Language Class,” The Proceedings of the 2nd European Conference on Language Learning, Brighton, United Kingdom.
Aikawa, T. (2014) “Language Technology and Its Role in Language Teaching and Learning,” The Proceedings of the 24th Conference of Central Association of Teachers of Japanese (CATJ), Eastern Michigan University, MI (http://commons.emich.edu/catj/).

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