Integrating AI and Language Learning

Marinka Swift has an eye for creating language-focused learning curricula that are relevant and meaningful for personal and global purposes. 

“I design and lead curricula that aim to foster English language development for career trajectories in academia, with a particular focus on English language proficiency for teaching, research and publication,” she said. 

As a language and education consultant, Marinka was drawn to applied linguistics through her own language learning experiences and has deep expertise in teaching languages and designing curricula for international scholars. 

Marinka recently partnered with UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education’s International Programs to design a curriculum tailored to the linguistic and professional needs of Kazakh scholars participating in a professional development program at UC Davis as part of the Bolashak Scholarship Program. 

“The scholars expressed a deep interest in acquiring skills in AI for education that could elevate their expertise, contributions to their disciplines and impact as educators,” she said. “With these distinct career and linguistic needs in mind, I designed a curriculum that is responsive to the unique professional trajectories of the cohort.” 

She sees potential in this curriculum to empower educators around the globe to provide English language proficiency for careers in education and in-demand skills using AI to maintain relevance and responsiveness in the field. 

“I truly believe this curriculum will become a model and sought-after training for educators across institutional types, language backgrounds and professional trajectories,” she said. 

Designing Curriculum with Purpose and Impact 

What led you to develop this AI-focused curriculum? 

I had been developing AI training for educators and research writing as a passion project while serving as research operations director for the Interdisciplinary Research Institute for the Study of (In)Equality at the University of Denver. As a researcher and language educator, I see AI as offering many opportunities to benefit education and scholarship. However, most AI training is biased toward English proficiency, doesn’t adequately scaffold parallel language development and is too often marketed as a tool to do for you rather than with you. 

As recipients of the Bolashak scholarship, the Kazakh scholars are expected to integrate AI appropriately and ethically into the many aspects of their work—from research to classroom instruction. It was important to me to develop a curriculum that helps them maintain and elevate their expertise while also supporting their English language development. 

Not all AI tools are well suited for maintaining academic integrity, rigor in research and teaching, and ethical integration. I wanted to offer something that wouldn’t compromise their personal and professional development while still showcasing the ways specific AI tools can support their professional trajectories and values. 

What were your main goals in designing the curriculum? 

I wanted the scholars to feel competent in making ethically considerate, strategic and relevant choices when using AI for teaching, research and language learning. There’s tremendous pressure for educators to demonstrate expertise and proficiency with AI with little guidance on what’s effective, relevant, rigorous and ethically grounded. 

The Kazakh scholars are experiencing a unique set of pressures because they’ve been awarded this prestigious scholarship, and many are expected to return to their home institutions and train colleagues or develop curricula with AI. Many AI tools are still biased toward monolingual English proficiency, creating additional obstacles for access and integration. 

I wanted to design a curriculum that was cognizant of these realities and that simultaneously protects their expertise. I wanted them to feel confident and informed of their options, but more than anything, I wanted them to feel competent in their abilities and contributions as educators with and without AI. 

So I approached the curriculum design and our sessions with these goals in mind: 

Goal 1: Be the expert. Much of the adoption of AI inadvertently undermines the expertise of the user by doing too much for them. When I teach about AI for education and scholarship, I emphasize the importance of trusting and protecting their expertise. 

Goal 2: Be strategic. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement around AI, but the reality is that current scholarship on its effectiveness for language learning is very limited. My goal is to help scholars utilize AI strategically—as a tool that supports their professional and linguistic development without undermining their own expertise. 

I work with them to connect AI use to specific, measurable, goal-oriented language outcomes. For example, if their goal is to publish their research in English or present at an academic conference, I show them how to break down that goal into smaller parts and use specific AI tools as a sort of language coach. I teach them how to assess the quality, reliability and time effectiveness of various AI tools. 

Teaching AI Through a Language Learning Lens 

How do you incorporate AI into language learning and professional communication? 

The key AI concepts I address are prompt engineering and generative AI. Teaching strategic and effective prompt engineering involves awareness of your own language use. Playing with phrasing and demonstrating how different AI models respond to various prompts helps us focus on intentional language use—and shows that using AI serves a purpose facilitated by language. 

As students develop English language skills, putting together an effective prompt to generate, for example, a lesson plan, requires thinking about the what, why, for whom, then what type of questions to ask. Using AI effectively is all about language. 

How do you balance AI literacy with building students’ communication skills? 

I go back to Goal 1: Be the expert. I prioritize students speaking in my classes, so they remain accountable for their language development. AI can be a helpful tool, but it isn’t you. It hasn’t put in the work, earned the promotions or developed the insights you have. 

I haven’t encountered students who don’t want to improve their communication skills. Challenges are part of learning. To prevent AI from taking over their language learning, I emphasize that AI is just a tool—useful, but never a replacement for personal expertise. 

Practical Tools and Hands-On Learning 

Can you share an example of an engaging activity or module from the curriculum? 

The scholars really enjoyed seeing how I test the reliability of ChatGPT compared to Perplexity. I show them how to test the same prompt with both tools and have the models assess each other’s output. I demonstrate how to catch hallucinations, such as when we ask AI to generate reliable references for a research question, and then assess the validity of those sources. 

This exercise demonstrates the imperfections of these tools and the need to maintain our own expertise and rigor as academics. It also helps develop critical metalinguistic awareness, critical thinking and fact-checking skills. 

Another popular activity was generating visually appealing, time-saving slide decks using AI. I showed them how to generate content based on their own work—like syllabi, lecture notes or an older slide deck—then turn it into a presentation with images using free, multilingual AI tools. They loved the relevance and hands-on aspect of this workshop because they could immediately apply it. One student had already created a new slide deck for her chemistry class by the following week! 

Real-World Outcomes and Student Growth 

What changes have you seen in the scholars throughout the program? 

Some scholars have already developed meaningful and critically engaged scholarship around AI. One shared research on analyzing AI models for translation capabilities—highlighting important shortcomings. Others expressed deep gratitude for the enhanced competence they feel using AI tools. It’s been inspiring to hear how the curriculum has impacted their professional and linguistic goals. 

How has this AI training prepared the scholars for their return to Kazakhstan? 

These scholars are returning to Kazakhstan as innovators. They’re equipped with practical competence in AI tools relevant to their disciplines and roles as educators. They’ll be able to train colleagues, model ethical AI use and integrate AI into their curricula—from chemistry to engineering to linguistics. 

They also now have a toolkit to support their continued English language development. 

Cultural Context and Global Relevance 

What cultural considerations did you keep in mind when designing AI-focused content? 

In the early stages, I got to know the scholars and their teaching and research contexts—their classrooms, access to technology, funding, expectations for publication and teaching, and thoughts on ethical AI use. 

Linguistically, I assessed which tools support Russian or Kazakh, since they are multilingual scholars. While I’m supporting their English development, these tools should support their full professional and linguistic trajectory. 

Why is this type of AI-integrated curriculum valuable for international learners? 

Even in the United States, many educators and scholars don’t feel adequately trained in AI literacy. This curriculum offers high-value, hands-on training—something educators everywhere can benefit from. 

For international learners, it uniquely combines technical AI training with support for language learning, especially for careers in education. I’m not aware of another curriculum that intersects these goals so intentionally. 

Looking Ahead: Expansion and the UC Davis CPE Advantage 

What parts of this curriculum could be adapted for other global education or workforce programs? 

Research writing in English using AI is a hot topic, and I’m developing an on-demand course that could launch in winter 2026. It will be for everyone from undergraduate scholars to mid-career professionals. 

I’d also love to gather real data on AI’s impact on language acquisition. The AI language learning toolkit I’ve created could be a strong starting point for professionals across sectors who want to enhance their language skills with AI. 

What has been most rewarding about working with this cohort? 

Learning about their research and areas of expertise! It’s a diverse and inspiring group of scholars deeply committed to professional growth. Seeing them apply what they’ve learned—from new publications to classroom materials to professional networking—has been incredibly fulfilling. 

Why is UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education well positioned to offer this kind of training globally? 

Scaling programs like this is what UC Davis CPE has done from the start. Its strength lies in adapting to the changing needs of learners across professional, linguistic and cultural contexts. 

The AI curriculum we’ve developed reflects CPE’s commitment to flexibility, relevance and rigor—and responds to the global demand for high-quality, professional education. 

• Related article: UC Davis Welcomes Kazakh Scholars to Build Global Connections