The development and implementation of a video and AI-enhanced language learning platform

Abstract

The integration of authentic videos and AI-supported functions into English lessons offers great potential for personalised, motivating and inclusive learning. With this in mind, the digital language learning platform TONY was developed at the Lucerne University of Teacher Education and empirically tested as part of a research project. The aim of the platform is to enrich English lessons for young people through differentiated, multimodal learning resources and to support teachers in designing heterogeneous classes. In phase I, TONY was implemented with interactive, authentic YouTube videos and H5P-based surveys and evaluated in real secondary school classes. The results showed that differentiation increases learners' motivation and engagement. Building on these findings, TONY was expanded in November 2022 to include an AI-supported chatbot function based on ChatGPT to promote individualised language interactions. The analysis led to three key findings: (1) Authentic materials promote learning motivation, (2) multimedia and multimodal adaptation functions facilitate differentiation and strengthen learner autonomy, and (3) AI-driven functions have the potential to shift language teaching from differentiation to personalisation. The study provides practical impetus for the further development of digital learning environments and emphasises the need for further research.