Seminar | Practicum Matesol202

Before the seminar

The topic of our seminar was carefully selected with the intention of sharing something innovative and relevant with students at the Foreign Trade University (FTU), who belong to Generation Z. After careful consideration, we decided to introduce an AI tool, NotebookLM, believing that its novelty and practicality would arouse the students' interest. Although we had previously used NotebookLM for our own research purposes, we anticipated a potential challenge: students might not possess much experience in doing research, which prevented them from engaging in our seminar.

To address this dilemma, we decided to tailor the seminar to a more concrete academic skill. Consequently, we finalized the title: "Using AI in Academic Writing: Synthesizing Sources." This focus allowed us to not only introduce the tool but also demonstrate its practical application in a critical academic task, so that students can synthesize information from multiple sources for any piece of writing at their university.

This choice also reflected our practical minds. We aimed to ensure that students would leave the seminar with tangible skills and knowledge that could be immediately applied to their academic learning, even within the limited timeframe of the session. We approached the seminar with high expectations and a strong desire to provide meaningful, beneficial content to the students at FTU.

During the seminar

The seminar was well-received by both lecturers and students at FTU. One pleasant surprise was the students’ high level of enthusiasm both within the formal classroom setting and in extracurricular academic activities. This positive reception generated a mix of excitement and nervousness among our team.

Recognizing the importance of effective communication, we placed our confidence in Duc, a Generation Z member of our group, who was expected to connect more naturally with the student audience. Fortunately, Duc exceeded our expectations. His use of related anecdotes and familiar academic scenarios successfully captured the students’ attention and established a friendly and engaging atmosphere.

An additional fortunate moment came when we discovered that only one or two students in the audience had prior experience with NotebookLM. This insight affirmed the novelty of our topic and motivated us to present with greater enthusiasm. We took the opportunity to guide the students step-by-step in exploring the tool, ensuring they were supported throughout the session.

The seminar concluded on a high note, marked by positive feedback from Mrs. Phuong and a number of thoughtful questions from the audience. Most significantly, our group felt a deep sense of satisfaction with the session’s outcomes.

Reflection after the seminar

We believe that the seminar provided us with valuable learning experience not only through our own sessions but also through the other groups’ presentations. As it was our first time organizing a seminar without prior knowledge of the audience’s background, we learnt how to choose a subject that can appeal to a broad and diverse audience, regardless of differences in English proficiency or academic fields. This insight will be essential for our future teaching and presentation experiences, where the audience plays a critical role in effective communication.

One important reflection involved our use of language during the session. As English major students, we sometimes tended to use academic vocabulary and complex structures to demonstrate our language competence. However, we soon realized that it is not always appropriate, especially when clarity and accessibility are more important. This experience reminded us of the importance of tailoring our language to suit the audience which should take precedence over showcasing language skills.

In addition, this seminar provided a valuable lesson in teamwork. Throughout the preparation process, we learnt to collaborate efficiently, refining our session through shared ideas and constructive disagreements. These exchanges allowed us to think more critically, anticipate potential challenges, and adapt to unexpected situations during the presentation.