Enhancing Thai pre-service teachers' translation skills through AI tools, social media, and public feedback

This study explored how a training program consisting of AI tools, social media feedback, and an iterative translation process influenced Thai pre-service teachers’ development of translation skills and creativity. Fifty third-year students in a ‘General Translation 2’ course participated in a translation process consisting of three stages, namely an initial manual translation, an AI-assisted revision, and a final creative adaptation. Groups of three or four students were tasked with translating an authentic Thai social media advertisement. The study utilized a mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative assessments of translation accuracy, fluency, and creativity with qualitative insights derived from written reflections, group interviews, and social media engagement. Content analysis and thematic analysis were used to analyse the data. The findings revealed clear improvements in translation accuracy, fluency, and creativity, particularly with AI assistance. However, student groups which actively refined AI-generated content appeared to perform better, highlighting the importance of human oversight. Public feedback, particularly from social media, influenced students’ engagement strategies, revealing that audience appeal was more critical than translation accuracy alone. Groups that used humour, relatable language, and interactive elements received higher audience engagement. The study emphasizes that while AI tools aid students’ technical accuracy, they should not substitute for human creativity and judgment. Thus, balancing AI tools with critical thinking is crucial in translation. The study also suggests that incorporating social media feedback can improve students’ understanding of audience expectations.