Book

The integration of Digital Humanities and artificial intelligence (AI) into language education represents a transformative frontier with significant potential for addressing persistent challenges in French language teaching and learning in Nigerian universities. This study investigates the incorporation of Digital Humanities methodologies and AI-powered tools into French language pedagogy at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), a specialized teacher education institution in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. French language education in Nigeria faces numerous obstacles, including limited opportunities for authentic communicative practice, large class sizes, inadequate digital infrastructure, and pedagogical approaches that often prioritize rote memorization over meaningful engagement. These challenges are particularly acute at IAUE, where the mandate to prepare future French teachers amplifies the urgency of pedagogical innovation. Simultaneously, the rapid evolution of generative AI technologies—including large language models, conversational agents, speech recognition systems, and adaptive learning platforms—offers unprecedented opportunities to personalize instruction, provide real-time feedback, and create immersive learning experiences that extend beyond the traditional classroom. This study adopts a mixed-methods case study design, combining quantitative survey data from approximately 170 French students with qualitative insights from semi-structured lecturer interviews, student focus groups, and classroom observations. The research is grounded in multiple theoretical frameworks: usage-based second language acquisition theory, which emphasizes learning through meaningful language use; the PAA-4T model (plurilingualism, affect, and agency through translanguaging, trans-semiotizing, trans-knowledging, and trans-culturing); and investment theory, which examines how learners negotiate identity and capital in technology-mediated contexts.