Speakers
Description
This mixed-methods study investigates university students' perceptions of the integration of generative AI(GenAI) into English language learning, focusing on cognitive and affective dimensions. Survey data and qualitative interviews reveal that learners value GenAI's efficiency and motivational benefits, while expressing concerns about overreliance, diminished critical thinking, and risks to academic integrity. Findings suggest AI tools effectively lower language learning anxiety but require careful, pedagogically informed implementation to foster autonomous, critically engaged, and ethically responsible learners.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
This presentation addresses a critical gap in understanding how generative AI reshapes English-language learning in higher education contexts. Theoretically, it extends Krashen's Affective Filter Hypothesis and Vygotskian sociocultural perspectives to AI-mediated instruction, examining how digital tools function as scaffolding agents. Practically, it responds to educators' urgent need for evidence-based guidance as ChatGPT becomes ubiquitous in language classrooms. While existing literature emphasizes technological capabilities, limited research explores learners' lived cognitive and emotional experiences with AI. This study offers culturally situated insights that inform pedagogically sound integration strategies, addressing ethical concerns about dependency and academic integrity that current research increasingly identifies.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
This study employed a mixed-methods design combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. Seventy-nine Korean university students enrolled in general English courses completed a validated fourteen-item survey assessing perceptions of AI integration across cognitive and affective dimensions. Four participants subsequently engaged in semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics through SPSS, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework, enabling triangulation and comprehensive interpretation of learner experiences.
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
Survey results demonstrated that students recognized ChatGPT's technical strengths, particularly its extensive database and translation capabilities. Regarding emotional dimensions, time efficiency received the highest endorsement, followed by motivational benefits, while confidence-building effects remained modest. Cognitively, participants expressed concerns about excessive dependency leading to diminished independent thinking and potential academic dishonesty. Qualitative analysis revealed three themes: emotional comfort through low-anxiety practice environments, cognitive scaffolding that enhanced grammatical awareness and self-editing skills, and critical caution regarding AI limitations. Students consistently recommended balancing AI tools with human instruction, viewing generative AI as a supplementary resource rather than a comprehensive replacement for traditional pedagogy.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
This presentation examines university students' perceptions of generative AI in English language learning, guided by three questions. First, how do university students perceive the general usefulness of generative AI for language learning? Second, how do students perceive the usefulness of generative AI for emotional aspects, including motivation and confidence? Third, how do students perceive the usefulness of generative AI for cognitive skills, particularly critical thinking and independent learning?
| Title | University Students' Cognitive and Affective Responses to Ge |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | College and university education |