Exploring the Role of AI in Enhancing EFL Students’ Academic Writing and Self-Regulated Learning

• In Event: AER Roundtable Session Friday 1:45 pm - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Using AI to Learn in Multi-lingual Contexts

Abstract

This study explores EFL students’ self-reported interactions with ChatGPT, examining their prompts, perceptions of its impact on their writing, and how their use reflects self-regulated learning (SRL). Grounded in SRL theory and the writing process approach, the study employed a qualitative case study methodology. It involved 14 EFL students enrolled in an English academic writing class at a university in Saudi Arabia. The data analysis included a thematic analysis of 14 interviews and 25 screenshots. The findings revealed that EFL students commonly use ChatGPT across all writing stages, particularly for idea generation, structuring, grammar correction, and word choice, aligning with various SRL strategies. While most students reported improvements in writing confidence and technical skills, some expressed concerns about over-reliance on AI.

Author

• Azzah Alzahrani, University at Buffalo - SUNY