Exploring Structured GenAI Applications in Bilingual Multicultural Education: Opportunities from Student Experiences and Reflections

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 7:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Technology, AI, and Digital Identities in Language Learning

Abstract

This study investigated how the use of GenAI ChatGPT, guided by the Practical Inquiry model of cognitive presence for critical thinking, supported online multicultural education among thirty undergraduates at a southwestern U.S. university, using a mixed-methods design. Results indicated a statistically significant association between guided ChatGPT use and students' academic performance in a multicultural bilingual education context. Thematic analysis further revealed that critical thinking informed the responsible and reflective use of ChatGPT; ChatGPT was perceived as a more knowledgeable other; it enhanced culturally responsive pedagogy; it supported multilingual learning through translation and literacy activities; it boosted teachers’ creativity and productivity; and students demonstrated ethical awareness of ChatGPT’s limitations, particularly regarding cultural nuance and linguistic bias.

Authors

• Nesma Ragab Nasr, Northern Arizona University

• Tonia F Bauer, University of South Carolina - Upstate

• Chih-Hsiung Tu, Northern Arizona University

• Laura Esthela Sujo-Montes, Northern Arizona University