Student Readiness for AI Instruction: Perspectives on AI in University EFL Classrooms

This present study investigates the university students’ readiness for using AI in EFL classrooms. For the study, 310 university freshmen and sophomores participated in a questionnaire on the general perspectives on AI, the roles of AI in ELT/L, and the use of AI in ELT/L. The quantitative data collected was analyzed using SPSS, and qualitative data from open-ended questions was analyzed by frequency. The findings of the study suggest that the participants are interested in AI and consider it useful and convenient, but at the same time, they feel threatened by it. Their perspectives on the roles of AI showed that they feel AI is not appropriate as teachers for middle school and younger, for counseling, and for skills involving language output and interaction. There were statistical differences found among proficiency levels. In addition, regardless of their perspectives on appropriateness of AI, they showed strong preference for human teachers for their own classrooms. It was also found that the participants displayed negative perspectives towards AI presence, showing what they think is appropriate is not necessarily what they prefer when it comes to implementing it to their own classrooms.