Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of English, Imam Ali University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Department of Foreign Languages, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Recent advances in generative artificial intelligence offer new possibilities for language learning, particularly through large language models. This study, grounded in sociocultural theory, examined the impact of an AI assistant (Monica) on EFL students’ writing development. A total of 120 male students (aged 26–36, A2 proficiency) participated in a four-month in-service program. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group, which engaged in AI-mediated collaborative writing, or a control group, which collaborated face-to-face. Both groups completed 16 writing sessions. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods was employed, integrating pretest–posttest measures, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analyses (Split-Plot ANOVA) showed that the AI-assisted group significantly outperformed the control group in Organization, Language Use, and Mechanics, but not in Content or Vocabulary. Importantly, students’ perceptions shifted dramatically: while only 23% initially held positive expectations, 90% reported positive experiences post-intervention, highlighting the role of affective factors in technology adoption. Qualitative data confirmed cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational benefits of AI interaction, but also revealed challenges including overreliance on AI, uncritical acceptance of feedback, difficulty integrating new vocabulary, and cognitive overload when faced with multiple corrections. Sociocultural concerns, such as academic integrity, face-saving practices, and peer judgment, further influenced the extent of student engagement. From a theoretical standpoint, the study contributes to sociocultural scholarship by evidencing the ways in which student–AI interaction shapes and mediates writing development. Pedagogically, it calls for intentional scaffolding to foster critical and reflective practices, reframing AI from a functional tool to a meaningful collaborator in the learning process.
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