Analysis of the Experience of Using Generative AI and the Needs of Writing Education of Foreign Undergraduates

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the experiences and educational needs of foreign undergraduate students enrolled in Korean universities using Generative AI and to find ways to effectively utilize Generative AI in the writing process. To this end, a survey was conducted on 219 foreign undergraduate students who took Liberal Arts <College writing> courses at A University. As a result of the analysis, 39.7% of foreign undergraduate students who participated in this survey answered that they had used Generative AI when performing assignments at university. Respondents mainly used Generative AI for outlines, summaries, solving exercises, and writing general reports, and used Generative AI to better understand the content, to generate ideas, to translate, and to revise their expressions. And as a result of analyzing their educational needs, we found that foreign undergraduate students need writing, citation, and writing ethics education when using Generative AI, even if they are aware of citation methods and problems when using Generative AI in the process of performing university assignments. Based on these results, this study suggested educational implications for writing when using Generative AI in writing subjects. It is necessary for us to teach ciation methods and writing ethics when using Generative AI. Also, it is necessary for us to teach writing students using Generative AI the types of writing that take into account the majors of foreign undergraduate students or the types of writing that learners write with frequently. How to use Generative AI in writing classes can be taught to foreign undergraduate students, especially in the writing revision stage.