Chatbot-Driven Writing Practice: A Boon or a Bust for EFL Learners?

Purpose – The study explores the impact of AI-powered ChatBots on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students' writing skills, self-efficacy, and self-regulation. Given the rapid integration of digital tools in education, particularly in language learning, the research aims to fill a gap in understanding how ChatBot technology can enhance writing abilities, address psychosocial factors, and support self-regulated learning among EFL students. Design/Methods/Approach – A sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach was employed, involving 40 EFL students from IAIN Curup. Participants were divided into a control group (traditional writing instruction) and an experimental group (ChatBot-assisted instruction). Quantitative data on writing proficiency, self-efficacy, and self-regulation were collected through pre- and post-tests, followed by qualitative insights gathered through semi-structured interviews with the experimental group. Statistical analysis, including paired t-tests and ANCOVA, was used to assess differences between groups. Findings – The results revealed that students using ChatBots showed significant improvements in writing proficiency (post-test scores increased from 55.84 to 88.92), self-efficacy (from 20.46 to 30.38), and self-regulation (from 14.51 to 19.65). Interviews highlighted increased confidence, motivation, and engagement among students, though concerns about over-reliance on ChatBots and the risk of plagiarism were noted. Originality/Value – This research offers new insights into the use of AI-powered ChatBots in enhancing EFL students' writing skills, self-efficacy, and self-regulation. It addresses gaps in the literature by focusing on the psychosocial factors influencing writing performance and the potential benefits and drawbacks of AI integration in education. Practical Implications – The findings suggest that educators can use ChatBots to improve writing instruction, fostering autonomy and providing immediate feedback. However, strategies must be developed to avoid over-reliance on AI tools, ensuring students maintain creativity and critical thinking. Keywords AI-powered ChatBots, EFL writing, self-efficacy, self-regulation, language learning. Paper type Research paper

A health-based coaching program for diabetes self-management (DSM) practice: A sequential exploratory mixed-method approach

A health-based coaching program for diabetes self-management (DSM) practice: A sequential exploratory mixed-method approach

Purpose The current study examines the impact of Differentiated Instruction (DI) on students’ EFL speaking proficiency and Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) during online learning at a Turkish higher education institution’s English preparatory program. Design/methodology/approach Carried out as a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, this quasi-experimental study first collected quantitative data from two intact classrooms, experimental group (n = 16), control group (n = 15), through a speaking proficiency test and the Turkish translation of a Likert-type Online Self-Regulation Questionnaire (OSRLQ) as pre-/post-test; and qualitative data through a semi-structured focus group interview with six students. The qualitative data were coded and interpreted through content analysis. Findings Based on Tomlinson’s (2001) DI framework, the intervention plan of this study involved differentiating the process, product and learning environment of the online learners based on their readiness levels and interests. The results revealed that the DI-group improved its speaking significantly higher than the non-DI group whereas the overall SRL of the both groups did not differ meaningfully. The DI-group improved its help-seeking strategy use significantly. The analysis of qualitative data indicated that the students held positive views of online practices used for DI purposes such as formative assessment, differentiated speaking tasks while questioning group work arrangements. The participants also stated that they improved their use of target setting, help seeking and self-assessment. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature in providing insight into the effects of differentiation practices during online learning and suggests implications for designing innovative differentiated EFL learning experiences during remote learning.

This study examines the impact of the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT on middle school students' attitudes and reading habits during a brief intervention. Twenty-six students from a middle school in Türkiye—13 in the experimental group and 13 in the control group—took part in an eight-session, four-week quasi-experimental study. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach. Data was gathered and analyzed using the Attitudes and Habits towards Reading Scale, the Digital Literacy Scale, and focus group interviews. Preliminary results indicate that students in the experimental group had better reading habits and attitudes than those in the control group. After the ChatGPT intervention was implemented, the experimental group's students showed a significant improvement in their positive attitudes toward reading. However, the experimental group also showed an unexpected increase in negative reading attitudes, warranting further investigation. Three primary themes, covering both the advantages and disadvantages of the application, were identified from the student interview data. These results highlight how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies present a potentially novel way to boost reading motivation in educational settings. However, to use these technologies effectively, educators and students must acquire more knowledge and skills. Longer-term studies with larger sample sizes are also required to validate these initial findings.

The study explored the teachers’ perception on healthy school climate in public elementary schools of Davao City Division. Also, it investigated the association of the involved variables of teachers’ perception on healthy school climate. With the use of probability sampling, 156 public elementary teachers were selected as the respondents in the quantitative phase while 10 informants were invited in the in-depth interview. Utilizing the sequential explanatory mixed methods approach, the data collated were analyzed through the use of Mean and Regression Analysis while thematic analysis was used in qualitative phase. Results revealed that there was a high teachers’ perception on healthy school climate which was confirmed by the responses of the informants. In particular, administrative dimension and technical function are high while institutional dimension is moderately high. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the healthy school climate when analyzed by school category. This led to the acceptance of the null hypothesis. In the qualitative phase, the informants confirmed that healthy school climate is evident in the school regardless of the school category. Based on the findings, it was further suggested that higher officials in the Department of Education may identify means on how to strengthen the teachers’ perception on healthy school climate. More so, future researchers may further explore the involved variables considering other factors and research methods. Keywords: Healthy School Climate; Sequential Explanatory Mixed Methods Approach; Davao City Division, Philippines

Nurse Practitioner Opioid Prescribing and Safety Measure Utilization Patterns in Ontario: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a construct that could inform parent education and support initiatives. The purpose of this study was to deliver and evaluate a web-based program developed to enhance sport parents’ EI, called the Sport Parent Emotions and Coping Support (SPECS) program. Using a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach, 29 Canadian ice hockey parents (23 mothers, 6 fathers) were randomized to either an experimental or control group with pre- and post-program measures of trait EI. Qualitative interviews were also conducted with 11 parents from the experimental group following their completion of the program. The results from a mixed ANOVA indicated a statistically significant group by time interaction with a medium-sized effect for trait EI (p = .027; ηp 2 = .17) and intrapersonal EI (p = .027 ηp 2 = .17). The qualitative results provided insights regarding parents’ perceptions of the program’s content and delivery and highlighted parents’ “lightbulb moments” (i.e., learning about themselves and learning about their children). The integration of quantitative and qualitative findings elucidated how aspects of the program may have contributed to changes in parents’ EI. Overall, this research yields theoretical and practical implications for youth sport stakeholders interested in delivering sport parent education and support initiatives.

This study aimed to examine how instruction of geography subjects in primary school third-grade Life Studies course with several methods affects students’ attitudes toward this course and their spatial perception skills. To that end, the study was designed with exploratory sequential mixed methods approach. Two third-grade classes at a public school on the European side of Istanbul province were randomly assigned as experimental and control groups. After the Life Science Attitude Scale and the open-ended perception questionnaire were administered to the both groups as pretests, their readiness were found to be similar. The groups were given a education that included geography subjects and aimed to improve spatial perception skills for eight hours. In the experimental group, the education involved the instruction of geography subjects in Life Science course by using methods such as case study, drama, and question-answer whereas it involved the instruction of the same geography subjects with the methods included in the textbook in the control group. Later, the scale and questionnaire were read ministered as posttests. The quantitative data of the study were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks tests, and the qualitative data were subjected to the content analysis which was made using codes, categories, and themes. Consequently, Life Science Attitude Scale scores of the experimental group were found to be significantly higher than the control group. Moreover, as shown by results of the open-ended perception questionnaire, the experimental group had a better grasp of the concepts about spatial perception skills compared to the control group.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based writing tools, such as Wordtune, are increasingly used in foreign language learning. Despite the growing importance of these digital tools, research on how AI-driven applications affect Indonesian students' writing in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and their writing engagement remains limited. This study aims to examine the effect of Wordtune on students’ writing performance and explore their writing engagement. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach was employed, involving a writing test and interviews to collect data from 136 eighth graders, with 68 students in both the experimental and control groups. Both the writing test and interview guide were validated for content by two expert judges, while the post-test underwent empirical validity and reliability testing using data from 34 non-sample participants. The writing test data were analyzed using an independent t-test, and the interview data were examined through theoretical thematic analysis. The results showed a significant effect of Wordtune on students’ writing competency. Furthermore, students demonstrated active engagement across affective, behavioral, cognitive, and social domains. In conclusion, several implications regarding the implementation of AI writing tools in English language teaching are discussed.

The rapid development of technology has dramatically increased the use of AI chatbots in English Language Teaching (ELT). This research investigates the role of AI chatbots in English as Foreign Language (EFL) students’ writing by addressing the following three main goals: (1) to measure how AI chatbots affect students' writing learning outcomes, (2) to evaluate their impact on writing feedback literacy and engagement, and (3) to explore how students use AI chatbots to improve these areas. Fifty Indonesian university students undertaking an Economic English course participated in this mixed-methods study, divided into an experimental group and a control group, each with 25 students. Data collection instruments included tests, questionnaires, and interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed statistically, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the experimental group using AI chatbots showed significant improvements in writing outcomes. Additionally, this group demonstrated notable advancements in both writing feedback literacy and engagement. Students employed various strategies such as interactive writing practice, personalized learning plans, guidance on reading materials, acting upon feedback, peer feedback, gamified learning, and community building to enhance these areas. These results advance our understanding of the role of AI chatbots and inform instructional strategies in ELT.

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of English as Foreign Language (EFL) students in the Preparatory Year Program (PYP) at a Saudi university about emotional quality of teacher-student relationships and the factors that impact their self-efficacy beliefs in EFL classrooms. To accomplish this, an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was implemented. Starting with a quantitative approach a questionnaire was distributed to 340 EFL students followed by a qualitative approach in terms of 8 semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the students’ perceptions. The quantitative data were analyzed statistically using SPSS and the transcribed interviews were coded manually after which a thematic analysis was used to extract the emerging themes. The results demonstrated that students have a positive relationship with their teachers in EFL classrooms and they view their English language teachers as reassuring, reliable, and trustworthy. Students also believe that their relationship with their teachers influences both their academic and personal growth. Finally, the outcomes of this study also showed that students believe that relationship with their significant others, teachers- peers- family members, and outcome expectancy impact their self-efficacy greatly in EFL classrooms. This research provides insight into the emotional quality of teacher-student relationships and students’ self-efficacy in EFL classes, and the findings provide insights that can inform teaching strategies, curriculum development, organizations, and learner support systems.

ANALISIS TINGKAT KECEMASAN KIMIA ORGANIK MAHASISWA PRA JASA PENDIDIKANAbstractSeveral studies have reported that poor performance of organic chemistry among students has been attributed partly to organic chemistry anxiety. The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of organic chemistry anxiety among chemistry education students. Sequential explanatory mixed methods approach employed in the study. Due to COVID-19 Pandemic, 142 pre-service education students from four universities were chosen using the convenience sampling technique. The questionnaires were distributed to the participants using google form. This quantitative data generation was followed by a semi-structured interview with 2 students from each university. Quantitative data gathered were analyzed using descriptive statistics meanwhile qualitative data from interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results show that 5.63% of students have low anxiety, 81.69% of students have moderate anxiety levels, while 12.68% of students have high anxiety levels. On average the anxiety level of chemistry education students is at a moderate level with a score was 62. According to students, this anxiety was influenced by the complexity of organic chemistry lesson materials, lecturer strategies in teaching organic chemistry, and their previous knowledge of chemistry. Further study should be carried out to analyze the factors that influence students’ anxiety.AbstrakSejumlah penelitian telah melaporkan bahwa buruknya performa mahasiswa pada mata kuliah kimia organik berkaitan dengan kecemasan mereka terhadap kimia organik. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui tingkat kecemasan mahasiwa Pendidikan Kimia terhadap perkuliahan Kimia Organik. Pendekatan metode campuran eksplanatori sekuensial digunakan dalam penelitian ini. Akibat Pandemi COVID-19, sebanyak 142 mahasiswa Pendidikan kimia dari empat universitas dengan menggunakan teknik convenience sampling. Kuisioner dibagikan kepada peserta menggunakan google form. Penyebaran kuesioner ini dilanjutkan dengan wawancara semi struktur dengan 2 mahasiswa dari masing-masing universitas. Data kuantitatif yang terkumpul dianalisis menggunakan statistik deskriptif sedangkan data kualitatif dari wawancara dianalisis menggunakan analisis tematik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan 5,63% siswa memiliki tingkat kecemasan rendah, 81,69% siswa memiliki tingkat kecemasan sedang, sedangkan 12,68% siswa memiliki tingkat kecemasan tinggi. Rata-rata tingkat kecemasan mahasiswa pendidikan kimia berada pada tingkat sedang dengan skor 62. Menurut mahasiswa, kecemasan ini dipengaruhi oleh kompleksitas materi pelajaran kimia organik, strategi dosen dalam pembelajaran kimia organik dan pengetahuan sebelumnya tentang kimia. Studi lebih dapat dilakukan untuk menganalisis faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi kecemasan siswa.

Grounded in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, this study examines the effectiveness of integrating ChatGPT into classroom instruction to enhance vocabulary learning. It evaluates ChatGPT's impact on vocabulary knowledge and retention compared to traditional teacher-led instruction. Using a quasi-experimental pre- and posttest control group design within an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach, 71 EFL learners were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG). The EG used ChatGPT as an interactive language tool, engaging in vocabulary practice, receiving real-time feedback, and completing AI-generated exercises tailored to their progress, while the CG followed traditional lecture-based instruction. Data collection included vocabulary knowledge tests (pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest) and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative results showed that the EG significantly outperformed the CG in productive vocabulary knowledge and overall test scores, with moderate to large effect sizes. While receptive vocabulary gains did not differ significantly between groups, within-group comparisons confirmed substantial improvements. Qualitative findings highlighted students' positive perceptions, emphasizing ChatGPT's role in enhancing engagement, motivation, and contextual vocabulary use through scaffolded interaction. This study contributes to the growing field of AI-driven language learning by demonstrating how structured, theory-informed integration of ChatGPT can effectively support productive vocabulary development, offering both practical and pedagogical insights.

Learning activities play a crucial role in the instructional process. The use of efficient teaching and learning activities enhances the teaching and learning of English language. However, performance of English language among secondary school students in Kenya has remained poor over the years (2013-2018) as depicted by poor Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results. This can partly be attributed to failure of teachers to adopt appropriate learning activities. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of learning activities used on students’ achievement in English grammar in secondary schools in Kenya. This study was guided by Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and anchored on pragmatic philosophical paradigm. The study employed an exploratory sequential mixed methods approach utilizing quasi-experimental design of non-randomized control group, pre-test-post-test. The target population involved 3399 Form Two students and 84 teachers of English from Teso North Sub-County, Kenya. Stratified and simple random sampling were used to select 10 schools. Simple random sampling was used to select 509 students. Purposive and simple random were used to select 10 teachers. Data was generated using interview schedule, observation schedule, questionnaire and English Grammar Achievement Tests. Validity was determined by expert judgment and piloting. Reliability of the pre-test and post-test were established by test-retest which yielded a coefficient of 0.94 and 0.76 respectively. Cronbach Alpha was used to determine the reliability of the questionnaire which yielded a coefficient of 0.85. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive data was presented through tables of frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation. Inferential statistics involved t-test and Pearson correlation. Qualitative data was analyzed using narrative analysis technique and presented through narration and direct quotes. The findings revealed that teachers predominantly used individual activities when teaching grammar, language games and group work had a positive influence on students’ achievement in grammar. Pearson Correlation results revealed that there existed statistically significant relationship between learning activities and achievement in grammar (r = .723, n = 509, p = .001). The study concluded that learning activities used influenced students’ achievement in grammar. Language games and group work are effective to be used in enhancing students’ achievement in English grammar than individual activities. This study recommends that teachers of English language should adopt language games and group work activities when teaching English grammar. Article visualizations: