Student Essays Research Articles

Enhancing university level English proficiency with generative AI: Empirical insights into automated feedback and learning outcomes

This paper investigates the effects of large language model (LLM) based feedback on the essay writing proficiency of university students in Hong Kong. It focuses on exploring the potential improvements that generative artificial intelligence (AI) can bring to student essay revisions, its effect on student engagement with writing tasks, and the emotions students experience while undergoing the process of revising written work. Utilizing a randomized controlled trial, it draws comparisons between the experiences and performance of 918 language students at a Hong Kong university, some of whom received generated feedback (GPT-3.5-turbo LLM) and some of whom did not. The impact of AI-generated feedback is assessed not only through quantifiable metrics, entailing statistical analysis of the impact of AI feedback on essay grading, but also through subjective indices, student surveys that captured motivational levels and emotional states, as well as thematic analysis of interviews with participating students. The incorporation of AI-generated feedback into the revision process demonstrated significant improvements in the caliber of students’ essays. The quantitative data suggests notable effect sizes of statistical significance, while qualitative feedback from students highlights increases in engagement and motivation as well as a mixed emotional experience during revision among those who received AI feedback.

Evaluating ChatGPT in Generating Feedback on Content and Organization Components of EFL Compare and Contrast Essays

ChatGPT, an innovative large language model that has impressed worldwide audiences with its exceptional generative capabilities, is now positioned to significantly transform the field of education. The purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate how accurately ChatGPT generates feedback on the content and organization components of EFL compare and contrast essays and the extent to which the feedback length provided by ChatGPT differs from that of the human teacher.To address these questions, a ChatGPT prompt incorporating evaluation criteria for content and organization components was developed, generating feedback on 10 compare and contrast student essays using the ChatGPT 3.5 version. The ChatGPT feedback and teacher feedback were assessed quantitatively and qualitatively according to the predetermined evaluation criteria. Furthermore, two types of feedback were compared descriptively and by conducting the Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test. The findings revealed that ChatGPT produced highly accurate feedback for both content and organization components, surpassing the teacher in the length of feedback provided. While the accuracy rate of the generated feedback was high, issues such as holistic assessment of the essay, false positives, failure to provide feedback where needed, and discrepancies in the depth of feedback compared to teacher feedback were identified. The results suggest that while ChatGPT shows promise in providing educational feedback, teacher-AI collaboration in giving feedback for EFL compare and contrast essays is important for delivering feedback that optimally benefits learners.

2024 Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest: Second-Place Nursing Student Essay: The Cat.

2024 Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest: Second-Place Nursing Student Essay: The Cat.

2024 Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest: Second-Place Medical Student Essay: Apartment 5 on Dolphin Drive.

2024 Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest: Second-Place Medical Student Essay: Apartment 5 on Dolphin Drive.

Testing the capacity of Bard and ChatGPT for writing essays on ethical dilemmas: A cross-sectional study

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have led to concerns about its potential misuse in education. As large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and Bard can generate human-like text, researchers and educators noted the potential redundancy of tasking students with writing academic essays. We aimed to explore if the two LLMs could generate unstructured essays on medical students’ personal experiences of challenges and ethical dilemmas that are indistinguishable from human-written texts. We collected 47 original student-written essays from which we extracted keywords to develop prompts for the LLMs. We then used these prompts to generate an equivalent number of essays using ChatGPT and Bard. We analysed the essays using the Language Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) 22 software, extracting the main LIWC summary measures and variables related to social and psychological processes. We also conducted sub-analyses for sixteen student essays that were presumably written entirely or in part by AI, according to two AI detectors. We found that AI-written essays used more language related to affect, authenticity, and analytical thinking compared to student-written essays after we removed AI-co-written student essays from the analysis. We observed that, despite the differences in language characteristics compared to student-written essays, both LLMs are highly effective in generating essays on students’ personal experiences and opinions regarding real-life ethical dilemmas.

AI versus human effectiveness in essay evaluation

The evaluation of student essay corrections has become a focal point in understanding the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education. This study aims to assess the accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of ChatGPT's essay correction compared to human correction, with a primary focus on identifying and rectifying grammatical errors, spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, coherence, relevance, essay structure, and clarity. The research involves collecting essays from 100 randomly selected university students, covering diverse themes, with anonymity maintained and no prior corrections by humans or AI. An analysis sheet, outlining linguistic and informational elements for evaluation, serves as a benchmark for assessing the quality of corrections made by ChatGPT and humans. The study reveals that ChatGPT excels in fundamental language mechanics, demonstrating superior performance in areas like grammar, spelling, sentence structure, relevance, and supporting evidence. However, thematic consistency remains an area where human evaluators outperform the AI. The findings emphasize the potential for a balanced approach, leveraging both human and AI strengths, for a comprehensive and effective essay correction process.

Words of Wisdom: A Journey through the Realm of NLP for Learning Analytics - A Systematic Literature Review

Learning Analytics (LA) is one of the world’s most influential research fields related to educational technology. Among many themes that the LA community considers, the application of Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms has been largely adopted to extract information from textual data generated in learning environments (e.g., student essays and short answers, online discussion and chat). NLP can shed light on the learning process and student outcomes in different contexts. Based on the importance of NLP for education, this paper conducted a systematic literature review of the application of NLP to understand how the LA community has been applying this method. Our methodology includes automatic and manual methods to extract information about authors, relevant papers, and specific data related to educational applications and algorithms used in the field. This review selected 156 papers that reveal essential aspects of the topic, such as: (i) the majority of the works focused on the analysis of online discussions and essay assessment; (ii) in general, the authors did not apply the developed models in real settings; (iii) recent papers selected start to evaluate deep learning models (e.g., BERT) more frequently; (iv) the datasets used in the experimentation are usually small and containing English text; (v) the average models performance reaches 0.54 and 0.79 of Cohen’s Kappa and Accuracy, respectively. The results of this study and its practical implications are further discussed.

Enhancing relationship-based practice in the homeless sector by applying Hall’s representation theory (1997) and peer reviewed research

ABSTRACT A student essay for Clare Winnicott Essay Competition. A societal critique of the ongoing issues and complications for those experiencing homelessness in modern times, which applies both Stuart Hall’s Theory of Representation (1997) and peer reviewed research on social stigmas, to identify the effectiveness of relationship-based practice within the homeless sector.

The Lessons of Propaganda: The Role of the Film Kalushi in (Re)Writing the Legacy of Solomon Mahlangu

ABSTRACT This article focuses on one particularly striking example of the opportunities and dangers of using propaganda to narrate the armed struggle against apartheid: the feature film Kalushi, which dramatically depicts the life and death of the young Umkhonto we Sizwe soldier Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu. If Thabo Rametsi, acting as the protagonist, insists that Kalushi ought to be understood as a piece of propaganda, we should take him at his word. It is enough that he says so. Therefore, the question is simply: is the film effective? I have chosen to utilise short (anonymised) quotations from a dozen student essays as a ‘source’ for analysing the film. Written in fulfilment of the requirements for an introductory course on African History, these student essays are useful precisely because they are not written by experts. That is, when responding to Kalushi, the students are reacting to its storytelling, soundtrack, costumes, and so on – all of the basic tools for presenting propaganda through cinema. Analysing these essays in conjunction with scholarly books and articles on Mahlangu, this article engages Rametsi’s notions of positive propaganda as a provocation, raising a series of legitimate questions.

Generative AI in Student Essays: English Teachers' Perspectives on Effective Assessment Methods

The increasing use of AI-assisted writing tools in education presents new challenges in ensuring the integrity and originality of student essays. This study investigates English teachers’ perceptions of various essay assessment methods in light of these challenges. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative Likert-scale data and qualitative open-ended responses, the research reflects the perspectives of 50 experienced educators from the Faculty of Linguistics at the National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.” The study investigates teachers' familiarity with AI tools, the challenges they face in assessing AI-assisted student work, and their views on AI's role in aiding or potentially hindering student writing skills. Findings indicate that while many educators support AI for tasks like grammar and proofreading, concerns persist over its impact on students' critical thinking and originality. Assessment methods currently in use include in-class handwritten essays, oral defenses, AI-detection software, and portfolios. The results indicate that hybrid assessment methods are rated as the most effective for evaluating AI-influenced essays, indicating a preference for combining traditional and AI-specific techniques. Implications and recommendations for research and practice have been outlined, emphasizing a balanced approach that promotes ethical AI usage, critical thinking, and academic integrity in writing assessments.

Lecturers’ perspectives on enhancing student proficiency through academic integrity in logic and writing strategies

Developing critical thinking and effective communication skills through argumentative essays is crucial to the success of university students. This study aims to identify the most engaging strategies used in teaching writing argumentative essays for university students. In spite of this, identifying the most engaging strategies to teach this skill remains a challenge. To this end, three focus group discussions were conducted with 30 English-language lecturers and professors in Amman, Jordan. Additionally, an online survey was distributed among 30 English-language lecturers and professors in Amman, Jordan, and 50 students to rank the identified strategies. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with English language professors and students. The rankings’ mean scores and frequency counts were calculated for each strategy. The findings of this study indicate similarities and differences between the two groups’ preferences for prewriting and post-writing strategies. Both groups agreed on the importance of prewriting and post-writing strategies in writing instruction. Nevertheless, lecturers favored brainstorming and outlining as a prewriting strategy and teacher feedback as a post-writing strategy. At the same time, students preferred the read-write model as a prewriting strategy and peer review as a post-writing strategy. These findings have significant implications for both educators and students. Using the read-write model and peer review as part of the curriculum can enhance engagement and learning outcomes by incorporating students’ preferences into teaching methods. Exposure to various strategies helps students identify the most effective approaches for themselves, fostering adaptability and proficiency in writing argumentative essays.

Трансформация гражданственности студенчества в «переломное время» (на материалах фокус-групп и эссе студентов вузов Ростовской области в 2022 и 2024 гг.)

The article analyzes the opinions and civil positions of students of the Rostov region universities in the context of a Special Military Operation and a destructive ideological war of the collective West against the Russian Federation. Based on the materials of the focus group and essays of the Don students in October – November 2022 (8 groups) and in April 2024 (6 groups, 203 essays), the life-forming factors of student youth are described: life, peace, humanism, family and immediate environment, collectivism and mutual assistance, historical memory, small homeland, patriotism. The events and factors that influenced the moral and social state of the Don students are identified: confrontation with existential problems of war and peace, life and death; uncertainty of the future in the context of the inevitability of a Special Military Operation, cultural isolation of Russia, geopolitical risks and transformation of the world order. In the face of an existential choice, there is a rethinking of the value of family, an increase in the role of the immediate circle and small homeland. A targeted state policy of memory, glorification and memorization of the Special Military Operation participants creates the ground for an increase in the role of historical memory, the values of patriotism and citizenship, trust in the authorities and approval of political decisions. The perception of Western values becomes more critical; the severity of anxiety about the cultural, economic, political isolation of Russia is erased. The hypothesis about the existence of two models of citizenship of Russian students was confirmed: a) the first (civic consciousness as public-state patriotism) is associated with factors of sociocentrism, where there is an identity with one's family, ethnic group, small homeland, and civic identity with the Russian state is strengthened, associated with a sense of duty, responsibility and obligation to it; b) the second (global citizenship) is based on the principles of anthropocentrism with guarantees of observance of constitutional rights and freedoms, humanistic values and global citizenship, but without the individual's obligations to the state.

The Analysis of Arabic Learning Error in Student of Madrasah Tsanawiyah

This study examines grammatical (nahwu) and morphological (shorrof) errors in Arabic essays by secondary students, aiming to identify and categorize these errors and their causes. It also proposes pedagogical interventions to improve Arabic language instruction by enhancing both theoretical understanding and practical application of linguistic rules. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected through interviews with supervisors, teachers, and students, as well as classroom observations and document analysis of student essays. The analysis followed the Ellis-Huberman framework: data collection, reduction, presentation, and conclusion. Results revealed that student errors stemmed from limited understanding of grammar, interference from their mother tongue, and insufficient practice. Teacher-related factors included inadequate feedback and insufficient opportunities for practice. These issues hindered students' mastery of Arabic. The study recommends a combination of theoretical and applied exercises. Theoretical exercises help students grasp linguistic rules, while applied exercises improve writing skills. More frequent feedback and diverse teaching methods are also suggested to enhance learning outcomes. This research introduces a dual approach, integrating theoretical and applied exercises, offering valuable insights for improving Arabic language education at the secondary level.

Error Analysis of Grammatical Features in Saudi Undergraduate EFL Writing

Mastery of English grammatical accuracy is paramount for developing proficiency as a foreign language. However, research examining tendencies among Saudi undergraduate writers remains limited. This study aimed to address such gaps through a comprehensive identification and categorization of errors present in student essays. A rigorous mixed-methods approach analyzed over 350 grammatical mistakes across 50 female students' writing samples. Errors were systematically coded and categorized to reveal frequency data through quantitative analysis. Findings demonstrated spelling, subject-verb agreement, and capitalization as the most prevalent issue areas, collectively accounting for over 75% of errors. Examples uncovered specific challenges involving verb tense, sentence fragments, and article usage. While outcomes aligned with previous literature, linguistic influences on persistent spelling difficulties were explored to broaden understandings. Recommendations for targeted exercises strengthening weaker domains like phonics rules and irregular verbs were provided. Continuing periodic error analyses can optimally inform evolving pedagogy tailored to emerging needs over time. Significantly, this novel diagnostic approach begins addressing critical literature gaps through data-driven insights that meaningfully inform curriculum development to better support the still under-researched Saudi EFL student population.

Targeted Analysis of Common Spelling Errors among Grade Six Pupils

Spelling errors are the most common inaccuracies in the writing of ESL learners. Despite the numerous studies on writing, teaching spelling as a research topic has often been overlooked. The primary objectives of this mixed method study are to describe the common spelling errors of grade 6 pupils of an all-girls school in Metro Manila post-pandemic, identify teaching strategies to minimize spelling errors and propose recommendations for teaching spelling. First, spelling tests and student handwritten essays were analyzed for spelling errors, which were later categorized using Cook’s classification. Second, interviews with Language teachers to identify teaching strategies were held, determining key themes and best practices in spelling instruction. The results indicated that students committed spelling errors mostly by omission, substitution, and insertion, and the strategies to enhance spelling skills include utilizing visuals, engaging students through interactive materials and collaborative activities, and using the words in context. Based on the findings, it is recommended to consider the following in crafting a spelling program: a fundamental list of commonly misspelled words following the rule-based system, a bank of effective strategies to expose students to words in context and engage them for active learning, a continuous assessment of spelling student abilities, and evaluation of the spelling program.

Identifying and analyzing common English writing challenges among regular undergraduate students

Writing is essential for academic and professional success. This descriptive study aimed to investigate the challenges faced by Ethiopian university students. It focused on 680 regular undergraduate students at Mizan Tepi University selected through simple random sampling. Researchers employed tests, questionnaires, and interviews to collect data from students and EFL instructors. Data collection methods included student essay analysis, a structured questionnaire, and instructor interviews to gain insights into students' writing proficiency and perceptions. Statistical analysis was used for quantitative data, while content analysis was applied to qualitative data. Findings revealed that most students have average writing proficiency, are motivated to write in English and view writing as a process during activities. Many also reported engaging in writing outside the classroom. Vocabulary and grammar were highlighted as the most challenging aspects, alongside concerns over insufficient time to learn writing skills. Based on the study's outcomes, recommendations are proposed to enhance writing proficiency among undergraduate students. These include dedicating more time to writing instruction, raising awareness of essential writing elements, implementing regular assessments for monitoring progress, and possibly integrating a dedicated reading module. Emphasizing flexible teaching approaches and encouraging diverse writing practices beyond the classroom is crucial for improving overall language proficiency among students.

Does ChatGPT Argue Like Students? Bundles in Argumentative Essays

Abstract The advent of ChatGPT, a novel AI-powered language model able to create grammatically accurate and coherent texts, has generated considerable concern among educationalists anxious about its potential to enable cheating among students and to undermine the development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and literacy skills. The similarities and differences between ChatGPT texts and human writing, however, remain underexplored. This study aims to bridge this gap by comparing the use of 3-word bundles in A-level argumentative essays written by British students with those generated by ChatGPT. Our findings show that ChatGPT essays contain a lower frequency of bundles but these have a higher type/token ratio, suggesting that its bundles are more rigid and formulaic. We also found noun and preposition-based bundles are more prevalent in ChatGPT texts, employed for abstract descriptions and to provide transitional and structuring cues. Student essays are characterized by more epistemic stances and authorial presence, crucial in persuasive argumentation. We attribute these distinct patterns in ChatGPT’s output to its processing of vast training data and underlying statistical algorithms. The study points to pedagogical implications for incorporating ChatGPT in writing instruction.

Taking the next step: How student reflective essays about difficult clinical encounters demonstrate professional identity formation.

Difficult clinical encounters pose emotional and behavioural challenges for medical students. Unless resolved, they threaten students' professional competence and well-being. Learning how to humanistically interact with patients perceived as "difficult" is an important component of the developmental process that underlies professional identity formation (PIF). This study used thematic analysis to examine reflective essay data from the same set of students (N = 69), first in their third year and then in their fourth year of training at a US public medical school. Analysis focused on how student perceptions of patients', preceptors', and their own behaviour, attitudes, and emotions in difficult patient care situations evolved over time, and how such evolution contributed to their professional growth. Students identified clinical predicaments influenced by their own emotions and behaviour, as well as those of patients and preceptors. In response to patients perceived as angry, rude, and uncooperative, students described themselves and their preceptors primarily as engaging in routine medical behaviours, followed by expressions of empathy. These encounters resulted in residual emotions as well as lessons learned. Fourth-year students reported more empathy, patient-centeredness, and patient ownership than third-year students. While student-physicians grew in professionalism and compassion, they also noted unresolved distressing emotions post-encounter. From third to fourth year, medical students undergo a process of professional growth that can be documented at a granular level through their perceptions of themselves, their patients, and their preceptors. Despite positive professional growth, students' lingering negative affect merits attention and support from clinical teachers.

Strategi Writing in the Here and Now untuk Meningkatkan Kemampuan Siswa Menulis Teks Rekon di SMA Pangeran Antasari, Medan

This research was motivated by the low ability of students in writing recon texts. This is because learning still dominates theory over practice, so that students are only able to understand the theory of recon texts, not able to write recon texts. One learning strategy that is believed to be able to improve student learning outcomes is the writing in the here and now strategy for students in writing class X recon texts at Pangeran Antasari High School. This research aims to describe the process and results of implementing the writing in the here and now strategy in improving students' skills in writing recon texts. This type of research is qualitative descriptive research that describes events or phenomena systematically. The data for this research is in the form of 24 student essays. The data analysis technique used is a test technique, namely students are asked to write a recap text. This research shows that the writing in the here and now strategy is very effective in improving students' ability to write recon texts for class X SMA Pangeran Antasari Medan as evidenced by the students' writing. The writing in the here and now strategy also makes the learning atmosphere more active and enjoyable for students by providing collaboration between students.

Analysis of Errors in Writing Capital Letters in Description Essays in Semester II Students of the Sports and Health Education Study Program

This research aims to find out errors in writing capital letters in writing Indonesian language papers, as well as to find out the factors that cause errors in writing capital letters in writing papers among second semester students of the Sports and Health Education Study Program, so that these errors can be reduced and corrected. The approach used in this research is a qualitative approach with descriptive research type. The research subjects consisted of 35 second semester students of the Sports and Health Education Study Program. The instruments used were interviews and documentation in the form of students' descriptive essays. The data analysis used in this research uses the Miles and Huberman model analysis, where in analyzing the data there are four activities, namely: data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and conclusions. The results of this research found errors in writing capital letters in descriptive essays in second semester students of the Sports and Health Education Study Program, including 465 errors in the high error category with a percentage of 70.77%. Meanwhile, writing errors in punctuation marks in descriptive essays for students in the second semester of the Sports and Health Education Study Program were in the low error category with 192 errors with a percentage of 29.22%. Factors that cause errors in writing capital letters in descriptive essays for students in the second semester of the Sports and Health Education Study Program, namely: Lack of student interest in essay writing activities, low student interest in reading, students' attitudes that are less concerned about writing capital letters, lack of student understanding of the rules. writing capital letters, less varied learning methods, less interesting learning media and current technological developments.