From shy to fly: Facilitating EFL learners’ willingness to communicate with an AI chatbot and an intelligent tutoring system

IF 4.9 1区文学 Q1 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

System Pub Date : 2024-11-13 DOI:10.1016/j.system.2024.103501

Danyang Zhang , Junjie Gavin Wu , Zhuxia Fu

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Willingness to communicate (WTC) has been identified as a crucial factor in improving EFL learners' speaking. However, enhancing WTC often remains a major challenge. The recent emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has been heralded for its transformative potential, yet there is a lack of empirical evidence regarding how this development influences WTC. To address this, our pioneering study investigates the impact of two major AI tools on EFL learners from China, one involving a chatbot and the other an intelligent tutoring system (ITS). 82 first-year undergraduates participated in the study and were assigned to two groups: the AI chatbot group and the ITS group. Pre- and post-session WTC questionnaires, reflection journals and a teacher interview were conducted to collect data. Results revealed significant disparities in WTC changes among the groups. Specifically, the chatbot group displayed significant improvements, while the WTC of the ITS group surprisingly declined. The study delves into the reasons behind these contrasting performances. It concludes by proposing practical implications based on the findings.

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从害羞到飞翔：通过人工智能聊天机器人和智能辅导系统促进英语学习者的交流意愿

交际意愿（WTC）被认为是提高 EFL 学习者口语水平的关键因素。然而，提高 WTC 往往仍是一项重大挑战。最近出现的人工智能（AI）因其变革潜力而备受赞誉，但关于这一发展如何影响 WTC 却缺乏实证证据。为了解决这个问题，我们的开创性研究调查了两种主要的人工智能工具对中国 EFL 学习者的影响，一种是聊天机器人，另一种是智能辅导系统（ITS）。82 名一年级本科生参加了这项研究，并被分配到两组：人工智能聊天机器人组和智能辅导系统组。研究人员通过课前和课后的 WTC 问卷、反思日记和教师访谈收集数据。结果显示，各组之间的 WTC 变化存在明显差异。具体来说，聊天机器人组的成绩有了显著提高，而 ITS 组的 WTC 却出人意料地下降了。本研究深入探讨了这些截然不同的表现背后的原因。最后，研究人员根据研究结果提出了实际意义。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

System Multiple-

CiteScore

8.80

自引率

8.30%

发文量

202

审稿时长

64 days

期刊介绍： This international journal is devoted to the applications of educational technology and applied linguistics to problems of foreign language teaching and learning. Attention is paid to all languages and to problems associated with the study and teaching of English as a second or foreign language. The journal serves as a vehicle of expression for colleagues in developing countries. System prefers its contributors to provide articles which have a sound theoretical base with a visible practical application which can be generalized. The review section may take up works of a more theoretical nature to broaden the background.