Students’ and Educators’ Perceptions of the Use of AI Technologies in Project-Based Learning

Abstract

Introduction. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) opens up new opportunities for learning foreign languages, but its widespread adoption in academic settings is ahead of scientific understanding of its meaningful use within specific pedagogical approaches. This gap is particularly evident in project-based learning (PBL) in English Language Teaching (ELT), where interactions between students and educators using GenAI tools have not been studied enough. The aim of this research is to analyze students’ and educators’ experiences and attitudes towards the use of GenAI technologies in PBL in ELT. Research methods. The study employed creating online surveys for students and educators of English and ranking analysis of the data to compare and contrast the perceptions of GenAI in PBL. A total of 894 first-year undergraduate students and 56 educators from the University of Tyumen (the Russian Federation) participated in the study in 2025. Results. The study reveals a generally positive attitude among the main participants of the educational process regarding the integration of GenAI into PBL in ELT. More than half of the students (59.6%) and educators (62.9%) agree that the use of GenAI tools in PBL enhances time efficiency and improves the quality of project products. However, educators’ opinions contradict real experiences of GenAI use reported by students. Educators tend to overestimate students’ trust in GenAI outputs, while the majority of students (92.1%) do not fully trust such outputs and prefer to revise them, viewing GenAI primarily as a tool for generating ideas and improving project outcomes. While 78.3% of educators agree that students critically process GenAI-generated responses, the remaining 21.7% emphasize students’ complete trust and reliance on GenAI, which gives rises to concerns regarding potential risks to students’ critical thinking and creativity development. KEYWORDS Conclusion. The findings indicate that while GenAI in PBL holds promise for supporting cognitive and linguistic development of students, its successful integration requires a well-balanced and integrated approach. It is essential to study the experiences of students, identify the benefits and risks associated with the use of GenAI tools, as well as attitudes of all stakeholders in education before redesigning PBL in response to an evolving technological landscape.