A Mixed Method Study of Experience in Using ChatGPT in Essay Writing from EFL Learners’ Perspectives
TL;DR
This mixed method study explored how Saudi EFL learners perceived their experience in using ChatGPT in essay writing, highlighting that effective GenAI-supported writing requires a balanced approach in which students benefit from its affordances while maintaining human agency, critical judgment, and responsibility.
Abstract
The rapid advances of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) have created new possibilities for supporting learners of English as second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) in writing while also raising critical concerns about responsible and effective use. This mixed method study, therefore, explored how Saudi EFL learners perceived their experience in using ChatGPT in essay writing. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, combining a questionnaire administered to 78 Saudi EFL learners with semi-structured interviews with 15 students to gain deeper insights into their experiences. The findings revealed that students generally perceived ChatGPT as a useful essay writing support tool, especially for saving time and effort, improving language use and grammar, increasing accessibility to feedback, enhancing writing quality, and providing assistance throughout the writing process. However, students expressed more cautious views regarding the contribution of ChatGPT to their higher-order writing abilities, including paraphrasing, idea generation, and coherence development. Qualitative findings further showed that learners valued ChatGPT as a collaborative writing assistant which supported reflection, self-assessment, and learning, while also emphasizing the need for prompt refinement, critical evaluation, and human verification of ChatGPT-generated outputs. Students also identified several challenges, including inaccurate information, fabricated references, concerns about originality and personal writing voice, overreliance on ChatGPT, and ethical issues related to academic integrity, bias, and privacy. The study highlights that effective GenAI-supported writing requires a balanced approach in which students benefit from its affordances while maintaining human agency, critical judgment, and responsibility. The findings offer useful pedagogical insights for integrating ChatGPT into EFL writing instruction.